As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is committed to expanding fair housing choice and opportunities for Texans through the administration and funding of affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, weatherization, and community-based services with the help of for-profits, nonprofits, and local governments. Here we are at the beginning of April and still only about 200 Texas families have actually received direct help from this billion dollar program, which is unacceptable, and we need to continue to get this worked out quickly, committee chair state Rep. Philip Cortez, a San Antonio Democrat, told Texas Public Radio. And only 250 payments have been sent. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). Texas Emergency rental assistance That help Paying Rent Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. Evictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Texas Law Help Show us with your support. The department . endobj by Christopher Connelly, KERA News Texas rent relief application under review - This is what to do There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. Whoops! No New Applications Accepted The program will also have a call . Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. The Tribune contacted government agencies involved in the program and found that none of them including the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, which runs the state rent relief program track how often this happens. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. P.O. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. 0000048118 00000 n See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. The more I sit here and think about it, I just know to just go ahead and do what I need to do, Johnson said. Education / Webinars This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. 0000002863 00000 n "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. At a Jan. 10 eviction hearing, Gates said she told Williamson County Justice of the Peace KT Musselman she had been approved for rent relief and explained that the check went to the wrong address facts she said the property manager, who represented the landlord in court, backed up. 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. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 12 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 792 612] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> -Per federal guidelines for Emergency Rental Assistance funding, Texas Rent Relief will provide a completed IRS Form 1099-MISC to all landlords and utility providers that received at least $600 in assistance from the program during the 2021 . 4 0 obj A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. What you need to know about Texas' new rental relief program - KHOU But she said the program doesnt allow landlords to receive back rent if theyve evicted a tenant the opposite of what the email to Scott said. 0000020386 00000 n <> 0000008211 00000 n The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. Additional Funding for Texas Rent Relief from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. Advocacy Alerts SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) It hurts, that really hurts. Texas Housing Conference Landlords who received rent relief dollars cant evict tenants for any reason related to rent or fees during the time period covered by the funds, according to the program requirements. 0000001196 00000 n 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. KERA also reached out to Gov. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. You can also get financial assistance for rent, food, and other expenses by turning to other organizations. Texas Rent Relief Program Landlord Tips - YouTube The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. Texas Rent Relief Home Page | Texas Rent Relief 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. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. In Texas, two state agencies the TDHCA, which oversees the statewide rent relief program, and the State Auditors Office have the authority to look into allegations of waste, fraud or abuse within the program. 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. Texas Tech Today | Texas Tech Today | TTU Just as the program launched, the state was hit with the massive winter storm in February, which sidelined a third of the contracted phone operators for days, the report said. KPRC 2 Investigates Texas Rent Relief program: Single mother served %PDF-1.7 % 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available Updated: 8 AM Central. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. 0000000016 00000 n 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. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. 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. Updated information and a lease for the new unit will be required in the AFR application. The CDC moratorium on evictions is over: what Texas renters need to Call to schedule an appointment with a legal representative. Some tenants who spoke to the Tribune about their cases said they called a hotline used to report fraud, waste and abuse in the state rent relief program and never heard back about their complaints. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. 0000025788 00000 n And only 250 of payments have been sent. *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, The reallocation process only applies to duplicate payments between our program and Texas Rent Relief. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. 3 0 obj TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. [n6[_.7jSz Approvals have. Texas Rent Relief Program Re-Opens Applications for Limited Time, March TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. They may also request assistance with any arrears that have not already been covered by previous TRR assistance or another provider, so long as the total months of assistance for each type of assistance (for example, rent, gas, water, etc.) Tenant Protections Under the Texas Emergency Order Regarding the Texas You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. 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. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. 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). Texas family evicted after rent relief program paid the wrong landlord Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. In order to receive federal rent relief funds through the state, landlords had to sign an agreement that forbids them from evicting tenants for nonpayment during the time period covered by the assistance. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. 0000024288 00000 n 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. Approval Notification: The landlord, tenant, and/or utility provider will now be notified automatically that a payment has been approved if an email address is present in the Neighborly system, and the notification will include the payment breakout. 0000048055 00000 n stream Emergency Rental Assistance Program | U.S. Department of the Treasury Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. 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. The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. Our Legal Help guide has information on free legal hotlines, legal clinics, and legal aid organizations, as well as information on how to find a lawyer who could represent you. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. All Rights Reserved.. Plano Dentist Pleaded Guilty To COVID-19-Related Fraud, $22.8 Million Grant To Help Prevent Homelessness In Dallas And Collin Counties, North Texas Judge Blocks Student Loan Forgiveness, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. All Rights Reserved. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. 5309 Decker Dr. 281.424.5752. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. For more information about fair housing, funding opportunities, or services in your area, please visitwww.tdhca.state.tx.usor theLearn about Fair Housing in Texaspage. 