From Halfway House to Independent Apartment in Texas
Get ready for an independent Texas apartment after incarceration or transitional housing. We check screening criteria and send you a list of apartments to look at. You handle your documents, costs and any supervision permission you need.
What You Get
- A plan for the step from a program to your own lease
- Help telling group housing apart from an apartment lease
- Help gathering the income papers each community takes
- A family member can fill out the form with your OK
Know which kind of housing you're applying for
An independent apartment means a rental application and a lease. A residential reentry center, alternate housing resource or other program has its own rules for taking people in. We don't reserve program beds or handle public housing applications.
Get ready for your own lease
- Gather your income papers and ID. We check which ones each property takes.
- Budget for deposits, utilities and moving costs on top of rent.
- Let us check the rules on criminal history, rental history and credit before you apply.
- Get any address approval you need from your parole or probation officer before you sign.
Keep support options open
Use Local Help to find reentry, housing, job and food help near you. A directory can't tell you who has room right now. Call the provider or agency to ask who qualifies, what rules apply and whether they have space.
Read the move checklist and how to use TDCJ housing resources. We can't promise a move date or any program benefit.
The gap between halfway houses and apartments
- Reentry programs mostly focus on transitional beds and residential reentry centers.
- TDCJ's Alternate Housing Resources list points to programs. It isn't a list of open apartments.
- Many listing sites don't show how a community screens criminal records.
- Our part is the next step: finding communities whose criteria fit your record.
Papers to gather before release
- A job offer letter or recent pay stubs
- Your HUD-VASH voucher papers, if you're a veteran with one
- Papers that show your release terms or that your sentence is done
- Your target metro and your release or exit date
How It Works
Start before release if you can
If you’re still in a facility or program, a family member can fill out the form with your OK. Tell us the target release or exit date and the metro.
Map out income and papers
Many communities set an income rule, often a multiple of the rent. We check those rules and which income papers each one takes.
Look over options near your date
We send you a list of communities whose written criteria fit your record and your timeline. You pick favorites, and we send them a guest card.
Plan the move
We help set up tours. Get any address approval from your officer or case manager before you sign. Confirm open units and fees with the community.
Start Your Free Apartment Search
Our locating help is free. Tell us about your move, budget and record. We text you shortly after you send the form.
A few details help us focus your apartment search.
Share My Release Date →Free locating help · No approval guarantees
Questions About Reentry Housing
Does the TDCJ housing list include apartments?
No. TDCJ's Alternate Housing Resources list points to programs, not open apartments. You still have to ask each provider about intake and space. Read our guide to TDCJ housing referrals.
What income do I need for a Texas apartment?
Each community sets its own rule, and many ask for income at a set multiple of the rent. We check each community's written rule for you. If you're starting a new job, an offer letter and your first pay stubs can help.
Can family members start this before release?
Yes. A family member can fill out the form or call us with your OK. Starting early gives you more time to plan around your exit date.
What if I need transitional housing first?
We don't place people in programs or reserve beds. Use Local Help to find reentry and housing groups. Our part comes after that: the move into your own apartment.
How long does it take to get an apartment?
That depends on your income papers, your move date and the community's review. We text you shortly after you send the form. Lists usually go out on weekdays, in one to two business days. We can't promise a move date.
FREE GUIDES
Guides for Reentry Renters
Leaving TDCJ: Prepare for an Independent Apartment
A checklist for the move from a TDCJ facility to your own lease.
Read guide →
An Apartment Lease and Parole Address Approval Are Separate
Why the lease and your parole address approval are separate steps.
Read guide →
Felony Apartment Application: Documents to Gather
The papers to gather before you pay an application fee.
Read guide →
Prepare before you apply
Renter tools and budget checklist · Local Help · How our free service works
When you pick favorite communities, we send them a guest card with just your contact details and housing preferences. Communities handle rental applications and decide on approval.