The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Events / Networking Opportunities News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. Payment is in process. As of August 11, 2021, TRR has paid over $658 million in rent and utility assistance to assist over 107,000 households, and funding is still available. x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( Please take our patron satisfaction survey! The Texas Rent Relief Program, a COVID-19 emergency rental assistance program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), will be receiving an additional $47.8 million to help address the backlog of assistance requests. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. 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. TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). V o l . 4 45 The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? 4 0 obj Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. 0000003018 00000 n It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. But the program had fixed that error, the email said. By clicking the plus sign by one of the listed programs, the page will expand and provide the full details of that program. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. [n6[_.7jSz On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. Texas Rent Relief Program 0000014023 00000 n The program will also have a call . 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. 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 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. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. 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. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. Eligibility for all applicants who have not yet received the maximum amount of 15 months of assistance will receive an email invitation to submit an additional request for assistance 60 days after their previous payment was disbursed. 0000020158 00000 n % This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. 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. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. One landlord received federal money through the Texas Rent Relief program and later chose not to renew their tenants lease which was legal in that case. 0000001196 00000 n Some areas still ban evictions outright. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. Applications can be also made . But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. It's embarrassing, Scott said. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. Its awesome. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. -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 . your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. And frankly, theyre tired.. 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 Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . Print Feedback. 0000002829 00000 n 0000068016 00000 n You can also call the TDHCA's fraud hotline if you think your landlord may be mishandling the funds: (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) <> Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. Most states have lifted their . 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. 0000020386 00000 n Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Mon: 8 to 5pm. Whoops! Request for assistance has been verified and approved. 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 . Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. KERA also reached out to Gov. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. 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 June, Gates said she lost her job after she missed a week of work because of a medical problem. In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. Mattingly also heads the Dallas Apartment Association, which represents landlords. 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. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. 0000047797 00000 n Texas law allows landlords to collect "reasonable" late fees if any portion of the rent remains unpaid more than two full days after it was due. In each expanded section, there are . Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. 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. 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.. 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. 1. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. 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. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 Houston, TX 77258. 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. 0000048118 00000 n He was asked whether he planned to reduce the $42 million contract with Horne LLP due to the troubled rollout, and said his team is reviewing the contract. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. Governor Abbott and TDHCA launched the Texas Rent Relief program in February 2021 the first statewide rent and utility assistance program for qualifying households throughout Texas. 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. This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. If you are concerned that a community is not in compliance, please contact the TDHCA at 512-475-3800. 0000010218 00000 n 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. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. 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. 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. Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. 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. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! After weeks of phone calls, a Texas Rent Relief program staffer told Scott that her former landlord had indeed received the rent relief money in mid-November more than $11,000, enough to cover the six months back rent they owed. I was a good tenant, Gates said. Calls to Musemeche were not returned. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. View The Texas Eviction Diversion Program Highlights. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. Women In Business. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 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. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. In other words, Scott had already been evicted, but Texas Rent Relief was letting the landlord keep the money more than $11,000 in apparent contradiction of its own policy. 0000088072 00000 n 0000002863 00000 n 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 associated with the application will receive an email notification of . 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. Hope this timeline helps someone! What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. I think any landlord that accepted money or got money directly for rent absolutely should not have evicted anyone, Garcia said. TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. Feb 27, 2023. 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 TRR portal will accept new applications starting Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. CT through Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT, to help eligible households with rent and utility payments. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. 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 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. A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. 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. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. When the pandemic hit last year, millions of people across the country lost wages after they were laid off, furloughed or saw work hours cut. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. But she still hasnt found a place to live. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. Education / Webinars 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. A collection of state and federal agencies including the TDHCA are tasked with looking into allegations of fraud, waste and abuse in rent relief programs. HWmo6_qf&..WVmFJ=GRIOtK^Sq|}"SiSm%S@xS|,NXAC,g uW,,myVH!eMJA^Te**gNx7{uFw vW\uMru JWMu;C,^NJvgVt>(,Y*-.=-zq5t:ATi:w#GG7/V=ohM{3wi5omHo;lpFEMBL%%-P|=fsWv@>f;&X6gji#~L8Uhg JVt`E\L+@j8J:,acf)#--iU)'bc/s/PK3d JC#p0;~mY>VORqiK:JOFrPTgfF:*c! 0000002022 00000 n The state has already launched a website for the program, where both landlords and tenants facing a pile of bills will be able to apply starting at 8 a.m. Monday. State of Texas | Statewide Search | Report Fraud in Texas | Texas Statutes, Site Map | Library Policies | Accessibility | Employment Opportunities, 205 West 14th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-1614. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. 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. The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. 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). Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 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=>` During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. 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 same day, her landlord told Johnson her lease wouldnt be renewed when it expired the following week, she said. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. 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. The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. Texas received more than $2 billion out of the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package President Joe Biden signed into law last year, to set up the Texas Rent Relief program, designed to help such families stay in their homes as the pandemic triggered a tsunami of business closures and hundreds of thousands of layoffs. Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. When Congress set aside more than $46 billion for emergency rental assistance, they intended for that money to keep people in their homes, said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Houston. Residents of McNair, Baytown, Highlands or Chambers County. 0000030230 00000 n 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. This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. 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. 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.) Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. Tirloni, the TDHCA spokesperson, declined to discuss individual tenants cases, including Scotts, citing state law that prevents TDHCA from disclosing information about people who receive benefits from programs administered by the agency. 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. TRR is processing applications . 2 '.&& ,f1. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. Body: Case ID. 0000098112 00000 n 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. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. Community Job Listings 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. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. 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. 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. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? And more is on the. Those most affected by the pandemic and its economic devastation low-wage workers, Black and Latino Texans, and rural communities are also the least likely to have internet at home. 0000000016 00000 n In our view, the judge made a mistake letting the trial proceed as soon as [the property manager] confirmed that the owner had a pending application for rental assistance, Stamm said in an email. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . 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. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households may be eligible. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. First-time TRR applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of rent and utility bill assistance, either with past due payments or a combination of past due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. 0000032455 00000 n 0000098050 00000 n By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. 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. Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. The TRR portal will accept new applications starting Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. CT through Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT, to help eligible households with . the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . To receive help from Katy Christian Ministries you must live in one of the following zip codes: 77084, 77094, 77406, 77423, 77441, 77449, 77450, 77464, 77476, 77485, 77493, 77494 from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. 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. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. 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. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. 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. I am being evicted for not paying rent. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. New applications are not being accepted. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. All rights reserved. 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. Rental assistance payments will generally be made directly to landlords participating in the program, unless they cannot be reached, their relationship with the tenant application cannot be established in a timely manner, or they do not agree to accept the payment. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. Advocacy Alerts Expected time in this status: less than one week. 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. 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. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction.

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