Staff Report
The Texas Supreme Court issued its 35th Emergency Order which will begin on Monday, Feb. 15, extending the Eviction Diversion Program (TEDP) statewide.
The program is designed to slow down COVID-related evictions and assist vulnerable tenants, while also providing an alternative to evictions for landlords. It’s a voluntary program that permits eligible landlords and tenants resolve issues in an eviction case.
Eligible landlords or tenants can receive funding for rental assistance and eviction diversion that can cover up to 12 months of past due rent and utilities, from March 13, 2020 to present, and up to three months of future rent.
- Landlords must agree to waive late payment fees, waive their previous claims for both non-payment rent or others and direct-deposit funding
- Tenants must meet income eligibility requirements at or below 80% of Area Median Income and be financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
If both parties are willing to participate, the court will place the case on a 60-day hold and make all documents related to the case confidential and unavailable to the public. Parties are directed to visit texasrentrelief.com or call 833-9TX-RENT to apply.
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) will determine eligibility for this program. There will only be a certain amount of allotted funds that will eventually run out.
For more information, please visit https://www.tjctc.org/coronavirus or https://www.txcourts.gov/programs-services/eviction-diversion-program/.
