0000078000 00000 n ) 0000001407 00000 n Neighborhood Centers Inc: 713-665-3600. All TDHCA employees and contractor employees have a responsibility to report waste, fraud and abuse within the agency. Member Newsletters (MEMBERS ONLY) To request this information, please contact us toll-free at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. Member Editorials (MEMBERS ONLY) 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. Tenants in New Units: Tenants who are living at a new address may request funds through the AFR process for the rent expenses of the new primary residence. When you click on the link for the first time, you will need to be prepared with a valid email address. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. Texas has nearly $692 million available through its statewide rent relief program. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. 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. Wilkinson told the House Committee on Urban Affairs that a few hundred more people had had payments sent to them over the past week, and that two additional contractors and hundreds of new analysts were being added to work through the backlog of applications. Advocacy Alerts The fund is designed to provide rent relief for renters experiencing financial hardship. But none of that recovered money is helping tenants ousted from their homes, said Julia Ordua, Southeast Texas regional director for Texas Housers, a nonprofit low-income housing advocacy group. 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. 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. Weve had to handhold our residents through these various processes, obtaining the correct documentation, helping them with scanning, Mattingly was told by one landlord. Things To Do 0000005047 00000 n 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). Theres no excuse, Rosales said. 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). This story has been updated to include comments from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. rental assistance programs, totaling $46.55 billion. 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. "I urge qualifying households to apply for this program once applications open on February 15th. This guide is updated to reflect information pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. Late Fees. 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. I trusted them, Scott said. Effectiveness of. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. 0000020158 00000 n 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. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. 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. He took the car, which made it difficult for Scott to hunt for work and shelter. Yet they still pushed us out.. 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. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. % Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Exactly how many people have fallen behind on rent over the past year is unclear. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. They told her there was no way to see if they had received it, she said. You can find the names and phone numbers of these organizations below. Calls to Musemeche were not returned. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter? What do I do? ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has made some changes to the Texas Rent Relief Program in order to make the application and payout process easier. Mar 1, 2023. events. Around that time, Johnson said she caught COVID-19 and had to miss a month of work. Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. 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. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. 0000006939 00000 n The Texas Rent Relief Program will shut down its application portal at 5 p.m. on Friday. 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. The Texas Rent Relief program was set up to help people pay their bills. 0000068016 00000 n 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. 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. These funds may be disbursed to either tenants or landlords. Home But Johnsons victory was short-lived. As much as we work to mitigate human error, the potential for application errors exists. Payment cannot be released until 90 days after the initial disbursement date; however, be advised that review and approval timelines will often exceed 90 days from the last disbursement. 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. Find a complete list of them here. 0000078063 00000 n 0000001467 00000 n Utilities, Clothing for Children, Employment assistance services. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. 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. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. 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). Mon: 8 to 5pm. 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. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. -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 . 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. Then she gave up her job at the Katy hospital to care once more for her youngest daughter. For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. That happens even when tenants win their eviction cases in court. The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. Most states have lifted their . 0000048118 00000 n Im sitting thinking, My rents paid, OK, all I have to worry about is December and January, Gates said. Even if the rent relief check was in hand, it wouldnt have covered the amount sought by the landlord, Musselman said. Women In Business. 0000030230 00000 n At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. Larry Berman New Keynote Speaker For Vietnam War Conference Banquet. Rosales said shes heard landlords say at eviction court that they're already so frustrated and tired by the slow pace and confusing nature of rental assistance programs that theyd rather evict tenants than hold out for assistance. 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. 0000015708 00000 n Then you can type what your issue or concern. Texas Rent Relief approved help for me August 27th. 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. Visit TexasRentRelief.com for more program highlights. For the past year, housing advocates have been pointing to the slow-rolling housing crisis brought on by the pandemic. 0000014023 00000 n 2021 Program Information. An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. 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. Body: Case ID. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments. You will get a 30-minute legal consultation with information, advice, and resources. I dont know if its greatbut youre supposed to be able to use it on your mobile device.. 0000032141 00000 n We're thankful for the opportunity to re-open Texas Rent Relief for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords. While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. 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. 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. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. You know, we just had the problems from [the pandemic] last year, which everybody did.. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. Questions? 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. 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). %PDF-1.7 % Print Feedback. Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. You can also get financial assistance for rent, food, and other expenses by turning to other organizations. Approvals have. 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. 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 Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . Texas Rent Relief Program The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. We've provided over $2B in emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). 0000020271 00000 n 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. I think any landlord that accepted money or got money directly for rent absolutely should not have evicted anyone, Garcia said. Events / Networking Opportunities If you have evidence, be sure to bring it to court. To a question about whether the application website is mobile-friendly, he replied, its mobile-compatible. The state received another $47 million in March, which TDHCA said would go toward helping tenants who applied before the November cutoff. In these cases, payments will be made directly to the tenant, who then is required to pay the landlord. 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. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. Texas Rent Relief assistance payments to landlords and utility providers are considered taxable income. A spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment. 0000032455 00000 n It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. 0000020386 00000 n When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. 0000010218 00000 n Scott had landed a new job as a dietician at a local hospital when she returned from work one afternoon in early October to find most of her belongings spread out on the lawn and the locks changed. Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. 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. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. Funds may not still be available by the time a household applies. State of Texas | Statewide Search | Report Fraud in Texas | Texas Statutes, Site Map | Library Policies | Accessibility | Employment Opportunities, 205 West 14th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-1614. 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. Show us with your support. Health endobj If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. the service staff will examine your application and once it is approved you will be able to claim emergency rental . 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. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. 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. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. 0000009428 00000 n *L#H0o=M6S:{D A^o l'a7*, You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. 2401 E 6th Street, Ste 3037, PMB 153, Austin, TX 78702. 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. Closed from 12 to 1pm for lunch. Box 580314 3/11/2021 Funding Update: $918,238,535 available Latest Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. For checking the Texas rent relief application status, you can either go online or call them up at 1-833-989-7368. Tenant applicants who have received a notice of utility disconnection are now prioritized for application review similarly to those applicants being sued for eviction. The landlord participates in the tenant's application for rent relief, or 3. Your application status will flash one of the following statuses as provided in the chart. Johnson had asked the office manager whether they had received the latest check, she said. The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . 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. 0000017510 00000 n Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. Mailbag: Evermore. 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 Donate to join or renew today. 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. 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. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. 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. Prior to 2019, there was often confusion about what counted as a "reasonable" late fee. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. 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. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. The Texas Rent Relief Program will be run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. 2n -.-&) 1 1 Landlord associated with the application will receive an email notification of . Do you value our journalism? The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. The Texas Rent Relief (TRR) program provides Texas tenants with financial help with rent and utility bills. I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. Some households will still qualify for the program while others will not. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. And more is on the. You will be asked to create an account and then . All Rights Reserved. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. However, Tarrant County's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), along with programs administered by the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, will . Home ownership Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. 0000001196 00000 n 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. 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. 0000024288 00000 n 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. 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. In order to receive federal rent relief funds through the state, landlords had to sign an agreement that forbids them from evicting tenants for nonpayment during the time period covered by the assistance. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Johnsons trying not to dwell on the saga. The Texas Rent Relief Program was launched by TDHCA on February 15th to solve this problem and bring relief to millions across the United States. 0000023877 00000 n These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. Applicant will receive an email notification of approval. Payment is in process. All applications will be processed in the order they are received, giving priority to those households facing evictions. This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. 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. At the moment, Gates is bouncing back and forth between her fathers house and a friends while she appeals her eviction in an attempt to strike it from her record and make it easier for her to find a new place. SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 Applications can be also made . The idea of landlords taking rent relief dollars and still evicting tenants is outrageous, she said, and could warrant investigation. Applications to the relief program can be submitted beginning March 14. 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. Federal aid has gotten to only a fraction of Texans applying for assistance because they're behind on rent and trying to avoid being evicted. 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. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. 4 0 obj TXHAF is administered by TDHCA with funding provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Failure to respond would only delay the application process. Subscribe to recieve Local Profile email updates every Monday and Thursday. 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. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . The public is also invited to share such concerns. Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. trailer <]/Prev 155979>> startxref 0 %%EOF 48 0 obj <>stream