Austin Shifts Emergency Rental Assistance Program to Eviction Settlements

Remaining funds will be redirected to negotiated eviction settlements as program portal closes indefinitely.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The City of Austin announced a "strategic shift" for its I Belong in Austin emergency rental assistance program, closing the application portal indefinitely after the final March 1-7 period and redirecting remaining funds to negotiated eviction settlements. This follows a reduction in program funding from $4 million to $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Why it matters

The shift in the program's focus aims to prioritize households facing the most immediate threat of losing their homes, as many applicants were already facing active eviction filings when they applied. By concentrating funds on legal advocacy and negotiated settlements, the city and its partners hope to have a greater impact on stabilizing households.

The details

Founded in 2023, the I Belong In Austin program provided rental assistance to 725 households in Fiscal Year 2025 and 139 households to date in Fiscal Year 2026. However, the city's partner El Buen Samaritano found that many applicants were already facing active eviction filings when they applied. As a result, the city believes that focusing on legal advocacy and negotiated settlements will allow them to prioritize households facing the most immediate threat of losing their homes.

  • The final application period for the I Belong in Austin program will be March 1-7, 2026.
  • The program's portal will close indefinitely after the final March application period.
  • The support through negotiated eviction settlements will continue through the end of the Fiscal Year 2026.

The players

City of Austin

The local government of Austin, Texas, which oversees the I Belong in Austin emergency rental assistance program.

El Buen Samaritano

A city partner organization that found many I Belong in Austin applicants were already facing active eviction filings.

Nefertitti Jackmon

The community displacement prevention officer for Austin Housing, who commented on the strategic shift in the program.

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What they’re saying

“At present, we must prioritize options that can have maximum impact in terms of stabilizing households. As a result, we will assist households needing legal representation to avoid eviction.”

— Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, Austin Housing (Patch)

“We hope this approach will lessen the burden and expectations of thousands of households applying for rent assistance each month who are ultimately denied because the resources cannot meet the increasing demand for financial assistance.”

— Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, Austin Housing (Patch)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This shift in the emergency rental assistance program highlights the growing challenge of meeting the demand for housing stability support, as the city looks to prioritize the most vulnerable households facing immediate eviction threats through legal advocacy and negotiated settlements.