Austin is confronting a stubborn housing paradox: Rents have fallen from their pandemic-era highs, but eviction filings continue to climb.

With filings continuing to run at record levels, city leaders are searching for a more effective way to keep people in their homes as lower-income renters struggle with housing and everyday expenses and advocates warn that a new state law could make it harder for tenants facing eviction to respond.

The number of eviction filings across Austin and Travis County has repeatedly reached record highs over the past several years, and 2026 is on track to continue the trend. Building and Strengthening Tenant Action, or BASTA, said there have been 10,732 eviction filings as of late August 2026, about 900 more than at the same point in 2025. Housing advocates say housing costs and inflation are continuing to strain renters, while a siloed system of programs aimed at supporting people at risk of eviction has done little to improve the situation.

The growing crisis is now prompting City Council to rethink how Austin responds. Council members approved a resolution Thursday directing the city manager to evaluate the effectiveness of existing anti-displacement and eviction programs, identify gaps in the city’s approach and recommend where Austin should intervene before tenants lose their homes. The resolution seeks continued funding for existing programs as that review moves forward.

“There’s not one singular magical solution that we are gonna have,” said Shoshana Krieger, project director at BASTA. “I think collaboration between various groups, broader community understanding of the issue and developing eviction prevention infrastructure, where we’re really looking at the long-term problems and not just trying to have a quick-fix solution, would have better outcomes.”

Rents down, evictions up?

Rents in Austin have come down since the pandemic surge, but housing experts say the decline has mostly benefited people near the region’s median income, while many lower-income people and families still struggle to make rent amid higher costs for everyday expenses.

Further, Senate Bill 38, a new state law designed to help landlords remove squatters illegally occupying properties, has sparked concern among housing advocates for its potential to make the eviction process more challenging for tenants.

Among other things, Krieger said, the law allows property owners to electronically deliver some eviction-related notices via email, a change she worries has led to missed notices and the loss of critical time to seek help or respond.

“We all are getting so much spam now,” she said. “We’re doing a lot of our intervention work early on in the process. How a tenant gets the notice is important.”

Council Member Zo Qadri, who filed Thursday’s resolution, said the record-high number of filings represents only a portion of all evictions, as many leave their apartments or homes before receiving an official eviction notice.

“People are still, unfortunately, at times in Austin living paycheck to paycheck,” Qadri said. “You don’t make that one payment, and there’s almost a snowball effect. That’s when people face eviction.”

Tenants often find themselves facing eviction after a temporary emergency like a death in the family or illness forces them to choose between paying rent and another necessity, said Perla Aguirre, a community education specialist for BASTA, which receives city funding.

Aguirre educates tenants about their rights and reaches out to those facing eviction, sometimes informing tenants of a case before they’ve been formally served by a Travis County constable.

A recent tenant Aguirre worked with had to choose between rent and car repairs. “They chose (the car) because they don’t have another way to show up to their job and receive an income.”

She said many of her clients have been forced to make sacrifices.

“A lot of things that shouldn’t be sacrificed,” Aguirre said. “Like the tenant who chose to pay their rent and stay in darkness because they had to choose not to prioritize their utilities. A lot of tough decisions are being made.”

Improving a flawed system

While evictions are increasing, city funding is not.

Aside from $2.25 million for rental assistance, Qadri said the recently finalized FY 2027 city budget did not include funding for longstanding anti-displacement and eviction services that were previously funded by the city. His resolution directs the city manager to prioritize money in the housing budget for well-performing services so they don’t see an interruption.

Qadri’s office said it was particularly interested in restoring funding for existing legal and navigation services.

“Navigating this space is difficult,” Qadri said. “We want to make sure people have the tools and resources to be able to successfully navigate and to be able to stay in their homes.”

Qadri’s resolution also initiates an audit of city-contracted eviction-prevention services for effectiveness and asks for an analysis of the city’s broader approach to preventing eviction and displacement. Early next year, the city manager will recommend where and when eviction intervention should occur for at-risk tenants and which services and investments should be prioritized to prevent displacement.

El Buen Samaritano has historically played a significant role in the city and county’s approach to eviction prevention. Through its “I Belong in Austin” program, the group provides financial and rental assistance to families facing eviction and connects them with legal support.

From 2021 to 2026, the program distributed more than $16 million to over 3,100 Austin households facing eviction or housing instability, helping more than 9,000 people, according to the group’s reporting.

Rosamaria Murillo, El Buen Samaritano’s CEO, said while the need for help is significant and continues to rise, the city has reduced its financial support for her organization. In FY 2026, she said, the city cut its $4 million contract by 25%, leaving less money to meet a growing need for assistance. However, she noted, an additional investment from Travis County helped the group continue providing assistance, though the need still exceeds available resources.

“Decreasing the support that is provided to (tenants) increases the chances of people being displaced and becoming homeless,” Murillo said.