Houston Matters
Rent relief program reopening (March 14, 2023)
Posted on · On Tuesday's show: The state will allow new applications for its rent relief program for two weeks beginning today.
Tag: rent relief
Houston Matters
Colleges look to contain COVID as classes resume (Jan. 11, 2022)
Posted on · On Tuesday's show: How local colleges and universities are dealing with the omicron surge, and a conversation with Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee about a new hiring policy and several lawsuits the county is involved in.
Housing
Montgomery County leaders returned $7 million in unspent rent relief. Residents are still getting evicted
Posted on · County Judge Mark Keough said there’s been minimal demand for county funds, but others said that’s because the county didn’t make it available to renters.
Houston Matters
Rent relief deadline, police searches, and Houston’s first sit-in (Nov. 5, 2021)
Posted on · On Friday's show: The deadline to apply for rent relief is approaching, an investigation into police searches during traffic stops, Houston's first sit-in protest and its often-complicated leader, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week, and an influential 1979 documentary about the Bayou City.
Housing
Texas’ rental assistance program will soon run out of money
Posted on · The statewide program doled out more than $1.2 billion to 212,344 households. There have been nearly 50,000 eviction filings in Houston since the beginning of the pandemic.
Housing
Houston Parents Evicted, Separated From Their Toddler After Landlord Rejects Rent Relief
Posted on · The Houston-Harris County rent relief program has helped more than 48,000 families this year. But some are still getting evicted anyway.
Housing
Texas Supreme Court Extends State Program To Help Tenants Avoid Eviction Until Oct. 1
Posted on · The extension comes as the federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31.
Houston
Houston-Area Renters Could Qualify For $159 Million In Local Emergency Assistance
Posted on · Next week, Houston City Council is set to consider an eviction "grace period" ordinance that would expire at the end of March.
Texas
Texas Tenants Behind On Rent Will Soon Be Able To Seek Aid From $1.3 Billion Assistance Program
Posted on · The statewide program should start in two weeks and could help with up to 15 months of rent for tenants that have felt the impact of the pandemic.
Houston
Less Than Half Of Harris County’s $26 Million Rent Relief Has Been Claimed By Tenants
Posted on · Just $14 million of the county's allocated $40 million has been paid out through the BakerRipley rent relief program. Meanwhile, hundreds of county residents face eviction each week.
National
More Americans Pay Rent On Credit Cards As Lawmakers Fail To Pass Relief Bill
Posted on · Many Americans who've lost income in the pandemic are falling deeper into debt — forced to pay bills or even their rent on credit cards. It's a sign of trouble ahead for the economy.
City of Houston
Community Groups Criticize Use Of COVID-19 Relief Funds For Houston Police Overtime
Posted on · With a rise in crime since the coronavirus pandemic began, the city’s plan calls for $4.1 million in federal CARES Act relief to go toward boosting police presence.
Harris County
In Houston, Whether Or Not You’re Evicted Can Depend On The Judge
Posted on · The CDC moratorium isn’t protecting everybody in Harris County, where courts have heard more than 2,800 eviction cases since the order took effect last month.
Harris County
Houston-Area Renters Can Apply For Millions In Emergency Rental Assistance
Posted on · Landlords must enroll with the program before renters can apply for relief.
National
‘A Homeless Pandemic’ Looms As 30 Million Are At Risk Of Eviction
Posted on · Federal and state eviction bans, put in place during the pandemic, have lapsed. President Trump's executive order to prevent evictions isn't enough and Congress needs to act, housing activists say.