KPRC 2 Investigates Texas Rent Relief program: Why some renters have 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. 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. 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. 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 . What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. 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. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. 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. 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. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. Community In each expanded section, there are . 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 Texas Rent Relief Program was launched by TDHCA on February 15th to solve this problem and bring relief to millions across the United States. 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. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . 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. Questions? Governor Abbott, TDHCA Announce Statewide COVID-19 Rental Relief 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. Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| 0000058095 00000 n TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Utilities, Clothing for Children, Employment assistance services. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. The program will also have a call . Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. 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. 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. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. 0000015708 00000 n Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. Business 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. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. No New Applications Accepted 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. 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. But receiving rent relief dollars wasnt guaranteed, so some landlords filed for eviction in case the money didnt come through and as a last resort after months of going without rent, Mintz said. 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. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. 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. Ask us! Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. Texas Emergency Rental Assistance Program Low Income Family Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. But it's not a fast process. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. Texas Rent Relief Program Re-Opens Applications for Limited Time, March 5309 Decker Dr. 281.424.5752. I shouldnt have.. 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. 0000020386 00000 n 0000078063 00000 n Guides: COVID-19 & Texas Law: Rent & Legal Assistance To get that protection, you'll need to attest on a declaration form that you meet a few requirements, such as that you earned less than $99,000 in 2020 or 2021. 4 0 obj All TDHCA employees and contractor employees have a responsibility to report waste, fraud and abuse within the agency. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. Do you value our journalism? 0000020158 00000 n TRR is processing applications . rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. by Joshua Fechter 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. 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. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 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. The TRR application portal goes live Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. and ends Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. to help eligible households with rent and utility payments. Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. Some Texas landlords took rent relief money but evicted tenants anyway We are learning more about why there are delays in the. 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. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. Food + Drink Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program 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. 0000003018 00000 n 0000032141 00000 n Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? 0000025788 00000 n Thieves had walked off with their electronics. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. And only 250 payments have been sent. Late Fees. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. 0000088009 00000 n About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. 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 KERA also reached out to Gov. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. 0000032455 00000 n Funds may not still be available by the time a household applies. 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. 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.) Things To Do 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. Applications can be also made . 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. A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. V o l . 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. 2 0 obj An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. . If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. PDF DIRECT-TO-TENANT PAYMENT IMPLEMENTATION - National Low Income Housing Regardless of your immigration status, you will be eligible for rent relief if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 or are . This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. Texas law allows landlords to collect "reasonable" late fees if any portion of the rent remains unpaid more than two full days after it was due. 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. by Christopher Connelly, KERA News PDF TEXAS RENT RELIEF PROGRAM Understanding the Status of your Application