Affordable Housing in El Paso, TX

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in El Paso and El Paso County — not generic Section 8 advice. Two things to know up front: HACEP's Public Housing and Project-Based Voucher waitlists are currently open (rare and worth acting on), and El Paso is the largest U.S. city on the border with Mexico — many service organizations have Spanish-language and Mexican consular partnerships. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in El Paso

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Opportunity Center for the Homeless — El Paso's largest day center and emergency shelter system for adults. Multiple campuses including the Welcome Center. opportunitycenter.org
• The Rescue Mission of El Paso — emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programs for men, women, and families
• Salvation Army El Paso Corps — emergency shelter, social services, and rental assistance
• La Posada Home — emergency and transitional housing specifically for women and children
• YWCA El Paso del Norte Region — Sara McKnight Transitional Living Center and family services. Bilingual
• Center Against Family Violence (CAFV) — domestic violence shelter and 24-hour crisis line: (915) 593-7300. Bilingual advocates
• Annunciation House — emergency shelter for migrants and refugees in the border community. annunciationhouse.org
• El Paso Coalition for the Homeless — Coordinated Entry — central intake for the El Paso CoC. Call 211
• 211 Texas — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in El Paso: HACEP Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in El Paso are administered by the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP), which manages approximately 6,579 assisted housing units. The Housing Authority of El Paso County (HACEPC, often listed as Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises / HOME) serves areas outside the city. Current status (May 2026):

• The HACEP HCV (Section 8) waitlist is closed as of May 2026. Average wait once on the list is approximately 24 months
• The HACEP Public Housing waitlist IS OPEN — apply at ephome.org. This is currently the most accessible path
• The HACEP Project-Based Voucher (PBV) waitlist IS OPEN — the PBV list changed to open on February 21, 2026. Apply property-by-property
• Eligibility: Very Low Income limit for a family of four is approximately $39,700/year for the El Paso area. Income limits vary by program and family size
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises (HOME) serving El Paso County, Socorro Housing Authority, Anthony Housing Authority, and the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs (TDHCA, statewide) run separate lists
• Status check: call HACEP at (915) 849-3742 if you've already applied and need to verify your position

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in El Paso (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in El Paso. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Project Bravo — El Paso's Community Action Agency, providing emergency rental, utility, and weatherization assistance. Call (915) 562-4100. projectbravo.org
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) — free eviction counseling, representation, and prevention for low-income El Paso renters. TRLA is based in the border region and provides Spanish-language services. Call 1-833-329-8752 or apply at trla.org/applyforhelp
• City of El Paso Department of Community & Human Development — local rental assistance and homelessness prevention administered through the City. elpasotexas.gov/community-human-development
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of El Paso — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services, and case management. Spanish-language services available
• Sin Fronteras Organizing Project — community organizing and tenant advocacy in El Paso, with strong border-community focus. sinfronteras.org
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of El Paso — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army El Paso Corps — eviction prevention assistance and utility help
• Workforce Solutions Borderplex — child care assistance and supportive services that can free up income for rent
• El Paso County Office of Resilience & Sustainability — utility programs and weatherization that lower household costs
• Border Network for Human Rights — advocacy and referrals for the border community

The Texas Rent Relief Program has ended

The Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and the Texas Eviction Diversion Program (TEDP), which distributed federal rental funds during the pandemic, both closed in summer 2023. All funds are gone. Current paths in El Paso are Project Bravo, the City of El Paso, and the named nonprofits above. Don't waste time on closed pandemic-era portals.

Utility assistance: LIHEAP and CEAP

In Texas, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is administered as the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) through local Community Action Agencies. In El Paso, you apply through Project Bravo. Cooling assistance is critical in desert summer heat. Apply through Project Bravo at (915) 562-4100.

Tenant Rights in Texas (and Recent Changes)

Texas has one of the more landlord-friendly legal frameworks in the country — and a 2025 state law accelerated the eviction process further. Knowing the current rules can save your tenancy:

• Texas SB 38 (2025) accelerated eviction: Texas SB 38 took effect in 2025 and streamlined the eviction process in landlords' favor — including changes to summary disposition and the appearance period. If you're served, you have less wiggle room than before. Contact Texas RioGrande Legal Aid immediately
• No source-of-income protection — and cities are preempted: Texas does not have a statewide law preventing landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers. Texas SB 267 (2015) prohibited cities from passing local source-of-income ordinances. Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — HACEP can provide a list of participating landlords
• 3-day notice to vacate for nonpayment (Texas Property Code §24.005) — among the shortest in the country. Once you get one, act immediately. See how to avoid eviction
• Security deposit return: the landlord must return your deposit (or written itemized deductions) within 30 days of move-out (TX Prop Code §92.103). Texas does not cap the deposit amount
• Warranty of habitability and right to repair: Texas Property Code Chapter 92 requires landlords to make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect health or safety, after written notice and a reasonable time. Don't withhold rent without legal advice
• Notice to end month-to-month: one full rental period (typically 30 days), from either side
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal: Texas Property Code §92.331 prohibits eviction or rent increases in retaliation for repair requests or tenant organizing within the prior 6 months
• Self-help eviction is illegal: your landlord cannot change locks, shut off utilities, or remove belongings. They must go through Justice of the Peace court (TX Prop Code §92.0081)
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is illegal under federal law and Texas Property Code Chapter 301. The City of El Paso Department of Human Resources handles local fair-housing intakes

For free legal help: Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) at 1-833-329-8752 — TRLA's border-region focus means strong Spanish-language services. For state-level details, see our Texas housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in El Paso

• Public housing: HACEP owns and manages public-housing communities across El Paso. The Public Housing waitlist is currently open — call (915) 849-3742 or apply at ephome.org
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): El Paso has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in El Paso County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. El Paso veterans are referred through the El Paso VA Health Care System. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless. Access via 211
• Refugee Services of Texas — El Paso office — initial housing and case management for refugees and asylees in the border region
• TDHCA programs — statewide voucher and homebuyer assistance through the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs. tdhca.texas.gov
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Project Vida and YWCA El Paso del Norte Region offer counseling

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

HACEP's Public Housing and PBV waitlists are open right now — apply at ephome.org before they close. If you got a 3-day notice, contact Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at 1-833-329-8752 immediately (Spanish-language services available). For rent help, call Project Bravo at (915) 562-4100.