texas rent relief approved payment in process

Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. Payment in Progress If your request has been approved Tenant and landlord, if participating, will receive email notifying of approval and, separately, to set up payment in Bill.com. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. 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. You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? Approvals have. Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. Do you value our journalism? 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. For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. *Must make an appointment. Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. 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. A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. Then you can type what your issue or concern. 0000014023 00000 n 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. 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. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Women In Business. But those are the exact grounds that RDRH Holdings cited when it sued to evict Gates, Stamm said. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has made some changes to the Texas Rent Relief Program in order to make the application and payout process easier. 0000017510 00000 n Nov. 9, 2021 - (Tarrant County) - As of Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR), the State of Texas' rental assistance program, stopped accepting applications. 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. And frankly, theyre tired.. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. 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. 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. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. The TRR program will be accepting online applications from March 14 to 28, providing aid with rent and utility bills for up to 18 months for first-time applicants. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open the application portal for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords," said Bobby Wilkinson, TDHCA Executive Director. :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U #4'x= 3r8 #TH(fY'O3 }~\N |iz$&dr_~azLN~u($~^ K H!K @gq4. On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. Evaluating the. endobj 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. 0000023877 00000 n 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. Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. While hes cautiously optimistic that the Texas Rent Relief programs problems have largely been addressed, fundamental questions remain unanswered. Mon: 8 to 5pm. 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. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) Johnson, a manager of a hair salon and certified nursing assistant, had asked the program in October for help covering rent while she recovered from giving birth to her son and couldnt work. Are you a Texas resident looking for affordable housing? Texas Rent Relief Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. The Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund Program (TXHAF) provides financial assistance to qualified Texas homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage and related expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . Weeks after her eviction, Scott received an email from Texas Rent Relief on Nov. 9 acknowledging that it had initially sent the check to the wrong address. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. 0000026104 00000 n The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. 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. Mailbag: Evermore. 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. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. 0000009860 00000 n %PDF-1.7 % 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. 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. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. 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). 0000001407 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. 2n -.-&) 1 1 And only 250 of payments have been sent. Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? 0000020386 00000 n Click here to search the TDHCA database. 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. KERA also reached out to Gov. As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. 1 0 obj 0000002471 00000 n Top Listings Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. 3 0 obj To receive help from Katy Christian Ministries you must live in one of the following zip codes: 77084, 77094, 77406, 77423, 77441, 77449, 77450, 77464, 77476, 77485, 77493, 77494 You will be asked to create an account and then . 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. And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The Tribune contacted government agencies involved in the program and found that none of them including the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, which runs the state rent relief program track how often this happens. For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 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. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. 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. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. 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. To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). Education / Webinars 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. According to CW33, TDHCA executive director, Bobby Wilkinson advised those applying to gather all necessary paperwork ahead of time to have them ready by March 14, 2023, when applications will open. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. Then they mailed it to the wrong address twice and they want to evict me. Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream Two months later, Scott received an email acknowledging her complaint but said she hasnt heard back since. 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. We strive to always do better, Tirloni said in an email. But I dont want to give up.. 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. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 0000098050 00000 n Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. All rights reserved. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. Scott said she spoke to the office staff and walked away believing she didnt need to worry about eviction as they waited for the relief money or to bother showing up to court. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. ) 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. Thats created a confusing patchwork of rental assistance across the state, with rules for how to navigate them still unclear, and its forcing landlords into an odd new role. 0000058095 00000 n 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. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? 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. 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. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. 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. New applications are not being accepted. 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. The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. 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. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. 0000068079 00000 n 0000015708 00000 n 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. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. Things To Do Texas Rent Relief Program 2 '.&& ,f1. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. Yet they still pushed us out.. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) The details for each program are available below. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. Ask us! TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. 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. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. 4 45 Home ownership 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 . Updated information and a lease for the new unit will be required in the AFR application. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. 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. Since the program launched in February 2021, TRR has provided over $2 billion in emergency funds for rent and utility relief, served 250 Texas counties and prevented evictions for over 21,000 households. 4 0 obj The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Updated: 8 AM Central. You know, we just had the problems from [the pandemic] last year, which everybody did.. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. Just as the program launched, the state was hit with the massive winter storm in February, which sidelined a third of the contracted phone operators for days, the report said. 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. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 0000024288 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. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. 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. 0000098112 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) I am being evicted for not paying rent. Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) The department . Whoops! [n6[_.7jSz Fo;o7d0ywL|JR!xM%|{GGk#x5OOs=cj ldk6yQhvuFPH:A3w7p^km,xa5qJCzGn` Qm;\]RR)RfZzua!v" ExqKgp?NLR}.ka2`Rpbtm!#9#OF4?1B&|2ousE?-u@[2d(K8&8 \l=>` You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. 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. In our view, the judge made a mistake letting the trial proceed as soon as [the property manager] confirmed that the owner had a pending application for rental assistance, Stamm said in an email. I shouldnt have.. 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. 1. 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. 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. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Food + Drink 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. 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. 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. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. He took the car, which made it difficult for Scott to hunt for work and shelter. Residents of McNair, Baytown, Highlands or Chambers County. Business We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. by Christopher Connelly, KERA News Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. I trusted them, Scott said. "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. 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. 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. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. 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. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. The . 0000048118 00000 n 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. 0000001467 00000 n We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. 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. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed in December 2020, included $25 billion in urgently needed emergency rental assistance (ERA1) for tenants with low incomes and established the Emergency Rental Assistance program (ERA) administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Weve had to handhold our residents through these various processes, obtaining the correct documentation, helping them with scanning, Mattingly was told by one landlord. 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.