Dallas Morning News: Newest rental relief program is an effort to reach more of the most vulnerable

Money from $4 million program will be allocated by council district so more goes to families in the most need

The City of Dallas launched another effort Monday to help families economically stressed after the coronavirus shutdown pay rent.

This time, the Dallas Housing Authority is leading the $4 million program after city council members raised concerns earlier this summer that the federal aid was not reaching the most vulnerable.

The goal is to split the $4 million in federal money among the city’s 14 council districts based on the distribution of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods and populations. The more highly impacted and populated the council district, the more money will be earmarked for the people who live there.

The housing authority was not able to provide projections of how much each district was forecast to receive. The authority is expected to brief city council on Sept. 2 with more details on the program’s design and estimated aid allocation.

To determine the geographic vulnerability of each Dallas neighborhood, the authority weighed different factors such as income levels, race and ethnicity, housing types and health insurance rates.

“We’re about to hit a crisis,” said Myriam Igoufe, the housing authority’s vice president of policy development and research, referencing what many housing advocates and landlords worry will be an avalanche of evictions as moratoriums put in place this spring have expired.

The City of Dallas does not have a moratorium. However, it requires landlords to provide 60 days’ notice to tenants, and that allows them time to possibly come up with missed rent.

The housing authority’s program is one of several efforts by the city to get aid to some of the 60% of residents who rent in Dallas, according to census data. Altogether, the city has allocated about $23 million in rental and mortgage assistance.

Early data released in June found that 35% of applications came from council districts that sit below Interstate 30, which has higher poverty rates and higher concentrations of minority residents than neighborhoods north of the interstate.

According to city data, more than 13,000 people have applied for help and about $1.54 million has been awarded among all its rental and mortgage assistance programs. However, not all of the city’s partners have reported their work.

As for the new program, Dallas residents may qualify for up to $3,000 in unpaid rent or $1,500 for two months. Residents will be selected by a rolling lottery until the fund is depleted.

The ongoing lottery should help level the playing field among those who do not have reliable access to the internet. Other programs that are first-come, first-served give a disproportionate advantage to families with a computer and internet connection, she said.

Some housing advocates have broadly criticized rental assistance programs as moving too slowly to get help to those in need.

Igoufe said while the approach is more cautious, she believes it will have a more equitable effect in a city known for its deep inequities.

“This is risky. I know it,” she said. “Some people aren’t going to like this approach. But this is what solving inequality looks like.”

Housing authority officials will monitor the lottery on a regular basis. If a district is not generating enough applications, the agency will work with a community-based organization to increase requests. And because all the money must be spent by the end of the year, the agency will redistribute money later, based on need, Igoufe said.

Among the requirements: Residents must live in the city of Dallas, be the primary leaseholder and have a household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income — or $68,950 for a family of four.

Landlords must also be willing to accept terms and payment through this program. Dallas residents who currently receive housing assistance from any government agency or have previously received federal rental or mortgage assistance due to the pandemic are ineligible.

To apply, go to dallascaresactrent.org. Other rental assistance programs run by the city of Dallas can be found here.

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