Displacement Prevention Initiatives
Displacement Prevention programs support low-income households through:
Home Repair & Construction Services
Home repair and construction services partner with nonprofit organizations, developers, neighborhood groups, advocates, and community leaders to provide safety repairs and modification services to help low-income households stay in their homes.
We offer several home repair programs for income-eligible Austinites living in the City’s full-purpose limits. Learn more about our home repair programs and check if you qualify for repairs.
- Emergency Home Repair Pilot Program
The Emergency Home Repair Pilot Program is a collaboration between Austin Housing and Austin Development Services (DSD). It connects qualifying low-income homeowners facing serious safety-related code violations with home repair assistance. This referral-only program aims to prevent unsafe conditions from leading to displacement.
The pilot program will leverage two existing Project Connect Community Initiated Solutions programs that provide home repair services to preserve homeownership in the corridor, allocating $425,000 in total funding. The pilot program is restricted to areas within one mile of the Project Connect transit corridor and is expected to run through Spring 2028.
How does the referral-only pilot program work?
A DSD code compliance inspector will identify potential safety concerns that may qualify for assistance. They will collaborate with a designated social worker, who will then refer the homeowner to Austin Housing for eligibility screening. The screening process includes verifying the homeowner's income, ownership, occupancy, property location, and the necessary repairs. Once a homeowner is deemed eligible, Austin Housing will connect them with a community repair partner who will coordinate the approved home repairs.
This coordinated process is designed to simplify the experience for residents by making it easier to access the right resources without navigating multiple City departments. Throughout the process, the City will monitor response times, completed repairs, and homeowner feedback. Homeowners cannot apply directly. Renters are not eligible.
Which safety-related code violations does the pilot program address?
The referral-only pilot program addresses serious code-related health, fire, or structural safety hazards. Potential cases include imminent danger, dangerous fire damage, major or minor structural damage, and hazardous fences. Each referral will undergo an eligibility assessment and a review of the necessary repairs.
What if I don’t qualify for the Emergency Home Repair Pilot Program?
Homeowners who are in need of safety modifications, plumbing work, or general rehabilitation repairs can apply for the year-round Home Repair Programs offered by Austin Housing at www.AustinTexas.gov/HomeRepairs.
Tenant & Homeowner Stabilization Services
- Tenant Stabilization and Renter Rights
We partner with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) to provide emergency eviction counseling, representation, and prevention services for low-income renters. Legal assistance for low-income households is also available through Volunteer Legal Services and Texas Legal Services Center.
- Tenant Notification and Relocation Ordinance
Sudden housing displacement can have destabilizing effects on the most vulnerable members of our community, including low-income households and elderly and disabled residents. The Tenant Relocation Assistance Program supports vulnerable low-income households, the elderly, and people with disabilities facing displacement.
- I Belong in Austin Rental Assistance
The I Belong in Austin emergency rental assistance application portal closed indefinitely in March 2026. The decision came after a reduction in the City's overall funding. The I Belong in Austin program will continue to work with legal partners to process payments for negotiated eviction settlements and legal advocacy.
This move will allow the City and its partners to prioritize households facing the most immediate threat of losing their homes and serve as an effective tool for preventing displacement.
Residents seeking housing stability resources, legal help, or other support should visit the Austin Housing Hub for up‑to‑date resources and guidance.
Planning & Capacity Building
- Community Initiated Solutions
Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) supports local organizations working to reduce the risk of transit-induced residential displacement in Project Connect corridors. Project proposals are vetted by a panel of community members living in these areas at risk of displacement. Eligibility for the services provided is based on applicants’ household income and proximity to anticipated Project Connect transit lines. Learn more about Community Initiated Solutions and check your eligibility.
- Displacement Prevention Navigator Program
The Displacement Prevention Navigator Program aims to help people stay in their homes with assistance from paid Navigators, people recruited from local communities. Acting as a bridge between communities and resource providers, Navigators help renters and homeowners learn about and access housing resources from the City and other organizations. Learn more about the Displacement Prevention Navigator Program.
- Colony Park Displacement Mitigation Plan
The Colony Park Sustainable Community Initiative was launched in 2012 through a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Over the past decade, the City engaged with the community to shape the vision for the 208 acres of city-owned land in northeast Austin. While the Colony Park Sustainable Community Initiative aims to bring significant benefits to northeast Austin, it’s essential to consider the potential displacement challenges that similar developments have faced.
Our team is developing a plan to address displacement and community stability for the area surrounding the Colony Park Sustainable Community. We worked with a consultant to develop strategies for homeowner and renter stabilization and economic mobility starting in December 2025. The final plan is anticipated to be completed by December 2026.
Policy & Displacement Research
- Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding
In collaboration with Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), CapMetro, and the City of Austin, Project Connect will expand Austin’s public transit system. More rail and bus options in Austin will help people get to their jobs, schools, and families. However, improvements that come with new transportation infrastructure can also lead to an increase in the cost of living. This can make Austin even more unaffordable to those who live here. Learn more about the Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding.
- Anti-Displacement Maps and Dashboard
The dashboard shows areas within one mile of Project Connect stations that are at risk of displacement. It includes characteristics of those areas and other data that will help focus on where to make investments.
- StoryMap: Displacement in Austin
The Displacement StoryMap shows how housing costs, demographics, and jobs are reshaping where people can live in the city. It summarizes complex housing and displacement data, using historical data and displacement analysis. The StoryMap also highlights how Austin Housing is responding by creating and preserving opportunities to stabilize communities. The tool is intended as a public-facing resource for residents, community stakeholders, and policymakers. Ongoing updates and refinement are expected as new data, programs, and displacement prevention initiatives evolve.
Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program (ADCAP)
The Project Connect Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program (ADCAP) provides zero-percent-interest forgivable and non‑forgivable loans to eligible, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to acquire and develop real estate within one mile of the Project Connect transit corridor. The program supports nonprofits with demonstrated experience developing, renovating, leasing, or selling affordable housing in Austin. Its goal is to preserve and create long-term affordable homes for low-income households in areas facing displacement pressures in gentrifying areas.
This is not a solicitation and is not associated with a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). ADCAP is an open program and accepts applications on a rolling basis.