You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. The Texas Rent Relief Program is an opportunity to get up to 12 months of back due rent and even secure up to three months of future rent stability for tenants, as well as utility assistance. Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. 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. 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. 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.. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. 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. This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. 0000023877 00000 n The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. 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. 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. 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. Print Feedback. . 0000017510 00000 n By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. 4 0 obj <> endobj xref Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. 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 state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. Closed from 12 to 1pm for lunch. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. 0000088009 00000 n Events / Networking Opportunities The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. 0000025788 00000 n 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. The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. If your landlord breaks their agreement with the Texas Rent Relief program, you may file a complaint with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. 0000002829 00000 n I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. 0000068079 00000 n Subscribe to recieve Local Profile email updates every Monday and Thursday. 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. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. The application software issue has been resolved. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. 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. To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. 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. Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. 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. 0000014023 00000 n Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. 0000088072 00000 n KERA also reached out to Gov. 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. 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. 2. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . 0000078000 00000 n While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. 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. To apply for residency, you may contact the onsite leasing staff for the development you wish to apply for or contact your local housing authority for assistance. 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 Rent Relief Program was launched by TDHCA on February 15th to solve this problem and bring relief to millions across the United States. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Payment in Process Good news! Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. 0000032455 00000 n The details for each program are available below. 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. 0000009428 00000 n *Must make an appointment. 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. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. We strive to always do better, Tirloni said in an email. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. 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. Evaluating the. 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. 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. Tenants who are eligible for an Additional Funding Request may submit requests for rental and utility assistance for the current month and two future months. And frankly, theyre tired.. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. 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. Theres no excuse, Rosales said. Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. It hurts, that really hurts. As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. Find a complete list of them here. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 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. 0000020158 00000 n 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. Top Listings In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. 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. The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ 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. 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. If you are concerned that a community is not in compliance, please contact the TDHCA at 512-475-3800. Arts + Culture endobj 2n -.-&) 1 1 Mar 1, 2023. events. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. The landlord submits any information or documentation to receive payment as part of a rent relief program. 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. 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. According to CW33, TDHCA executive director, Bobby Wilkinson advised those applying to gather all necessary paperwork ahead of time to have them ready by March 14, 2023, when applications will open. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. If you have evidence, be sure to bring it to 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. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. 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 Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. 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. 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. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. It's embarrassing, Scott said. 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. Scott had landed a new job as a dietician at a local hospital when she returned from work one afternoon in early October to find most of her belongings spread out on the lawn and the locks changed. ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? Residents of McNair, Baytown, Highlands or Chambers County. Payment is in process. -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 . 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. Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. 0000000016 00000 n Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. And only 250 payments have been sent. Whoops! During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. Johnson, a manager of a hair salon and certified nursing assistant, had asked the program in October for help covering rent while she recovered from giving birth to her son and couldnt work. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. After submitting, applicants should watch for communication from TRR in case additional information is needed for application. But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. 1. 8. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 0000048118 00000 n trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. When asked if he had a set targets for performance going forward, he said I can and I will, but that he wanted to for a couple weeks before committing to specific goals. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. Mailbag: Evermore. Two landlords, like Scotts, evicted their tenants in the period between the initial rent relief application and when the government money arrived and then kept it an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords. Your application status will flash one of the following statuses as provided in the chart. All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. Failure to respond would only delay the application process. Are you a Texas resident looking for affordable housing? 0000009860 00000 n Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. 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. On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. 0000002022 00000 n Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. 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. Please take our patron satisfaction survey! 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. "Funding is limited, so anyone who needs help paying their rent and utility bills should review the program requirements now, gather all the necessary paperwork ahead of time, and be ready to apply on March 14.". As of last week, $20.1 million in rent relief has been recaptured, TDHCA spokesperson Kristina Tirloni said, adding that not all of that was connected to allegations of fraud, waste or abuse.

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