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. Musselman sided with Gates landlord and granted the eviction. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. %PDF-1.7 % Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. 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. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. 0000068016 00000 n 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. No New Applications Accepted Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Late Fees. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. 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. 0000020271 00000 n 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). This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you need help paying rent in Katy, or other financial assistance, reach out to Katy Christian Ministries for more information on their programs. Some areas still ban evictions outright. Landlord Application Information. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . For others, health issues made going to work unsafe while the pandemic raged out of control. 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. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. She said the past few months have been hard. 0000003018 00000 n Yet they still pushed us out.. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. The application process is managed through a software application called Neighborly. 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. 4 0 obj Eviction Intervention Program For Renters If you live within Harris County or Houston city limits and your landlord has already taken you to court for eviction, you may be eligible for eviction intervention rental assistance through the Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Texas closed the rent relief program to new applicants in November, citing overwhelming demand for rental assistance dollars. The public is also invited to share such concerns. TXHAF provides eligible homeowners with . 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. Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 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. 0000001467 00000 n Eligibility for all applicants who have not yet received the maximum amount of 15 months of assistance will receive an email invitation to submit an additional request for assistance 60 days after their previous payment was disbursed. 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. 0000030230 00000 n 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. 0000002022 00000 n If you are concerned that a community is not in compliance, please contact the TDHCA at 512-475-3800. 0000020158 00000 n An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. 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. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| Find a complete list of them here. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. <>/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>> Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. 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. The states leadership shouldve been prepared to get money out to struggling renters as soon as Congress approved the funding, Rosales said, but instead have focused on their own political interests. All Rights Reserved. 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. Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. Shes impressed by how many do persevere. 0000078000 00000 n It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. Two months later, Scott received an email acknowledging her complaint but said she hasnt heard back since. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Most states have lifted their . Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. When you click on the link for the first time, you will need to be prepared with a valid email address. Attempts to reach the property owner RDRH Holdings Inc., an Austin-based corporation and its president were unsuccessful. This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. 8. In her case, the check arrived in time but went to the wrong place. But Johnsons victory was short-lived. As of Wednesday, the program has assisted more than 300,000 households. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) While hes cautiously optimistic that the Texas Rent Relief programs problems have largely been addressed, fundamental questions remain unanswered. 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. Greg Abbott for comment on the report. Since the program launched in February 2021, TRR has provided over $2 billion in emergency funds for rent and utility relief, served 250 Texas counties and prevented evictions for over 21,000 households. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. 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. The email and template I was provided: Support@texasrentrelief.com Subject: Your Tenant case id. 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. 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. To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). 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. You can also get financial assistance for rent, food, and other expenses by turning to other organizations. 0000003417 00000 n Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) Even if the rent relief check was in hand, it wouldnt have covered the amount sought by the landlord, Musselman said. At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. 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. Postal Mail: Then they mailed it to the wrong address twice and they want to evict me. 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 Program has $96M remaining to help Texans affected by the pandemic. What do I do? endobj In our view, the judge made a mistake letting the trial proceed as soon as [the property manager] confirmed that the owner had a pending application for rental assistance, Stamm said in an email. [n6[_.7jSz Hope this timeline helps someone! 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=>` 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. 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. 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. The application software issue has been resolved. It's embarrassing, Scott said. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. 1 0 obj 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. 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.. Funds may not still be available by the time a household applies. 2021 Program Information. 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. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. This tool helps find state and local rent and utility assistance near your location. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . But Musselman expressed sympathy for the landlord, noting that they had gone 11 months without rent from Gates. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. And frankly, theyre tired.. 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. You will be asked to create an account and then . Sign up for our Friends of TAAHP email list to learn more about TAAHP, critical industry issues, and hear about upcoming event and education opportunities. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 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. Disclosure: The Texas Apartment Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Effectiveness of. The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. Check status periodically. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. Landlords who received rent relief dollars cant evict tenants for any reason related to rent or fees during the time period covered by the funds, according to the program requirements. Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. 0000088009 00000 n Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. Alexander Stamm, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who is representing Gates, said Musselman shouldnt have let the trial take place at all because of a Texas Supreme Court order requiring judges to postpone eviction cases if a landlord confirms they have joined a tenants application for rent relief. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. Weve been expecting there to be aid [for renters] for months and months so there should have been a plan in place.. 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. 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. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. 0000058095 00000 n Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) Business Last note, I was approved for 12 months back rent pay and 3 months forward, so I am receiving help for 15 months total. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Hosted every Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., by the. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. Texas Rent Relief Program 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. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. 0000088072 00000 n When the state sent the rent relief check to the wrong address, Scott said the staff assured her they were working to get the money re-sent. Also, the application status in the Neighborly system will be updated when the payment has been made. TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. 2401 E 6th Street, Ste 3037, PMB 153, Austin, TX 78702. Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? 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. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. <> 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. 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. 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. I shouldnt have.. Landlord associated with the application will receive an email notification of . All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 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. According to CW33, TDHCA executive director, Bobby Wilkinson advised those applying to gather all necessary paperwork ahead of time to have them ready by March 14, 2023, when applications will open. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. Faced with a pot of federal money larger than the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs' annual budget, the state agency contracted Houston-based management consultancy Horne LLP to run the Texas Rent Relief program, agreeing to pay the company more than $42 million. 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. The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas has compiled a list of state and local rental assistance programs. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. *Must make an appointment. This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord. 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. 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. by Joshua Fechter 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. But it's not a fast process. 0000009428 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Approvals have. April 7, 20215 PM Central. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. See our Eviction page for information on the CDC's eviction moratorium and other eviction topics. 0000048055 00000 n About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. But the program had fixed that error, the email 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). In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. Arts + Culture Its peoples lives at stake here, because when evictions happen, their lives are torn apart. But she still hasnt found a place to live. 0000017510 00000 n The landlord submits any information or documentation to receive payment as part of a rent relief program. Eligibility: For anyone who currently rents in the United States and resides in any of the properties Esusu works with. Food + Drink TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Events / Networking Opportunities Please take our patron satisfaction survey! Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. Latest % -Per federal guidelines for Emergency Rental Assistance funding, Texas Rent Relief will provide a completed IRS Form 1099-MISC to all landlords and utility providers that received at least $600 in assistance from the program during the 2021 . By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. Whoops! 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. 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. This news article provides an overview of the Texas Public Utilities Commission's recent order and how it will affect customers in Texas. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions. For more information about fair housing, funding opportunities, or services in your area, please visitwww.tdhca.state.tx.usor theLearn about Fair Housing in Texaspage. 0000030653 00000 n . 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. 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. Do you value our journalism? But The Texas Tribune interviewed tenants from across the state who were approved for federal rental assistance and were evicted anyway. 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. Stephanie Gates also thought the state rent relief program would save her from an eviction. Show us with your support. All Rights Reserved.. Plano Dentist Pleaded Guilty To COVID-19-Related Fraud, $22.8 Million Grant To Help Prevent Homelessness In Dallas And Collin Counties, North Texas Judge Blocks Student Loan Forgiveness, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) Here we are at the beginning of April and still only about 200 Texas families have actually received direct help from this billion dollar program, which is unacceptable, and we need to continue to get this worked out quickly, committee chair state Rep. Philip Cortez, a San Antonio Democrat, told Texas Public Radio. For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. According to the report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U My landlord has signed up with bill.com to receive payment via ACH, so hopefully, he will receive payment sooner than later. 0000032141 00000 n rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. Interests You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said.
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