KPRC 2 Investigates has received dozens of complaints from people all . 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. Theres no excuse, Rosales said. 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. Larry Berman New Keynote Speaker For Vietnam War Conference Banquet. 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. Texas Rent Relief Program 4 0 obj
Johnsons lawyer recorded the call. 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 . She said the past few months have been hard. 0000058095 00000 n
Texas Emergency Rental Assistance Programs - Weekend Landlords All Rights Reserved. Texas Rent Relief Home Page | Texas Rent Relief Your application status will flash one of the following statuses as provided in the chart. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse please call (833) 61-FRAUD or (833) 613-7283. 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. 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. your Phone number -Specify Landlord or tenant rental assistance. 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. Housing Assistance Program - San Antonio What do I do? Tenants who are requesting AFR and have remained in the same unit as their original request and for whom the months of assistance requested as part of the AFR are outside of the term for the lease submitted with the tenants initial application (including if the lease is now month-to-month), or if the tenant did not provide a lease as part of their initial application, verbal confirmation with the tenant or landlord to confirm the tenant is still in the unit is acceptable proof of tenancy. 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. Landlords and tenants are particularly put on notice that 18 U.S.C. In a phone interview, Musselman declined to say why he ruled in favor of Gates landlord. 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. 0000015708 00000 n
Mattingly also heads the Dallas Apartment Association, which represents landlords. 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. Starting October 10, 2022, all new utility assistance payments are issued directly to the tenant to ensure timely and accurate utility assistance payments. April 8, 2022 Esusu Rent Relief Fund | esusurent.com Texans shouldnt have to overcome so many bureaucratic and technological challenges just to get help that Congress already funded, Rosales said. 0000032141 00000 n
2n -.-&) 1 1 Policy and Regulatory Updates (MEMBERS ONLY) As of August 11, 2021, TRR has paid over $658 million in rent and utility assistance to assist over 107,000 households, and funding is still available. %PDF-1.7
hb``b``yX01 $J|*]gw"sq7X>6>^`hD"0Q{in00 Y? ` q
endstream
endobj
5 0 obj
<>
endobj
6 0 obj
<>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 792.0 612.0]/Type/Page>>
endobj
7 0 obj
<>
endobj
8 0 obj
<>
endobj
9 0 obj
[/ICCBased 22 0 R]
endobj
10 0 obj
[/Separation/Red 9 0 R<>]
endobj
11 0 obj
<>
endobj
12 0 obj
<>stream
Health And frankly, theyre tired.. 0000048055 00000 n
This website allows you to ask a lawyer a legal question in writing for free. Regardless of your immigration status, you will be eligible for rent relief if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 or are . Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. To qualify for rental assistance from the Texas program, tenants had to fall below a certain income level, prove they experienced some kind of financial hardship during the pandemic and make the case that they would be at risk of losing their home if they didnt receive rent relief. 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. V o l . 0000047797 00000 n
The . Texas Rent Relief : r/texas - reddit Utility Payment Program Provides assistance to eligible Texas homeowners with qualified hardships to pay past due utility bills and up to three (3) months of prospective payments. There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic. But the tenants are still the ones holding the bag.. But it's not a fast process. During the hearing, lawmakers pressed Wilkinson on a number of issues. 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 stream
The state's $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more . If tenants feel they have been unjustly evicted, they can appeal the eviction, Mintz said. Most states have lifted their . Best of luck to you and anyone needing this assistance. The landlord applies for rent relief, or 2. Some Texas landlords took rent relief money but evicted tenants anyway 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. 1. This is our third or fourth round of rental assistance for some of these folks, and the documentation process for each round has been different and the application process has been a little bit different, he said. 0000023877 00000 n
Show us with your support. A Texas rent relief program has been plagued by problems. KPRC 2 Investigates Texas Rent Relief program: Why some renters have 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. 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 . 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. 4 45
Hope this timeline helps someone! What you need to know about Texas' new rental relief program - KHOU 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. 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. Top Listings 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. 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. Do you value our journalism? 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. Other program limitations may also apply please see https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/covid19-response.htm for details. 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). At the federal level, that job falls to the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General. The application software issue has been resolved. Assistance continues to grow with an average of $6 million approved per day in the last week, with marked increases seen weekly. Texas' rental assistance program will soon run out of money It hurts, that really hurts. Now, with a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) re-opened the Texas Rent Relief Program (TRR) and online applications through the portal will be accepted for a limited time from March 14 to 28.