February 23, 2021
Texas Rent Relief Program Launched Bringing Rent Relief to Many East Texas Counties Not Previously Served by a Rental Assistance Program
Prior to last week, many East Texans did not have access to any form of rental assistance and are commonly faced with the choice of a roof over their heads or food for their families. According to the American Community Survey data for 2014-2018, 33,692 people live in poverty in Anderson, Harrison, Panola, Upshur, and Van Zandt counties. These counties at present have had had no access to a rental assistance program.
Texas Rent Relief
The Texas Rent Relief Program was launched by TDHCA on February 15th to solve this problem and bring relief to millions across the United States.
The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities).
Both landlords and tenants can use TexasRentRelief.com
to create an account and submit their applications. The Texas Rent Relief Program can help renters with the following costs starting as far back as March 13, 2020 (this means you could potentially request assistance for up to 11 months of past-due bills):
· Past due, current, and up to 3 months of expected rent costs
· Past due, current, or up to 3 months of expected utility and home energy expenses
· After the initial three months of forward assistance, you can apply for three additional months of assistance if funds are still available
What is needed from you? We need this program to be shared as much as possible so those in need can hear about it and access it. Please share this information on social media and post fliers in any offices with access by the public. You can download a flier here at the link below. Thank you for your help in spreading the word!
Find out more at https://texasrentrelief.com. Questions? Access the Call Center at 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833-989-7368) Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Help is available in multiple languages.
ETCOG/ETEDD and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grant writing workshop in Tyler, TX, August 27-28, 2026. This training is for grant seekers from all disciplines. Attend this class to learn how to write winning government grant proposals and find the available grant funding. Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county, state agencies, K-12, colleges & universities and nonprofits are encouraged to attend. Registration is $525 and includes everything you need: Grant Writing USA Workbook Two days of expert instruction Lifetime access to Grant Writing USA Alumni Resource Center Grant Writing USA is offering ETCOG members a $50 discount. Please use the discount code "less50" at the time of registration. When: August 27 - 28 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Where: 1421 S Beckham Ave, Tyler, TX 75701 For event details visit: https://grantstraining.com/ty0826
ETCOG will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. during its Executive Committee meeting at 3800 Stone Road, Kilgore, Texas. The purpose of the hearing is to gather public input on the Texas Community Development Block Grant ( TxCDBG ) Program Regional Project Priority Types for the East Texas region. As part of the standard TxCDBG process, each Council of Governments region in Texas is encouraged to identify the project types that best reflect regional needs and priorities. During the hearing, ETCOG’s Executive Committee will receive comments from local officials, stakeholders, and members of the public regarding which eligible project categories should be prioritized for East Texas. These priorities may include needs such as water and sewer infrastructure, street improvements, housing, and other eligible community development activities. Regional project priority types play an important role in the TxCDBG application process. The priorities adopted by ETCOG will be submitted to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), which administers the TxCDBG program, for use in the upcoming funding cycle. Regional priorities account for a portion of the scoring used to evaluate grant applications. ETCOG encourages anyone with an interest in community development needs across East Texas to attend the hearing and provide input during the public comment period.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development launched a new Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool, which has been integrated into Rural Development’s Eligibility site. This site now directs users to an eligibility mapping tool for the following programs: Community Facilities Electric OneRD Guarantee Rural Business and Cooperative Services Water and Environmental Programs The Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool enables user flexibility in determining programmatic eligibility based on their location across multiple programs simultaneously. USDA Income and Property Eligibility Site: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do USDA Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool (direct link): https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c2f6c9581bb4f06a4ab68df8f34b0be This consolidated view of eligibility represents a significant modernization in how Rural Development assesses and communicates program eligibility. By centralizing eligibility checks, utilizing current geospatial technology and adhering to modern data governance standards, the tool significantly reduces staff workload and improves engagement with rural communities. This initiative supports Rural Development’s mission to provide efficient, transparent and accessible services while ensuring compliance with federal requirements and maintaining consistency with existing eligibility data sources.
