Apartments with Past Due Child Support in San Antonio

What Screening Actually Looks At

Here’s something most apartment websites won’t explain: apartment communities in San Antonio don’t have a “child support” line item on their screening checklist. There’s no box a leasing office checks that says “owes back child support: decline.” That’s not how the system works.

The real problem is what past-due child support does to two things every apartment does screen for: credit score and income. When arrears get reported to credit bureaus, scores drop. When the state garnishes wages to collect, the take-home pay that’s supposed to meet income requirements shrinks. A renter who made $4,500 a month and qualified for a $1,500 apartment suddenly takes home $2,250 after garnishment and can’t hit the 3x rent threshold at most communities. That math, not the child support itself, is what gets applications denied.

I’m Marlene Quade with San Antonio Apartment Locators. I’ve helped San Antonio renters work through all kinds of screening challenges, including situations where wage garnishment makes the income math tight. I can’t help everyone (registered sex offenders are a hard stop), but for most situations, there’s a path forward.

This page breaks down how child support arrears actually move through the apartment screening process, what credit scores and income levels are realistic for different property classes in San Antonio, and where in the city renters with reduced income have the most options. Every threshold listed here comes from working knowledge of how San Antonio communities screen, not from guesswork or recycled legal advice.

What “Past Due Child Support” Actually Means for Apartment Screening

Child support arrears and property debt are two completely different things in the eyes of apartment screening systems. This distinction matters more than almost anything else on this page.

Property debt (money owed to a previous landlord for unpaid rent, broken lease fees, or damage charges) is tracked through LexisNexis rental history reports. It’s the single hardest screening barrier in the apartment industry. Roughly 99% of communities auto-decline applicants with property debt on their record.

Child support arrears are not property debt. They don’t show up on LexisNexis rental history reports. They aren’t owed to a landlord. Apartment screening systems don’t treat them the same way at all.

Where child support arrears do show up is on credit reports, as collections, judgments, or government liens depending on how the Texas Attorney General’s office has pursued enforcement. And that’s what damages the credit score that apartments check during screening.

The second impact is financial. Under the Texas Family Code §158.001, courts can order automatic income withholding (what most people call wage garnishment) at the same time they issue the original child support order. Texas law caps garnishment at 50% of disposable income for domestic support obligations (the state limit aligns with the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act floor for parents supporting a second family). An additional 5% can be taken if arrears exceed 12 weeks past due.

So the screening problem for renters with past-due child support breaks down into two parts:

1. Credit damage from arrears reported to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, typically dropping scores 50–150 points depending on the amount and whether it’s reached judgment status
2. Income reduction from wage garnishment cutting the take-home pay that needs to meet 2.5x–3x rent requirements

Once a renter understands that these are the actual barriers, not the child support itself, the path to approval becomes a math problem instead of a moral one.

Real Screening Requirements for Renters with Child Support Arrears

How Child Support Arrears Affect Credit Scores

When arrears are reported to credit bureaus, the impact depends on how much is owed, how long it’s been delinquent, and whether it’s escalated to a judgment or lien. A $2,000 balance sent to collections hits differently than a $15,000 judgment with a state lien attached.

The credit score damage matters because apartment communities use credit tiers as their primary screening filter. Here’s how those tiers map to real options in San Antonio:

A renter whose credit was 680 before child support arrears hit collections might now sit at 560. That single change drops market access from “almost everywhere” to about a third of available communities. The score, not the reason behind it, is what the screening algorithm reads. San Antonio Apartment Locators maintains a current list of apartments that work with bad credit across all property classes.

Screening criteria vary by community and change over time. The thresholds listed here reflect general patterns across San Antonio. Verify current requirements directly with any property before applying.

The Income Problem: Wage Garnishment Math

This is where most renters with child support arrears run into trouble they didn’t expect. Even if the credit score is manageable, wage garnishment can make the income-to-rent ratio impossible at certain property classes.

