Rents all across Texas have surged in insurmountable numbers in the past year. In Dallas-Fort Worth alone, rents have increased by more than 17% in 2021 and North Texas and surrounding suburbs. Rents generally have gone up by hundreds of dollars. These rent hikes have caused community renters to suffer because the average person does not get a raise every year, to support rent increases starting at $200 or more on top of their current rent.

Landlords use renters’ income to determine if they qualify for the unit initially. The 3x rule benefits both parties by ensuring the tenant doesn't get locked into a lease agreement they can't afford and that the landlord receives their payments on time. 

If that be the case, how can landlords increase rents of tenants that were only qualified for a certain amount?

When I asked my landlord why there was such an increase, I was told it was happening all over Texas; that was his answer.

The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has the power to put rent caps in place to control such rent hikes. This law will protect all citizens who rent and are initially qualified based on their income.

Texas, we need to finally put a stop to rent hikes above a person’s income; if we win this, it will help protect all renters in Texas from unexpected rent hikes; if not, we can go a step further by changing the laws to finally put the power back in the hands of renters.