TEXAS, USA — After losing her job, Dyvonda Price fought back tears just talking about her experience trying to get help with rent.
But since the pandemic, Price has actually faced eviction three times. So, when the Texas Rent Relief program announced $96 million for new applicants, Price said she knew she needed assistance to keep her home.
"I'm not the type to get assistance or anything like that," said Price, "I've always worked my whole life. I went online and clicked on the link and it just kept spinning. And then I hit another one, you know, opened up another browser and it just keeps spinning. And then finally comes up, you click it and then it goes back to spinning again. And then you get a blank page."
Since she spent hours on her laptop trying to complete an application for assistance and had no luck, Price decided to reach out to Texas Rent Relief by phone. But when calling TRR, Price first would get her call dropped and later she ended up getting a recording about calling back later.
The Texas Rent Relief statement says:
"We understand some people are unable to access or start a new application or are experiencing delayed load times. Our team is working to address the issue as quickly as possible. If you are not able to access the application system at this time, we encourage you to check back throughout the day and try again using the ‘Apply Now’ button. The Customer Service Line is experiencing extremely high call volume. We ask for your patience and encourage you to review our Frequently Asked Questions and Tenant Checklist, which may help answer questions about applying. For those who are able to access the application, please make sure to ‘Save’ your progress often and use the Tenant Checklist to ensure you submit a complete application with all required documentation."
Price started her quest to complete an application early in the morning. Shortly after noon, she got a small breakthrough on the Texas Rent Relief website.
But the website ended up stuck in loading mode again. Since the Texas Rent Relief application process closes at 11:59 p.m. March 28, Price is keeping her fingers crossed and hopes up.
"I'm just hoping and praying that it opens up and I'm able to get my application in," said Price, "I'm just back to being a nervous wreck again."
Returning applicants who have not received the maximum allowed 18 months of rental assistance and/or utility bills can apply for additional funding using their existing online user account. Texas Rental Relief will process all applications in the order they are received and prioritize people with evictions. People who need help can apply online at TexasRentRelief.com or call TRR at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368).
The folks at Texas Rent Relief encourage people who are facing eviction to pursue legal assistance, attend their eviction hearings and communicate with their landlords and the courts. Tenants can find more information here or call 855-270-7655 for help learning about options on free or low-cost legal representation.