WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:04.702 --> 00:00:07.372 John Henneberger: I'm John Henneberger and I'm joined by Ben Martin, 00:00:07.702 --> 00:00:09.922 senior researcher at Texas Housers. 00:00:10.972 --> 00:00:15.232 As Texas' leading affordable housing policy and advocacy organization, 00:00:16.012 --> 00:00:21.022 Texas Housers is now notifying elected officials, the news media and the 00:00:21.022 --> 00:00:28.642 public that our state faces imminent danger of losing up to $103 million 00:00:29.032 --> 00:00:33.682 in federal rent assistance intended for families at risk of eviction. 00:00:35.242 --> 00:00:39.832 Citizens of certain Texas counties and cities should contact their 00:00:39.832 --> 00:00:44.002 elected officials immediately to demand that they take the steps 00:00:44.002 --> 00:00:46.642 necessary to save these funds. 00:00:48.022 --> 00:00:53.152 The media should report on this issue and government officials in these cities 00:00:53.152 --> 00:00:58.972 and counties should take immediate action to see that the funds they are entrusted 00:00:58.972 --> 00:01:05.092 with are protected and available to people to help pay their rent in this pandemic. 00:01:05.990 --> 00:01:11.450 is our estimate of the Texas cities and counties that may be losing funds for 00:01:11.450 --> 00:01:17.150 rent assistance because they're being distributed on a local basis to slowly. 00:01:18.135 --> 00:01:21.535 These estimates are based on the data these government bodies have 00:01:21.535 --> 00:01:26.215 provided us, and these estimates should be verified locally. 00:01:28.868 --> 00:01:31.458 Ben Martin: To the best of our understanding, these are the 00:01:31.458 --> 00:01:36.738 jurisdictions that are at risk of losing funds involuntarily to recapture. 00:01:37.588 --> 00:01:42.638 Hidalgo county stands to lose up to $23 million. 00:01:43.088 --> 00:01:48.008 Dallas county could lose up to $17.7 million. 00:01:48.548 --> 00:01:53.048 Montgomery county could lose up to $10.2 million. 00:01:53.828 --> 00:01:58.268 Cameron county could lose $9.8 million. 00:01:58.688 --> 00:02:04.598 Brazoria county could lose $7.5 million McLennan county could lose $6 million. 00:02:05.228 --> 00:02:08.603 The city of Laredo $6 million. 00:02:09.203 --> 00:02:11.843 Jefferson county could lose $6 million. 00:02:12.443 --> 00:02:15.833 Hayes county could lose $5.5 million. 00:02:16.343 --> 00:02:19.463 The city of Garland could lose $5 million. 00:02:20.153 --> 00:02:23.063 El Paso county could lose $4.4 million. 00:02:23.333 --> 00:02:29.273 Lubbock county could lose $1.2 million and Nueces county could lose $1 million. 00:02:32.688 --> 00:02:38.298 Today we're issuing this warning that these Texas cities and counties appear, 00:02:38.478 --> 00:02:42.498 based on the data that they've provided to us and to the Treasury Department, 00:02:42.945 --> 00:02:48.375 appear to be within 30 days of losing $103 million in emergency rental 00:02:48.375 --> 00:02:51.780 assistance through involuntary recapture. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:57.570 The Treasury guidelines say that if these funds are not spent by March 31st, 00:02:57.930 --> 00:03:02.670 Treasury will take the money from these jurisdictions and give the funds to 00:03:02.670 --> 00:03:07.750 other jurisdictions that have shown the capacity to spend the rental assistance. 00:03:08.695 --> 00:03:12.565 the places that get these unspent reallocated, Texas 00:03:12.565 --> 00:03:15.145 funds may include other states. 00:03:15.145 --> 00:03:19.345 At that point, we will have no control whether the funds stay in Texas or not. 00:03:20.275 --> 00:03:25.525 Instead of waiting until the Treasury involuntarily recaptures, those 00:03:25.525 --> 00:03:29.695 funds, these cities and counties should elect to voluntarily transfer 00:03:29.695 --> 00:03:34.435 any money that they will not spend by the end of March to TDHCA to keep 00:03:34.435 --> 00:03:36.205 these funds in the state of Texas. 00:03:38.590 --> 00:03:42.490 John Henneberger: There can be no excuse to losing this money due 00:03:42.490 --> 00:03:45.250 to inaction by local governments. 00:03:46.510 --> 00:03:51.820 Texas housers calls on the local news media to investigate what is happening 00:03:51.820 --> 00:03:56.430 in these communities and inform the citizens if they're elected officials 00:03:56.490 --> 00:04:01.830 are in danger, or if they lose these funds because their government has 00:04:01.830 --> 00:04:06.780 failed to act responsibly in the administration of these federal funds. 00:04:07.920 --> 00:04:12.930 Texas housers will be working hard to shine a light on and hold accountable 00:04:13.200 --> 00:04:20.670 any city or county that involuntarily loses money intended to help Texans to 00:04:20.670 --> 00:04:23.280 pay their rent during this pandemic.