Landlords in Houston can now register for rent assistance to help tenants who are falling behind on their rent due to the COVID-19 crisis. This comes after Houston city council members approved a relief program designed to help renters make their payments despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The $15 million relief program was funded by the Federal CARES Act and is being managed by the Houston nonprofit agency BakerRipley. The nonprofit will provide up to $1,056 of rental assistance per month to qualified low- to moderate-income individuals who were unable to pay their April and/or May rent because they were impacted by COVID-19.
The program is expected to help at least 6,818 people across the Houston area, and it works retroactively. In other words, people who could not pay their April and/or May rent can have their rent forgiven if they can demonstrate that they were negatively impacted by the coronavirus crisis,
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner explained: “You had to have lost your job or income as a result of COVID-19. So, it’s not a situation where, for example, if you have been way behind going back to say January or February. Know that’s not the result of COVID-19.”
The way the system will work is that landlords will need to agree to participate in the program, which they can do at this time. Then, on May 13th, the online portal will be open to tenants who can apply for assistance.
Ebony Flemming with BakerRipley said that the organization encourages landlords to enroll in the system. “Everyone benefits,” Flemming said. “It’s not going to be able to help all people who need help. We do know that. But the more people that enroll, the more help we can give out given the limitations of the program.”
The program does have the support of the Houston Apartment Association. The association expects that the program will help many workers in the service industry who were laid off from their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Stick with CDL for the latest COVID-19 updates and news.
