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COVID-19 & Texas Law

This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time.

Housing

Most of the tenant protections and assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic has now ended or expired. Please see the Eviction page of our Landlord/Tenant Law guide for more information on Texas eviction procedures. 

Federal Protections

Eviction Moratoriums

At this time, the federal moratoriums on certain types of evictions for residential tenants have ended:

  • A temporary order that paused residential evictions was struck down by U.S. Supreme Court. This order was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August of 2021. It was reversed later that same month.
  • The federal CARES Act temporarily suspended evictions for nonpayment of rent or other fees for tenants living at certain properties participating in federal programs or with federally backed loans. The 120-day eviction filing moratorium expired in July of 2020.

CARES Act

While the eviction moratorium in the CARES Act has expired, it's possible that the requirement for the extra 30-day notice to vacate in addition to the notice required by Texas law is still in effect. An article from Texas Law Help has more details: 

The CARES Act notice requirement applied to any property that is "insured, guaranteed, supplemented, or assisted in any way, by any officer or agency of the Federal Government."

There is some disagreement about whether this requirement is still in effect. However, many advocates believe that tenants are still entitled to a 30-Day Notice to Vacate if the landlord:

  • Participates in any qualifying federal housing program, such as Section 8 or Housing Choice
  • Has been partially purchased by or received loans from Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac

You may want to speak to a lawyer for help determining if the 30-day notice to vacate requirement in the CARES Act applies in your situation

State Protections

The Texas Eviction Diversion Program expired in July of 2023. This program allowed tenants waiting for rent assistance to pause eviction cases. 

Rent & Utility Assistance

The Texas Rent Relief Program ended in July of 2023 after all the available funds were distributed. This federally-funded program provided financial assistance for rent and utility bills for tenants at risk of eviction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are several programs administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs that offer financial assistance with past due utility bills. There may also be local assistance in your area.

Assistance Options

Assistance for Homeowners

Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund (TXHAF)

The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was created by Congress as part of the American Rescue Plan. It is intended to prevent issues like foreclosure and mortgage delinquencies and defaults. Funds from the HAF may be used for: Funds from the HAF may be used for:

  • mortgage payments
  • homeowner’s insurance
  • utility payments
  • other specified purposes like homeowner and condominium association fees

The Texas version of this program is administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). 

To contact the Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund, please call 1-833-651-3874.

Other Mortgage Relief

Please see the Avoiding Foreclosure page of the Foreclosure guide for more information on getting help with your mortgage.