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. And frankly, theyre tired.. <> The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. Our vision is to inspire and engage our members and stakeholders to end the affordable housing crisis in Texas. I was a good tenant, Gates said. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? 0000078000 00000 n Home 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. Texas Rent Relief Program: Tax Forms and Other Updates - TAAHP 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. A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. %PDF-1.7 % 4 0 obj <> endobj xref Updates to the Texas Rent Relief Program Advocacy Alerts A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. . TAAHP Scholarships 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. On July 28, 2021, the FHFA announced protections for tenants of multifamily properties with loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Macrequiring landlords to give tenants 30 days' notice before. Check status periodically. TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. "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. 0000003018 00000 n 0000068079 00000 n He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! Interests 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. [n6[_.7jSz Your application status will flash one of the following statuses as provided in the chart. SACRAMENTO - California's COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is reaching a significant milestone today - by the end of the day, more than $1 billion in funding will be obligated - meaning the money has either been paid or approved for payment and awaiting disbursement - and will assist over 74,000 additional households. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. 2n -.-&) 1 1 Also, the application status in the Neighborly system will be updated when the payment has been made. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. 2. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. Body: Case ID. Its awesome. $96 Million Available For Rent Relief In Texas - localprofile.com Texas' rental assistance program will soon run out of money 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. 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. 0000002863 00000 n 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. 0000098112 00000 n Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. The details for each program are available below. Box 580314 Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. Whoops! 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. Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Show us with your support. 2 0 obj 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 . 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. Late Fees. 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. 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. Find the program in your area by state , territory, or tribe and apply for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA). 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. If you have evidence, be sure to bring it to court. Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. But those are the exact grounds that RDRH Holdings cited when it sued to evict Gates, Stamm said. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 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. by Joshua Fechter 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. 0000012097 00000 n The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. 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. 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. 4 0 obj 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. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). As of July 26, more than 95,000 households have received assistance from the Texas Rent Relief Program, and almost $600 million in relief has been paid out, according to the TDHCA. Effectiveness of. 0000006939 00000 n They may also request assistance with any arrears that have not already been covered by previous TRR assistance or another provider, so long as the total months of assistance for each type of assistance (for example, rent, gas, water, etc.) And only 250 of payments have been sent. Yet they still pushed us out.. Eligible households can apply for assistance online at TexasRentRelief.com or over the phone by calling the TRR call center at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). ?$.#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, %PDF-1.7 All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. 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. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. 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. Do you value our journalism? r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 I am amazed at the strength and resilience that these folks have to figure out how to get on the internet, when they dont have internet at home, and their resourcefulness in getting rent relief at this point, she said. 0000023877 00000 n 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. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. 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. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. Its peoples lives at stake here, because when evictions happen, their lives are torn apart. Larry Berman New Keynote Speaker For Vietnam War Conference Banquet. 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. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) 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 $11,000, enough to cover the six months back rent they owed. An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. Do you value our journalism? Texas Emergency rental assistance That help Paying Rent April 7, 20215 PM Central. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 0000024288 00000 n Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of assistance for rent and/or utility bills can submit an Additional Funding Request via their existing online user account. Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. Health 0000030230 00000 n Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? Texas Rent Relief : r/texas - reddit 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. Executive director Bobby Wilkinson said the early days of the program delivered a bad customer experience for people, but that the issues are being fixed. 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. endobj This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. 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. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. Home ownership 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. % In Texas, focus shifts to state rental relief as eviction moratorium 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 application software issue has been resolved. 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. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. *Must make an appointment. According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. 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. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. KPRC 2 investigates complaints against Texas' Rent Relief program 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. Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. 0000088009 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? 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. As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. Please reload the page and try again. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. 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 . But the program had fixed that error, the email said. 0000003417 00000 n The email and template I was provided: Support@texasrentrelief.com Subject: Your Tenant case id. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. 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. Friday is last day to apply for Texas Rent Relief You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. In June, Gates said she lost her job after she missed a week of work because of a medical problem. And more is on the. Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. KERA also reached out to Gov. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Member Editorials (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.