0000002829 00000 n The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. 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. 0000030230 00000 n 0000008211 00000 n 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.. Whoops! Jeff Williams, a Harris County justice of the peace, had approved the eviction without Scott present in court a typical outcome in eviction cases when tenants dont show up to their hearings. Show us with your support. Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. ) A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. 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. 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). An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. Things To Do 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 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. On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. 2021 Program Information. Eligibility: For anyone who currently rents in the United States and resides in any of the properties Esusu works with. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. %PDF-1.7 % 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. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. 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). 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 . 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. 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. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. 8. x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. Job Listings The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. But housing advocates and lawyers who represent tenants facing eviction say they routinely see cases of Texas landlords accepting thousands of dollars from the government and evicting the tenants the money was intended to help. 0000005047 00000 n -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 . The application portal opens Tuesday, March 14th at 8 a.m. and closes Tuesday, March 28th, at 11:59 p.m. To contact the Texas Rent Relief program, please call 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833-989-7368). ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. 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. Late Fees. Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of assistance for rent and/or utility bills can submit an Additional Funding Request via their existing online user account. 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.) Payment in Progress If your request has been approved Tenant and landlord, if participating, will receive email notifying of approval and, separately, to set up payment in Bill.com. 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. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 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. Home TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 0000030653 00000 n 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. 0000000016 00000 n QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) 0000003018 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 0000015708 00000 n 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. 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. Its unclear whether landlords face any penalties from state agencies for improperly evicting tenants while receiving rent relief dollars intended to help those tenants stay housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5309 Decker Dr. 281.424.5752. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. 0000023877 00000 n Houston, TX 77258. The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. 0000009428 00000 n Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. <>/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>> Box 580314 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. Newly homeless, Gates stood on the curb in the cold guarding her belongings until a friend could get off work to help her move them. SACRAMENTO - California's COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is reaching a significant milestone today - by the end of the day, more than $1 billion in funding will be obligated - meaning the money has either been paid or approved for payment and awaiting disbursement - and will assist over 74,000 additional households. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 1 0 obj 0000032141 00000 n They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications for rental assistance, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. If the agency finds the allegations are credible, it can refer the cases to the state auditors office, the Treasurys inspector general or local law enforcement agencies. 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. Education / Webinars Click here to search the TDHCA database. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. I am amazed at the strength and resilience that these folks have to figure out how to get on the internet, when they dont have internet at home, and their resourcefulness in getting rent relief at this point, she said. Once the application is submitted, applicants need to remain alert for emails or calls from TDHCAs representatives who could ask for additional information. 0000020158 00000 n Prior to any payment being made to a tenant directly, TRR will make three attempts to request that the landlord participates in the program via email, phone, or text, over no less than a 5 calendar-day period. Postal Mail: Questions? 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. Landlord Application Information. 0000058032 00000 n 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. And only 250 of payments have been sent. 0000048118 00000 n Software problems left the program struggling and spotty, with tenants and landlords complaining of accessibility problems, unanswered phone calls and the inability to check the status of an application, according to the report. Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. %PDF-1.7 TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. Please reload the page and try again. 4 45 The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. Most states have lifted their . ?$.#jq&LS1-b'u)N 2@x{'Y( V7\T ;z6!EDg"AGbDdWo,/si,TZp em;82os"zrD QV~ns+8ce1|NV ;H@>I]\IjA $_BM (2`n,e072 #q9u_)&er&s9%\!_kE\^9, Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. 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. And if they did, it should be audited and reviewed by [government investigators] so that we can recoup our funds for the misuse of the dollars.. This interactive map and searchable database from the National Low Income Housing Coalition can be used to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. Learn how Section 8 provides rental help Find housing services and information Texans can get housing assistance whether they live in rural or urban areas. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. The Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund Program (TXHAF) provides financial assistance to qualified Texas homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage and related expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Updated: 8 AM Central. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 Food + Drink While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. All Rights Reserved. Latest Lifestyle You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. <> Events / Networking Opportunities Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. 0000058095 00000 n Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. 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. 4 0 obj 0000078063 00000 n Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. The morning of her March 18 eviction hearing, a Texas Rent Relief staffer told Johnson that her landlord had cashed the check two days earlier and gave her the check number. 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. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. 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). About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. Interests Payment cannot be released until 90 days after the initial disbursement date; however, be advised that review and approval timelines will often exceed 90 days from the last disbursement. How are landlords going to have faith in a rental relief program, and how are they going to hang on their tenants when this is happening? Rosales said. 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. Wilkinson told the House Committee on Urban Affairs that a few hundred more people had had payments sent to them over the past week, and that two additional contractors and hundreds of new analysts were being added to work through the backlog of applications. 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. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. 0000024288 00000 n 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). Sign up for our Friends of TAAHP email list to learn more about TAAHP, critical industry issues, and hear about upcoming event and education opportunities. But receiving rent relief dollars wasnt guaranteed, so some landlords filed for eviction in case the money didnt come through and as a last resort after months of going without rent, Mintz said. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. [n6[_.7jSz Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. Since being evicted from their home in Katy, Cherice Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings, most recently a short-term rental in Missouri City. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. A scathing staff report from the Texas House Urban Affairs Committee released Monday details a host of issues that have plagued the more than $1 billion rent relief program. According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the Emergency Rental Assistance Program Funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, a federal effort to mitigate the affordable housing crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. No New Applications Accepted Arts + Culture :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U *Must make an appointment. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. 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. Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. If you or someone you know still needs help with the rent relief process or pending eviction, you can apply for free legal help at https://www.lonestarlegal.org or by calling 1-800-733-8394. Under the program rules, landlords are allowed to evict only in specific situations, such as lease violations related to criminal activity, property damage or physical harm to others, Mintz pointed out. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The ERA program makes funding available to states, U.S. territories, local governments, and tribes to assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities.