Unemployment has disproportionately affected renters since the crisis began. Advocates fear displacement and an increase in homelessness.
Juan Pablo Garnham
Juan Pablo Garnham covered urban affairs for the Tribune in 2019-21, focusing on the main challenges of the state’s largest metro areas — Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso and Dallas-Fort Worth, where he was based. He previously worked as senior producer for the podcast In The Thick, editor of CityLab Latino and city hall reporter for El Diario in New York. He has also taught at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He is from Santiago, Chile, and the Texas flag constantly reminds him of his home country.
More than 700 new cases of coronavirus reported after testing at meatpacking plants in Amarillo region
Gov. Greg Abbott says the cases were detected by targeted testing at meatpacking plants.
Eviction proceedings and debt collections can resume this month, Texas Supreme Court orders
The state’s highest civil court initially paused eviction proceedings and debt collections during the coronavirus pandemic. Those moratoriums are being lifted after more than 1.9 million Texans filed for unemployment.
As coronavirus shutdowns sink city budgets, Dallas furloughs almost 500 employees
Experts and local leaders have warned that the next fiscal year will be a historically hard one for cities.
Language barriers, absence of bank loans leave Latino small-business owners struggling
Before the pandemic, mom-and-pop stores at the Latino-oriented mall La Gran Plaza, in Fort Worth, saw crowds of thousands every day. Now, tenants are worried about evictions and not making ends meet.
Texas halted evictions, giving renters some relief. But what happens when the moratorium ends?
Experts and advocates say renters — hit particularly hard by the economic downturn — face a financial cliff if more monetary aid doesn’t arrive before moratoriums lift.
Texas Supreme Court extends moratorium on evictions until May 18
Housing advocates say they are still concerned about cases of harassment and the longterm housing safety of vulnerable Texans.
Harris County closing temporary medical center for overflow coronavirus patients without ever using it
Local leaders had planned for the center to be an overflow medical facility in case of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
You might be protected from eviction until Aug. 23. Here’s how to find out.
A new database allows renters to search if their buildings are under a federal eviction moratorium due to COVID-19. But advocates note that even if you aren’t listed, you might still have protections.
Texas utility regulators have programs to prevent shutoffs during the pandemic. But some Texans are falling through the cracks.
Although some counties have moratoriums on disconnections, in most of the state customers need to apply for the benefit.

