Emergency Assistance

Southside Community Center receives funding to help people in need who reside in Hays County with either their rent or utilities. We can also provide work boots with proof of employment. With your application you must submit pay stubs that verify your income and/or a copy of your award letter if you receive SSI or SNAP benefits. If you are unemployed, please mention that in your application. A valid driver’s license and copy of your rental agreement or utility bill must also be included. If you submit your application via email or fax, please call ahead so we can file the application appropriately.

 Important Things to Note

  • You can only apply for specific assistance once every six months.

  • We do not help with deposits.

  • We can only help residents who reside in Hays County.

  • We cannot help with rent balances that exceed $100.

  • You can only get ONE kind of specific assistance every six months (no rent and utilities simultaneously, for example).

  • If your application is not 100% filled out you cannot be considered for assistance.

  • Processing your application takes several days so do not wait until your bill is way overdue before applying.

  • We send payment directly to a landlord or utility company, never to the person applying.

  • We help on a first-come-first-served basis and not every application is accepted.

 How to Apply

Come into Southside or call to set up an appointment. Appointments for Emergency Assistance are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 am - 11:00 am as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm and last about 30 minutes. You will need to fill out an application before your appointment and make sure to bring all required documents. If all of the information needed is collected, you should have an approval or denial by the end of the appointment. The documents below will be needed in order to process your application:

  • Driver's license

  • Social Security cards of everyone living in your household

  • The last 2 current pay stubs for anyone living in your household

  • if you get other supplemental income such as Social Security, food stamps, child support, disability, etc., a statement of how much you receive

  • A piece of mail to verify that you live at the address (a bill with your name and address on it is sufficient)

  • If applying for rental assistance, a letter from your landlord with his/her contact information stating how much you pay a month and how much you owe now