Tenant Stabilization and Renters Rights
Legal Services & Representation for Low-Income Tenants
The City of Austin has partnered 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.
Fair Housing Laws
Fair housing is a federally mandated right that prohibits discrimination in housing choice.
The Federal Fair Housing Act (Web) protects anyone from being limited in their housing choice based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender/sex, familial status, and disability.
The City of Austin Fair Housing Ordinance (Web) protects all those in the categories of the Federal Fair Housing Act and also includes sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, student status, and age.
Discrimination in mortgage lending is also prohibited by the Federal Fair Housing Act. It is unlawful to engage in the following practices based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability:
- Refuse to make a mortgage loan
- Refuse to provide information regarding loans
- Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different interest rates, points, or fees
- Discriminate in appraising property
- Refuse to purchase a loan or set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loan
How to File a Housing Discrimination Complaint
Visit Austin Equity and Inclusion's Civil Rights Division or call 512-974-3251 for more information on how the city enforces Austin's Fair Housing Ordinance and investigates housing discrimination complaints. You may also file a complaint about housing discrimination here.
Tenants' Rights
Austin Tenant's Council (Web) offers counseling to prepare for and understand the eviction process, including reviewing the notices a tenant has received and assisting tenants with mediation and preparing for court if necessary.