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. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. Eligibility For tenants: Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) Household has been financially affected by COVID-19 pandemic For landlords: Assistance for rent no older than April 2020 The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . HWmo6_qf&..WVmFJ=GRIOtK^Sq|}"SiSm%S@xS|,NXAC,g uW,,myVH!eMJA^Te**gNx7{uFw vW\uMru JWMu;C,^NJvgVt>(,Y*-.=-zq5t:ATi:w#GG7/V=ohM{3wi5omHo;lpFEMBL%%-P|=fsWv@>f;&X6gji#~L8Uhg JVt`E\L+@j8J:,acf)#--iU)'bc/s/PK3d JC#p0;~mY>VORqiK:JOFrPTgfF:*c! Please reload the page and try again. I"OqC)RrQBY( ,VN?4Tmj|e@O)&$O&WrVRKT0X5Vrs'O. {wKPK?c- C <=fL5h|'(d-$7(r ~9 qFP9v8i-LKp Nx@`{>-aB58c$f_Q. Request for assistance has been verified and approved. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. endobj Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Postal Mail: Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| According to the TRR portal, the program provided over $2 billion in emergency funds since its launch, helping more than 310,000 Texas families remain stably housed during the pandemic. 0000025788 00000 n 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. Late Fees. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) 4 0 obj 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 Do you value our journalism? Home ownership 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. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 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. Its awesome. 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. 2401 E 6th Street, Ste 3037, PMB 153, Austin, TX 78702. 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. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. 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. 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. 0000088072 00000 n But it's not a fast process. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. We've provided over $2B in emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Health 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. 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. If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. 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). Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. <> In other words, Scott had already been evicted, but Texas Rent Relief was letting the landlord keep the money more than $11,000 in apparent contradiction of its own policy. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. The same day, her landlord told Johnson her lease wouldnt be renewed when it expired the following week, she said. 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ 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. 0000003018 00000 n TRR is processing applications . 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. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Recent updates February 2023. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. 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. 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. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) Please take our patron satisfaction survey! 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. The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . 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. I trusted them, Scott said. Food + Drink April 7, 20215 PM Central. 2021 Program Information. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. 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. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. Payment in Process Good news! 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. 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 time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. <>/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>> 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=>` 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 . Some areas still ban evictions outright. 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. 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. Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. 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. 0000020158 00000 n Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Show us with your support. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. 0000026104 00000 n 0000006939 00000 n Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. 0000002471 00000 n In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. 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 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. 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. 0000012097 00000 n The department . When Cherice Scott received a notice last September that she, her husband and their four children would soon be kicked out of their Katy apartment, she said employees at the complex told her not to worry about it. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. AUSTIN, Texas, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. 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. 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. Interests During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. 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. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. 1 0 obj 0000088009 00000 n What do I do? If you have evidence, be sure to bring it to court. 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. 1. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. Find a complete list of them here. 0000002022 00000 n 0000005047 00000 n Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. 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. And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. 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. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Events / Networking Opportunities V o l . 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. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. 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. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. 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. KERA also reached out to Gov. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. As the tenant was evicted from the unit associated with this application, pursuant to program policies, rental arrears are only approved for the time period the tenant was in the unit, the email reads. TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. 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. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. 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. The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. Closed from 12 to 1pm for lunch. The program will also have a call . You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. We have more than $1 million of unpaid rent dating back to March of last year, said Ian Mattingly, president of LumaCorp, which manages about 7,000 rental apartments in Texas. 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.) 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. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. Payment is in process. 0000098112 00000 n 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. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. -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 . Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. 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.. TXHAF provides eligible homeowners with . A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. 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. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. A scathing staff report from the Texas House Urban Affairs Committee released Monday details a host of issues that have plagued the more than $1 billion rent relief program. 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. 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. Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of assistance for rent and/or utility bills can submit an Additional Funding Request via their existing online user account. 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). For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. 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. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. The state-level program meant to help both Texas renters impacted financially by the pandemic and their landlords announced Thursday morning that it would stop taking new applications for . 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. Feb 27, 2023. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. But the program had fixed that error, the email said. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? Updated: 8 AM Central. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. 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. 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. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. Calls to Musemeche were not returned. 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). Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected rent costs, Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected utility and home energy expenses, After the initial 3 months of current/future assistance, renters were able to apply for 3 additional months of assistance if funds were still available, If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call, View the Texas Rent Relief Program Dashboard (Dashboard in English), https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm. 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. Read on for a look at these new changes, and visit our Rent and Legal Assistance page on the COVID-19 & Texas Law guide for more information.

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