For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. 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. 0000012097 00000 n Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. And only 250 payments have been sent. This page has answers to questions about the Texas Rent Relief Program for both landlords and tenants. 0000026187 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. She said the past few months have been hard. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. Postal Mail: Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected rent costs, Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected utility and home energy expenses, After the initial 3 months of current/future assistance, renters were able to apply for 3 additional months of assistance if funds were still available, If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call, View the Texas Rent Relief Program Dashboard (Dashboard in English), https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. %PDF-1.7 % 0000026104 00000 n Home Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. Expected time in this status: less than one week. 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. 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. Find programs to help you with rent or utility payments, help you find a rent-reduced apartment, help you find emergency housing or homeless shelters, and more. 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. 0000088072 00000 n *Must make an appointment. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. Show us with your support. Copyright by the Texas State Law Library. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. Do you value our journalism? Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. 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. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. 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 . Its awesome. Click here to search the TDHCA database. 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. Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. 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. A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. P.O. 0000002022 00000 n Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales 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. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. You can also call the TDHCA's fraud hotline if you think your landlord may be mishandling the funds: (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) [n6[_.7jSz 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. 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. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. Texas Housing Conference 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. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. Print Feedback. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. 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. Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. ?$.#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, Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . 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). Top Listings from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. 0000068016 00000 n 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. 0000032455 00000 n *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, 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.) For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. 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 . 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. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. Scott and her husband had fallen behind on rent in June after Scott stopped working to take care of her youngest daughter, who has Down syndrome, and the medical bills piled up. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. Information in this guide is subject to change at any time. 0000000016 00000 n Do you value our journalism? 4 0 obj 0000002471 00000 n Most states have lifted their . stream New applications are not being accepted. If you are concerned that a community is not in compliance, please contact the TDHCA at 512-475-3800. 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. 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 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. She said she has spent thousands of dollars on application fees to at least 10 homes and apartment complexes and all of them have denied her because she now has an eviction on her record. 0000001196 00000 n Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. 0000010218 00000 n by Joshua Fechter The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. On Wednesday, the head of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs took questions from lawmakers about the troubled rollout of the program. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. 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. 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. 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. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. 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. 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 . 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=>` an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. Under the program rules, landlords are allowed to evict only in specific situations, such as lease violations related to criminal activity, property damage or physical harm to others, Mintz pointed out. 0000015708 00000 n During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. 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 application software issue has been resolved. 0000023877 00000 n Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. 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 Find a complete list of them here. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. 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. 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. Call to schedule an appointment with a legal representative. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. <>/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>> Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. After the software glitches, they were asked to resubmit their applications. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. requested do not exceed the program limit of 15 months. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. All those folks acted in good faith on something that we offered them, that theyre by definition entitled toand by some sort of error, theyre not getting the relief that they need, and then the state Supreme Court let its rules around the eviction moratorium lapse, Bernal said. 0000098112 00000 n 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. Box 580314 You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. Subscribe to recieve Local Profile email updates every Monday and Thursday. And only 250 of payments have been sent. Donate to join or renew today. 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. 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. If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. If issues are discovered or brought to our attention, like payments sent to an incorrect address, or payments sent to a landlord who has evicted the tenant, we will take corrective measures, like recapture or other necessary steps.. 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). 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. 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. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. TDHCA says it has received more than 7,500 complaints through the hotline not all of them related to fraud, waste or abuse but the agency wont say how many times it has referred cases to outside agencies for investigation. 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. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. 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.
