Also, the application status in the Neighborly system will be updated when the payment has been made. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. And were also looking for ways to streamline, reduce documentation burdens, and well continue to adapt as needed, Wilkinson said. 0000025788 00000 n 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. This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. 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). Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. Two landlords, like Scotts, evicted their tenants in the period between the initial rent relief application and when the government money arrived and then kept it an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. Top Listings Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. But she said the program doesnt allow landlords to receive back rent if theyve evicted a tenant the opposite of what the email to Scott said. For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. Interests 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. 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. . April 8, 2022 For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. In her case, the check arrived in time but went to the wrong place. V o l . Subscribe to recieve Local Profile email updates every Monday and Thursday. They lose their jobs, they lose their health, they have trouble with their relationships, they have trouble getting back on their feet, said Christina Rosales, deputy director for the advocacy group Texas Housers. 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. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. 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. 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. 0000001467 00000 n 0000058095 00000 n 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. To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). When Dallas County Justice of the Peace Juan Jasso heard about the check and phone call, he asked the property manager whether they had received the check, Johnson said. I did everything right, and to still have my stuff thrown down the street its just something that Im still trying to process, Gates said. The reallocation process only applies to duplicate payments between our program and Texas Rent Relief. According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. The following provides performance of the Texas Rent Relief Program, as of May 12, 2021: More than $110 million has been paid or is in the process of being paid. Recent updates February 2023. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. Mar 1, 2023. events. 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. In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. Mar 1, 2023. events. 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. But it's not a fast process. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. 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. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. 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. 0000048118 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief Program is an opportunity to get up to 12 months of back due rent and even secure up to three months of future rent stability for tenants, as well as utility assistance. The application portal opens Tuesday, March 14th at 8 a.m. and closes Tuesday, March 28th, at 11:59 p.m. To contact the Texas Rent Relief program, please call 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833-989-7368). 3 0 obj the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 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. 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. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. Utilities, Clothing for Children, Employment assistance services. Wilkinson told the House Committee on Urban Affairs that a few hundred more people had had payments sent to them over the past week, and that two additional contractors and hundreds of new analysts were being added to work through the backlog of applications. After submitting, applicants should watch for communication from TRR in case additional information is needed for application. 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. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. 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. 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. A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Payment is in process. 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. 0000009428 00000 n 0000048055 00000 n For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. 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. Hosted every Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., by the. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. 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. Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. Learn how Section 8 provides rental help Find housing services and information Texans can get housing assistance whether they live in rural or urban areas. Its peoples lives at stake here, because when evictions happen, their lives are torn apart. 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. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. 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. 0000088009 00000 n Texas received more than $2 billion out of the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package President Joe Biden signed into law last year, to set up the Texas Rent. Texas Rent Relief Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. Business by Christopher Connelly, KERA News 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. 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. Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? Texas received more than $2 billion out of the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package President Joe Biden signed into law last year, to set up the Texas Rent Relief program, designed to help such families stay in their homes as the pandemic triggered a tsunami of business closures and hundreds of thousands of layoffs. :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. 0000003417 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. 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. A group of Austin-area lawmakers state Reps. Celia Israel, Sheryl Cole, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez alerted TDHCA this week that they have seen alarming calls from constituents whose rent relief money went to the wrong address, and called on the agency to fix the problem. 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 . 0000010218 00000 n 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. 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. Then you can type what your issue or concern. "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.". If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. 0000030230 00000 n Those constituents were told they were unable to receive their eligible assistance while the agency recouped the funds, the lawmakers wrote Thursday to TDHCA board Chair Leo Vasquez. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. Some areas still ban evictions outright. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. Scott had landed a new job as a dietician at a local hospital when she returned from work one afternoon in early October to find most of her belongings spread out on the lawn and the locks changed. 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.) While hes cautiously optimistic that the Texas Rent Relief programs problems have largely been addressed, fundamental questions remain unanswered. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. 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! 4 45 The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. Advocacy Alerts 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 Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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. We strive to always do better, Tirloni said in an email. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. 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. 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. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. 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 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. [n6[_.7jSz A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. 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. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. KERA also reached out to Gov. Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. <>/Metadata 393 0 R/ViewerPreferences 394 0 R>> Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. 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. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. COVID-19 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. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. Updated information and a lease for the new unit will be required in the AFR application. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. 0000015708 00000 n 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. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. 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. Find a complete list of them here. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. 0000017510 00000 n Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

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