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 . 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. 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. Community 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. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. COVID-19 0000009428 00000 n 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. Now, with a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) re-opened the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and online applications through the portal will be accepted for a limited time from March 14 to 28. 3 0 obj 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. 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. How to Apply for an Emergency Rental Assistant in Houston All rights reserved. Food + Drink That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. Texas Rent Relief Portal Closing Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5:00 PM 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. 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. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. It got off to a rocky start when it signed up just a few hundred people in the first few months. 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. [n6[_.7jSz The CDC moratorium on evictions is over: what Texas renters need to Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. Johnson, a manager of a hair salon and certified nursing assistant, had asked the program in October for help covering rent while she recovered from giving birth to her son and couldnt work. ?$.#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, Texas Emergency Rental Assistance Programs - Weekend Landlords 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. 0000068016 00000 n 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. 0000020271 00000 n PDF ERA Program and Overall Ranking - Texas Housers Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. Hope this timeline helps someone! 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. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. Find the program in your area by state , territory, or tribe and apply for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA). <> Shes impressed by how many do persevere. Call to schedule an appointment with a legal representative. To get that protection, you'll need to attest on a declaration form that you meet a few requirements, such as that you earned less than $99,000 in 2020 or 2021. 0000025788 00000 n A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. When you click on the link for the first time, you will need to be prepared with a valid email address. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility: For anyone who currently rents in the United States and resides in any of the properties Esusu works with. 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 Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. They were very well informed that that money was there and it was coming to them, said Scott, whos now living in a short-term rental in Missouri City with her four kids. 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. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. TRR is processing applications . If you need assistance with a previously submitted application, our customer service staff can assist you by phone by calling 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833-989-7368). Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 0000032141 00000 n Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). In each expanded section, there are . Interests Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. Business Home ownership 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. On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. Texas' rental assistance program will soon run out of money The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. Guides: COVID-19 & Texas Law: Rent & Legal Assistance What you need to know about Texas' new rental relief program - KHOU 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. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. 0000006939 00000 n 2. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. What you need to know about Texas' new rental relief program - KENS Texas Rent Relief : r/texas - reddit Mailbag: Evermore. The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. Texas' rental assistance program will soon run out of money Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program 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. The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. Subscribe to recieve Local Profile email updates every Monday and Thursday. endobj Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) 0000048118 00000 n According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. 0000068079 00000 n While hes cautiously optimistic that the Texas Rent Relief programs problems have largely been addressed, fundamental questions remain unanswered. 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 program will also have a call . Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. Donate to join or renew today. The reallocation process only applies to duplicate payments between our program and Texas Rent Relief. Texas Rent Relief Program Provides Over $550 Million in Assistance Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Rent - Landlord/Tenant Law - Guides at Texas State Law Library Texas Rent Relief Home Page | Texas Rent Relief Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. Since being evicted from their home in Katy, Cherice Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings, most recently a short-term rental in Missouri City. #4'x= 3r8 #TH(fY'O3 }~\N |iz$&dr_~azLN~u($~^ K H!K @gq4. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Mon: 8 to 5pm. The TRR program will be accepting online applications from March 14 to 28, providing aid with rent and utility bills for up to 18 months for first-time applicants. Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. But none of the agencies contacted by the Tribune would say whether any landlord has been credibly accused of taking rent relief money and improperly ousting their tenants, or whether they have imposed penalties on landlords for doing so. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. Whoops! After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and 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. 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. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. 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. 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 Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. Please reload the page and try again. 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. ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! Then you can type what your issue or concern. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. 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. 0000001196 00000 n Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. 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 frankly, theyre tired.. Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. 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. 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. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. P.O. Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). 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. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. But it's not a fast process. <>/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>> 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. Do you value our journalism? Texas Housing Conference 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. 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. The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. 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. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant.