Best low income housing programs in San Antonio
This ranks the 15 low income housing programs and communities in San Antonio with enough data to score, using our methodology, which weighs rating, review volume, recency, sentiment, and verification together rather than star rating alone.
Public housing authorities and rental assistance nonprofits also appear on their own dedicated lists, where they're compared head-to-head against similar organizations: see the best public housing authorities and best housing assistance & rental aid nonprofits. This combined list places every program type side by side so you can see how apartment communities, authorities, and nonprofits stack up against each other on the same scale.
Picks are ranked by score and relevance to low income housing program, so a lower overall score can rank higher here.
At a glance
| # | Business | Score | Rating | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Royal Apartment Homes | 69 | 4.1 (462) | — | Affordable rent with attentive maintenance |
| 2 | Marshall Meadows Apartment Homes | 69 | 4.1 (328) | — | Budget-friendly units with amenities |
| 3 | Palo Alto Apartment Homes | 67 | 3.6 (230) | — | Fast leasing and quick maintenance turnaround |
| 4 | Housing Authority of Bexar County | 59 | 3.6 (112) | — | Navigating vouchers with in-person help |
| 5 | Opportunity Home San Antonio | 58 | 3.5 (358) | — | Renovated units if you can wait |
| 6 | Neighborhood Housing Services | 57 | 4.3 (13) | — | First-time homebuyer counseling |
| 7 | Fair Housing Council of South Texas | 50 | 2.8 (19) | — | Fair housing rights and accommodation disputes |
| 8 | Merced Housing Texas | 48 | 4.4 (7) | — | Quality housing, limited track record online |
| 9 | San Antonio Housing Trust | 43 | 3 (2) | — | Backup option, minimal data available |
| 10 | U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development | 41 | 3.2 (5) | — | Federal program information, not local service |
| 11 | San Antonio Housing Authority | 35 | 5 (4) | — | Small sample, strong individual reports |
| 12 | San Antonio Housing Authority | 35 | 2.6 (7) | — | Voucher assistance, if you can get through |
| 13 | San Antonio Housing Authority | 33 | 2.8 (11) | — | Public housing and homeownership assistance |
| 14 | US Housing & Urban Development Department | 34 | 3 (4) | — | General federal housing program access |
| 15 | American Opportunity for Housing | 26 | — | — | Unproven, no reviews yet |
1. Port Royal Apartment Homes
4.1 (462 reviews)score 69/100
Port Royal pulls the top composite score on the strength of a large review base (462 reviews) and consistent praise for named maintenance staff. Move-in costs are described as low and the leasing process as smooth, though the score is pulled down by a mixed sentiment split between great on-the-ground staff and a less responsive office.
- Low move-in cost and affordable rent
- Maintenance staff (Liz, Art, MJ) singled out repeatedly
- Smooth leasing process
- Community events for residents
Watch out: Some residents report surprise fees after move-in and slow responses from administrative staff.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, disability supportive housing, low income housing program
2. Marshall Meadows Apartment Homes
4.1 (328 reviews)score 69/100
Marshall Meadows earns a high-confidence score built on 328 reviews and strong move-in experiences, with Dee and Priscilla called out repeatedly for patient, thorough leasing. Rent starts around $725/month for a one-bedroom, and the property includes a pool, clubhouse, and basketball court.
- Rent from $725/month for 1BR
- Pool, clubhouse, and BBQ area on site
- Leasing staff praised for patience and thoroughness
- Quiet, peaceful setting
Watch out: Long-term residents report serious unresolved maintenance issues including mold and electrical hazards, so inspect thoroughly before signing.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, senior low income housing, low income housing program
3. Palo Alto Apartment Homes
3.6 (230 reviews)score 67/100
Palo Alto scores well despite a lower star average, because sentiment analysis shows genuinely positive experiences: leasing agent Stephanie gets applicants moved in within about a week, and maintenance staff Mundo, Sam, and Edmundo typically respond same-day or next-day. It sits near I-410 and I-35 with 2-4 bedroom units.
- Leasing completed in under a week for some residents
- Same-day or next-day maintenance response
- Named staff consistently praised
- Recent upgrades and new staff noted
Watch out: A handful of residents describe chronic issues like clogged vents taking multiple calls to resolve.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, low income housing program
4. Housing Authority of Bexar County
3.6 (112 reviews)score 59/100
The Housing Authority of Bexar County carries 50 years of service history and staff like Shelly Martinez and Gloria Valdez earn consistent praise for treating applicants with patience and respect. It scores in the middle of the pack because waitlists run for years and documentation denials can feel rigid.
- Staff praised by name for knowledge and patience
- Family Self-Sufficiency program for building independence
- Multiple program tracks for different needs
- Decades of established service
Watch out: Expect multi-year waitlists and limited flexibility on paperwork technicalities.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, senior low income housing, low income housing program
5. Opportunity Home San Antonio
3.5 (358 reviews)score 58/100
Opportunity Home San Antonio has a large review base (358) and some genuinely helpful, courteous staff along with recently remodeled apartments. The composite score reflects real friction though: years-long waiting lists and difficulty reaching staff by phone are common threads.
