If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please visit our Help for Texans Page.
Select property waitlists have been CLOSED as of August 18, 2023. Brazoria, Galveston, Harris, and Tarrant County remain CLOSED indefinitely at this time. When wait lists re-open, notice will be posted on this webpage and active Section 811 PRA referral agents will be notified via email. New applications received for Section 811 PRA properties in CLOSED counties will be rejected.
| Barrier Busting Fund | |
|---|---|
| Barrier Busting Fund Policy & Procedure (PDF) | Procedure for Referral Agents, Applicants and Properties seeking Barrier Busting Fund payment |
| Request for Barrier Busting Fund Payment (PDF) | Required form for Referral Agents and Applicants to request Barrier Busting Fund Payment after property-level rejection |
Service Providers
Service Providers play a critical role in the Section 811 Program. There are two main roles that Service Providers play in the Section 811 Program:
- Referral Agents are responsible for conducting or coordinating all pre-tenancy activities, i.e., those activities that take place before a tenant moves into their new home.
- 811 Service Coordinators are responsible for administering services to individuals participating in the program once they have moved in to a Section 811 unit.
Who are Referral Agents in the Section 811 Program?
In the TDHCA Section 811 Program, the term “Referral Agent” refers to individuals who work directly with people with disabilities in need of permanent supportive housing. For each eligible target population, the Referral Agent function is handled by different staff. Currently:
- Residents in nursing facilities: Referrals are handled by the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Service Coordinators contracted with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to assist nursing facility residents relocating to the community. These MCOs often contract with the Relocation Contractors to assist individuals with the relocation process.
- Residents in Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Related Condition (ICF/IIDs): Referrals are handled by the applicable Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority (LIDDA) Service Coordinator Authority (LIDDA) Service Coordinators.
- Persons with serious mental illnesses: Those eligible for Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) – formerly the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) services are referred by their Local Mental Health Authority or Local Behavioral Authority (LMHA/LBHA) or Managed Care Organization (MCO) case managers.
- Youth or young adults aging out of foster care: Referrals are made by the DFPS primary case worker usually in coordination with the DFPS Developmental Disability Specialist.
How Can I Become a Referral Agent?
Applicants to the Section 811 PRA Program must come from Certified Referral Agents. All Referral Agents must be providing services to the members of the Target Population that they refer to the program and be trained by TDHCA and HHSC staff. Contact Section 811 staff for more information: bill.cranor@tdhca.texas.gov
Who are 811 Service Coordinators in the Section 811 Program?
Persons with Disabilities Exiting Nursing Facilities
For persons with disabilities exiting nursing facilities:
- the MCO Service Coordinator will be the 811 Service Coordinator for individuals receiving services through STAR+PLUS HCBS,
- the individual’s LIDDA Service Coordinator will be the 811 Service Coordinator for individuals receiving services through the HCS/TxHmL waivers,
- the Case Manager through the program provider/case management agency (CMA) will be the 811 Service Coordinator for individuals receiving services through DBMD/CLASS Waivers, or
- the STAR Kids MCO Service Coordinator will be the 811 Service Coordinator for individuals receiving MDCP Waiver services.
Persons with Disabilities Exiting ICF/IIDs
For persons with disabilities exiting Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Intellectual Disability or Related Conditions (ICF/IIDs):
- the LIDDA Service Coordinators will fulfill the role of 811 Service Coordinator for individuals utilizing HCS/TxHmL waivers;
- the STAR Kids MCO Service Coordinator will fulfill this role for individuals utilizing the MDCP Waiver; and
- the Case Manager through the program provider/case management agency will fulfill this role for individuals utilizing DBMD/CLASS Waivers.
Persons with Serious Mental Illness
Persons with serious mental illness who receive services through HHSC will be assigned a Case Manager through their Local Mental Health Authority or Local Behavioral Authority (LMHA/LBHA) who will act as the 811 Service Coordinator.
