Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 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. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. 0000003417 00000 n We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. 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. 0000078063 00000 n This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. 0000068016 00000 n Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. 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. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream 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. 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. The department . Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. 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 . In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. 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. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. 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). The next month, their landlord started the eviction process, even though Scott, 37, had taken the rental office staffs advice and requested help from Texas $2 billion, federally backed rental assistance fund. Then you can type what your issue or concern. 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. 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. 0000025788 00000 n 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. I shouldnt have.. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. <> Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. Some areas still ban evictions outright. 0000001196 00000 n Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. 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. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. KERA also reached out to Gov. April 7, 20215 PM Central. These landlords are the prime beneficiary of these rental assistance programs and just en masse have been violating the provisions of the programs and on top of that consistently misleading judges and securing judgments and evictions, even when theyre receiving funds.. I think any landlord that accepted money or got money directly for rent absolutely should not have evicted anyone, Garcia 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. This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. *Must make an appointment. Calls to Musemeche were not returned. 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. Its awesome. [n6[_.7jSz 0000020386 00000 n 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. It's embarrassing, Scott said. Landlord Application Information. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. 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. Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. Since being evicted from their home in Katy, Cherice Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings, most recently a short-term rental in Missouri City. 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. 0000032455 00000 n 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. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. 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. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. 0000015708 00000 n I was a good tenant, Gates said. 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. Tirloni said the agency doesnt track what portion of those clawed-back funds came from landlords found to have improperly evicted their tenants after receiving assistance or categorize what scenarios would result in recapturing the money. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. 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. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) You can even upload documents for an attorney to review. All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 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. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. State Rep. Diego Bernal, a San Antonio Democrat, wanted to know what was being done to make sure landlords know that the problems are being fixed and to urge them to hold off on filing eviction cases against tenants who tried to apply for rent relief but had their application held up . Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. But she still hasnt found a place to live. A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. 0000047797 00000 n 1. 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 $11,000, enough to cover the six months back rent they owed. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. We believe owners have done their best to try to understand the intricacies of the program and comply with its requirements, Mintz said. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. But I dont want to give up.. This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. A collection of state and federal agencies including the TDHCA are tasked with looking into allegations of fraud, waste and abuse in rent relief programs. When the pandemic hit last year, millions of people across the country lost wages after they were laid off, furloughed or saw work hours cut. x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( Arts + Culture 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 As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Payment in Process Good news! . 4 45 your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. Request for assistance has been verified and approved. 0000030653 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. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. 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. 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. 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. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. Failure to respond would only delay the application process. The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. 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. 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. by Joshua Fechter 8. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? 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! Things To Do Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. Show us with your support. Eligibility For tenants: Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) Household has been financially affected by COVID-19 pandemic For landlords: Assistance for rent no older than April 2020 0000001407 00000 n stream Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. 0000009860 00000 n Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. Tirloni, the TDHCA spokesperson, declined to discuss individual tenants cases, including Scotts, citing state law that prevents TDHCA from disclosing information about people who receive benefits from programs administered by the agency. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Regardless of your immigration status, you will be eligible for rent relief if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 or are . Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. Houston, TX 77258. 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. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. Now, with a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) re-opened the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and online applications through the portal will be accepted for a limited time from March 14 to 28. I"OqC)RrQBY( ,VN?4Tmj|e@O)&$O&WrVRKT0X5Vrs'O. {wKPK?c- C <=fL5h|'(d-$7(r ~9 qFP9v8i-LKp Nx@`{>-aB58c$f_Q. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. Those most affected by the pandemic and its economic devastation low-wage workers, Black and Latino Texans, and rural communities are also the least likely to have internet at home. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. Approvals have. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. Health We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. Mar 1, 2023. events. I am being evicted for not paying rent. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is committed to expanding fair housing choice and opportunities for Texans through the administration and funding of affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, weatherization, and community-based services with the help of for-profits, nonprofits, and local governments. Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. In Texas, two state agencies the TDHCA, which oversees the statewide rent relief program, and the State Auditors Office have the authority to look into allegations of waste, fraud or abuse within the program. Around the time of the eviction, Scott and her husband separated. 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. He took the car, which made it difficult for Scott to hunt for work and shelter. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. Body: Case ID. Weve had to handhold our residents through these various processes, obtaining the correct documentation, helping them with scanning, Mattingly was told by one landlord. The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. 4 0 obj <> endobj xref While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. The landlord submits any information or documentation to receive payment as part of a rent relief program. Diana Johnson, 35, was waiting on rent relief in January when her landlord tried to evict her and her seven children from their three-bedroom apartment in Southeast Dallas. 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. 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. Her former landlord had taken the rent relief funds after they evicted her. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. 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=>` Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. 1 0 obj News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. The details for each program are available below. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. 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. And were also looking for ways to streamline, reduce documentation burdens, and well continue to adapt as needed, Wilkinson said. This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households may be eligible. 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. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. 0000020158 00000 n 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). Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. Whoops! Are you a Texas resident looking for affordable housing? 2. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. 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. 0000002022 00000 n The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. Do you value our journalism? If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. All Rights Reserved. Lifestyle Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| 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. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. 0000010218 00000 n Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Job Listings A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. Tenants who are requesting AFR and have remained in the same unit as their original request and for whom the months of assistance requested as part of the AFR are outside of the term for the lease submitted with the tenants initial application (including if the lease is now month-to-month), or if the tenant did not provide a lease as part of their initial application, verbal confirmation with the tenant or landlord to confirm the tenant is still in the unit is acceptable proof of tenancy. 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. 0000030230 00000 n Yet they still pushed us out.. Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. hb``b``yX01 $J|*]gw"sq7X>6>^`hD"0Q{in00 Y? ` q endstream endobj 5 0 obj <> endobj 6 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 792.0 612.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 7 0 obj <> endobj 8 0 obj <> endobj 9 0 obj [/ICCBased 22 0 R] endobj 10 0 obj [/Separation/Red 9 0 R<>] endobj 11 0 obj <> endobj 12 0 obj <>stream
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