If both payments came from our program, the duplicate payment must be returned. It is kind of a miracle that they are able to do it.. This news article describes the phasing out of a program designed to halt utility shut-offs that was implemented in March. 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. April 7, 20215 PM Central. 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. TDHCA operates the state hotline where complaints originate. Were adding added significant resources to attack the backlog and get the money out the door. 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. 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. Stamm alleges that RDRH Holdings violated six requirements set out by the program in a contract landlords must sign in order to receive funds. Late fees over 12% of your monthly rent (10% for properties with more than four units) are unreasonable. r.t)gfv9~;Y>)?4{(gbx|/Ipv.8|0a(#0`~GhFc=pxr1{YpG0 Failure to respond would only delay the application process. Do you value our journalism? We believe owners have done their best to try to understand the intricacies of the program and comply with its requirements, Mintz said. 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. 0000000016 00000 n Business 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. On July 28, 2021, the FHFA announced protections for tenants of multifamily properties with loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Macrequiring landlords to give tenants 30 days' notice before. This time period has been shortened based on direction from the Department of Treasury. 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. Payment is in process. State Rep. Diego Bernal, a San Antonio Democrat, wanted to know what was being done to make sure landlords know that the problems are being fixed and to urge them to hold off on filing eviction cases against tenants who tried to apply for rent relief but had their application held up . 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 $12,740. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offers a website about this program. Mattingly said more than 400 of his companys residents have tried to apply to the program. When Cherice Scott received a notice last September that she, her husband and their four children would soon be kicked out of their Katy apartment, she said employees at the complex told her not to worry about it. I"OqC)RrQBY( ,VN?4Tmj|e@O)&$O&WrVRKT0X5Vrs'O. {wKPK?c- C <=fL5h|'(d-$7(r ~9 qFP9v8i-LKp Nx@`{>-aB58c$f_Q. Cherice Scotts landlord evicted her and her family in October, then cashed a check for rental assistance funds intended to keep them housed. He oversees the state's executive branch, including the housing and community affairs department. 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. 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. But those are the exact grounds that RDRH Holdings cited when it sued to evict Gates, Stamm said. 4 0 obj She said the past few months have been hard. All past-due rent and utilities (back to March 13, 2020) will be paid first. 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. Cherice Scotts son, 6-year-old Teegan McKinney, plays at a park in Houston. Thieves had walked off with their electronics. Eligibility For tenants: Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) Household has been financially affected by COVID-19 pandemic For landlords: Assistance for rent no older than April 2020 The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . That makes removing barriers to helping families catch up on the rent even more vital, Rosales said. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) created this COVID-19 relief program in February of 2021. 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. The Housing Assistance Program (HAP)* provides financial assistance to renters experiencing emergency hardships from COVID-19 and to keep families in their homes. If you owe unpaid rent or utilities, that amount will be paid in one lump sum within 10 business days of your final approval. Applications can be also made . You will be asked to create an account and then . Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. Media Availability Planned For Texas Tech's 8th Annual Ambassadors' Forum. Governor Abbott and TDHCA launched the Texas Rent Relief program in February 2021 the first statewide rent and utility assistance program for qualifying households throughout Texas. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. 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. 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. 0000003018 00000 n The public is also invited to share such concerns. Her landlord gave her until the end of May to do so. 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. Texas Rent Relief gave me a second (or duplicate) payment for a tenant's month of rent. 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. The landlord submits any information or documentation to receive payment as part of a rent relief program. 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. QAP Alerts (MEMBERS ONLY) The program application now allows these applicants to self-attest to their household income, meeting program requirements instead of uploading income documentation. 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). Departments Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Shes focused on finding a new place for her and her seven children to live. 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. 0000009860 00000 n An employee at Blazers office who answered the phone declined to answer questions. 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. 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. The statewide TEDP is funded through a set-aside of the Texas Rent Relief Program (texasrentrelief.com), which launched February 15, 2021, stopped accepting new applications for rental assistance as of November 5, 2021, and committed 99% of all total funds by January 13, 2022. 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. 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. "To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. 2023 Local Profile is a registered trademark of Community Profile LLC. 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. Anticipated time to receive payment: 7-14 days Request for assistance has been denied. Cities and counties that operate local rental assistance programs have $368 million. Let the judge know if any of these things have happened. UPDATE: Accepting New Applications For Limited Time, March 14-28, 2023. 0000024288 00000 n %PDF-1.7 % 4 0 obj <> endobj xref Home ownership P.O. Feb 27, 2023. <> An employee at the apartment complex, Crestshire Village Apartments, declined to comment. Women In Business. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST Help is available in multiple languages. Texas' rent relief program has been plagued by problems that slow payments and could prompt evictions According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications. Show us with your support. For more information on returning a payment, email [email protected]. 3 0 obj 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. 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. Landlord Application Information. 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. Check status periodically. Ask us! 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. Wilkinson said hed be open to exploring more options to get that message out. As of Feb. 17, Gates former landlord hadnt done so, Stamm said. Altogether, about $2 billion of the federal rental and utility assistance funds approved by Congress last year were earmarked for Texas. Mailbag: Evermore. Click here to search the TDHCA database. It takes away your pride and makes me feel like I failed as a parent. 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. Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? You cant get paid directly, and also break the promises you made that were designed to keep someone in their home.. 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. AUSTIN - The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced it will re-open the Texas Rent Relief (TRR) application portal from March 14-28 in order to accept new applications for a remaining $96M in TRR funds. Find programs to help you with rent or utility payments, help you find a rent-reduced apartment, help you find emergency housing or homeless shelters, and more. In March 2022, Texas Rent Relief received additional funding to the tune of $47.8 million from the U.S. Treasury Department. Do you value our journalism? Advocacy Alerts 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. And only 250 payments have been sent. And were also looking for ways to streamline, reduce documentation burdens, and well continue to adapt as needed, Wilkinson said. Texas Rent Relief approved her for a little over $3,100 about three months worth of rent. As of today, the program has distributed nearly $2 billion, with more than 300,000 Texan households having been assisted or in the final payment process. 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. Are you looking for rent assistance resources, help with utility bills or reduced rent apartments? Your rent and/or utility relief payments will be made directly to your landlord and utility companies. 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. And more is on the. 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). If you are concerned that a community is not in compliance, please contact the TDHCA at 512-475-3800. The TRR program will be accepting online applications from March 14 to 28, providing aid with rent and utility bills for up to 18 months for first-time applicants. Some local governments still have money for rent help, but those funds may soon run out, as well. I was a good tenant, Gates said. About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Visit the TDHCA contact us page for information. 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. Some rent relief programs, including the Texas Rent Relief Program, will make your landlord forgo all unreasonable late fees. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. By the end of March, only 250 people had actually got help paying for rent out of. AUSTIN, Texas, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced it will re-open the Texas Rent Relief (TRR) application portal from March 14-28 in order to accept new applications for a remaining $96M in TRR funds.