San Antonio apartment communities typically require gross monthly income of 2.5x to 3x the monthly rent. Some communities calculate this using gross income (before any deductions, including garnishment). Others use net income or take-home pay after garnishment is deducted. Which method a property uses changes everything.

Here’s what the math looks like at different income levels with 50% garnishment:

The gap between gross-income communities and take-home-income communities is hundreds of dollars in qualifying rent. A renter earning $4,500 gross qualifies for $1,500/month apartments at communities using gross income, but only $750/month at communities using take-home. That’s the difference between a solid Class B apartment and the cheapest options in the city.

Not all garnishment is at 50%. Many renters have garnishment rates between 20–35% of disposable income. But even a 25% garnishment on $4,000 gross ($3,000 take-home) cuts the qualifying rent from $1,333 to $1,000 at communities using take-home income.

The critical question to ask any leasing office before applying: “Do you calculate income requirements based on gross income or take-home pay?” That one question can save $50–75 in wasted application fees. For renters whose garnishment pushes their debt-to-income ratio beyond standard thresholds, San Antonio Apartment Locators also works with communities that accept high DTI ratios.

A third-party guarantee service can help when income falls short. These services act as insurance for the apartment community, guaranteeing lease obligations. Using a third-party guarantee typically drops the income requirement from 3x to 2.5x rent at participating communities. The fee is usually one month’s rent ($1,000–1,500 for most San Antonio apartments), payable upfront or split over 5–6 months.

How Different Child Support Situations Affect Approval

Not every child support situation creates the same screening challenge. The specifics determine which property classes are realistic and what documentation to prepare.

Active Wage Garnishment — Current on Payments

When a renter has an active garnishment order and is current on the payment plan, the credit impact is moderate compared to open, unaddressed arrears. The payment arrangement itself shows the screening system that the debt is being managed.

The income reduction is the bigger hurdle here. Take-home pay is reduced for the duration of the garnishment, which could be years depending on the arrears balance.

Realistic property classes: Class B and Class C if gross income meets the 3x threshold. Second-Chance properties if the community uses take-home income for its calculation. A third-party guarantee can bridge the gap if income is borderline.

Renters in San Antonio with active garnishment and a credit score above 570 typically have 15–25 community options when gross income meets 3x rent. The number drops to 5–10 communities if take-home income is the metric and the score sits below 570.

Past-Due with No Payment Plan in Place

This is the most difficult version of this situation. Without a payment arrangement:

• The full arrears balance reports as delinquent to credit bureaus
• The Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division can pursue enforcement actions beyond garnishment, including driver’s license suspension, professional license suspension, passport holds, and bank account liens
• Credit scores typically land below 550 when arrears are open, unaddressed, and in judgment status. For more on how delinquent accounts affect apartment screening, see San Antonio Apartment Locators’ dedicated guide.

License suspension creates a cascading problem. Without a driver’s license, getting to work becomes harder. The Texas Department of Public Safety can revoke a license for delinquent child support, and reinstatement requires the AG’s office to vacate the order. San Antonio’s public transit (VIA Metropolitan Transit) serves some corridors but doesn’t cover the full metro, so a car is essential in most parts of the city. Losing the license can threaten the employment that’s needed to qualify for an apartment in the first place.

Renters in this situation should expect access limited to Second-Chance properties, with a third-party guarantee almost always required. Getting a payment plan established with the Texas AG’s office is the single most impactful step. It stops the credit bleeding and demonstrates good faith to any community reviewing the application.

Arrears Paid Off — Rebuilding Credit

Paid collections and satisfied judgments still appear on credit reports for up to seven years. But the impact fades over time, and the credit score can recover faster than most people expect, especially if the renter has other accounts in good standing.

If the score has recovered to 600 or above and there’s no ongoing garnishment reducing income, the screening picture changes dramatically. About 90–95% of the San Antonio market opens back up. The arrears become a historical footnote rather than an active barrier.

