Help and resources for Austin apartment renters
If a lease dispute, deposit problem, or discrimination complaint comes up while renting in Greater Austin, there are real agencies and nonprofits set up to help. Below is a curated list of the government bodies and tenant-focused organizations most relevant to Austin apartment renters, drawn from official sources and legal aid directories. Each entry notes what the group actually handles, so you can figure out the right place to file a complaint or get guidance before calling anyone.
Government & regulatory
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)
Investigates housing discrimination complaints under the federal Fair Housing Act, covering rental refusals, discriminatory lease terms, and retaliation against tenants.
Visit website → Phone: (800) 669-9777, TTY: (800) 927-9275 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 -
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) - Fair Housing Division
State agency that handles fair housing complaints and gives renter guidance, particularly for TDHCA-monitored affordable and tax-credit rental properties, which must meet HUD's Uniform Physical Condition Standards.
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Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC)
Texas state regulator for non-depository lenders such as payday and signature loan companies, handling complaints about misrepresentation or fraud by these businesses that renters may use for financing.
Visit website → Phone: 800-538-1579
Consumer protection
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Texas Attorney General - Consumer Protection Division
Accepts consumer complaints against businesses, including landlords, for deceptive practices, illegal lockouts, utility shutoffs, and security deposit disputes, and can file civil cases in the public interest.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-621-0508 -
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Federal agency that takes complaints tied to rental assistance, rent or mortgage reporting to credit bureaus, and other financial products connected to renting, and runs a rental-assistance locator tool.
Visit website → Phone: 1-855-411-CFPB -
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Takes consumer complaints about fraud, scams, and deceptive practices, including rental scams.
Visit website → Phone: 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357)
Support organisations
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Austin Tenants Council (ATC), a project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Community-based nonprofit founded in 1972 that offers free or low-cost tenant counseling, mediation, and fair housing assistance for renters in Travis and Williamson counties, covering housing discrimination, tenant-landlord education, and housing repair issues.
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