Hope this timeline helps someone! Access Invoices & ReceiptsRequest W9Questions & Special Requests, Update Your ProfileRequest Company Name ChangeAdding/Removing EmployeesFrequently Asked QuestionsContact Us, Mailing Address2401 E 6th St, Ste 3037, PMB 153Austin, TX 78702Email UsPhone: 512-476-9901, Aug 20, 2021 | COVID19, Latest News, Newsletter. Community 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. 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. Jeff Williams, a Harris County justice of the peace, had approved the eviction without Scott present in court a typical outcome in eviction cases when tenants dont show up to their hearings. 0000017510 00000 n Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. <> 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. 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. Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. 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. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. 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. Approvals have. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. 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. 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). All rights reserved. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 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. 0000020158 00000 n Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. #4'x= 3r8 #TH(fY'O3 }~\N |iz$&dr_~azLN~u($~^ K H!K @gq4. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. "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. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 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. But she still hasnt found a place to live. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. 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. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. The reallocation process only applies to duplicate payments between our program and Texas Rent Relief. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. Show us with your support. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. 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. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Then you can type what your issue or concern. 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. Women In Business. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. 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 For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. Failure to respond would only delay the application process. 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 Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. 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. 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. 0000068016 00000 n 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. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. 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. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. 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. I trusted them, Scott said. For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. 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. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . 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. 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. Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. 0000048118 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. Latest rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. 0000047797 00000 n 0000032455 00000 n 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. 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. No New Applications Accepted 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. And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. Interests 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. Top Listings For Landlords who applied for unpaid or future rent on behalf of tenants. 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. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. 0000088072 00000 n However, Tarrant County's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), along with programs administered by the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, will . Print Feedback. 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. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. The . Sharing of Certifications: As outlined in the Tenant and Landlord certifications, the program may share a copy of the tenant, landlord, or utility provider certification with the tenant applicant, a user approved by the tenant, or an associated landlord or utility provider, as well as counsel for any of these parties. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. 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). Housing experts say they expect expiration of the eviction rules will make the already spotty protections of the eviction moratorium even more unevenly applied. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Mon: 8 to 5pm. Request for assistance has been verified and approved. 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. But none of the agencies contacted by the Tribune would say whether any landlord has been credibly accused of taking rent relief money and improperly ousting their tenants, or whether they have imposed penalties on landlords for doing so. Body: Case ID. 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. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. But it's not a fast process. 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. 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 0000001467 00000 n 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). 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. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. 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. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. 0000005047 00000 n 0000023877 00000 n The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. 0000020271 00000 n At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. 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. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. 0000009860 00000 n "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . [n6[_.7jSz Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. 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. endobj Mailbag: Evermore. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Gates, a 42-year-old Round Rock resident, saw her hours as a temp working in guest services at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport cut in half, and by January 2021 she was behind on rent for her two-bedroom apartment. 0000014023 00000 n Recent updates February 2023. 8. Are you a Texas resident looking for affordable housing? Evaluating the. After submitting, applicants should watch for communication from TRR in case additional information is needed for application. And frankly, theyre tired.. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. And more is on the. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. Ask us! Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Houston, TX 77258. Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. 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. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. 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. 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. In other words, Scott had already been evicted, but Texas Rent Relief was letting the landlord keep the money more than $11,000 in apparent contradiction of its own policy. KERA also reached out to Gov. The public is also invited to share such concerns. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. Mattingly also heads the Dallas Apartment Association, which represents landlords. Then they mailed it to the wrong address twice and they want to evict me. 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. 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. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. 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. A scathing staff report from the Texas House Urban Affairs Committee released Monday details a host of issues that have plagued the more than $1 billion rent relief program. You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. Falsification of documents or any material falsehoods or omissions in an Application to this program, including knowingly seeking duplicative benefits, is subject to state and federal criminal penalties. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. 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. 4 0 obj Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. 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 $R6W9203#g~=jxPcIyH.MSLhuY9K^cPM|>Q|hfb#PxFAcL,/>~5W(oqXiU&u ?$.#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, The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. Events / Networking Opportunities 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. 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. P.O. 0000002022 00000 n 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. 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. 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. Our vision is to inspire and engage our members and stakeholders to end the affordable housing crisis in Texas. endobj 2023 Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers. 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 . 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. According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. Please reload the page and try again. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. 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). First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. 2 0 obj A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. Do you value our journalism? 0000048055 00000 n Lifestyle What do I do? New applications are not being accepted. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. 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 rent and utility payments. Since their October eviction from their Katy apartment, Scott and her four children have lived in hotels and other temporary settings. The application software issue has been resolved. 0000001407 00000 n TAAHP Scholarships A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. The department . 0000002863 00000 n These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. 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. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. 3 0 obj Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. Landlord Application Information. Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. 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 April 7, 20215 PM Central. See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. Feb 27, 2023. 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. 1. <>/Metadata 393 0 R/ViewerPreferences 394 0 R>> Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. Many people, especially women, have been unable to work because of child care responsibilities. *Must make an appointment. Whoops! Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. 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. 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 has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. 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. Questions? 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. 0000058095 00000 n All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. 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. 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. Payment in Process Good news! Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. Education / Webinars 0000088009 00000 n Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. 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.
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