Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Section 8 housing voucher Low-income residents may be eligible to get help paying rent. Sign up here. What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. 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. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. Most states have lifted their . 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=>` TDHCA has taken very seriously the responsibility of helping Texas renters and landlords overcome the financial burden brought on by the pandemic, Tirloni said. Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The rent relief checks cleared RDRHs bank account on Feb. 4 less than two weeks after Gates was evicted. Home And a large and growing percentage of that is over a year old at this point.. 2021 Program Information. Legislative Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. 1 0 obj The program will also have a call . Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) 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 $99,000 in 2020 or 2021. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. On January 24,2023, Treasury released the reallocation amounts for ERA2 Quarter 2 General Pool Reallocation and Designated Voluntary Reallocations; Guidance: On January 5, 2023 Treasury published an updated version of the ERA1 . If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. And frankly, theyre tired.. One landlord received federal money through the Texas Rent Relief program and later chose not to renew their tenants lease which was legal in that case. ?$.#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, ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. Regardless of your immigration status, you will be eligible for rent relief if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 or are . Appeals must be submitted within 30 days. We will accept new applications for rent and utility assistance from Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. CT to Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT. COVID-19 has affected Texans across the state. 0000003417 00000 n SACRAMENTO - California's COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is reaching a significant milestone today - by the end of the day, more than $1 billion in funding will be obligated - meaning the money has either been paid or approved for payment and awaiting disbursement - and will assist over 74,000 additional households. 0000058032 00000 n Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected rent costs, Past due, current and up to 2 months of expected utility and home energy expenses, After the initial 3 months of current/future assistance, renters were able to apply for 3 additional months of assistance if funds were still available, If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call, View the Texas Rent Relief Program Dashboard (Dashboard in English), https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. Even if the programs software and staffing struggles have been addressed, Rosales still worries that the programs reliance on online applications will leave eligible renters unable to apply. Hosted every Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., by the. Latest :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. 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. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. Reporting: On February 15, 2023 Treasury released ERA1 & ERA2 Quarterly Demographic Data for Q1 2021 through Q3 2022; January 2023. 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. The state is using the more than $1 billion in money from the latest federal COVID-19. 0000026104 00000 n Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? 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. Please take our patron satisfaction survey! Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. The department . 0000001407 00000 n 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. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 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. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. 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. Texas Rent Relief Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. View The Texas Eviction Diversion Program Highlights. 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. Software problems left the program struggling and spotty, with tenants and landlords complaining of accessibility problems, unanswered phone calls and the inability to check the status of an application, according to the report. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. KERA also reached out to Gov. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. 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. Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. 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. 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). And if they did, it should be audited and reviewed by [government investigators] so that we can recoup our funds for the misuse of the dollars.. Interests 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. 0000020158 00000 n Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Tenants who are unable to access their existing online application may call the call center for assistance, and documentation related to existing applications may be accepted by postal mail at the following address. Scott wanted to know: What happened to the rent relief money? Here we are at the beginning of April and still only about 200 Texas families have actually received direct help from this billion dollar program, which is unacceptable, and we need to continue to get this worked out quickly, committee chair state Rep. Philip Cortez, a San Antonio Democrat, told Texas Public Radio. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. Documentation of Lease: Tenants who are requesting AFR to pay for rent at a new unit must provide a copy of their new lease. <>/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>> That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. Ask us! Do you value our journalism? By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. 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. 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. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. 5309 Decker Dr. 281.424.5752. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. 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. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. Scotts former landlord Blazer Real Estate Services, a Houston property management company did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. TDHCA is using the funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). But the program had fixed that error, the email said. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. Approvals have. But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. 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. 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. Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. 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. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. 0000009428 00000 n If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Northwest Assistance Ministries: 281-583-5600. Approval Notification: The landlord, tenant, and/or utility provider will now be notified automatically that a payment has been approved if an email address is present in the Neighborly system, and the notification will include the payment breakout. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to rebuild her life. 0000017510 00000 n 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. Texas Rent Relief assistance payments to landlords and utility providers are considered taxable income. Food + Drink "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . She said the past few months have been hard. Less than two weeks after Gates eviction, she spotted something in her online account with the rent relief program: A pair of checks totaling $12,650 had cleared the property owners bank account. Donate to join or renew today. 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. The landlord submits any information or documentation to receive payment as part of a rent relief program. 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. 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! 0000098050 00000 n These landlords are the prime beneficiary of these rental assistance programs and just en masse have been violating the provisions of the programs and on top of that consistently misleading judges and securing judgments and evictions, even when theyre receiving funds.. Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. 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. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. 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. 2n -.-&) 1 1 The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. All rights reserved. Expected time in this status: less than one week. 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. 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. 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. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. 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. 0000023877 00000 n 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. In those cases, the check was initially sent to the wrong property and only arrived after the tenant was kicked out. Things To Do Landlord associated with the application will receive an email notification of . What do I do? Calls to Musemeche were not returned. 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. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. We've provided over $2B in emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. Also, the application status in the Neighborly system will be updated when the payment has been made. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. 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. Feb 27, 2023. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. 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). Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. A group of Austin-area lawmakers state Reps. Celia Israel, Sheryl Cole, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez alerted TDHCA this week that they have seen alarming calls from constituents whose rent relief money went to the wrong address, and called on the agency to fix the problem. This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. He took the car, which made it difficult for Scott to hunt for work and shelter. Since February the state of Texas has paid landlords more than one billion dollars for tenants who can't afford to pay rent. 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. Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. 0000010218 00000 n SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 0000030653 00000 n Updated: 8 AM Central. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. Then they mailed it to the wrong address twice and they want to evict me. 0000001196 00000 n When Congress set aside more than $46 billion for emergency rental assistance, they intended for that money to keep people in their homes, said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Houston. Postal Mail: 0000025788 00000 n The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has received approximately $1.3 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the newly passed Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program. In late March she started a new job teaching at an early learning center. 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. 0000026187 00000 n by Joshua Fechter 0000047797 00000 n Mon: 8 to 5pm. Eligibility: For anyone who currently rents in the United States and resides in any of the properties Esusu works with. The property manager quickly confirmed that they had and Jasso tossed the eviction. The details for each program are available below. 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. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. I am being evicted for not paying rent. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. 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). the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. Questions? A free legal hotline available to South Texas residents. 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. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments.