Section 8 · Texas

Section 8 Housing in Texas

You can apply now in Dallas. On October 22, 2026, the Dallas Housing Authority took voucher pre-applications at any time through a lottery pool. Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Tarrant, Bexar and Dallas counties and the state agency post their lists as closed.

Texas law bars cities from requiring landlords to accept vouchers, with exceptions for veterans and state- or city-funded properties.

By the VoucherMatch Editorial Team · Sources reviewed October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026 · Independent guide, not a housing agency

WaitlistsWhere to apply now
State programTDHCA’s 34 counties
RightsCan a landlord refuse?

Houses in the Swiss Avenue Historic District, Dallas, March 5, 2017. The Dallas Housing Authority is the one large Texas agency taking voucher pre-applications. Photo: Renelibrary, source, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Markets covered

Active vouchers

171,496

139,411 occupied

Housing authorities

379

statewide

Voucher protection

State preempts

Texas Government Code § 2306.269: voucher rules for TDHCA housing

Is Section 8 open in Texas?

Only in Dallas, among the large agencies, on October 22, 2026. The Dallas Housing Authority says: “You may apply for the program through our open lottery system at any time.” Every other large tenant-based list we checked was closed or posted no status.

Texas’s largest voucher agencies and their posted status (checked October 22, 2026)
Agency	Vouchers	Posted status	Phone
Dallas Housing Authority	20,345	Open lottery pool, any time; pre-applications last 18 months
Housing Alliance HTX (Houston)	19,404	No voucher status posted
Opportunity Home San Antonio	14,574	Opens only when advertised; none posted. Wait “two to seven years”
Austin Housing Authority	7,047	Closed	512-477-4488
Fort Worth Housing Solutions	6,446	Closed; 3 project-based lists open Nov. 1–5, 2026	817-333-3400
HOME (El Paso)	6,245	Closed; project-based applications online	915-849-3742
Harris County HA	4,913	No current status; still working its 2016 list
Dallas County Housing Agency	4,596	Closed	214-819-1871
Tarrant County	3,314	Closed; expected to stay closed “for the next eight years”
Corpus Christi HA	3,524	Tenant-based closed; project-based open	361-889-3300
Bexar County HA	2,284	Closed	210-231-2046
TDHCA (state, 34 counties)	1,877	Closed since its May 2022 lottery	512-475-3800

Voucher counts: HUD’s public housing agency dataset. Status: each agency’s own page, quoted. HUD records TDHCA’s vouchers at its Austin office, so Travis County totals on this page include them, though TDHCA does not serve Travis County. Arlington and Travis County housing authorities also post closed lists.

Applications open or opening now

Dallas: voucher pre-applications at any time; public-housing lotteries are drawn monthly from the same pool (DHA lottery updates).
Fort Worth: project-based lists for Hughes House III, Sedona Village Senior Living and Cowan Place open November 1, 2026, 8 a.m., and close November 5, 5 p.m. (FWHS notice).
El Paso and Corpus Christi take project-based applications online; San Antonio takes public-housing and assisted-housing applications any time.

Follow openings on our verified waiting-list page, and use the Texas housing authority directory to find the agency for your county.

The state program covers 34 counties

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs runs vouchers only in its own service area: Atascosa, Austin, Bandera, Bosque, Caldwell, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Crockett, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Falls, Fort Bend, Freestone, Frio, Galveston, Gillespie, Grimes (Navasota only), Guadalupe, Johnson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Lee, Llano, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Waller, Wharton, Wilson and Wise counties. In several of them, a city housing authority serves its own city instead (TDHCA service areas; TDHCA program page).

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Texas?

Generally, yes. Since September 1, 2015, Texas Local Government Code § 250.007 has barred cities and counties from adopting or enforcing a rule that stops a landlord from refusing a tenant whose rent includes a voucher. There are three exceptions.

Veterans. The statute lets cities protect veterans who use vouchers. Fort Worth did so in March 2024, as a Class C misdemeanor (KERA report). San Antonio’s ordinance took effect May 8, 2026, covers landlords with five or more units and both Housing Choice and VASH vouchers, and takes complaints through 311 or 210-207-5309 (city FAQ).
State-funded properties. Developments funded or administered by TDHCA, including tax-credit properties, may not exclude voucher holders (Gov’t Code § 2306.269). Dallas extends the same rule to city-subsidized properties (City Code ch. 20A).
HOAs. Since 2023, a homeowners’ association may not bar an owner from renting to a tenant because of how the tenant pays, including with a voucher (Prop. Code § 202.024).

Refusals based on race, disability, family status or another protected trait remain illegal. File with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division within one year.

General information, not legal advice.

