"To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . When you click on the link for the first time, you will need to be prepared with a valid email address. 0000048055 00000 n Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. 1 0 obj Of the maximum $65,000 available per household, up to $10,000 can be used for utility assistance (inclusive of past due balance and prospective assistance). Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Executive director Bobby Wilkinson said the early days of the program delivered a bad customer experience for people, but that the issues are being fixed. Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. 0000003018 00000 n Interests Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. Business Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. %PDF-1.7 2401 E 6th Street, Ste 3037, PMB 153, Austin, TX 78702. 0000020386 00000 n % State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Service, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), NLIHC COVID-19 State and Local Rental Assistance, Housing Legal Advice Hotline (St. Mary's School of Law), Nearly 600,000 Texans Will Lose Access to a Program That Prevented Electricity Shut-Offs During the Pandemic on Oct. 1 (8/27/2020), Texas Regulators Vote to Ban Residential Utility Shut-Offs During Pandemic While Buoying Companies (3/26/2020), Please take our patron satisfaction survey. 0000003417 00000 n For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. I was a good tenant, Gates said. Any allegations that either a renter or a rental property owner isnt following the program rules should be reported to the program to be investigated, he said. Utility Payment Program Provides assistance to eligible Texas homeowners with qualified hardships to pay past due utility bills and up to three (3) months of prospective payments. Faced with a pot of federal money larger than the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs' annual budget, the state agency contracted Houston-based management consultancy Horne LLP to run the Texas Rent Relief program, agreeing to pay the company more than $42 million. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. Scott and her husband had fallen behind on rent in June after Scott stopped working to take care of her youngest daughter, who has Down syndrome, and the medical bills piled up. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. "The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant financial strain on many Texans, and the Texas Rent Relief Program will provide an incredible lifeline to households in need of assistance on their rent and utility payments," said Governor Abbott. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. Less than two weeks after Gates eviction, she spotted something in her online account with the rent relief program: A pair of checks totaling $12,650 had cleared the property owners bank account. *Must make an appointment. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream We have more than $1 million of unpaid rent dating back to March of last year, said Ian Mattingly, president of LumaCorp, which manages about 7,000 rental apartments in Texas. Theres no excuse, Rosales said. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. 0000005047 00000 n 0000023877 00000 n 0000098112 00000 n Apr 20, 2021 Like Dislike Share Save Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs 2.97K subscribers The Texas Rent Relief program can provide utility and rental assistance to. Scott said she spoke to the office staff and walked away believing she didnt need to worry about eviction as they waited for the relief money or to bother showing up to court. 0000001467 00000 n Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. Mon: 8 to 5pm. See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Eligible households can apply for assistance online at TexasRentRelief.com or over the phone by calling the TRR call center at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). Questions? The department . 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ 0000020271 00000 n Access Invoices & ReceiptsRequest W9Questions & Special Requests, Update Your ProfileRequest Company Name ChangeAdding/Removing EmployeesFrequently Asked QuestionsContact Us, Mailing Address2401 E 6th St, Ste 3037, PMB 153Austin, TX 78702Email UsPhone: 512-476-9901, Aug 20, 2021 | COVID19, Latest News, Newsletter. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . The federal government and the state of Texas both had people like Scott and her family in mind when they hurriedly created a safety net for struggling renters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. TDHCA says it has received more than 7,500 complaints through the hotline not all of them related to fraud, waste or abuse but the agency wont say how many times it has referred cases to outside agencies for investigation. 0000017510 00000 n Landlord Application Information. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) Scott said she complained to a program staffer in October about her landlords conduct, and the staffer referred the complaint to the programs anti-fraud division. Click here to search the TDHCA database. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. When Dallas County Justice of the Peace Juan Jasso heard about the check and phone call, he asked the property manager whether they had received the check, Johnson said. Feb 27, 2023. The report was released less than a week after the Supreme Court of Texas let lapse a set of rules for how courts in the state enforce a federal eviction ban, which the Biden administration extended through into the summer. Tenants who are unable to access their existing online application may call the call center for assistance, and documentation related to existing applications may be accepted by postal mail at the following address. According to the TRR portal, the program provided over $2 billion in emergency funds since its launch, helping more than 310,000 Texas families remain stably housed during the pandemic. As of today, the program has distributed nearly $2 billion, with more than 300,000 Texan households having been assisted or in the final payment process. The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. I am being evicted for not paying rent. However, Tarrant County's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), along with programs administered by the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, will . Founded in 1997, the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) is a non-profit trade association serving as the primary advocate and leading resource for the affordable housing industry in Texas. Eviction Intervention Program For Renters If you live within Harris County or Houston city limits and your landlord has already taken you to court for eviction, you may be eligible for eviction intervention rental assistance through the Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Find a complete list of them here. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. The TRR application portal goes live Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. and ends Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. to help eligible households with rent and utility payments. 0000068016 00000 n As of August 11, 2021, TRR has paid over $658 million in rent and utility assistance to assist over 107,000 households, and funding is still available. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. 0000002863 00000 n The same day, her landlord told Johnson her lease wouldnt be renewed when it expired the following week, she said. Rosales said shes heard landlords say at eviction court that they're already so frustrated and tired by the slow pace and confusing nature of rental assistance programs that theyd rather evict tenants than hold out for assistance. If issues are discovered or brought to our attention, like payments sent to an incorrect address, or payments sent to a landlord who has evicted the tenant, we will take corrective measures, like recapture or other necessary steps.. Federal aid has gotten to only a fraction of Texans applying for assistance because they're behind on rent and trying to avoid being evicted. This is our third or fourth round of rental assistance for some of these folks, and the documentation process for each round has been different and the application process has been a little bit different, he said. Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. Even if the programs software and staffing struggles have been addressed, Rosales still worries that the programs reliance on online applications will leave eligible renters unable to apply. But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. Interests Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created the Texas Rent Relief program to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 0000047797 00000 n 0000012097 00000 n By clicking the plus sign by one of the listed programs, the page will expand and provide the full details of that program. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. 0000015708 00000 n KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has received approximately $1.3 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the newly passed Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program. Falsification of documents or any material falsehoods or omissions in an Application to this program, including knowingly seeking duplicative benefits, is subject to state and federal criminal penalties. Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) 1. Education / Webinars Expected time in this status: less than one week. To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. I can understand an apartment complex coming at this point in the process and saying, It's time to figure out what's going to happen here or move forward, Musselman said. But none of that recovered money is helping tenants ousted from their homes, said Julia Ordua, Southeast Texas regional director for Texas Housers, a nonprofit low-income housing advocacy group. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. P.O. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has made some changes to the Texas Rent Relief Program in order to make the application and payout process easier. Things To Do And only 250 of payments have been sent. State Rep. Diego Bernal, a San Antonio Democrat, wanted to know what was being done to make sure landlords know that the problems are being fixed and to urge them to hold off on filing eviction cases against tenants who tried to apply for rent relief but had their application held up . 0000002022 00000 n Stephanie Gates rental assistance check initially went to the wrong address and reached her landlord less than two weeks after she was evicted from her Round Rock home in January. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. She said the past few months have been hard. Her former landlord had taken the rent relief funds after they evicted her. 0000088072 00000 n Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. They can visit https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral or call 855-270-7655 for help understanding their options and to seek free or low-cost legal assistance. 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. Tirloni said the agency doesnt track what portion of those clawed-back funds came from landlords found to have improperly evicted their tenants after receiving assistance or categorize what scenarios would result in recapturing the money. You will be asked to create an account and then . Hosted every Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., by the. Effectiveness of. The program will also have a call . But it's not a fast process. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. The public is also invited to share such concerns. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 Read on for a look at these new changes, and visit our Rent and Legal Assistance page on the COVID-19 & Texas Law guide for more information. Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. Weeks after her eviction, Scott received an email from Texas Rent Relief on Nov. 9 acknowledging that it had initially sent the check to the wrong address. In each expanded section, there are . Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. We will accept new applications for rent and utility assistance from Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. CT to Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT. COVID-19 has affected Texans across the state. All those folks acted in good faith on something that we offered them, that theyre by definition entitled toand by some sort of error, theyre not getting the relief that they need, and then the state Supreme Court let its rules around the eviction moratorium lapse, Bernal said. The following provides performance of the Texas Rent Relief Program, as of May 12, 2021: More than $110 million has been paid or is in the process of being paid. stream Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. Sharing of Certifications: As outlined in the Tenant and Landlord certifications, the program may share a copy of the tenant, landlord, or utility provider certification with the tenant applicant, a user approved by the tenant, or an associated landlord or utility provider, as well as counsel for any of these parties. 2 '.&& ,f1. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) Check status periodically. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? In late January 2023, Local Profile reported that starting this March, the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to cut SNAPs COVID-19 emergency benefits, adding even more pressure on families who are struggling with rising rents and inflation pushing up prices. But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. AUSTIN - The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced it will re-open the Texas Rent Relief (TRR) application portal from March 14-28 in order to accept new applications for a remaining $96M in TRR funds. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. endobj For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 To qualify for rental assistance from the Texas program, tenants had to fall below a certain income level, prove they experienced some kind of financial hardship during the pandemic and make the case that they would be at risk of losing their home if they didnt receive rent relief. The statewide TEDP is funded through a set-aside of the Texas Rent Relief Program (texasrentrelief.com), which launched February 15, 2021, stopped accepting new applications for rental assistance as of November 5, 2021, and committed 99% of all total funds by January 13, 2022. <>/Metadata 393 0 R/ViewerPreferences 394 0 R>> *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? 0000002471 00000 n Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. 0000030653 00000 n 0000078063 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief Program will be run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. In her case, the check arrived in time but went to the wrong place. Two months later, Scott received an email acknowledging her complaint but said she hasnt heard back since. There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. I did everything right, and to still have my stuff thrown down the street its just something that Im still trying to process, Gates said. According to the National Housing Law Project, 86% of the 119 lawyers across the country who responded to a survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants said they had seen cases where landlords either declined to apply for assistance from rent relief programs or took the money and proceeded to kick out their tenants. 0000088009 00000 n My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. Find the program in your area by state , territory, or tribe and apply for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA). About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. 0000058032 00000 n Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy, Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American, https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral, Texas Utility Help Program Receives More Energy Bill Assistance Funding, Expands Water Bill Assistance with Future Payments, Texas Utility Help Program Re-Opens Energy Bill Assistance. Request for assistance has been verified and approved. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. At the moment, Gates is bouncing back and forth between her fathers house and a friends while she appeals her eviction in an attempt to strike it from her record and make it easier for her to find a new place. On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. [n6[_.7jSz Around the time of the eviction, Scott and her husband separated. Please take our patron satisfaction survey! hb``b``yX01 $J|*]gw"sq7X>6>^`hD"0Q{in00 Y? ` q endstream endobj 5 0 obj <> endobj 6 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 792.0 612.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 7 0 obj <> endobj 8 0 obj <> endobj 9 0 obj [/ICCBased 22 0 R] endobj 10 0 obj [/Separation/Red 9 0 R<>] endobj 11 0 obj <> endobj 12 0 obj <>stream