The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. The department . 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 . Education / Webinars 0000020386 00000 n 1 0 obj 2 '.&& ,f1. 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. ?$.#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, Call to schedule an appointment with a legal representative. The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. Health 2 0 obj Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. 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. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. 0000068079 00000 n Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. 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). Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) Do you value our journalism? Community Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy, Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American, https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral, Texas Utility Help Program Receives More Energy Bill Assistance Funding, Expands Water Bill Assistance with Future Payments, Texas Utility Help Program Re-Opens Energy Bill Assistance. 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. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. 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. *Must make an appointment. 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. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. Its awesome. <>/Metadata 393 0 R/ViewerPreferences 394 0 R>> In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. 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. Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. 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! 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. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. 0000088009 00000 n 0000078063 00000 n You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. I am being evicted for not paying rent. Request for assistance has been verified and approved. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. Larry Berman New Keynote Speaker For Vietnam War Conference Banquet. In each expanded section, there are . Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. I shouldnt have.. Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. [n6[_.7jSz 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. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. How are landlords going to have faith in a rental relief program, and how are they going to hang on their tenants when this is happening? Rosales said. Please reload the page and try again. TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. "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. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. When the pandemic hit last year, millions of people across the country lost wages after they were laid off, furloughed or saw work hours cut. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. Top Listings Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. 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. Payment is in process. 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. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. 0000030653 00000 n 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. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. 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. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. 0000058032 00000 n They can visit https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral or call 855-270-7655 for help understanding their options and to seek free or low-cost legal assistance. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. When Congress set aside more than $46 billion for emergency rental assistance, they intended for that money to keep people in their homes, said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Houston. ) Ask us! 0000001407 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( 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 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. 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. When the state sent the rent relief check to the wrong address, Scott said the staff assured her they were working to get the money re-sent. Mon: 8 to 5pm. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. We believe owners have done their best to try to understand the intricacies of the program and comply with its requirements, Mintz said. Utilities, Clothing for Children, Employment assistance services. 2401 E 6th Street, Ste 3037, PMB 153, Austin, TX 78702. 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. Prior to any payment being made to a tenant directly, TRR will make three attempts to request that the landlord participates in the program via email, phone, or text, over no less than a 5 calendar-day period. 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 0000002863 00000 n There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. Many landlords have tried to work with their tenants to try to avoid evictions for back rent during the pandemic, said David Mintz, vice president of government affairs for Texas Apartment Association, a trade group of rental property owners. 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. 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. The money was considered crucial to prevent a wave of tenants losing their homes as eviction bans expired; in recent months, three Texas metro areas Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth have seen some of the highest eviction case filings in the country among the 31 cities tracked by Eviction Lab, a research center based at Princeton University that tracks eviction filings.