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. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. 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. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. 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. You can also call the TDHCA's fraud hotline if you think your landlord may be mishandling the funds: (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. 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. Updated: 8 AM Central. 8. 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. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. 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. 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. ) 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. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. 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. We've provided over $2B in emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. 0000023877 00000 n We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 0000001196 00000 n In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. 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. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households may be eligible. Some areas still ban evictions outright. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. by Christopher Connelly, KERA News 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. 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). 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. Rental assistance payments will generally be made directly to landlords participating in the program, unless they cannot be reached, their relationship with the tenant application cannot be established in a timely manner, or they do not agree to accept the payment. Click Here For Information about Accepting Payments. 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.. 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. Business 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. Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. 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. 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. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. 3 0 obj 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. A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. 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. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). endobj Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. The details for each program are available below. Also, the application status in the Neighborly system will be updated when the payment has been made. 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. 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. As of today, the program has distributed nearly $2 billion, with more than 300,000 Texan households having been assisted or in the final payment process. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. When asked if he had a set targets for performance going forward, he said I can and I will, but that he wanted to for a couple weeks before committing to specific goals. x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. 0000003018 00000 n I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. 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. "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. And frankly, theyre tired.. 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. When you click on the link for the first time, you will need to be prepared with a valid email address. 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. Hosted every Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., by the. 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. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. 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. 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. 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.. 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. 1 0 obj But those are the exact grounds that RDRH Holdings cited when it sued to evict Gates, Stamm said. 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. 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. You know, we just had the problems from [the pandemic] last year, which everybody did.. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) 0000008211 00000 n Mailbag: Evermore. 0000025788 00000 n Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. 0000002471 00000 n View The Texas Eviction Diversion Program Highlights. by Joshua Fechter I trusted them, Scott said. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. 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 . In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. 0000020271 00000 n TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. 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. 0000006939 00000 n 0000003417 00000 n The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the Emergency Rental Assistance Program Funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, a federal effort to mitigate the affordable housing crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 $12,740. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ We believe owners have done their best to try to understand the intricacies of the program and comply with its requirements, Mintz said. 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. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. 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). 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. 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. "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.". She said the past few months have been hard. Your application status will flash one of the following statuses as provided in the chart. 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. 0000098112 00000 n Lifestyle Rosales said shes heard landlords say at eviction court that they're already so frustrated and tired by the slow pace and confusing nature of rental assistance programs that theyd rather evict tenants than hold out for assistance. Find the program in your area by state , territory, or tribe and apply for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA). 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. 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 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. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. %PDF-1.7 % Landlord Application Information. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. Show us with your support. Our vision is to inspire and engage our members and stakeholders to end the affordable housing crisis in Texas. 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). Find a complete list of them here. 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 Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. 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. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. What do I do? Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. Of the maximum $65,000 available per household, up to $10,000 can be used for utility assistance (inclusive of past due balance and prospective assistance). Tenants who are unable to access their existing online application may call the call center for assistance, and documentation related to existing applications may be accepted by postal mail at the following address. Expected time in this status: less than one week. According to the National Housing Law Project, 86% of the 119 lawyers across the country who responded to a survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants said they had seen cases where landlords either declined to apply for assistance from rent relief programs or took the money and proceeded to kick out their tenants. 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. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. 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. 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. The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Gates, a 42-year-old Round Rock resident, saw her hours as a temp working in guest services at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport cut in half, and by January 2021 she was behind on rent for her two-bedroom apartment. 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. 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. 0000048055 00000 n Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. April 8, 2022 0000009428 00000 n The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. Scott said she complained to a program staffer in October about her landlords conduct, and the staffer referred the complaint to the programs anti-fraud division. He was asked whether he planned to reduce the $42 million contract with Horne LLP due to the troubled rollout, and said his team is reviewing the contract. 4 0 obj <> endobj xref For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. Donate to join or renew today. 0000058032 00000 n About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. 2n -.-&) 1 1 TXHAF provides eligible homeowners with . 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. TRR is processing applications . 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. The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. This interactive map and searchable database from the National Low Income Housing Coalition can be used to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. <>/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>> 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. There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. 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. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) If you owe unpaid rent or utilities, that amount will be paid in one lump sum within 10 business days of your final approval. Jeff Williams, a Harris County justice of the peace, had approved the eviction without Scott present in court a typical outcome in eviction cases when tenants dont show up to their hearings. Is there any communication that were making, saying we messed up, give us a minute and give them a minute so that we can get them the relief that they need, and everyone will be made whole in a few weeks? Bernal asked. Mon: 8 to 5pm. Advocacy Alerts 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. You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. 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. 0000068016 00000 n When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Questions? The public is also invited to share such concerns. 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. 0000002022 00000 n Please take our patron satisfaction survey! The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. The federal government and the state of Texas both had people like Scott and her family in mind when they hurriedly created a safety net for struggling renters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. 1. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. 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. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. Utilities, Clothing for Children, Employment assistance services. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. If you have evidence, be sure to bring it to court.
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