Housing Dept. Helps Texas Renters Struggling to Keep Up

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Texas Rent Relief program is helping renters with up to 15 months of rental assistance including back rent and up to three months of future rent as well as utility assistance. As eviction moratoriums expire across the state, the Texas Rent Relief program is prioritizing applications for tenants whose landlords have filed for eviction in an effort to keep Texans in their homes.

“We are working hard to get the word out to landlords to hold off the eviction process because the Texas Rent Relief program is an opportunity to get back due rent and even secure up to three months of future rent stability for tenants,” says Bobby Wilkinson, TDHCA executive director. “Landlords can get up to 15 months of rent paid through this program, but only if they don’t evict.”

Through the Texas Eviction Diversion Program (TEDP), courts can work with landlords and tenants to put a temporary stay on the eviction process while the parties pursue assistance through the Texas Rent Relief program. Of the 8,000 applications currently going through the TEDP, more than 50 percent have been approved for approximately $33 million in assistance. Another 3,600 applications are under review or in final review before approval for payment.