Having trouble paying rent amid COVID-19? Help may be available through Texas program.
Texans seeking help to pay rent amid the coronavirus pandemic may be able to get assistance from a program announced Tuesday by state officials.
Texas has more than $1 billion in federal funds to administer through the Texas Rent Relief Program to help with rent and utilities costs. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will start taking applications for the program on Monday.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant financial strain on many Texans, and the Texas Rent Relief Program will provide an incredible lifeline to households in need of assistance on their rent and utility payments,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.
Those eligible include people from households with an income of no more than 80% of the area median income and who have also qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced other financial hardships. One person in the household also must demonstrate a risk of homelessness, housing instability or be living in unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions.
Priority will be given to those with incomes at or below 50% of the area median income, as well as homes where at least one person is unemployed and has been without work for 90 days before applying. Those who think they may fall into the priority group should apply by Feb. 28, according to the program’s website.
Tenants may apply for assistance, as well as landlords applying on tenants’ behalf. For landlords applying, payments must be the used for tenant’s rental obligations. The tenant must also sign the application.
“This program is a key component of our state’s pandemic recovery effort and will be essential to the rebound of our economy, workforce, and education system,” House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, said in a statement. “I am thrilled that qualifying Texas families have an avenue for temporary relief on essential items like rent and utility payments when it truly counts the most.”
Texas received funds for the program as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act for the program, according to its website.
Applications can be submitted by calling 1-833-989-7368 or at TexasRentRelief.com.
Previously throughout the pandemic, Texas tenants and landlords relied on a patchwork of protections and assistance mostly distributed through local governments. Christina Rosales, deputy director of the nonprofit housing advocacy group Texas Housers, believes this new program has a better chance to provide consistent aid throughout the state.
“Implementation is everything,” she said. “But I think we are very hopeful about how this will work.”
“This is the first significant pot of money that we’ve seen dedicated to rental assistance across the state and it’s certainly aimed at helping people most in need of assistance,” said David Mintz, vice president of affairs for the Texas Apartment Association, an advocacy group for property owners. “We’ve been saying for nearly a year now, since the middle of March 2020, that rental assistance was needed to help those people who’ve been impacted by the pandemic and needed to pay their rent. And this is certainly a big step in the right direction.”
Another statewide tool for renters and landlords, called the Texas Eviction Diversion Program, rolled out in Tarrant County last week. The program is for cases in which evictions have been filed and covers up to six months of rent for renters to pay landlords. Interested tenants or landlords should bring up the diversion program to the Justice of the Peace court overseeing their eviction. You can also find more information at txcourts.gov/programs-services/eviction-diversion-program/.
Mark Dent contributed reporting to this story.
This story was originally published February 9, 2021 at 11:15 AM.
