The latest housing news from The Texas Tribune.
Austin joins at least 28 U.S. cities, like Los Angeles, Chicago and Pittsburgh, that have tried out some form of “guaranteed income” — financial assistance targeted at needy households. Full Story
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Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin all ranked among the top 10 cities for new eviction filings in early April, among the 31 cities tracked by Eviction Lab. Full Story
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It’s unclear whether landlords face any penalties from state agencies for improperly evicting tenants while receiving rent relief dollars intended to help those tenants stay housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Story
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Twenty-five states, including California and New York, preceded Texas in getting federally backed programs up and running to help homeowners suffering financial hardship because of COVID-19. Full Story
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Renters are seeing their housing costs jump as population increases, strict zoning regulations and rising home sales push up rent prices. Full Story
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Texas’ housing crunch has spread outside of the state’s major metropolitan areas and into more rural parts of Texas. Smaller cities and towns saw steep increases in home prices as COVID-19 spread. Full Story
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Evictions in major Texas cities have reached levels not seen since the pandemic began. But tenant protections and financial assistance for struggling renters are beginning to fade. Full Story
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Housing advocates worry some Texans won’t get the help they need as the state enters the cold winter months. Full Story
![[Neighborhood scenes - Justice Court Pct. 5 Place 1 under Honorable Russ Ridgway] Clarewood Gardens Apartments of the Chimney Rock neighborhood in southwest Houston. Aug. 21, 2020.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/cqlcz8vc9Ox_TpFvfCFmEvEKTK0=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0e5bdc9b3997bbcc3ea29d12b1bf43b3/Houston%20Evictions%20PYH%20TT%2010.jpg)
The state’s $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more than 165,000 Texans. But people have “slipped through the cracks,” advocates say. Full Story
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¿Busca asistencia para pagar su renta? Esto es lo que sucede cuando se intenta acceder a los fondos de ayuda distribuidos entre ciudades y condados de Texas. Full Story
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There’s $1 billion in rental assistance available to struggling Texas tenants. But for many renters, getting the help they need depends on where they live. Full Story
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In the first phase of funding from the federal government for emergency rental assistance, Texas received about $2 billion. Now the state has to get those funds in the hands of Texans. Full Story
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The extension comes as the federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31. Full Story
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The agency cited the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant as reason to keep the anti-eviction measure in place. Full Story
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According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications for rental assistance, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. And only 250 of payments have been sent. Full Story
Although the CDC renewed its order halting evictions until the end of June, the Texas Supreme Court let state guidelines expire. Housing advocates believe more landlords will start turning out tenants. Full Story
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Texans of color, disproportionately devastated by death and unemployment during the last year, tend to live in neighborhoods with older homes, more vulnerable pipes and fewer food options. That's made it harder to withstand the cold temperatures and power outages. Full Story
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Advocates and social workers say there’s enough capacity at warming centers and shelters to ensure no one will be turned away. Full Story
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Despite changes to the regular count of people experiencing homelessness, support organizations are hoping they’ll still be able to capture a clear picture of who is unhoused in Texas as the pandemic continues. Full Story
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The statewide program will start on Feb. 15 and will be able to help tenants with past and future rent. Full Story
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