Evictions are surging through Texas now that the moratorium has been lifted. As reported by CBS DFW, residents in Dallas County who are behind on rent payments can get assistance.
According to the report, Dallas County has $40 million in emergency rent relief. The relief is designed for Dallas County residents who live outside the City of Dallas. This region will still cover over 1 million people.
The county says it can help prevent evictions due to lack of funds even at the last minute, CBS DFW reports.
One of Dallas County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program beneficiaries is Kylah Johnson, owner of Luby’s cafeteria in DeSoto. Her business had shut down due to the pandemic, and she and her kids were left with no income. As Johnson could not afford rent, she was facing eviction until she accessed the emergency relief.
According to CBS DFW, Dallas County Health and Human Services said that a new publicity campaign about the program will be launched with hopes that it will curtail evictions.
Christian Grisales with Dallas County Health and Human Services said that not enough people are aware of the program.
Per the CBS DFW report, there has been a change to the program’s selection process. Recipients will now be selected based on a first-come-first-served basis. This is different from the lottery system used before.
According to the report, the county also allows landlords to apply on behalf of their tenants.
If you need assistance with your rent, you can apply for help here.