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. Since the program launched in February 2021, TRR has provided over $2 billion in emergency funds for rent and utility relief, served 250 Texas counties and prevented evictions for over 21,000 households. 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. V o l . "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. 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. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. Find a complete list of them here. Depending on eligibility and needs, this could include past-due payments or a combination of past-due and up to three months of current and future payments. But I dont want to give up.. 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.) 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available 4 0 obj Sharing of Certifications: As outlined in the Tenant and Landlord certifications, the program may share a copy of the tenant, landlord, or utility provider certification with the tenant applicant, a user approved by the tenant, or an associated landlord or utility provider, as well as counsel for any of these parties. 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. It's embarrassing, Scott said. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. 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. 0000058032 00000 n This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. Tenants who are requesting AFR and have remained in the same unit as their original request and for whom the months of assistance requested as part of the AFR are outside of the term for the lease submitted with the tenants initial application (including if the lease is now month-to-month), or if the tenant did not provide a lease as part of their initial application, verbal confirmation with the tenant or landlord to confirm the tenant is still in the unit is acceptable proof of tenancy. Applicants that have received help from the program before but have not received the maximum of 18 months of assistance allowed, can submit an additional funding request using their existing online user account. 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. Feb 27, 2023. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. Regardless of your immigration status, you will be eligible for rent relief if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 or are . Her former landlord had taken the rent relief funds after they evicted her. Body: Case ID. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. Box 580314 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. In each expanded section, there are . Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. Texas Rent Relief Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. Evaluating the. Yet they still pushed us out.. On July 28, 2021, the FHFA announced protections for tenants of multifamily properties with loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Macrequiring landlords to give tenants 30 days' notice before. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. In order to receive federal rent relief funds through the state, landlords had to sign an agreement that forbids them from evicting tenants for nonpayment during the time period covered by the assistance. The TRR portal will accept new applications starting Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. CT through Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT, to help eligible households with rent and utility payments. 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ 0000003018 00000 n Mar 1, 2023. events. 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. Once the application is submitted, applicants need to remain alert for emails or calls from TDHCAs representatives who could ask for additional information. 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. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Recent updates February 2023. Now, with a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) re-opened the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and online applications through the portal will be accepted for a limited time from March 14 to 28. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. Stephanie Gates rental assistance check initially went to the wrong address and reached her landlord less than two weeks after she was evicted from her Round Rock home in January. TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. While applications can be made online through the programs portal, the TDHCA call center at (833) 9TX-RENT (833-989-7368) will be available to submit applications over the phone. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? And frankly, theyre tired.. 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. All TDHCA employees and contractor employees have a responsibility to report waste, fraud and abuse within the agency. Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? 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. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. Health But Johnsons victory was short-lived. The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. New applications are not being accepted. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. 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. 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. 0000058095 00000 n Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 Its awesome. Approvals have. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. They lose their jobs, they lose their health, they have trouble with their relationships, they have trouble getting back on their feet, said Christina Rosales, deputy director for the advocacy group Texas Housers. Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Some areas still ban evictions outright. Two months later, Scott received an email acknowledging her complaint but said she hasnt heard back since. No New Applications Accepted On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. Applications can be also made . For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. The Texas Rent Relief Program will be run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The same day, her landlord told Johnson her lease wouldnt be renewed when it expired the following week, she said. TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. 0000024288 00000 n 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 TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. <> *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, You will be asked to create an account and then . The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . Johnsons landlord a partnership owned by Mark Musemeche, a Houston developer had already accepted more than $4,200 in federal money in August to pay four months of rent, according to a copy of Johnsons rent ledger she provided to the Tribune. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. <>/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>> In her case, the check arrived in time but went to the wrong place. You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. 0000008211 00000 n The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. Eviction Intervention Program For Renters If you live within Harris County or Houston city limits and your landlord has already taken you to court for eviction, you may be eligible for eviction intervention rental assistance through the Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 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. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. 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. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. %PDF-1.7 % Business Mattingly also heads the Dallas Apartment Association, which represents landlords. ) 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. And were also looking for ways to streamline, reduce documentation burdens, and well continue to adapt as needed, Wilkinson said. Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. 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. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. 0000068016 00000 n Call to schedule an appointment with a legal representative. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. 0000002863 00000 n Housing experts say they expect expiration of the eviction rules will make the already spotty protections of the eviction moratorium even more unevenly applied. 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. Do you value our journalism? The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. According to the program rules laid out in the agreement Gates landlord signed July 13 to receive the funds, if a landlord receives rent relief money after evicting the tenant, theyre supposed to send the money back to TDHCA within 10 days. 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. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. Click Here For Information about Accepting Payments. 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. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. 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. The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. 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. 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). TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) TAAHP Scholarships 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. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. Even if the rent relief check was in hand, it wouldnt have covered the amount sought by the landlord, Musselman said. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages.

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