Youth with Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care
Youth or young adults with disabilities exiting foster care at either age 18 or 21 who receive services through DFPS will initially have a CPS Caseworker serving as the primary 811 Service Coordinator.
The CPS Caseworker will coordinate with the CPS Developmental Disability Specialist on the 811 PRA eligibility process close to the youth/young adult’s discharge date from foster care and to begin the process to transfer the young adult to the Local Authority in the area where the young adult resides for those young adults with intellectual or developmental disability (IDD), or to the Local Mental Health Authority/Local Behavioral Authority (LMHA/LBHA) for young adults with a serious mental illness (SMI). Young adults formerly in foster care may volunteer to stay in the DFPS Extended Foster Care program until age 21.
For young adults with physical disabilities, their 811 Service Coordinator will be the Service Coordinator for their Medicaid waiver.
Forms and Materials
| General Administration | |
| Marketing Flyer (PDF) | Information for prospective Referral Agents |
| Section 811 PRA Application Uploading Guidelines (PDF) | Application submission guidelines for Referral Agents |
| Fair Housing | |
| Affirmative Marketing Plan (PDF) | Must be provided to Applicants upon request |
| Fair Housing Poster HUD-928.1 (English) | Must be placed in the office where referrals occur |
| Fair Housing Poster HUD-928.1A (Spanish) | Must be placed in the office where referrals occur |
| Participant Selection Plan (PDF) | Must be provided to Applicants upon request |
| Outside Service Area Referral Form (DOCX) | Referral Agents are only authorized to submit Application Packets to the Section 811 PRA Program that include Property Options Forms that only include properties that are within their agency’s service delivery area unless this form is completed and submitted to TDHCA. |
| Reasonable Accommodation and Reasonable Modification | |
| Reasonable Accommodation Request To Tenant Selection Criteria (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Information on how to request a reasonable accommodation for applicants and Referral Agents |
| How to Make a Reasonable Modification Request (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Information on how to request a reasonable modification for applicants, tenants, and Referral Agents |
| Request for Reasonable Accommodation After Denial for Criminal History (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Example language for a request for reasonable accommodation to a property’s tenant selection criteria after denial for criminal history |
| Request Form (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Optional form used for reasonable accommodation/modification requests for applicants, tenants, and Referral Agents |
| Reasonable Accommodation and Reasonable Modification (Infographic PNG) | A visual guide on reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification |
| Outreach | |
| Marketing the Section 811 Program | |
| Prescreening Checklist (PDF) | Tool to assist the Referral Agent evaluate the potential Applicant’s program eligibility |
| Applicant History (PDF) | Tool to assist the Referral Agent evaluate the potential Applicant’s housing and criminal history |
| Income Limits | The Extremely Low Income (ELI) or 30% Limits for the 811 Program. An Applicant household’s gross (before allowances and deductions) income must be below the limit in the area in which they intend to reside. |
| Tenant Application Materials – Must be submitted via Secure FTP | |
| Application Packet |
|
| Counties with Open Wait Lists (3/6/2024) | |
| Counties with Closed Wait Lists (3/6/2024) |
|
| Eligible Counties with no currently participating properties |
|
| Section 811 Outside Service Area Referral Form | Section 811 Outside Service Area Referral Form |
| Referral Agent Frequently Asked Questions: Applications and Occupancy (PDF) | Frequently Asked Questions document is to support individuals making referrals and supporting participants in the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance (PRA) Program. |
| Verification of Readiness to be Referred to a Property |
|
| Tenant Application Materials (Spanish versions) – Must be submitted via Secure FTP | |
| Application Packet |
Other HUD documents and other languages may be available at HUD’s translated materials (www.hud.gov) or please contact Katherine Cole via email at katherine.cole@tdhca.texas.gov for other TDHCA documents and other languages.
For more information regarding Fair Housing please visit TDHCA’s Fair Housing 101