Department: Purchasing
Department Head/Elected Official: Paige McInnis
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Amendment
Project ID (if applicable): 220395
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Neighborhood Defender Service, Inc.
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): 0%
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: 0% - Non-Divisible
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Office of the Purchasing Agent that the County Judge execute an amendment to an agreement with Neighborhood Defender Service, Inc. to decrease funds in the amount of $600,000 to update the budget contained in the Best and Final Offer (Exhibit B) and Federal Award Identification Table (Exhibit E) for legal aid and eviction services for the Housing and Community Development Department for the extended period of January 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025 (220395), Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: 0% - Non-Divisible.
end
Background and Discussion:
In 2021, Harris County established the Housing Legal Services Initiative (“HLSI” or “the Initiative”), in response
to an anticipated increase in number of evictions, especially for non-payment of rent due to household
financial losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lift of the National Center for Disease and Control
(CDC) eviction moratorium, and to maximize the impact of the County’s COVID-19 rental assistance program.
Harris County seeks to maximize the impact of its COVID-19 rental assistance funding by investing in eviction
defense legal services for low-income residents. Harris County has had an increased number of evictions,
especially for non-payment of rent due to household financial losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Housing instability has lasting negative health and financial impacts on the families losing their homes as well
as their communities. During the public health crisis and aftermath, the COVID-19 Housing and Legal Services
Initiative (the “Initiative”) will continue to support a network of housing legal service providers to meet
increased demand through funding for attorneys, paralegals, intake staff, interpretation, community outreach,
and programmatic costs associated with these services as well as those costs necessary to ensure the
provision of this legal assistance in a safe manner in light of the public health and economic crisis.
The HLSI makes short-term, non-cash, in-kind emergency disaster relief in the form of consulting, referral,
legal, and other related legal services directed to cure legal needs due to COVID-19 for qualifying applicants in
Harris County, Texas. This program will further the objectives of the County, benefit the County and its
residents, and serve the broader purpose of protecting the health, safety, and economic welfare of Harris County, Teas residents.
Expected Impact:
This will impact the Legal Aid and Eviction Services for Harris County residents facing
eviction and seeking legal advice can meet with an attorney or legal representative at the court where the
tenant’s eviction case is held justice court or county court at law.
Alternative Options:
None
Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
3/14/2023 |
429 |
Contract - Award Approved |
|
12/19/2023 |
21 |
First Amendment Approved |
|
8/6/2024 |
16 |
Second Amendment Approved |
Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
Legal Aid and Eviction Services (ARPA Funded) |
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 11/12/2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): N/A
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Toi Babineaux, Director, Community Resilience Programs Housing and Community Development; Matthew McGarrity, Sourcing Manager, Purchasing.
Attachments (if applicable): Letter, Agreement