# Low-Income Benefits in Texas: SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, TANF | Income Restricted Apartments > Beyond housing, you may qualify for SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, and TANF. Texas program links, phone numbers, and steps. We don URL: https://incomerestrictedapartments.com/guide/what-else-you-may-qualify-for-snap-medicaid-liheap-tanf/ Last-Modified: 2026-06-28 ![Person at a laptop with a notepad listing Texas assistance programs](/images/misc/person-at-laptop-with-notepad-listing-texas-assist.webp) ## Housing Isn’t the Only Piece If you qualify for income restricted housing in Texas, you probably qualify for other benefits too. Many low-income renters don’t apply because they don’t realize they’re eligible or don’t know where to start. Here’s the plain-English map. We don’t administer these programs; we just point you to the right places. ## SNAP (Food) **What it is**: monthly benefits loaded to a Lone Star Card for grocery purchases. **How to apply**: YourTexasBenefits.com [https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/ →](https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/) , Texas Health and Human Services (HHS). Phone: 2-1-1 (Texas 211 Information & Referral). **Rough eligibility**: household income under 130-165% of the federal poverty line (roughly, varies by household size and situation). ## Medicaid (Health Insurance) **What it is**: free or low-cost health insurance for eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly, and people with disabilities. **How to apply**: YourTexasBenefits.com or Texas HHS office. **Rough eligibility in Texas**: children in families with income up to a higher threshold; adults have narrower eligibility because Texas hasn’t expanded Medicaid; pregnant women, elderly, and disabled have their own tracks. **CHIP** covers children in families with slightly higher incomes than Medicaid children. ![Grid of Texas benefit programs and contact steps](/images/misc/grid-of-texas-benefit-programs-and-contact-steps-s.webp) ## LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance) **What it is**: help paying your utility bills, especially in hot Texas summers and cold winter snaps. **How to apply**: through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), administered by local providers. Search “LIHEAP Texas \[your county\]”. **Rough eligibility**: household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty line. ## TANF (Cash Assistance) **What it is**: monthly cash assistance for families with children, plus job placement services. **How to apply**: YourTexasBenefits.com or Texas HHS. **Rough eligibility**: very low income, must have a dependent child, work requirements apply for most recipients. ## WIC (Women, Infants, Children) **What it is**: nutrition benefits and support for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under 5. **How to apply**: texaswic.org [https://texaswic.org/ →](https://texaswic.org/) or local WIC office. Income limit is around 185% of federal poverty guidelines. ## How to Start **One-stop shop**: YourTexasBenefits.com [https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/ →](https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/) is the state’s single application for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, and TANF. **Phone**: 2-1-1 connects you to a Texas information and referral line for any social service. **In-person**: your local Texas HHS office. ## Where We Fit Our lane is housing. But when we do intake and see a household that’s clearly income-eligible for these other programs, we mention them. Reducing your food, health, and utility costs makes any housing option more sustainable. ## Related Reading - How to Qualify for Income Restricted Apartments [/guide/how-to-qualify-for-income-restricted-apartments/ →](/guide/how-to-qualify-for-income-restricted-apartments/) - The Affordable Housing Waitlist Guide [/guide/the-affordable-housing-waitlist-guide/ →](/guide/the-affordable-housing-waitlist-guide/) Start the free housing intake [/contact/ →](/contact/) and we’ll help you find a home while you sort out the other benefits. ## Frequently Asked Questions What benefits can I get with low income in Texas? + Common Texas programs for low-income households: SNAP (food), Medicaid (health), LIHEAP (energy bill help), TANF (cash assistance for families with children), and WIC (nutrition for women and children under 5). We link you to the right Texas agencies. Do you sign me up for these? + No. We focus on housing. Benefit programs are administered by state agencies (Texas Health and Human Services for SNAP/Medicaid/TANF, and local providers for LIHEAP and WIC). We point you to the right agency and give you the steps. Why does this help my housing search? + Non-housing benefits reduce your monthly cost burden, which makes market or workforce-rate housing more affordable and improves your ability to save. Some benefits also count as income for certain screening tests. ## Related Guides ### 2026 Income Limits & AMI Tables by Texas Metro and Household Size 2026 AMI income limits (30/50/60/80%) for affordable apartments by Texas metro and household size. Updated annually from HUD/TDHCA. [2026 Income Limits & AMI Tables by Texas Metro and Household Size →](/guide/2026-income-limits-ami-tables-by-metro-household-size/) ### Accessible & Disability Income Restricted Housing Need an ADA-accessible affordable unit? Accessible set-asides, reasonable accommodations, and how we match you to disability-friendly communities. [Accessible & Disability Income Restricted Housing →](/guide/accessible-disability-income-restricted-housing/) ### Family (2-3 Bedroom) Income Restricted Apartments Need a larger income restricted unit? Occupancy rules, how bedroom count affects AMI, and waitlist realities for 2-3 bedroom units. [Family (2-3 Bedroom) Income Restricted Apartments →](/guide/family-2-3-bedroom-income-restricted-apartments/) ### Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) Explained A Housing Choice Voucher helps pay rent at accepting properties. What HCV is, how to get one from your PHA, portability, and how we help. [Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) Explained →](/guide/housing-choice-vouchers-hcv-explained/) ![](/images/misc/texas-income-restricted-apartment-community-family.webp) Free · No Application Fees Wasted ## Want a Match, Not Just Info? Start the free 5-minute intake. Licensed Texas team, matches within 24-48 hours, application fee rebate on approval. See If I Qualify [/contact/ →](/contact/) Read More Guides [/guide/ →](/guide/)