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Dallas Distributing More Emergency Rental Assistance Funds

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People in the city of Dallas who are struggling to pay rent can apply for help.

The Dallas Housing Authority said it’s received another $19 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is taking more applications for emergency rental assistance.

“I think there is probably a popular thought out there that the pandemic is over, folks have received the help they needed and everything is back to normal,” said Dr. Myriam Igoufe, DHA Chief Research and Innovation Officer. “When you are low income, this kind of impact can be really, really hard to recover from. You often have to make some very costly trade-offs to be able to keep your head above water.”

Renters and landlords can apply for up to 18 months of assistance. If you’ve applied before, you can apply again though assistance is capped at 18 months total. For example: if you received 12 months of emergency rental assistance from Dallas last year, DHA explains you could be eligible for a maximum of six months of assistance in this round.

The assistance targets people who have been impacted by a job loss or lost income during the pandemic.

“You do not have to have contracted COVID. You have to have been financially impacted during the pandemic, not necessarily due to the pandemic itself,” said Igoufe.

You can read the eligibility requirements and apply here.

Texas’ statewide rent relief program said it’s also received additional funds and is using the money to process existing applications in the order they were received.

If you applied to the Texas Rent Relief program before it closed its application process last fall and you are contacted now, applicants contacted by TRR should call the TRR call center line at 833-989-7368 to let the program know if they still need assistance.

In Dallas County, you can find open rental and housing assistance program information here

A program for Frisco residents just extended its deadline to Sept. 11 for funding that ends Sept. 30.

Another program in McKinney is taking new applications through Sept. 1 for the last month of assistance available. The applicant would have to show that they were behind on August rent and/or utilities and affirm that their situation was not expected to change for September. 

Many emergency rental assistance programs have ended or are wrapping up. If you’re looking for housing assistance, dial 2-1-1 and ask about housing assistance where you live.

Renters facing eviction can also connect with free or low-cost legal help here.

NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.

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