Despite CDC eviction ban, couple with 7 children forced to move a day before school starts
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Brandi Rodriguez should be spending the day getting her seven kids ready to start school on Tuesday. Instead, she's focused on the piece of paper that arrived a couple weeks ago.
"It's telling me I owe $4,500, and I have to be out," Rodriguez said.
She received an eviction notice. So, instead of buying school supplies, she'll be looking for a place to put her furniture and family.
"We have a storage, and we're packing and moving things to there," Rodriguez explained. "After that, I have no answers."
Last week, the CDC released a new eviction ban to help families impacted by the pandemic. In order to qualify, you must make below $100,000, or $200,000 as a couple, have already looked for help, and if evicted, would become homeless.
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The ban allows families to live in their homes through the end of the year. However, renters would still be responsible for paying rent and fees that come with it, which is why Rodriguez says she's leaving.
"The longer I stay here, the more debt I'm going to be in," Rodriguez said. "I can't do that to the property owner, and I can't do that to my family either."
In order to get protection from the CDC eviction ban, renters must submit a declaration to their landlord.
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Right now, there is help available for renters. Houston and Harris County have a $60 million rental assistance program.
In order to participate, landlords must apply as well. However, on Friday, Mayor Sylvester Turner said, "Even if your apartment complex, or landlord may not have signed up, if you're in need of rental assistance, I want you to still apply."
Renters apply through the BakerRipley website. Rodriguez said she wants to, but the website won't work. ABC13 reached out to the mayor's office about the glitches on the site.
A spokesperson from the mayor's office said they're aware of the errors and are also working with the agency to allow people to apply, even if their landlord hasn't.
They said they're encouraging people to apply because Turner is working to secure funding in order to cover the people whose landlords won't participate.
If you are interested in helping the Rodriguez family, a GoFundMe account has been set up.
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