Interests 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. Questions? Rental assistance payments will generally be made directly to landlords participating in the program, unless they cannot be reached, their relationship with the tenant application cannot be established in a timely manner, or they do not agree to accept the payment. 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 . Residents of McNair, Baytown, Highlands or Chambers County. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 12 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 792 612] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Theres no excuse, Rosales said. Home ownership TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. 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). Please reload the page and try again. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. 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. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. As of August 11, 2021, TRR has paid over $658 million in rent and utility assistance to assist over 107,000 households, and funding is still available. 0000012097 00000 n TAAHP does not facilitate applications for affordable housing. 0000032455 00000 n One landlord received federal money through the Texas Rent Relief program and later chose not to renew their tenants lease which was legal in that case. The statewide TEDP is funded through a set-aside of the Texas Rent Relief Program (texasrentrelief.com), which launched February 15, 2021, stopped accepting new applications for rental assistance as of November 5, 2021, and committed 99% of all total funds by January 13, 2022. Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. Sign up here. First-time TRR applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of rent and utility bill assistance, either with past due payments or a combination of past due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. When asked if he had a set targets for performance going forward, he said I can and I will, but that he wanted to for a couple weeks before committing to specific goals. All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 30j($>H&L&Q.]Ky,YIR _I@*v+ 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. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. 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. Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. 0000002863 00000 n On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. The . Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 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. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? 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. 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. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Home See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. 2n -.-&) 1 1 Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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.) Yet they still pushed us out.. The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. 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. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. No New Applications Accepted The program has assisted more than 6,000 households in the state thus far. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. 0000009428 00000 n TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. 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. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our vision is to inspire and engage our members and stakeholders to end the affordable housing crisis in Texas. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. "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. 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. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. 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. Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. I think any landlord that accepted money or got money directly for rent absolutely should not have evicted anyone, Garcia said. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. 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. A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. While applications can be made online through the programs portal, the TDHCA call center at (833) 9TX-RENT (833-989-7368) will be available to submit applications over the phone. Funds may not still be available by the time a household applies. Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. 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 $96M in TRR funds. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. The Texas Rent Relief Program is an opportunity to get up to 12 months of back due rent and even secure up to three months of future rent stability for tenants, as well as utility assistance. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. Please take our patron satisfaction survey! In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. If you or someone you know still needs help with the rent relief process or pending eviction, you can apply for free legal help at https://www.lonestarlegal.org or by calling 1-800-733-8394. 0000002022 00000 n Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. Just as the program launched, the state was hit with the massive winter storm in February, which sidelined a third of the contracted phone operators for days, the report said. #4'x= 3r8 #TH(fY'O3 }~\N |iz$&dr_~azLN~u($~^ K H!K @gq4. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. 0000001407 00000 n These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. 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. 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. 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! The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. View The Texas Eviction Diversion Program Highlights. % The following provides performance of the Texas Rent Relief Program, as of May 12, 2021: More than $110 million has been paid or is in the process of being paid. Click Here For Information about Accepting Payments. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. ?$.#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, But she still hasnt found a place to live. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. 2021 Program Information. Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of assistance for rent and/or utility bills can submit an Additional Funding Request via their existing online user account. 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. 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. On January 24,2023, Treasury released the reallocation amounts for ERA2 Quarter 2 General Pool Reallocation and Designated Voluntary Reallocations; Guidance: On January 5, 2023 Treasury published an updated version of the ERA1 . Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. 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. Find a complete list of them here. 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. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. 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. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. 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. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. 0000098112 00000 n Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. 0000026104 00000 n QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. 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. Women In Business. Utility Payment Program Provides assistance to eligible Texas homeowners with qualified hardships to pay past due utility bills and up to three (3) months of prospective payments. 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. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. TRR is processing applications . The Texas Rent Relief Program, a COVID-19 emergency rental assistance program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), will be receiving an additional $47.8 million to help address the backlog of assistance requests. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. 0000098050 00000 n 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. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. 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. Texas Housing Conference This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. Payment in Process Good news! All TDHCA employees and contractor employees have a responsibility to report waste, fraud and abuse within the agency. 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. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. You will be asked to create an account and then . requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. 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). Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. 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. 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.