Rent, mortgage, & utility assistance program available

Staff Reports

The City of San Marcos encourages residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for utility, rent, and mortgage assistance through a newly funded program. A total of $567,825 in Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) funding was allocated by the San Marcos City Council to the assistance program including program design and administration.

Funding for the program is available through a partnership between the City, Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas, and Blanco River Regional Recovery Team (BR3T) to help individuals and families navigating financial hardships caused by the pandemic. Assistance is available until all program funding has been exhausted.

Eligible residents may receive up to three months of mortgage, rent, and utility assistance.  Applicants requesting funds must:

• Live within the San Marcos city limits
• Have a past-due utility, rent, or eviction notice OR certify that if you do not receive rental assistance, you or anyone in your household would need to move into an unsafe or unhealthy living environment, like a shared living situation or emergency shelter
• Certify no duplicate assistance is being received for the same months

Applicant or anyone in the household must have experienced at least one of these financial impacts related to COVID-19:

• Reduction/loss of income
• Increased expenses
• Qualified for unemployment benefits

Household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income for the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area. For example, the eligible income level for a four-person household is $79,100.

Please visit https://br3t.org/covidrelief/ for program information and to complete the online application.  After reviewing the website, contactcovidrelief@BR3T.org or 512-356-0269 with questions.