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. Texas Rent Relief Home Page | Texas Rent Relief Texas' rent relief program has been plagued by problems that slow payments and could prompt evictions According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. Mon: 8 to 5pm. And frankly, theyre tired.. 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. Updates to the Texas Rent Relief Program But none of the agencies contacted by the Tribune would say whether any landlord has been credibly accused of taking rent relief money and improperly ousting their tenants, or whether they have imposed penalties on landlords for doing so. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. A group of Austin-area lawmakers state Reps. Celia Israel, Sheryl Cole, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez alerted TDHCA this week that they have seen alarming calls from constituents whose rent relief money went to the wrong address, and called on the agency to fix the problem. 0000030230 00000 n TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. 0000002022 00000 n The email and template I was provided: Support@texasrentrelief.com Subject: Your Tenant case id. Housing advocates acknowledge the challenges of standing up such a massive program, but Christina Rosales from the group Texas Housers said theres a larger issue at play here: As a state, Texas regularly fails to focus its vast resources on helping people in the midst of a disaster. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. 0000032455 00000 n A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. Check status periodically. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Fo;o7d0ywL|JR!xM%|{GGk#x5OOs=cj ldk6yQhvuFPH:A3w7p^km,xa5qJCzGn` Qm;\]RR)RfZzua!v" ExqKgp?NLR}.ka2`Rpbtm!#9#OF4?1B&|2ousE?-u@[2d(K8&8 \l=>` Tenants in New Units: Tenants who are living at a new address may request funds through the AFR process for the rent expenses of the new primary residence. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. But in September, Gates received good news: Not only did she qualify for help paying back rent, but the program would cover her rent through November 11 months all together, totaling $12,740. Texas has only made 3 rent relief payments Landlord Application Information. Esusu Rent Relief Fund | esusurent.com Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. 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 . Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. I was a good tenant, Gates said. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. Many landlords have tried to work with their tenants to try to avoid evictions for back rent during the pandemic, said David Mintz, vice president of government affairs for Texas Apartment Association, a trade group of rental property owners. Find programs to help you with rent or utility payments, help you find a rent-reduced apartment, help you find emergency housing or homeless shelters, and more. Governor Abbott, TDHCA Announce Statewide COVID-19 Rental Relief Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. 2 '.&& ,f1. Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Gates, a 42-year-old Round Rock resident, saw her hours as a temp working in guest services at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport cut in half, and by January 2021 she was behind on rent for her two-bedroom apartment. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. When the state sent the rent relief check to the wrong address, Scott said the staff assured her they were working to get the money re-sent. For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. Our constituents experienced significant unreliability during an already challenging set of circumstances, all the while, both renters and landlords alike had unclear direction from TDHCA for weeks or months if and when the approved funds would finally arrive, the lawmakers wrote. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. Once the application is submitted, applicants need to remain alert for emails or calls from TDHCAs representatives who could ask for additional information. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open the application portal for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords," said Bobby Wilkinson, TDHCA Executive Director. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . Texas Rent Relief program picks up pace, allocating millions to Texas Texas Rent Relief Portal Closing Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5:00 PM No more rent relief available for Texas renters or landlords - KHOU An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. Houston, TX 77258. If you live in Texas no matter if you are landlord or tenants this program will help you, the simplest way is to apply for Texas Emergency rent assistance for covid 19, Visit the website, Create a account, and apply online. Larry Berman New Keynote Speaker For Vietnam War Conference Banquet. 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. Job Listings She said she has spent thousands of dollars on application fees to at least 10 homes and apartment complexes and all of them have denied her because she now has an eviction on her record. 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 Nov. 9, 2021 - (Tarrant County) - As of Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR), the State of Texas' rental assistance program, stopped accepting applications. 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. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. 0000010218 00000 n Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. Alexander Stamm, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who is representing Gates, said Musselman shouldnt have let the trial take place at all because of a Texas Supreme Court order requiring judges to postpone eviction cases if a landlord confirms they have joined a tenants application for rent relief. All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. Texas Housing Assistance | Texas.gov The states leadership shouldve been prepared to get money out to struggling renters as soon as Congress approved the funding, Rosales said, but instead have focused on their own political interests. Renter approved for $5,000 in relief. How to apply for rental aid - CNBC "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. We cant wait to welcome you in person and online to the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, our multiday celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news all taking place just steps away from the Texas Capitol from Sept. 22-24. This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . 0000088072 00000 n Mailbag: Evermore. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has received approximately $1.3 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the newly passed Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program. The industry standard here is fraud, said Stuart Campbell, managing attorney at Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, speaking generally about instances in which landlords receive rent relief funds and evict tenants. Click Here For Information about Accepting Payments. TDHCA says it has received more than 7,500 complaints through the hotline not all of them related to fraud, waste or abuse but the agency wont say how many times it has referred cases to outside agencies for investigation. Depending on each applicants needs and eligibility, this could include past-due payments or a combination of past-due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. I"OqC)RrQBY( ,VN?4Tmj|e@O)&$O&WrVRKT0X5Vrs'O. {wKPK?c- C <=fL5h|'(d-$7(r ~9 qFP9v8i-LKp Nx@`{>-aB58c$f_Q. Most states have lifted their . Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. 0000078063 00000 n Events / Networking Opportunities Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. Now, with a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) re-opened the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and online applications through the portal will be accepted for a limited time from March 14 to 28.