Section 8 income limits in Texas

HUD FY2026 income limits and FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent, Texas areas
HUD area	50%, 1 person	50%, 4 people	80%, 4 people	2BR FMR
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos	$47,050	$67,200	$106,800	$1,817
Dallas (ZIP-level FMRs)	$42,400	$60,550	$96,900	$1,807
Fort Worth-Arlington (ZIP-level FMRs)	$38,650	$55,150	$88,250	$1,745
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (ZIP-level FMRs)	$36,400	$52,000	$83,200	$1,497
San Antonio-New Braunfels (ZIP-level FMRs)	$35,250	$50,300	$80,500	$1,441
Corpus Christi	$29,300	$41,850	$66,950	$1,421
Lubbock	$31,400	$44,800	$71,700	$1,241
Beaumont-Port Arthur (ZIP-level FMRs)	$30,700	$43,850	$70,150	$1,218
El Paso	$29,300	$41,850	$66,950	$1,146
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission	$29,300	$41,850	$66,950	$1,017

Sources: HUD FY2026 income limits and FY2027 Fair Market Rents (effective October 1, 2026), read through the HUD USER API on October 22, 2026. Vouchers generally go to households at or below 50% of median; most new admissions are at or below 30%.

HUD FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent by Texas area

Austin and Dallas top $1,800 a month for a two-bedroom; McAllen is $1,017. In Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Beaumont the benchmark is set by ZIP code.

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos$1,817
Dallas$1,807
Fort Worth-Arlington$1,745
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land$1,497
San Antonio-New Braunfels$1,441
Corpus Christi$1,421
Lubbock$1,241
Beaumont-Port Arthur$1,218
El Paso$1,146
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission$1,017

Source: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Agencies set their own payment standards from these benchmarks; ask yours for the amount at your address.

Next steps by city

Section 8 in Dallas and Dallas apartments that accept vouchers
Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth · El Paso

Section 8 in Texas: common questions

Is the Section 8 waiting list open in Texas?

Mostly no. As of October 22, 2026, the Dallas Housing Authority was the only large Texas agency taking voucher pre-applications, through a lottery pool that is open at any time. Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Dallas County, Arlington, Tarrant County, Bexar County, Travis County and the state agency TDHCA post their voucher lists as closed.

How do I apply for Section 8 in Dallas?

Submit a pre-application to the Dallas Housing Authority online at any time. DHA selects applicants from the pool by random lottery, and a pre-application lapses after 18 months, so renew it if you are not selected. Applying is free.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Texas?

Generally yes. Texas Local Government Code § 250.007 bars cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept housing vouchers, except for veterans. Fort Worth (2024) and San Antonio (2026) protect veterans who use vouchers, and properties funded through the state housing agency, including tax-credit properties, may not refuse voucher holders.

Does the state run Section 8 in Texas?

Only in part of the state. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs runs vouchers in 34 mostly rural and suburban counties, such as Comal, Fort Bend, Galveston and Wise. Its list has been closed since a May 2022 lottery. Most Texans apply to their city or county housing authority.

What are the Section 8 income limits in Texas?

Vouchers generally go to households at or below 50% of area median income. For a family of four that is $60,550 in the Dallas area, $55,150 in Fort Worth-Arlington, $52,000 in Houston, $50,300 in San Antonio and $67,200 in Austin (HUD FY2026).

Voucher-friendly listings in Texas

7 listings

View all 7 listings →

Compare HUD rent benchmarks across Texas

Use the county tables to compare areas, then ask the administering housing authority for its adopted payment standard, utility allowance and household calculation.

Texas Section 8 Fair Market Rent Benchmarks by County (FY2027)

Landlord and investor tools for Texas

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

Texas metro guides

In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.

Dallas, TX

pop. 8,100,037

1 of 5 PHAs accepting applicants

The Dallas–Fort Worth area has multiple voucher administrators. DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, is separate from Dallas County Housing Agency, Fort Worth Housing Solutions and Tarrant County’s program. Use each d

See Dallas waitlists →

Houston, TX

pop. 7,510,253

4 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Tenant-based Section 8 in Houston is run by Housing Alliance HTX, the renamed Houston Housing Authority, inside the city, and by Harris County Housing Authority in county areas outside it. As of October 18, 2026 neither

See Houston waitlists →

San Antonio, TX

pop. 2,703,999

4 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Opportunity Home San Antonio, the renamed San Antonio Housing Authority, administers tenant-based Section 8 inside the city, and the Housing Authority of Bexar County runs a separate program for the county. As of October

See San Antonio waitlists →

Austin, TX

pop. 2,473,275

4 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Start with Austin Housing Authority or the Housing Authority of Travis County as named on the voucher or application. Their adopted schedules, intake procedures and program columns differ; an Austin mailing address is no

See Austin waitlists →

All Section 8 markets in Texas

Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.

Section 8 by county in Texas

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

Find Section 8 apartments in Texas

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in Texas List your unit free

Other states

Section 8 in Arkansas Section 8 in Arizona Section 8 in California Section 8 in Colorado