Houston, TX 77258. The department . Jeff Williams, a Harris County justice of the peace, had approved the eviction without Scott present in court a typical outcome in eviction cases when tenants dont show up to their hearings. Both the federal and state government added enforcement provisions when they created the rent relief programs. KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . And only 250 payments have been sent. I think any landlord that accepted money or got money directly for rent absolutely should not have evicted anyone, Garcia said. 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. In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. 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. 0000078063 00000 n 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. 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. Community In February, Texas launched a program to help people who had missed rent payments because of the pandemic. A switch to a new software caused system outages and forced applicants to reapply. 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. 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. 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. If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. 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. But I dont want to give 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=>` 2. Maybe the money will be returned to Treasury and the wrong will be righted for the government, Ordua said. Payments have been approved for more than 2,200 additional households, the agency dashboard indicated Friday. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. Job Listings It's embarrassing, Scott said. She said the past few months have been hard. In order to collect this late fee, the landlord must have included notice of it in a written lease. 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. First-time applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of aid with rent and utility bills. 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. Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. We are learning more about why there are delays in the. 0000088009 00000 n TRR is processing applications . endobj The more I sit here and think about it, I just know to just go ahead and do what I need to do, Johnson said. Advocacy Alerts Applicants that have received help from the program before but have not received the maximum of 18 months of assistance allowed, can submit an additional funding request using their existing online user account. No New Applications Accepted While many have gone back to work, the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than it was before the pandemic. TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. Of the roughly 200 that have completed applications, only two have been approved for funding. Other organizations That help paying rent in Houston. When Cherice Scott received a notice last September that she, her husband and their four children would soon be kicked out of their Katy apartment, she said employees at the complex told her not to worry about it. <> The same day, her landlord told Johnson her lease wouldnt be renewed when it expired the following week, she said. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy, Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American, https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral, Texas Utility Help Program Receives More Energy Bill Assistance Funding, Expands Water Bill Assistance with Future Payments, Texas Utility Help Program Re-Opens Energy Bill Assistance. 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. Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. Depending on each applicants needs and eligibility, this could include past-due payments or a combination of past-due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of 72,000 completed applications. 0000030653 00000 n 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. 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 . Info about the decision to end the program and eviction diversion is included as well. 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. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. A portion of the funds have been set-aside specifically for households whose landlords have already sued for eviction in their local court. Researchers have offered estimates of past-due rent in the U.S. ranging from $8.4 billion to $52.6 billion. And were also looking for ways to streamline, reduce documentation burdens, and well continue to adapt as needed, Wilkinson said. Learn how Section 8 provides rental help Find housing services and information Texans can get housing assistance whether they live in rural or urban areas. If a landlord is not paid, the payment will be made directly to the tenant. ;+h-WZXi ZrzOK4-X6~PR,JtV J5G! 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 rent and utility payments. 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 statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. 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 evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. 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. How are landlords going to have faith in a rental relief program, and how are they going to hang on their tenants when this is happening? Rosales said. Applications in this set-aside will be processed first to decrease application processing time and increase the likelihood of evictions being diverted. 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. 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. An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. 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. What is clear is that a lot of Texans could use the help of the Texas Rent Relief program. The Texas rent relief program has only made three payments despite being online for over . Some tenants who spoke to the Tribune about their cases said they called a hotline used to report fraud, waste and abuse in the state rent relief program and never heard back about their complaints. the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in Texas. 0000006939 00000 n Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don't evict. Then they mailed it to the wrong address twice and they want to evict me. The TDHCA runs the Texas Rent Relief program. 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. It turns out the state program had sent the check in September to the wrong address. News from Members (MEMBERS ONLY) Please take our patron satisfaction survey! On Jan. 27, Williamson County constables came to execute the eviction. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. 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. Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 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. Release of information or other details will be required under some circumstances. 0000024288 00000 n For example, the program bars landlords from accepting rent relief payments after they evict a tenant. TAAHP does not have regulatory or compliance authority for any affordable housing communities or developments. TDHCA has provided the following updates regarding the program: ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS (AFR) INFORMATION. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. 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. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. To help with emergency housing needs, HAP has two components: rental assistance and relocation assistance for qualified households facing housing instability. The application software issue has been resolved. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. 4 0 obj <> endobj xref 2 '.&& ,f1. You cant have it both ways with Texas Rent Relief, Stamm said. All rights reserved. Show us with your support. 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. 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. Landlord Application Information. 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. Applicants must still provide all other required program documentation and must provide evidence of the notice of utility disconnection. 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. 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 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). 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. Top Listings 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. Lq]0BLaOy\s^ADJ| Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. Once the application is submitted, applicants need to remain alert for emails or calls from TDHCAs representatives who could ask for additional information. pk}b=^ ;+2b4+rU:"KOJF&. About the Texas Rent Relief Program Both landlords and tenants were able to use this website to create an account and submit their application. Then in December, the property owner filed an eviction case against Gates and gave her a notice to vacate. <>/Metadata 393 0 R/ViewerPreferences 394 0 R>> -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 . I hope everyone gets the assistance that they need. 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. Eligible households can apply online or over the phone for first-time or additional program assistance. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. *Must make an appointment. Requests for Proposals/Quotes (MEMBERS ONLY). "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. Recent updates February 2023. Late Fees. In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. 0000098112 00000 n Home ownership Texas Rent Relief assistance payments to landlords and utility providers are considered taxable income. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. Whoops! SOURCE Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 Lee Reznicek, a property manager who oversees Gates former home for Austin-based Hill Country Property Management, declined to comment when reached by email. The program will also have a call . x]s6(4A y;4N}PmT\INvB/$( If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. 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. Despite that, the property manager told Musselman they wanted to proceed with the case, Gates said. V o l . Member Grand Openings (MEMBERS ONLY) The reallocation process only applies to duplicate payments between our program and Texas Rent Relief. We look at Texas Tech's award-winning magazine. 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. Nov. 9, 2021 - (Tarrant County) - As of Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR), the State of Texas' rental assistance program, stopped accepting applications. 0000002471 00000 n The first payment never came because they had a Covid outbreak. Closed from 12 to 1pm for lunch. TDHCA announced that they would be accepting new applications in March of 2023 to distribute the remaining funds. Food + Drink 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 $47.8 million to help address the backlog of assistance requests. Education / Webinars For households who applied directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. But those are the exact grounds that RDRH Holdings cited when it sued to evict Gates, Stamm said. The State Auditors Office declined to say whether it has launched any investigations into potential fraud, waste and abuse of the program. The state of Texas has more than one billion dollars to give out to people who need help paying their bills. 0000003417 00000 n Avenue 360 (formerly Bearing Omega and Houston Area Community Services) Web. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served . Please reload the page and try again. %PDF-1.7 % According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications for rental assistance, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. In her case, the check arrived in time but went to the wrong place. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. The states leadership shouldve been prepared to get money out to struggling renters as soon as Congress approved the funding, Rosales said, but instead have focused on their own political interests. What do I do? You can login to the site as a landlord or as a tenant. Librarians at the State Law Library can provide information about the law, but cannot give legal advice. :>W:lfD;)SHK(r$Iy2lj\*vj-Wf8+GfJs &Xsua9fqsJYKk~(FbD*fwG[VEiG]e29^Qv($6,9arts1y$ GS?u(-4Wc-J(,_@&U 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. 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. 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. Texas Tech To Host Art Gallery. Mon: 8 to 5pm. And only 250 of payments have been sent. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. 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. Most went into the statewide Texas Rent Relief program, and the rest when to city and county governments. Mar 1, 2023. events. After logging in, click on the application status and check with the details provided. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. How are we doing? Members in the News (MEMBERS ONLY) To apply for residency, you may contact the onsite leasing staff for the development you wish to apply for or contact your local housing authority for assistance. an apparent violation of the programs requirements for landlords, survey gauging how the end of a federal moratorium on evictions was affecting tenants. Wilkinson said many people who tried to apply may need to go back and take extra steps to complete the application. Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said.