No ongoing garnishment also means full income qualifies. A renter earning $4,500 gross who previously lost $2,250 to garnishment now qualifies for $1,500/month apartments. That’s a completely different tier of housing.

Child Support Arrears Combined with Other Issues

When arrears stack on top of other screening problems, options narrow fast:

Arrears + broken lease (no property debt owed): The broken lease and the credit damage from arrears are two separate issues. If no money is owed to the previous landlord, this is manageable at Class B and Class C properties with a score above 570. Below 570, expect Second-Chance with third-party guarantee.

Arrears + felony background: This combination limits options significantly. A felony under 5 years old plus a credit score under 570 typically leaves 1–3 community options in San Antonio. Felonies over 7 years old with a score above 570 open more doors, with 10–15 communities in Class B and Class C.

Arrears + eviction history: The most restrictive combination. An eviction judgment almost always creates property debt, which requires a third-party guarantee at virtually every community. Adding credit damage from child support arrears on top means Second-Chance properties are the realistic target, with deposits of one month’s rent or more and income of at least 2.5x rent.

The Approval Process for Renters with Child Support Arrears in San Antonio

Getting approved with child support arrears isn’t about luck or finding a sympathetic leasing manager. It’s a process with defined steps.

Step 1: Pull a current credit report. Free access at AnnualCreditReport.com. Check all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). Look specifically for child support collections, judgments, or government liens. Note the amounts and whether they show as paid, in payment plan, or delinquent.

Step 2: Know the garnishment numbers. Pull up a recent pay stub. Find the exact dollar amount and percentage being withheld for child support. Calculate both gross monthly income and take-home after garnishment. These two numbers determine which communities are realistic.

Step 3: Calculate the rent budget using both scenarios.

• Gross income ÷ 3 = maximum rent at communities using gross income
• Take-home income ÷ 3 = maximum rent at communities using take-home income
• Take-home income ÷ 2.5 = maximum rent with third-party guarantee

Run all three numbers. The range between them is the target window.

Step 4: Gather documentation before starting the search. Having everything ready speeds the process by days:

• Last 2–3 pay stubs (showing garnishment deductions clearly)
• Court-ordered child support agreement
• Payment history from the Texas Attorney General Child Support Division (if on a payment plan)
• Government-issued photo ID
• Proof of current employment (offer letter or employer verification contact)
• Explanation letter (optional but helpful; keep it brief, factual, and forward-looking)

Step 5: Target the right property class. Match the credit tier and income reality to property classes that are realistic. Applying to a Class A property with a 560 credit score wastes the application fee. Those communities require 620–650 minimum regardless of income.

Step 6: Pre-screen before applying. Call the leasing office or work with a locator to confirm two things before paying any application fee: (1) the credit score minimum, and (2) whether income is calculated on gross or take-home. Ten minutes on the phone can save $50–100 in application fees.

Step 7: Apply with documentation ready. Submit the application with all supporting documents at once. Incomplete applications sit in review longer and create unnecessary back-and-forth.

Timeline Expectations

Urgent (3–5 days): Credit 600+, gross income meets 3x, no other screening issues. Apply to first suitable community with availability. Approval typically within 24–48 hours.

Standard (1–2 weeks): Credit 550–599, need to identify communities that use gross income or accept third-party guarantees. Tour 4–6 properties, apply to top 2 choices.

Complex (2–3 weeks): Credit below 550, multiple screening issues, third-party guarantee required. Pre-qualification calls to leasing offices to confirm acceptance, limited tour schedule, extended review period during guarantee underwriting.

Where to Look in San Antonio

San Antonio’s apartment market is renter-friendly right now. Vacancy sits near 10%, rents have dropped 2–3% year-over-year, and roughly half of all properties are offering concessions of 1–3 months free. For renters whose income is reduced by wage garnishment, this market offers more options than it would in a tighter cycle.

The areas below have concentrations of Class B, Class C, and Second-Chance properties, the classes most accessible to renters with credit challenges and reduced income. Rents are based on current market data and reflect the range across property classes in each area.

The Medical Center area stands out for renters with garnished income because it has the widest range of property classes in a single corridor. A renter can find Class C apartments starting around $700/month in buildings from the 1970s–1980s alongside Class A communities built in the last 10 years at $1,200–1,500. That range means renters at almost any income level after garnishment can find something that works, and the area’s healthcare employment base means it’s close to jobs.

The West Side along Bandera Road and the Ingram Park area has the highest concentration of second-chance properties in San Antonio. These communities are familiar with non-standard screening profiles, accept third-party guarantees, and typically have more flexible management companies. Rents for one-bedrooms run $800–1,200.

Southeast San Antonio offers the lowest rent floor in the metro. One-bedrooms in Class C properties start around $750. The trade-off is older building stock (many built in the 1970s–1980s), limited retail within walking distance, and longer commute times to the Northwest side employers like USAA and Valero. But for renters on a strict budget after garnishment, the math works.

What Apartments in San Antonio Actually Cost with Reduced Income

Advertised rent in San Antonio doesn’t tell the whole story. Mandatory fees that aren’t included in the listed price add $70–150/month to the real cost. And current concessions (move-in specials) can bring the effective monthly cost significantly lower than the sticker price.

Net Effective Rent: What You’re Actually Paying

Net effective rent accounts for move-in concessions spread across the full lease term. With about 50% of San Antonio properties currently offering 1–3 months free, this calculation matters.

Formula: (Base Rent × Lease Term − Concession Value) ÷ Lease Term = Net Effective Monthly Rent. San Antonio Apartment Locators offers a free rent analysis tool to help renters compare actual costs across communities.

Worked example: Class B apartment with 2 months free

• Base rent: $1,100/month
• Lease term: 12 months
• Concession: 2 months free ($2,200 value)
• Calculation: ($1,100 × 12 − $2,200) ÷ 12 = $11,000 ÷ 12 = $917 net effective rent
• Savings: $183/month compared to the listed price

For a renter earning $3,500 gross with 35% garnishment ($2,275 take-home), that $917 net effective rent is within 2.5x take-home income ($2,275 ÷ 2.5 = $910). The concession turns a property that was just out of reach into one that works, especially with a third-party guarantee dropping the requirement to 2.5x.

The Real Monthly Cost

Advertised rent leaves out mandatory fees. A typical San Antonio apartment adds:

A $1,100 advertised apartment with $90 in mandatory fees is actually a $1,190/month apartment. When calculating whether income meets the requirement, use the total, not the listed rent.

Timing Matters

San Antonio’s rental market follows seasonal patterns. The biggest concessions show up during off-peak months:

• December–February: Largest concessions (2–3 months free at many properties)
• March–April / September–November: Moderate concessions (1–2 months free)
• May–August: Smallest concessions (sometimes just waived fees)

A renter signing a lease in January can save $1,500–3,000 over the first year compared to the same apartment in June. For renters watching every dollar after garnishment, that timing advantage is real money.

How to Apply Without Wasting Money

Application fees in San Antonio typically run $50–75 per adult applicant. For a renter whose income is already stretched by garnishment, losing $150 on two denied applications is money that can’t be recovered.

Pre-screen every property before applying. Call the leasing office and ask:

1. “What’s your minimum credit score?” If the answer is 620 and the score is 560, don’t apply.
2. “Do you calculate income on gross or take-home pay?” This single question determines whether the property is even possible.
3. “Do you accept third-party guarantees?” If income is borderline, this is the backup plan.
4. “What’s the lookback period for collections?” Some communities only look at the last 2–3 years; older child support arrears might not trigger a decline.

Be upfront about the garnishment. Hiding it doesn’t work. It shows up on pay stubs, and the leasing office will see the discrepancy between gross and net. Disclosing upfront lets the leasing team run the real numbers and tell the renter whether approval is possible before collecting the application fee.

