The coronavirus has already taken too much from us.
The choices our governments make to address the fallout from COVID-19 can help build a more just and thriving Texas. We must demand a stop to evictions as well as transparent and equitable relief from the devastation of this pandemic.
Covid-19 blogs | Get involved | Eviction stories | Tracking evictions | Recommendations for disbursement | OCA data | Eviction Data | Resources After Eviction
How can I help?
Get Involved
Texas Housers is now accepting applications for volunteers to carry out research, track where the relief money is going, monitor eviction court, participate in direct action opportunities, and more. We’ll provide volunteers with the necessary training while keeping in mind COVID-19 safety protocol. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Tell your eviction story
Spreading awareness is a crucial step in getting the public to understand the brutality of evictions during a pandemic. We’re looking for people who want to share their eviction story on our website. If you are interested in sharing, please fill out this form.
COVID Eviction Stories
Visit our COVID Evictions Stories page to hear this straight from Texans who are experiencing it.
We wanted to post authentic stories told by people who are living through the realities of eviction during COVID-19. Our COVID Eviction Stories page allows space for those who have experienced the results of porous government policy which overlooks low-income households and their needs.
Tracking Evictions
Based in Austin, our fellow housing justice advocates at BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) have built a COVID-19 eviction tracker for Travis County. This dashboard, which follows eviction filings by race and geography, is a part of the Eviction Solidarity Network campaign. You can view the dashboard in its entirety here.
Recommendations on State Allocation of Federal Funds
On our Texas Housers blog, we published a research paper which compiled data and interviews from more than a dozen government officials in nine locations across the state of Texas.
After speaking with these officials, we were able to determine how we are currently succeeding and falling short in getting relief funds to the most vulnerable residents in our state.
Read more in our white paper: Rental relief programs in major cities and counties.
Office of Court Administration Data
The Office of Court Administration (OCA) is the statewide agency that collects court data in Texas. Justice of the Peace courts are required to submit information about landlord / tenant disputes (most of which are eviction cases) to the OCA on a regular basis. Texas Housers is making this data for 2019 and 2020 available.
Eviction Data
Just Shelter
Just Shelter was founded by Matthew Desmond and Tessa Lowinske Desmond to raise awareness of the human cost of the lack of affordable housing in America.
Eviction Lab
The Eviction Lab is a team of researchers, students, and website architects who believe that a stable, affordable home is central to human flourishing and economic mobility.
NLIHC Social Media Toolkit
The National Low Income Housing Coalition has provided several ways for everyday renters to voice their concerns about life under COVID-19. On their website, they have templates to download graphics, information on how to find your local government representation, and much more.
Resources after eviction
If you’ve reached the stage of being displaced from your home, there are a few websites and phone numbers that you can consult to find help be it immediate shelter or potential financial resources. We have assembled a number of these resources on one page.