This Houston-based non-profit organization offers rental assistance

HOUSTON. The rental allowance application portal opened on Tuesday and was due to close on March 28, but closed just two days after opening due to an influx of applications.

The state has provided $96 million to help qualified tenants who are past due on rent or utilities but are gone in just 48 hours.

“We expected this to happen,” said Brian Carr, chief promotion officer for Northwest Assistance Ministries.

NAM is a non-profit organization that also helps with rent reduction.

“We can only physically serve 100 to 150 people a month,” Carr said. “We have three to four times more than even today.”

Carr said the physical signs of the pandemic may fade, but its impact remains.

“When that moratorium was lifted, the evictions brought in a whole new wave of clients,” he said.

On top of that, with ongoing inflation.

Carr said NAM runs random draws every month to help people with rent and utilities.

“This is the only honest way to solve this problem,” he said.

Those who need help can turn to several agencies for help, Carr said. He said the state would likely be able to help with up to five months of back rent, compared to his organization, which is only allowed to deliver for three months.

“Sometimes you may need to pull together help from other organizations,” he said.

Carr also said those who are in arrears with their rent should seek help before the eviction notice.

For help through NAM, click here. You can also find more help here or call 2-1-1 for information about organizations in your area that help with rent and utilities.

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