Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. 0000003417 00000 n "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. 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. Landlord Application Information. 0000024288 00000 n Print Feedback. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. 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. Expected time in this status: less than one week. To qualify for rental assistance from the Texas program, tenants had to fall below a certain income level, prove they experienced some kind of financial hardship during the pandemic and make the case that they would be at risk of losing their home if they didnt receive rent relief. Some areas still ban evictions outright. 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. 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. April 8, 2022 You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. 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.. Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. 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. 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. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. Founded in 1997, the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) is a non-profit trade association serving as the primary advocate and leading resource for the affordable housing industry in Texas. TAAHP Scholarships Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. 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. By clicking the plus sign by one of the listed programs, the page will expand and provide the full details of that program. Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. Its unclear whether landlords face any penalties from state agencies for improperly evicting tenants while receiving rent relief dollars intended to help those tenants stay housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Business Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. 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. You can also get financial assistance for rent, food, and other expenses by turning to other organizations. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. 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. 0000088009 00000 n Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. 1001 provides, among other things, that whoever knowingly and willingly makes or uses a document or writing containing any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry, in any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States will be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. Falsification of documents or any material falsehoods or omissions in an Application to this program, including knowingly seeking duplicative benefits, is subject to state and federal criminal penalties. 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. Approvals have. 0000058095 00000 n 1. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) But Johnsons victory was short-lived. 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. 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. And only 250 payments have been sent. 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. 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. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. 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. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. Failure to respond would only delay the application process. Lifestyle It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. Texas Rent Relief Program Mailbag: Evermore. 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. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . 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. Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. endobj 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. 0000001467 00000 n 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. by Christopher Connelly, KERA News The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. 1 0 obj If you owe unpaid rent or utilities, that amount will be paid in one lump sum within 10 business days of your final approval. Women In Business. Body: Case ID. 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. Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. 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. A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. 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. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). 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. "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. 0000048118 00000 n 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. 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. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. In late January 2023, Local Profile reported that starting this March, the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to cut SNAPs COVID-19 emergency benefits, adding even more pressure on families who are struggling with rising rents and inflation pushing up prices. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. Even if the programs software and staffing struggles have been addressed, Rosales still worries that the programs reliance on online applications will leave eligible renters unable to apply. The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. Advocacy Alerts Payment is in process. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. Then you can type what your issue or concern. Effectiveness of. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. 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. 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. 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. 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. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. First-time TRR applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of rent and utility bill assistance, either with past due payments or a combination of past due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. 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. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. I am being evicted for not paying rent. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. Tenants in New Units: Tenants who are living at a new address may request funds through the AFR process for the rent expenses of the new primary residence. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. 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. 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. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. 0000005047 00000 n Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. 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. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. I shouldnt have.. 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 know, we just had the problems from [the pandemic] last year, which everybody did.. He took the car, which made it difficult for Scott to hunt for work and shelter. 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. 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 . Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said.
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