Texas opens application portal for rental assistance.
State ready to begin disbursing $1 billion to help pay the bills
The state is launching a new relief program to aid Texans who have struggled to pay their rent and utility bills during the coronavirus pandemic.
The program, run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, will offer more than $1 billion to eligible residents through funding allocated to Texas in the latest federal stimulus package. The state will begin accepting applications for aid on Feb. 15.
“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 release.
The applications for statewide
rent relief will be available on Monday at 8 a.m. for landlords and tenants impacted by the coronavirus. The state has about $1.3 billion to disburse. Here’s what you need to know:
Where do I find the application?
Go to TexasRentRelief.com. You can also call 1-833-9TXRENT (1-833-989-7368) for help filling it out or questions. The Spanish version is https://texasrentrelief.com/es
I’m a tenant. How do I know if I qualify?
Households have to meets all of the below criteria to qualify:
• A household must be at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income • One or more people in the household has either qualified for unemployment benefits OR has lost income, experienced financial hardship or had to pay “significant costs” due to the pandemic • Tenants must show that they are at risk of being homeless (provide an eviction notice and/or a past due utility bill) OR are living in unsafe homes.
How do I find my Area Median Income?
Great question. Check the list at https://texasrentrelief.com/sites/default/ files/TX_Rent_Relief_income_limits.pdf. It’s broken down by county and household size.
Are the applications first-come, first-serve?
No. However, the state will prioritize based on need: If you get your application in by Feb. 28, the state will review it and prioritize applicants who are at or below 50 percent Area Median Income or have one or more people unemployed at the time of application and for 90 days prior to the application date.
What can the assistance cover?
The rent relief program is aimed to help renters with back rent and utility costs that began to pile up beginning March 30, 2020. Tenants who think they will struggle to pay rent and/or utilities going forward can apply for up to 3 months of expected costs. The money can cover up to 15 months of help for rent and utilities.
Can I apply even if I’ve gotten assistance from another program?
Yes — but the state program won’t pay for the time period that another program covered. Say you got rental assistance through Harris County that helped cover your May rent, but you still owe rent from June, July and August. You can’t apply to the state program for your May rent, but you’re eligible for June, July and August.
I’m a landlord. How do I apply?
Landlords can apply online and list all their properties with tenants who need assistance.
I’m a tenant, but my landlord doesn’t want to participate in the program. Am I still eligible?
Yes. Even if your landlord doesn’t want to be part of the program, you can still apply for assistance. However, the program will still try to pay your landlord first. Payments will go to you once your landlord confirms they are not interested or if the state hasn’t heard back from your landlord within 21 days.
How do payments work?
The state will pay the landlord and/or utility provider unless they refuse payment for some reason — in which case, after 21 days, the payment will go directly to the tenant.
Any other questions?
Check out the FAQs on TexasRentRelief.com or call 1-833-989-7368. Or, shoot me an email at sarah.smith@chron.com. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll ask people who will.