This page lists the financial assistance programs that operate in Texas. It covers help with rent, utility bills, food, housing, medical care, child care, and several other needs. Some programs are run by state agencies. Many more are run by charities, churches, and county organizations. Local groups provide a large share of the assistance in Texas, because state benefit programs here are limited.

Each section explains what a program may provide, who tends to qualify, and where to apply. A link in every section leads to a full page of details. Local programs are listed county by county at the end of this page.

Housing assistance programs in Texas

The programs in this group serve renters, homeowners, and people who have lost their housing.

Help paying rent
Most rent assistance in Texas comes from charities, churches, and county programs. The state does not run an ongoing rent assistance program. Local funds are limited and are often used up quickly. A qualified tenant may receive help with part of one month of rent, paid directly to the landlord. Applying before an eviction is filed improves the chance of approval. The local programs are listed in rental assistance in Texas.

Eviction prevention and homeless services
Nonprofit agencies across Texas receive federal funds to prevent homelessness. An agency may pay past-due rent to resolve an eviction case. It may instead pay a security deposit at a new address. Emergency shelters and rehousing programs serve people who have already lost their housing. An eviction case in Texas can reach a court hearing within a few weeks, so contact an agency as soon as a notice arrives. More is in Texas eviction prevention and homeless assistance.

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
A Housing Choice Voucher limits rent to about one third of household income. A public housing authority pays the remainder to the landlord. Cities and counties operate their own housing authorities. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, known as TDHCA, acts as the housing authority for a 34-county service area that has no local program. Waiting lists across Texas are long, and some open only for short periods. TDHCA has also warned about false social media posts that claim its waiting list is open, so trust only official housing authority websites. More is in Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Texas.

Assistance with a mortgage, property taxes, or foreclosure
Property taxes are one of the largest costs for Texas homeowners. A homeowner who is age 65 or older, or who has a disability, may file a tax deferral with the county appraisal district. The deferral stops a tax sale. The taxes are postponed, with interest, until the home is sold. A homestead exemption, filed with the same office, may lower the tax bill itself. A homeowner behind on a mortgage may get free help from a HUD-approved housing counselor, who can negotiate with the lender. More is in Texas mortgage and foreclosure assistance.

Help with electric bills and cooling costs

Electric service works differently in Texas than in most states, and several programs help with the bills.

Electric companies and disconnection rules
Most Texans buy electricity from a retail electric provider they selected. Each provider offers its own payment plans, and some operate hardship funds, so the provider is the first place to call. The Public Utility Commission of Texas sets the disconnection rules. During a declared extreme heat or hard freeze emergency, a provider may not disconnect service for nonpayment. A bill that comes due during the emergency may be placed on a deferred payment plan on request. These rules, and the individual company programs, are covered in Texas utility bill and cooling assistance.

CEAP and free weatherization
The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, known as CEAP, is the main government utility bill program in Texas. TDHCA funds it, and local agencies operate it in all 254 counties. CEAP may pay part of an electric, gas, or propane bill. It may also repair or replace a broken air conditioner or heater. Seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young children receive priority. The related Weatherization Assistance Program may insulate and seal a home at no cost, which lowers bills in later months. The provider for each county is listed on the TDHCA Help for Texans page at https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/help-for-texans. The program is explained in CEAP utility bill assistance in Texas.

Free air conditioners and fans
Extreme heat is the most dangerous weather in Texas. Utility companies and charities may give a qualified household a free window air conditioning unit or a box fan. Seniors and people with medical conditions receive priority. The programs are listed in free air conditioners for Texas families.

Free food across Texas

Feeding Texas (website: https://www.feedingtexas.org/), a network of 20 regional food banks, serves all 254 counties. The food banks supply local pantries and hold their own distribution events, including drive-through events. Most pantries ask for little more than a name and address. In rural areas, food banks send trucks on scheduled routes to towns that have no pantry. Many food banks also help people apply for SNAP. Locations and schedules are in free food pantries in Texas.

SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and other state benefits

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, known as HHSC, runs the state benefit programs. One application at YourTexasBenefits.com (website: https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/) covers all of them. SNAP provides monthly grocery money on a Lone Star Card. A household with very little income may receive SNAP within about a week. TANF provides a small monthly cash payment to some families with children. Medicaid in Texas mainly covers children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. Most other adults do not qualify, but their children often qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. Eligibility for each program is explained in Texas public assistance programs.

Job training and child care through Workforce Solutions

The Texas Workforce Commission funds Workforce Solutions offices in every region of the state. The same offices handle both employment programs and child care assistance.

Free job training
Workforce Solutions staff may pay for short-term training, such as a commercial driver license, a trade certificate, or a GED. Some programs also pay for work clothes, tools, or transportation so a person can start a job. The options are described in free job training in Texas.

Child care scholarships
The Child Care Services program pays part of the cost of child care for a qualified family. Children under age 13 are covered, and children with disabilities are covered longer. The parent must be working, looking for work, or attending school or job training. Funding is limited in some regions, and a waiting list is possible. How to apply is in Texas child care assistance.

Charities and community organizations

Charities provide a large share of the emergency assistance in Texas.

The Salvation Army and churches
The Salvation Army operates service centers in cities and towns across Texas. When funds are available, a center may pay part of a utility bill or part of the rent. A center may also provide food, clothing, or a motel voucher. Churches in smaller communities may offer similar assistance. Details are in Texas Salvation Army emergency assistance.

Community action agencies
A community action agency serves every Texas county. Many of these agencies operate CEAP locally. Depending on its funding, an agency may also provide food, case management, Head Start, or free income tax preparation in the spring. The agency for each area is listed in Texas community action agencies.

Programs for seniors and people with disabilities

Area Agencies on Aging
HHSC funds an Area Agency on Aging in every region of Texas. These offices arrange home-delivered meals, transportation, in-home care, and counseling on benefits. Most services begin at age 60. A family caregiver may qualify for respite care. The agency for each county is in Texas Area Agencies on Aging.

Benefits for people with disabilities
Monthly cash for disabled adults in Texas comes through the federal SSI and SSDI programs. Help with those applications is available, provided at no cost. HHSC adds Medicaid waiver programs, in-home attendant care, and transportation to medical appointments. More is in Texas disability benefit programs.

Legal aid, credit counseling, and phone bill discounts

Free legal aid
Legal aid organizations represent low-income Texans in civil cases at no charge. Common cases include eviction defense, denied benefits, and debt lawsuits. Regional legal aid programs cover every county in the state. Free legal forms and plain-language guides are published at TexasLawHelp.org. (Website: https://texaslawhelp.org/). Where to apply for a lawyer is in free legal help in Texas.

Nonprofit credit counseling
Nonprofit credit counseling agencies serve all of Texas. The first session is free. A counselor may set up a single monthly payment plan that lowers the interest on credit cards and other debts. More is in Texas credit counseling.

Phone bill discounts through Lifeline
Lifeline may lower the monthly phone or internet bill for a qualified household. Households on SNAP or Medicaid qualify, and so do others with low incomes. Some phone companies also provide a free basic phone. The discount is explained in Texas Lifeline assistance, and the free phone offers are in free cell phones in Texas.

Call 2-1-1 Texas

2-1-1 Texas is a free information line operated by HHSC. It answers day and night. A specialist can look up the closest agency that may help with rent, a utility bill, food, or another need. The same directory is searchable at https://www.211texas.org/.

Advice from other Texans

Readers from across the state post on the site's moderated forum. They describe which agencies responded and share what they learned while applying. The Texas topic is at the Texas assistance programs forum discussion.