CARES Act Funding

Emergency Housing Assistance Program

Records Building - 500 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75202

The Emergency Housing Assistance Program - 2021 (EHAP - 2021) is to provide: Short-term rental, mortgage, and utility assistance to low income Dallas County residents living outside of the City of Dallas economically affected (loss/reduction of income) by the spread of COVID-19.

1. Applications will be processed through a lottery system
2. DCHHS is now accepting pre-screening applications online or by phone at 214-819-1968, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (CT)
3. The pre-screening application form is available in English and Spanish
4. Length of assistance will not exceed six (6) months - including number of months assisted in CY2020
5. Housing assistance up to $1,500/month
6. Assistance subject to funding availability.

Pre-Screening Application

GENERAL FRAMEWORK
Dallas County Emergency Housing Assistance Program

PURPOSE:  The program is designed to rapidly provide short-term housing assistance to those individuals and households that are at-risk of becoming homeless because of the current pandemic.

EMPHASIS/TARGET POPULATION:  Individuals/households who earning no more than 120% of the Dallas-area median income. Residents who have already received EHAP through Dallas County may receive additional assistance as long the assistance does not overlap what has already been received.

JUSTIFICATION:  The Dallas area already had a higher homelessness rate than desired and a shortage of affordable housing prior to the pandemic.  With the current unemployment rate having suddenly risen to a figure that is perhaps as high as 15% and a disproportionate amount of the lost jobs having been those previously held by low/moderate income people, the risk of increased homelessness is inordinately high. Continuation of this program is critical as more families are experiencing loss of income and face possible homelessness.

INITIAL ALLOCATION:  $5 million

ASSISTANCE TO BE PROVIDED:  A maximum amount of $1, 500 per month for up to six (6) months will be provided under this program for housing expenses such as rent, mortgage payments, and utilities.  Funds can be used to pay all of or any part of these expenses.  Funds will be issued in the form of a grant and will be paid directly to the landlord or mortgagee on behalf of the applicant.   

INITIAL EXPECTATIONS:  The program will continue to run until the end of CY2021 or until funds have been expended.

APPLICATION PROCESS:  Applications will be taken on-line and via phone.  Completed applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION:  Program will be administered by Dallas County Health and Human Services. HHS will continue to serve in this capacity until the end of the year or until funding runs out, whichever comes first.            

ELIGIBILITY AREA:  For eligible individuals and households who principally reside within Dallas County, excluding the City of Dallas.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Housing units must meet any applicable federal housing quality standards and lead-based paint regulations. County will provide direction on how to ensure that such standards and regulations will be met and will arrange for any on-site inspections. Housing units must also possess a rent that does not exceed the County’s reasonable rent standard.
• Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19.
• Applicants must provide possess household incomes of 80% or less of the Dallas-area median income. Household income is determined as either the household’s total income for calendar year 2020 or the household’s monthly income at the time of application. For household incomes determined using the latter method, income eligibility must be re-determined every 3 months.
• Eligible households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance and households with income at or below 50 percent of the area median are to be prioritized for assistance.
• Applicants cannot already be receiving housing assistance from another entity or agency for the same time period, occupying housing owned by an immediate family member, utilizing a housing choice/project based voucher, or living in public housing. There can be no overlap in service. Any assistance already received before January 2021 from EHAP will be subtracted from the six (6) months of eligible assistance.
• Landlords who accept funds for applicants may not evict the applicant for three (3) months after payment has been received, and may be liable for any funds received by Dallas County if an applicant is evicted for non-payment.
• Meeting this criteria does not obligate the County to provide assistance to any applicant.

AREA MEDIAN INCOME:

METRICS:  Health and Human Services will provide assistance to eligible recipients within two weeks of a completed application.

REPORTING:  HHS will provide Weekly reports to Dallas County including total applications, total awards, recipient addresses, and fund balance remaining.

SPECIAL PROVISIONS:  Because of the program’s mission to rapidly provide assistance, the program will have the following special provisions:

• The County Administrator will have the authority to revise any of the program’s policies, rules, and terms provided he informs the Commissioners Court within twenty-four hours of the proposed change. He will also have the authority to approve additional incremental funding to third-party partners who demonstrate that current funding has been committed to qualified households. He does not, however, have the authority to unilaterally provide additional funding to the program.  Should the County Administrator revise a component of this program and sufficiently informs the Court, the Court still retains the right to formally rescind, reverse, alter, or adopt the revision.

For more information on the EHAP program, please visit www.dallascounty.org/ehap-2021 or contact us at EHAP@dallascounty.org.