What Else You May Qualify For in Texas
Beyond housing, you may qualify for SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, and TANF. Texas program links, phone numbers, and steps. We don't administer these.
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, 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.
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 or local WIC office. Income limit is around 185% of federal poverty guidelines.
How to Start
One-stop shop: 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
Start the free housing intake and we’ll help you find a home while you sort out the other benefits.
