City leaders and advocates are working to provide alternate resources.

AUSTIN, Texas — A city-funded rental assistance program has ended after helping thousands of families cover rent costs and avoid evictions, leaving some residents searching for other options to stay in their homes. 

Samantha Rymer said she and her family have been in Austin for the past two years. 

Rymer and her husband work full-time and are raising two daughters. But a stretch of illness late last year set off a chain of events that now has the family facing eviction. 

“I’m not just looking for a handout,” said Rymer. “We just need a little extra help.”

Rymer said the family’s financial troubles began in November when one of her daughters got sick, and soon after, Rymer herself also fell ill and had to stop working, leaving the household without one of its incomes. 

“We don’t get paid very much, but we make do,” Rymer said. “Nowadays a two-parent household or a two-income household is necessary.”

Rymer said she tried multiple times to apply for the city’s “I Belong in Austin” emergency rental assistance program but was never selected. 

The program, administered by nonprofit El Buen Samaritano, uses a lottery system to distribute limited financial aid to eligible applicants. Each month, about 2,000 people applied, but only about 100 families were randomly selected to receive assistance. 

Recently, Austin leaders announced the program had to be adjusted because the money simply wasn’t there anymore. Officials shifted the focus toward helping residents avoid eviction or navigate the eviction process.

Since June 2021, the program has distributed over $16 million to over 3,100 household facing eviction and has helped over 9,000 people. 

Dr. Rosamaria Murillo with El Buen Samaritano said there are currently two programs focused on homelessness prevention and anti-displacement efforts. 

Murillo added residents struggling to pay rent should seek help as early as possible. 

“The most important step is to reach out and reach out early, and call us,” said Murillo.

Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter said the city is also considering putting more dollars into prevention programs and continuing to work with local organizations to stretch available resources. 

“We have to be able to use our dollars in the most effective way,” Alter said. “And given that we just don’t have as much as we used to, we’re going to target those resources to the families that need it most.”

The last batch of applications were accepted through March 7. Murillo said those are in the process of being distributed.