AUSTIN, Texas — Austin and Travis County leaders announced in April that they would again extend eviction orders, this time through Aug. 1. However, this time the orders would also include some modifications to address the backlog of unpaid rent some Austin landlords may have accrued.
Starting on June 1, landlords are no longer prohibited from filing a Notice of Eviction if their tenant has unpaid rent for five or more months and has exhausted all of their rental assistance remedies.
“We have used these eviction protections as an important tool to keep our community safe and housed as part of our COVID-19 response,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said in April. “We now have additional significant investments in rental assistance for tenants and landlords, and this modified order encourages our community to apply for rental assistance before someone can be evicted.”
Landlords wishing to file through the City of Austin’s RENT Assistance Program must first:
- Register as a Landlord on the RENT application portal.
- Complete and submit the Eviction Prevention Application to serve as documentation required by the mayoral order.
There's still a federal moratorium on evictions through June 30. Last summer, the federal government estimated between 30 and 40 million Americans could be at risk of eviction, which would be "unprecedented in modern times."
“The orders Judge Brown and I have each signed still prevent many evictions. They also incentivize connecting eligible landlords or tenants to City and County rental assistance programs," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in April. “These eviction protections have helped us keep many people in their homes during this pandemic.”
To view the City of Austin's order, click here. To view the Travis County order, click here.
Those looking for rental assistance can find more information at the links below: