I trusted them, Scott said. Disclosure: The Texas Apartment Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream Esusu Rent Relief Fund | esusurent.com 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. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. 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. 2 0 obj Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. 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. 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. 0000088009 00000 n Texas Eviction Diversion Program (TEDP) Community In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 2021 Program Information. While hes cautiously optimistic that the Texas Rent Relief programs problems have largely been addressed, fundamental questions remain unanswered. 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. This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. 0000002022 00000 n Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| If you owe unpaid rent or utilities, that amount will be paid in one lump sum within 10 business days of your final approval. 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. Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. 0000048055 00000 n Home Texas Residents - TDHCA Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. KPRC 2 Investigates Texas Rent Relief program: Why some renters have As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. 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. This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households may be eligible. 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). Texas Rent Relief : r/texas - reddit Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 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. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. Less than two weeks after Gates eviction, she spotted something in her online account with the rent relief program: A pair of checks totaling $12,650 had cleared the property owners bank account. Texas Rent Relief Program Re-Opens Applications for Limited Time, March For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. The report was released less than a week after the Supreme Court of Texas let lapse a set of rules for how courts in the state enforce a federal eviction ban, which the Biden administration extended through into the summer. ?$.#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, 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. This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. 0000009428 00000 n 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. Texas Rent Relief: Payment disbursed : r/texas - reddit Lifestyle Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. 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. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, Mar 1, 2023. events. 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. "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. Renters: How to Get Rent Relief - Investopedia 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). All rights reserved. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. 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. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. What you need to know about Texas' new rental relief program - KHOU You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. Report Details How Texas Rent Relief Program Has Been Plagued By In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. 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. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. 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. 4 0 obj <> endobj xref By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. 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. Expected time in this status: less than one week. Effectiveness of. These landlords are the prime beneficiary of these rental assistance programs and just en masse have been violating the provisions of the programs and on top of that consistently misleading judges and securing judgments and evictions, even when theyre receiving funds.. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. And more is on the. You will be asked to create an account and then . Even now, despite our challenges, were ahead of most states in processing applications and making payments, Wilkinson testified, comparing Texas to other large states like California and Florida. The statewide TEDP is funded through a set-aside of the Texas Rent Relief Program (texasrentrelief.com), which launched February 15, 2021, stopped accepting new applications for rental assistance as of November 5, 2021, and committed 99% of all total funds by January 13, 2022. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. "The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant financial strain on many Texans, and the Texas Rent Relief Program will provide an incredible lifeline to households in need of assistance on their rent and utility payments," said Governor Abbott. Scott said she spoke to the office staff and walked away believing she didnt need to worry about eviction as they waited for the relief money or to bother showing up to court. Texas Homeowner Assistance Official Website Additional Funding for Texas Rent Relief Texas Rent Relief Program V o l . For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. The next month, their landlord started the eviction process, even though Scott, 37, had taken the rental office staffs advice and requested help from Texas $2 billion, federally backed rental assistance fund. Texas Rent Relief Program: Tax Forms and Other Updates - TAAHP Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. T!KE) A8(x;)-GlrHqZ:%>)c#x/MoJ5K=Tj=M,dIj)h MQ7ey#5xp uwA4@!5GM3e mXI#JR!g.H?##B-|qz^^(p7r`>G>M'PF4LLLu*n_"!/N`nxxbQ9CkK4eSB[Rl7x,E $R6W9203#g~=jxPcIyH.MSLhuY9K^cPM|>Q|hfb#PxFAcL,/>~5W(oqXiU&u endobj 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). Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. 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. The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. Those constituents were told they were unable to receive their eligible assistance while the agency recouped the funds, the lawmakers wrote Thursday to TDHCA board Chair Leo Vasquez. You can also get financial assistance for rent, food, and other expenses by turning to other organizations. PDF DIRECT-TO-TENANT PAYMENT IMPLEMENTATION - National Low Income Housing 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. The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. Apr 20, 2021 Like Dislike Share Save Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs 2.97K subscribers The Texas Rent Relief program can provide utility and rental assistance to. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. 0000006939 00000 n This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . 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. Residents of McNair, Baytown, Highlands or Chambers County. 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. 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. 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. <> All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . 0000020271 00000 n Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. 0000023877 00000 n But I dont want to give up.. Job Listings 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). 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. TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. 0000026104 00000 n *Must make an appointment. 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. 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. On January 24,2023, Treasury released the reallocation amounts for ERA2 Quarter 2 General Pool Reallocation and Designated Voluntary Reallocations; Guidance: On January 5, 2023 Treasury published an updated version of the ERA1 . 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. Approvals have. Applied for Rent Relief? What Happens Now Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. 0000000016 00000 n To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. #4'x= 3r8 #TH(fY'O3 }~\N |iz$&dr_~azLN~u($~^ K H!K @gq4. 2. Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. Events / Networking Opportunities TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) 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. 0000032455 00000 n UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. View The Texas Eviction Diversion Program Highlights. 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. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. by Christopher Connelly, KERA News 0000002829 00000 n Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. 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. 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. Applications can be also made . 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. 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. Texas Rent Relief Portal Closing Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5:00 PM 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. 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available 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. 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 .