- Recently remodeled apartment facilities
- Courteous staff and friendly security reported
- Quick service on active inquiries
Watch out: Waiting lists of 7-9 years and unresponsive phone lines are frequently mentioned.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, senior low income housing, disability supportive housing
6. Neighborhood Housing Services
4.3 (13 reviews)score 57/100
Neighborhood Housing Services gets credit for genuinely helping people close on their first homes through down payment assistance and credit counseling, with a 4.3 average. Review volume is low (13 reviews), so treat this as a promising but thinly evidenced pick.
- Down payment assistance and loan programs
- Homebuyer classes and credit counseling
- Track record of helping first-time buyers close
Watch out: Recent reviewers report poor follow-up after classes and unclear pricing until after signing up.
Services: housing assistance nonprofit, low income housing program, homeless transitional shelter
7. Fair Housing Council of South Texas
2.8 (19 reviews)score 50/100
The Fair Housing Council of South Texas has been operating since 1996 and staff like Roxann Contreras and Susan get singled out for walking clients through disability accommodation cases step by step. The review count is small (19) and split, so this is best approached with realistic expectations.
- Free counseling and complaint investigation
- Staff advocacy on disability accommodation rights
- Established nonprofit with a long operating history
Watch out: Multiple reviews describe missed HUD deadlines and unresponsive case workers.
Services: disability supportive housing, housing assistance nonprofit, low income housing program, homeless transitional shelter
8. Merced Housing Texas
4.4 (7 reviews)score 48/100
Merced Housing Texas has run since 1995 and its handful of reviews (7) lean positive on friendliness and housing quality. There simply isn't much review volume to verify consistency, so weigh this as a low-confidence but not negative signal.
- Friendly staff noted
- Housing quality praised
Watch out: Very few reviews exist, so there's limited detail on day-to-day service.
Services: housing assistance nonprofit, low income housing program, homeless transitional shelter
9. San Antonio Housing Trust
3 (2 reviews)score 43/100
San Antonio Housing Trust has only 2 reviews on record, which isn't enough to draw a real conclusion about service quality one way or the other. It's included here for completeness rather than a strong endorsement.
- Part of the local housing trust infrastructure
Watch out: Too few reviews to gauge typical experience reliably.
Services: housing assistance nonprofit, low income housing program, homeless transitional shelter
10. U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
3.2 (5 reviews)score 41/100
This HUD listing scores low mainly because of thin review volume and a negative sentiment read from the few reviews available, describing an office that closed early and calls that went unanswered. It's more useful as a pointer to federal program info than as a service to rely on locally.
- Access to federal housing program information
Watch out: Reviewers report the office closing unexpectedly and calls or emails going unreturned.
Services: public housing authority, low income housing program
11. San Antonio Housing Authority
5 (4 reviews)score 35/100
This San Antonio Housing Authority location has only 4 reviews, all five-star, with residents describing years of tenure without maintenance issues. The composite score stays low because of thin volume and missing verification data, not because of negative feedback.
- All reviews five-star
- Residents report zero maintenance issues over years
Watch out: Very small review count means this read could change quickly with more data.
Services: public housing authority, low income housing program
12. San Antonio Housing Authority
2.6 (7 reviews)score 35/100
This San Antonio Housing Authority branch offers public housing programs and voucher assistance, but its low score reflects a real pattern in the reviews: unanswered calls and no callbacks. Older reviews also flag pest control and maintenance requests going unaddressed alongside rising rents.
- Public housing programs and voucher assistance available
- Some reviewers describe professional, understanding staff
Watch out: Reviewers consistently report calls going unanswered with no callback.
Services: public housing authority, low income housing program
13. San Antonio Housing Authority
2.8 (11 reviews)score 33/100
This location offers both public housing/voucher programs and homeownership assistance, though the composite score reflects a steep drop in phone responsiveness that reviewers date to the pandemic. Older reviews describe a more courteous, accessible office than what's reported now.
- Public housing and voucher programs offered
- Homeownership assistance available
- Past reputation for courteous staff
Watch out: Reviewers report 45+ minute holds, unreturned voicemails, and Friday hours not starting until 1 PM.
Services: public housing authority, low income housing program
14. US Housing & Urban Development Department
3 (4 reviews)score 34/100
As a federal agency touchpoint, this HUD listing offers broad program reach, but only 4 reviews exist and they split evenly between strongly positive and strongly negative. There isn't enough evidence here to promise a particular experience.
- Federal agency with broad housing program reach
- Multiple program types available
Watch out: One reviewer cited no staff accessibility; overall detail is sparse.
Services: public housing authority, low income housing program
15. American Opportunity for Housing
score 26/100
American Opportunity for Housing has zero reviews on record, so there's no sentiment history to evaluate. It's listed for completeness at the bottom of this ranking rather than as a recommendation either way.
- Listed as an available local housing program
Watch out: No reviews exist yet, so there's no independent evidence of service quality.
Services: public housing authority, affordable apartments, disability supportive housing, housing assistance nonprofit