The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced it will re-open the Texas Rent Relief application portal from March 14-28 in order to accept new applications for a remaining $96 million in rent relief funds. The rent relief portal will accept new applications starting at 8 a.m. March 14 through 11:59 p.m. March 28 to help eligible households with rent and utility payments.

First-time rent relief applicants may be eligible for up to 18 months of rent and utility bill assistance, either with past due payments or a combination of past due and up to three months of current and future payments made on their behalf. Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of assistance for rent and/or utility bills can submit an Additional Funding Request via their existing online user account. Applications will be processed in the order received, prioritizing those facing evictions.

Eligible households can apply for assistance online at TexasRentRelief.com or over the phone by calling the rent relief call center at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368).

“To date, Texas Rent Relief has served more than 316,000 households affected by the pandemic. We continue to see a strong need for assistance, and eviction filings statewide have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. We’re thankful for the opportunity to re-open the application portal for two weeks to help more Texas tenants and landlords,” Bobby Wilkinson, department executive director, said. “Funding is limited, so anyone who needs help paying their rent and utility bills should review the program requirements now, gather all the necessary paperwork ahead of time, and be ready to apply on March 14.”

After submitting, applicants should watch for communication from the program if additional information is needed for application. Failure to respond will delay application review and timeline for approved payments.

Those facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to their eviction hearing, and stay in communication with their landlord and the court. They can visit the website texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral or call 855-270-7655 for help understanding their options and to seek free or low-cost legal assistance.

Since the program launched in February 2021, it has provided over $2 billion in emergency funds for rent and utility relief, served 250 Texas counties and prevented evictions for over 21,000 households. For more information, visit the website TexasRentRelief.com.