HOUSTON — Need help with rent? The state opened back up its online Texas Rent Relief portal Tuesday but acknowledged issues with applying.
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has $96 million in relief funds and will start accepting new applications online again on March 14. It’ll remain open through March 28.
According to the state, first-time applicants could be eligible for up to 18 months of help with rent and utility bills. That would include either past-due payments or a combination of past-due payments and up to three months of current or future payments.
Those who have gotten help from the program before, but haven't used their full 18 months, can submit a request through their online user account.
It's first come, first served, though those facing evictions will be given priority.
And if you are facing eviction, make sure you’ve got legal help and go to your eviction hearing. If you’re not sure where to start, call, TexasLawHelp.org or call 855-270-7655 to find out your options.
Once you’ve applied, watch for any responses from Texas Rent Relief to see if they need any more information. If they reach out and don’t get a response, it could delay help.
Update
The Texas Rent Relief portal posted an update at 10:15 a.m. after users reported experiencing issues with their website:
We understand some people are unable to access or start a new application, or are experiencing delayed load times. Our team is working to address the issue as quickly as possible. If you are not able to access the application system at this time, we encourage you to check back throughout the day and try again using the ‘Apply Now’ button below.
The Customer Service Line is experiencing extremely high call volume. We ask for your patience and encourage you to review our Frequently Asked Questions and Tenant Checklist, which may help answer questions about applying.
For those who are able to access the application, please make sure to ‘Save’ your progress often, and use the Tenant Checklist to ensure you submit a complete application with all required documentation.