There are active programs for rent, utilities, gas, water, food, and eviction defense, although eligibility depends on ZIP code, income, and available funds.
Updated October 16, 2026.
HOUSTON, Texas — Rent and utility assistance in Houston does not depend on a single program. Several organizations and agencies maintain resources for housing, electricity, gas, water, food, and eviction defense, but each has different requirements and availability.
As of October 16, 2026, Northwest Assistance Ministries accepts applications for rent or mortgage and utilities within its service area. BakerRipley keeps its assistance portal for electricity, gas, and propane temporarily closed, but expects to resume accepting applications on November 9.
The City of Houston also maintains the W.A.T.E.R. Fund for certain residential clients who need help with their water bill. For households that do not qualify for those programs or need another option, 2-1-1 Texas allows users to search for resources by ZIP code.
NAM accepts applications for rent or mortgage in northwest Harris County
Status as of October 16, 2026: Applications open.
Area: Northwest Harris County NAM service area.
Help: Rent or mortgage.
Housing phone: 281-885-4595.
General phone: 281-885-4555.
Northwest Assistance Ministries, known as NAM, maintains an online application available for households in need of help with rent or mortgage payments.
The program requires the applicant to live within the NAM ZIP code service area and to demonstrate recent financial hardship, such as an unexpected income reduction or loss, an emergency expense, or depletion of savings.
Documents that may be requested include identification for the adults in the home, a current lease or mortgage statement, income proofs from the last 45 days, and documentation of the financial hardship.
Selection for review does not guarantee payment approval. When an application is selected, the evaluation can take at least seven to ten business days.
Rent or mortgage assistance from NAM includes the requirements and the application form.
NAM also keeps open assistance for utilities
Status as of October 16, 2026: Applications open.
Area: NAM service area.
Help: Utility bills.
Phone: 281-885-4555.
NAM also accepts requests for assistance with utilities.
To qualify, the service bill and the lease or mortgage must be in the applicant’s name. The program also requires documentation of a loss or reduction of income or other economic hardship that occurred within the last 90 days.
Documents that may be requested include the current bill, proofs of income for the last 45 days, identification, and household documents.
NAM notes that after submitting the online application, it will send information about the next steps within approximately two business days.
The NAM utility assistance application is available in Spanish.
BakerRipley expects to reopen electricity and gas assistance on November 9
Status as of October 16, 2026: Portal temporarily closed.
Next opening expected: November 9, 2026.
Area: Harris, Brazoria and Galveston counties.
Help: Electricity, gas or propane.
Not covered: Water bills.
Phone: 713-956-7456.
The BakerRipley Utility Assistance program has reached the filing limit for its most recent period and is not accepting new applications at this time.
BakerRipley expects to reopen the online portal on November 9. In-person appointments to request assistance during November will be available starting October 27.
Eligibility depends on income and household size. For 2026, the published annual limit is $23,940 for a one-person household, $49,500 for four people, and $66,540 for six.
The application requires income proofs for the last 30 days for the adults in the home, a current electricity, gas or propane bill, and documentation to verify citizenship or legal residency of the household members.
The BakerRipley utilities assistance maintains portal status, requirements and upcoming application dates.
The W.A.T.E.R. Fund helps with City of Houston water bills
Status as of October 16, 2026: Program active, subject to eligibility and funding availability.
Area: City of Houston residential water customers.
Help: Water and wastewater bills.
Phone: 713-371-1400.
The Houston Public Works runs the W.A.T.E.R. Fund, funded by donations, to assist certain low-income residents, seniors, and people with disabilities who have difficulty paying their water bill.
The program offers up to $100 in assistance every six months, subject to eligibility requirements and funding availability.
Houston Public Works handles eligibility through its customer service. The Utility Billing number is 713-371-1400, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Houston Public Works billing information includes the W.A.T.E.R. Fund and other resources for residential accounts.
Houston Food Bank allows pantry searches by ZIP code
Status as of October 16, 2026: Active network of pantries and food programs.
Area: Houston and the region served by Houston Food Bank.
Help: Pantries, meals and food distributions.
Help line: 832-369-9390.
Households seeking to cut food costs while facing rent or utility issues have access to the Houston Food Bank network.
The Houston Food Bank’s food assistance map allows entering a ZIP code to locate pantries, meal programs, and distribution points nearby.
Hours and requirements depend on each organization. Houston Food Bank recommends confirming directly with the pantry before visiting.
Harris County offers free legal defense to some tenants at risk of eviction
Status as of October 16, 2026: Program active.
Area: Harris County.
Help: Legal advice and representation; not a fund to pay rent.
Phone: 832-927-4955.
The Harris County Eviction Defense Program provides free legal assistance to county residents facing or at risk of eviction.
To meet the program’s requirements, the household’s total income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Services include pre-filing advice, representation once eviction proceedings begin, appeals, and negotiation or mediation with landlords.
The Harris County Eviction Defense publishes the requirements and available legal providers.
Related: Rent and eviction assistance in Houston: resources available
2-1-1 allows ZIP code-based assistance search 24 hours
Status as of October 16, 2026: 24-hour service active, seven days a week.
Area: All of Texas.
Phone: 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905.
Languages: Phone support and chat available in Spanish.
2-1-1 Texas is a free and anonymous service of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that connects people with programs available in their area.
The system allows searching by ZIP code for resources such as:
- Rent payment assistance;
- Rental deposits;
- Electricity and gas;
- Water bills;
- Food;
- Emergency housing;
- Eviction-related legal assistance.
2-1-1 Texas’ search filters results according to the ZIP code and the area served by each program.
Harris County also directs residents seeking rent assistance and eviction-prevention programs to 2-1-1, as fund availability can change throughout the year.
Funding availability can change even when a program remains active
An active program does not necessarily have funds available for all requests. NAM selects applications for evaluation and does not guarantee approval; BakerRipley opens its portal for periods and closes it upon reaching capacity; the W.A.T.E.R. Fund depends on available funds.
Requirements also vary by program. ZIP code, county, household income, the name on the bill or contract, and documentation of a hardship can determine eligibility.
As of October 16, 2026, NAM accepts applications for rent and utilities, BakerRipley expects to reopen its service portal on November 9, and 2-1-1 Texas continues to operate as the state’s local resource search tool.
