Help and resources for Austin apartment renters
If you rent an apartment in the Austin area and run into a problem with maintenance, a lease dispute, or possible discrimination, you don't have to sort it out alone. Below is a curated list of real government agencies, legal aid groups, and tenant organizations that handle these issues for Greater Austin renters, along with what each one actually covers.
Government & regulatory
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Federal agency that enforces the Fair Housing Act and runs the Multifamily Housing Complaint Line, letting tenants of HUD-insured or HUD-assisted properties report poor maintenance, health and safety dangers, mismanagement, or fraud.
Visit website → Phone: (800) 685-8470 / TTY (800) 432-2209 Fort Worth Regional Office of FHEO, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 801 Cherry Street, Unit #45, Suite 2500, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 -
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
State agency that oversees affordable housing programs and fair housing compliance, and handles complaints related to TDHCA-monitored properties such as LIHTC (tax-credit) apartments, including rules on reasonable accommodations and affirmative marketing.
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Texas Workforce Commission - Civil Rights Division (TWC-CRD)
State agency that enforces the Texas Fair Housing Act (passed in 1989), handling housing discrimination complaints based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, and disability.
Visit website → Phone: (888) 452-4778 or (512) 463-2642, TTY: 512-371-7473, Fax: 512-463-2643 Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, 1117 Trinity Street, Room 144-T, Austin, Texas 78701
Consumer protection
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Office of the Texas Attorney General - Consumer Protection Division
State office that accepts consumer complaints against landlords, including cases involving illegal lockouts, utility shutoffs, or deceptive practices, through a Consumer Complaint Form that can be submitted online or by mail.
Legal help
This is general information, not legal advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your specific situation.
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Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)
Nonprofit legal aid organization offering free legal services to low-income Texans on housing matters, including eviction defense, illegal lockouts, fair housing violations, and repair disputes under chapters 91 and 92 of the Texas Property Code. It now operates the Austin Tenants Council project as of December 1, 2022.
Support organisations
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Austin Tenants' Council (ATC) / Austin Tenants Council Project
Community-based nonprofit founded in 1972 that provides tenant-landlord counseling, mediation, housing discrimination assistance, and fair housing education, along with help on housing repair and rehabilitation issues. It serves residents of Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties and is now a project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
Visit website → Phone: (512) 474-1
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