Section 8 apartments in MLK, Austin
MLK is in the East Austin area, primarily within ZIP code 78721. Compare HUD rent benchmarks below, then confirm the housing authority’s adopted standard and utility allowance for the actual unit.
State law limits local voucher protections
Texas has NO statewide SOI protection AND state law preempts city ordinances. Austin passed protection in 2014, Texas legislature struck it down in 2015. Landlords in Texas can legally refuse vouchers.
General information, not legal advice. For help with a specific case, use HUD’s fair-housing resources.
Rental listings in MLK, Austin
Active standalone listings recorded in Austin, TX with the neighborhood label MLK. Units nested inside building cards are excluded. Missing program tags do not establish refusal; confirm the address, availability, voucher paperwork and utilities with the owner.
No active listings are currently recorded for this search on VoucherMatch. This does not mean there are no rentals in MLK, Austin. Compare the broader search below, consult the agency contacts, or get listing alerts.
Inventory checked . Counts cover this site, not the whole rental market, and may change before the next page refresh.
Check before you pay
Applying for housing assistance or joining an agency waitlist is free. An agency will not ask you to pay by app, wire or gift card to get a spot. Use HUD’s contact page to find your housing agency, then call to check an offer.
Do not pay to view a home or hold a waitlist spot. Before sending rent or a deposit, confirm the home and the person’s right to rent it. See FTC advice on checking a rental.
Sources checked October 16, 2026: HUD OIG’s August 2024 waitlist fraud bulletin and FTC rental-scam guidance (June 2026).
Rental terms used on this page
- Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
- Rental help run by a housing authority. You find a home, and the agency checks the unit, rent and your household before it approves payment.
- Payment standard
- An amount the agency uses to work out housing assistance for a unit size and area. It does not mean that any home at that rent will be approved.
- FMR and SAFMR
- HUD rent estimates for an area (Fair Market Rent) or ZIP code (Small Area Fair Market Rent). They include rent and most tenant-paid utilities. Your agency may use a different payment standard.
- Utility allowance
- The agency’s estimate of the cost of utilities you must pay. It is not a promise to pay your actual bills.
- Gross rent and tenant share
- Gross rent combines the lease rent and the agency’s utility allowance. Your tenant share is the part you must pay after the agency works out your help.
- Portability
- Moving with a voucher to an area served by another housing agency. Ask your current worker what to do before you move.
- Request for tenancy approval
- The unit and owner paperwork your agency needs to start its rent and housing-quality review. Ask the agency for its form and deadline.
Definitions: HUD’s tenant voucher guide, checked October 16, 2026. Confirm the rules and forms with your own agency.
Planning a voucher search in MLK
Use the precise street and unit when comparing MLK rentals; a corridor name does not identify one station approach or recreation entrance. Confirm current program locations and the return trip at your travel time. Keep utility responsibilities and the proposed move date with each owner response.
Check where Givens programs are operating
Givens Recreation Center’s renovation notice moved programming to the Chestnut House at 1183 Chestnut Avenue beginning in February 2025. Its page still marks open-play basketball and the weight room closed until the facility reopens. Ask staff for the current location of your specific activity.
City of Austin: Givens Recreation CenterRecheck weekday rail connections
CapMetro revised its weekday Rail schedule effective October 12, 2026. The notice identifies a removed morning trip and a changed last northbound trip. Plan the actual walk or connecting bus and both train directions rather than inferring service from the MLK neighborhood label.
CapMetro: current Rail service and schedule changesQuestions about your MLK search
- Should I go to the regular Givens building for a program?
- Confirm with staff first. The renovation notice gives Chestnut House as a relocated program site, while the regular building address and historical facilities remain on the same page.
- Does an MLK address establish a short train commute?
- Map the resident entrance to the actual boarding point and use the current timetable. Include connections and the return journey; the neighborhood name alone gives no travel-time guarantee.
Compare other Austin searches
- Compare Johnston Terrace rentals
Compare current library alternatives and the exact offered unit.
- Compare Cherrywood rentals
Compare public recreation trips and the route to your usual destinations.
Austin rental checklist and official agency documents
Guidance by VoucherMatch Editorial Team. Sources reviewed October 13, 2026. Listing availability is checked separately. Confirm changing services with the linked provider. Report a correction and include this page’s address.
Compare two rental offers in MLK
Copy or print this sheet for a viewing. Record the owner’s written terms for each unit, then take the completed comparison to your housing worker. Blank entries mean information to collect, not zero cost.
| Information to collect | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Address, unit and owner contact | To collect | To collect |
| Bedrooms, entrance and access needs | To collect | To collect |
| Proposed monthly rent | To collect | To collect |
| Utilities paid by renter; heating system | To collect | To collect |
| Required fees and optional charges | To collect | To collect |
| Deposit and other move-in costs | To collect | To collect |
| Trip to work, services and viewings | To collect | To collect |
| Agency, voucher deadline and next step | To collect | To collect |
The advertised rent and utility bills are not your final tenant share. Ask your administering agency to review its payment standard, utility allowance, rent reasonableness and inspection requirements for the actual unit.
Worksheet: VoucherMatch, October 16, 2026. Based on HUD’s tenant search and tenancy-approval guidance. Use your agency’s official forms to submit a unit; this sheet is a preparation aid.
Suggested citation: VoucherMatch Editorial Team. Rental offer comparison worksheet. October 16, 2026. vouchermatch.com/section-8-apartments.
HUD rent benchmarks — ZIP 78721
Small-Area FMR · FY2027| Bedrooms | HUD benchmark / mo |
|---|---|
| Studio | $1,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,520 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,810 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,280 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,680 |
These are HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, not an adopted housing authority payment standard or a guaranteed rent approval. Your authority determines assistance using its schedule, household income, voucher size and utility allowance. Rent reasonableness and inspection requirements also apply. How HUD vouchers work.
Compare HUD rent benchmarks for these ZIP codes; confirm the rental address separately: 78721, 78722
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