SAN ANTONIO — People facing eviction are getting some extra time to get their rent together.
A federal eviction moratorium is set to expire this weekend, but people helping those with their rent still encourage people to get help if they need it.
“Housing instability is one of the worst things somebody can be facing. It affects everything from work life to family life, school life,” said Lizbeth Parra, who works with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.
She has helped several families facing eviction here in San Antonio.
Although the CDC’s eviction moratorium expires July 31, state and local programs are still available. Last week, the Texas Supreme Court extended the deadline for the state’s eviction diversion program to Oct. 1.
The program allows courts to delay eviction for 60 days and can offer up to 15 months of rental and utility assistance if a tenant and landlord agree in court to get assistance.
That program has distributed more than $500 million in rental and utility assistance to 80,000 households across the state.
The city’s emergency housing assistance program has also become a resource for many people.
“We are seeing a slight increase in the number of applications,” said Edward Gonzales, assistant director for the Neighborhood Housing Services Department for the City of San Antonio.
Their program alone has helped over 42,000 households to the tune of $126.1 million, with additional funds available. Gonzales says the funding, coming from federal and local resources, has grown since the program started in April last year.
“Since April of 2020, we’ve been able to make a significant impact on those eviction filings but we are keeping our eye on them,” he said.
Parra encourages people to take advantage of the different programs and tell their landlord help is on the way before it’s too late.
“It might help in delaying the eviction process from being started, as well as avoiding it, which would be a win-win,” Parra said.
Information on the Texas Eviction Diversion Program can be found here. You can find out if you’re eligible for the city’s housing assistance program on their website.