No more rent relief available for Texas renters or landlords - KHOU Those constituents were told they were unable to receive their eligible assistance while the agency recouped the funds, the lawmakers wrote Thursday to TDHCA board Chair Leo Vasquez. 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. by Joshua Fechter All TDHCA employees and contractor employees have a responsibility to report waste, fraud and abuse within the agency. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. cy,a`G|~OOsQ>gR-"F HT$uUD$>@he^? 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. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. Report Details How Texas Rent Relief Program Has Been Plagued By The program was originally launched in February 2021 and is administered by the . Print Feedback. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. 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. *Must make an appointment. According to the National Housing Law Project, 86% of the 119 lawyers across the country who responded to a survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants said they had seen cases where landlords either declined to apply for assistance from rent relief programs or took the money and proceeded to kick out their tenants. But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. Eviction - COVID-19 & Texas Law - Guides at Texas State Law Library Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. 0000025788 00000 n 0000058095 00000 n Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. PDF Application Response Times For Initial Funding Requests - Texas Rent Relief 0000008211 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. Click Here For Information about Accepting Payments. Texas rent relief application under review - This is what to do But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . The public is also invited to share such concerns. When Dallas County Justice of the Peace Juan Jasso heard about the check and phone call, he asked the property manager whether they had received the check, Johnson said. In Texas, focus shifts to state rental relief as eviction moratorium Additional Funding for Texas Rent Relief The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. 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. Home ownership You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 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. $96 Million Available For Rent Relief In Texas - localprofile.com KERA also reached out to Gov. 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. New applications are not being accepted. 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. At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? In late January 2023, Local Profile reported that starting this March, the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to cut SNAPs COVID-19 emergency benefits, adding even more pressure on families who are struggling with rising rents and inflation pushing up prices. 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. 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. But it's not a fast process. We've provided over $2B in emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). The report was released less than a week after the Supreme Court of Texas let lapse a set of rules for how courts in the state enforce a federal eviction ban, which the Biden administration extended through into the summer. 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 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. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. Box 580314 The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. . 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. This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households may be eligible. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. 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. Is there any communication that were making, saying we messed up, give us a minute and give them a minute so that we can get them the relief that they need, and everyone will be made whole in a few weeks? Bernal asked. Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) The Texas Rent Relief Program will be run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. 1 0 obj Texas Rent Relief Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). 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. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. 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. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. 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. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. Rent Relief Programs 2021 - Apartment Association of Greater Dallas Advocacy Alerts Women In Business. Governor Abbott, TDHCA Commit 95% Of Total Funds From Texas Rent Relief 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). Friday is last day to apply for Texas Rent Relief endobj r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions.