Affordable Housing in San Antonio, TX

San Antonio's housing system runs through two authorities — Opportunity Home San Antonio (formerly SAHA) for the city and the Housing Authority of Bexar County (HABC) for surrounding areas — and a single nationally-recognized shelter campus (Haven for Hope) that consolidated most homeless services. Section 8 waits in San Antonio are notably shorter than other major Texas cities (1-3 years vs. Houston's 45 months). Here's what's currently operating.

Emergency Help Tonight in San Antonio

• Haven for Hope at 1 Haven for Hope Way is the largest homeless services campus in Texas — a one-stop hub with shelter, meals, healthcare, behavioral health, dental, and case management. Walk-in intake is available 24/7 through the Prospects Courtyard. Call 210-220-2100. Haven for Hope is where most San Antonio homeless services are routed
• San Antonio Metropolitan Ministry (SAMM) — transitional housing for families and women with children
• Salvation Army Hope Center — emergency shelter for men, women, and families in the near-East side
• Family Violence Prevention Services (Battered Women & Children's Shelter) — DV shelter. 24-hour crisis line: 210-733-8810
• Roy Maas Youth Alternatives — emergency shelter and services for unhoused youth and young adults
• 211 Texas connects you to the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH) Coordinated Entry system

For a broader walkthrough, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in San Antonio: Opportunity Home vs. HABC

Apply to both authorities when their lists open — they cover different geographies.

Opportunity Home San Antonio (formerly SAHA)

• HCV (Housing Choice Voucher) waitlist is closed as of May 2026. Opportunity Home periodically opens specific bedroom-size sub-lists rather than the whole list at once
• Wait time: 1 to 3 years once on the list — notably shorter than Houston's 45-month average
• Public Housing waitlist sometimes runs separately from Section 8 — check homesa.org regularly
• Apply at: homesa.org · in person at 818 South Flores · Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

Housing Authority of Bexar County (HABC)

• Serves Bexar County areas outside San Antonio city limits — Schertz, Selma, Live Oak, Universal City, Converse, Helotes, and unincorporated areas
• Separate Section 8 waitlist from Opportunity Home. habctx.org/applicant-portal

TDHCA — Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

• Statewide voucher program for areas without local PHAs, plus LIHTC allocations. Worth applying to as a third option: tdhca.texas.gov

For the national application process, see how to apply for Section 8 and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in San Antonio

• Bexar County Department of Community Resources — runs the Comprehensive Family Self-Sufficiency Program and emergency rental/utility assistance for county residents. Call (210) 631-3030
• City of San Antonio Department of Human Services — Right to Counsel paired with rental assistance for tenants in Bexar County Justice Court eviction cases
• St. Vincent de Paul San Antonio — emergency assistance through parish conferences across the metro
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio — rental, utility, and food assistance plus immigration legal services
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul Christian Service Center at 1421 W Commerce — walk-in emergency aid
• YWCA San Antonio — Family Empowerment Program with case management and emergency support
• 211 Texas — the front door for everything else. Dial 211 to be routed to whoever currently has rental assistance funds
• Comal Independent Resource Center and Alamo Area Council of Governments serve surrounding counties

Tenant Rights in Texas — San Antonio Specifics

Texas has weaker tenant protections than most large states. The basics:

• No state source-of-income protection — landlords in Texas can legally refuse Section 8 vouchers. San Antonio has no local ordinance overriding this. Opportunity Home maintains a list of voucher-friendly landlords — call (210) 477-6000 and ask
• No rent control — no state or local cap on rent increases. Landlords can raise rent any amount at lease renewal with proper notice
• Eviction notice for nonpayment: 3 days written before the landlord can file. Texas evictions move fast — read every notice and act the day you receive it
• Court process: filed in Bexar County Justice Courts. Hearings typically within 10-21 days. If you lose, you have 5 days to appeal before a writ of possession can issue
• Right to Counsel pilot: San Antonio launched a Right to Counsel program for low-income tenants in eviction cases — request a free attorney at intake or call Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at 1-888-988-9996
• Security deposit return: 30 days from move-out, itemized. Bad-faith withholding triggers $100 + 3x the wrongful amount + attorney fees
• Habitability: Texas Property Code §92.052+ requires landlords to address conditions materially affecting health and safety. Submit repair requests in writing and follow the statutory notice-and-cure process
• No self-help eviction: landlords cannot change locks or shut off utilities — Texas Property Code §92.0081
• Fair housing: federal Fair Housing Act applies. Local complaints can go through the City of San Antonio Department of Human Services Fair Housing Office

State-level details: Texas housing resources. To file a complaint: how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Affordable Housing Options in San Antonio

• Opportunity Home Public Housing: mixed-finance and traditional public housing developments across the city. Apply through homesa.org
• Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) at specific developments — often shorter waits than tenant-based Section 8
• LIHTC (Tax Credit) properties: thousands of income-restricted units across Bexar County. Search HUD's LIHTC database or TDHCA's property directory. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH for veterans: referrals through the Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing through Haven for Hope's network for households exiting homelessness
• San Antonio Housing Trust — finances affordable housing developments throughout the city, increasing supply

Next Steps

If you need shelter tonight, Haven for Hope is the right walk-in starting point at 1 Haven for Hope Way (call 210-220-2100). If you've been served an eviction notice, call Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at 1-888-988-9996 the same day — and ask the court about San Antonio's Right to Counsel pilot. For Section 8, apply to both Opportunity Home and HABC the moment either opens a list. Our Where to Start tool walks you through this in about two minutes.