San Antonio’s current market conditions work in the renter’s favor. With vacancy near 10% and many properties struggling to fill units, leasing offices are more willing to work with borderline applications than they would be in a tight market. Properties offering aggressive concessions (2–3 months free) are the ones most likely to accept applications that require a closer look.

The 60-day availability window applies here too. Most apartments can only hold a unit for 60 days from move-in date. Starting the search more than 60 days out limits options to communities with future availability, which may not match the ones with the best screening flexibility.

Situations San Antonio Apartment Locators Can’t Help With

Honesty about limitations matters more than promises. There are situations where the service can’t help:

Registered sex offenders. No communities in the network will approve this application. This is a universal disqualifier across all property classes and management companies.

Active warrants. Background checks flag active warrants, and communities decline these applications immediately. The warrant must be resolved before any apartment search can move forward.

No verifiable income. Every apartment community requires income documentation. Cash-only employment without any paper trail (no pay stubs, no bank statements, no tax returns) doesn’t qualify. Even Class C and Second-Chance properties require proof of ability to pay rent.

Property debt with no willingness to address it. If money is owed to a previous landlord and the renter can’t or won’t use a third-party guarantee to cover it, options effectively drop to zero. This is separate from child support arrears, but if both exist simultaneously and neither is addressed, there’s nothing to work with.

These aren’t moral judgments. They’re service limitations based on how the screening system operates.

Why Work With a San Antonio Apartment Locator

Searching for apartments with screening challenges is doable without a locator. The listing sites show what’s available. But they don’t show what the leasing office will actually approve.

Screening criteria knowledge. San Antonio Apartment Locators knows which communities use gross income, which use take-home, which accept third-party guarantees, and which have the lowest credit minimums. That information isn’t on any listing site. It comes from working with these leasing teams regularly.

Pre-screening before application fees. No applications get submitted until there’s confirmation that the renter’s profile meets the community’s actual criteria. That eliminates the $50–75 gambles that add up fast when income is already tight.

Concession awareness. Properties run specials they don’t always advertise on listing sites. Current offers, waived deposits, reduced admin fees: a locator tracking the San Antonio market knows what’s on the table.

Income calculation guidance. For renters with wage garnishment, the gross-vs-net question determines everything. San Antonio Apartment Locators identifies the communities where the income math works before the renter invests time touring properties that won’t pan out.

The cost: nothing. Apartment locators in Texas are paid by the community through a referral fee when a referred client signs a lease. That fee comes from the property’s existing marketing budget. The renter pays the same rent, same application fee, and same deposit whether they use a locator or find the apartment themselves. The locator’s service redirects marketing dollars the property was already spending.

Marlene Quade | TX Real Estate License # | Brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC | Broker License #562021

Frequently Asked Questions

Do apartments check for child support arrears during screening?

Not directly. Standard apartment screening runs credit reports, criminal background checks, and rental history (LexisNexis). There’s no separate “child support” screen. What shows up is the downstream damage: collections or judgments on the credit report from unpaid arrears, and reduced take-home pay visible on pay stubs if wages are being garnished.

Will wage garnishment disqualify me from renting an apartment?

It depends on the community’s income calculation method. Communities that use gross income (before garnishment) may still approve the application if gross meets the 3x threshold. Communities using take-home pay will calculate the income-to-rent ratio on what’s left after garnishment. Asking which method a property uses before applying is essential.

What credit score do I need to rent with past-due child support?

San Antonio has apartment options at every credit level. A score above 600 opens 90%+ of the market. Between 550–599, expect access to about 60–70% of communities, primarily Class B, Class C, and Second-Chance. Below 550, options narrow to Second-Chance properties, usually requiring a third-party guarantee. The score itself determines access. The reason behind it (child support, medical debt, credit cards) matters less than the number.

Is child support considered property debt?

No. This is a critical distinction. Property debt is money owed to a previous landlord (unpaid rent, broken lease fees, damage charges) tracked through LexisNexis. Child support arrears are owed to the other parent (or the state), not to a landlord. Property debt is the single hardest screening barrier in the apartment industry, with 99% of communities auto-declining. Child support arrears create credit and income challenges but don’t trigger the property debt auto-decline.

Do apartments use gross or net income when I have wage garnishment?

It varies by community and management company. Some use gross income (the total before any deductions). Others use take-home pay or disposable income after mandatory withholdings. There’s no industry-wide standard. Two communities with the same rent, same age, and same property class can use different calculation methods. The only way to know is to ask the leasing office directly.

How much rent can I afford with child support garnishment?

Take gross monthly income, subtract the garnishment amount, and divide by 3. That’s the conservative maximum at communities using take-home income. Then take gross income and divide by 3. That’s the maximum at communities using gross income. The realistic rent falls somewhere in that range. With a third-party guarantee, divide the applicable income by 2.5 instead of 3 for slightly more headroom.

What is a third-party guarantee and how does it help?

A third-party guarantee is a corporate insurance product, not a co-signer. A company like Insurent or The Guarantors underwrites the lease and guarantees rent payment to the apartment community. The renter pays a fee (typically one month’s rent, $1,000–1,500 in San Antonio) either upfront or split over several months. The benefit: it offsets credit and income gaps. Income requirements often drop from 3x to 2.5x rent, and communities are more willing to approve borderline credit profiles with a guarantee in place. About 80–90% of Class C and Second-Chance properties accept third-party guarantees. Class A acceptance is lower, around 30–40%.

How long does it take to find an apartment with child support arrears?

Three to five days for renters with credit above 600 and gross income that meets requirements. One to two weeks for scores between 550–599 where specific communities need to be identified. Two to three weeks for complex situations involving scores below 550, multiple screening issues, or the need for a third-party guarantee. San Antonio’s current vacancy rate near 10% helps. More available units means more communities willing to work with non-standard applications.

What documents do I need to apply with wage garnishment?

Bring last 2–3 pay stubs showing the garnishment deductions, the court-ordered child support agreement, payment history from the Texas AG’s Child Support Division (if on a plan), government-issued photo ID, and proof of employment. An explanation letter is optional but can help at communities that do case-by-case review. Keep it brief, factual, and forward-looking.

Are apartment locators really free?

For the renter, yes. The apartment community pays the locator a referral fee from its marketing budget when a referred client signs a lease. Rent is the same, deposits are the same, and application fees are the same whether the renter uses a locator or applies directly. The referral fee is an existing line item in the community’s marketing spend. Using a locator just redirects it.

Can San Antonio Apartment Locators guarantee approval?

No. No locator can guarantee approval, and any service claiming otherwise isn’t being straight with you. What San Antonio Apartment Locators does is match renters with communities where their specific profile meets the stated screening criteria. That eliminates wasted application fees and dramatically improves approval odds, but the final decision always belongs to the community’s screening process.

Get Help Finding an Apartment in San Antonio

San Antonio Apartment Locators works with renters navigating child support arrears, wage garnishment, credit challenges, and other screening situations. The service is free to renters. The community pays the referral fee.

After submitting the form, San Antonio Apartment Locators reviews the information and typically responds within one business day with matched community options based on credit range, income after garnishment, and preferred areas. No application fees are spent until there’s confirmation that the renter’s profile meets the community’s criteria.

Call directly: 210-468-7667

San Antonio Apartment Locators is committed to Fair Housing practices. Equal professional service is provided to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. All properties listed are subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act.

Screening criteria subject to change and may vary by unit type, lease length, and applicant profile. Information on this page is based on current San Antonio market conditions and working knowledge of community screening practices but should be verified with any property before applying. Rent ranges based on early 2026 market data. Actual pricing subject to change.

Marlene Quade | TX Real Estate License # | Brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC | Broker License #562021