Primary Department: Probate Courts
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Judge Jason Cox
Managing Department: Probate Courts
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Judge Jason Cox
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Final Investment Memo
Project Name: Probate Court 3 Mental Health Renovation
Project ID (if applicable): TBD
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: Choose an item.N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Incremental Authorization Requested: $845,998
Total Estimated Project Cost: $845,998
Request Summary:
title
Request by Probate Court No. 3 for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Probate Court 3 Mental Health Renovation project, for an amount of $845,998, and request for approval of commercial paper funding in the amount of $850,000.
end
Project Description:
This project is for the renovation of the Probate Court 3 Mental Health Court facility. Despite significant growth and increased complexity in caseloads, the current space has not been updated since 1983. The proposed renovation will modernize the facility to meet current operational, security, and privacy standards, ensuring the program can continue to serve the community effectively and safely. This project involves a comprehensive modernization of the Mental Health Court (Probate Court 3), addressing a facility that has remained largely unchanged since 1983. The current infrastructure is no longer sufficient to support the safety, privacy, and staffing requirements of a modern judicial environment. By reconfiguring the floor plan, the renovation will optimize usable square footage to accommodate existing personnel while providing the necessary scalability for future growth. The resulting workspace will feature improved traffic flow, enhanced security protocols, and dedicated private areas for confidential case processing, ensuring the court can provide efficient, long-term service to the community.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
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Project Scope Breakdown |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
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Design |
$62,660 |
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Renovation Construction |
$575,535 |
FY27 Q1 |
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Construction Administration Costs |
$6,920 |
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Total Cost of Design & Construction |
$645,115 |
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Furniture |
$104,438 |
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Contingency (10% of design & construction) |
$64,511 |
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Other Related Construction Fees |
$31,934 |
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Total Project Cost |
$845,998 |
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Justification & Alternatives:
The proposed renovation is critical to support the operational needs of the Mental Health Court, which has been operating in a facility that has not been updated since 1983. While the program has grown significantly in scope and complexity, the physical space has remained largely unchanged. The existing layout, infrastructure, and security features were not designed to accommodate the specialized functions and sensitive nature of Mental Health Court operations.
Mental Health Court serves individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions who require structured supervision, treatment coordination, and frequent in-person interactions with court staff, case managers, attorneys, probation officers, treatment providers, and family members. The current space does not provide adequate private offices or confidential meeting areas necessary to protect sensitive health information and comply with privacy standards. Staff are often required to conduct case discussions in areas that lack sound separation, creating confidentiality concerns and limiting effective communication.
Additionally, the office layout contributes to congestion and inefficiencies in daily operations. The current facility does not allow for proper separation between public and security for staff.
The Mental Health Court program has expanded over time, and projections indicate continued growth as awareness and diversion initiatives increase. However, the current configuration limits the ability to add staff, including case managers, coordinators, and support personnel needed to manage caseloads effectively. Without renovation, the space will continue to constrain program capacity and hinder service delivery.
Renovating the Mental Health Court office will modernize the facility to better reflect the program’s mission of rehabilitation, supervision, and community safety. The project will provide:
• Reconfigured space to allow for staff expansion and improved workflow
• Enhanced security features to protect staff and participants
• Updated infrastructure to support modern technology and compliance standards
This investment is essential to ensure the Mental Health Court can continue to serve a growing population effectively, safely, and with the level of professionalism and care that participants and the community deserve.
Alternatives Considered
The following alternatives were evaluated:
No Action: Continuing operations in the current space would not address overcrowding, confidentiality concerns, outdated infrastructure, or safety limitations.
Minor Repairs/Cosmetic Updates: Limited improvements would not resolve functional layout issues, lack of private meeting space, security deficiencies, or aging building systems. This option would provide only temporary benefit.
Relocation to Leased Space: While relocation could offer improved layout opportunities, it would result in higher long-term costs, operational disruption, and potential separation from key justice partners.
Preferred Alternative: Renovation of the existing facility is the most cost-effective and practical solution. It allows modernization of infrastructure, improved safety and security, expanded staff capacity, and reconfiguration of space to better support Mental Health Court operations.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
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Fund Code |
Description |
Estimated Cost |
Funding Method (Existing or Future Budget Request Required) |
Estimated Date of Needs |
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$- |
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Total |
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$- |
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County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: E: Increase efficiency across the legal system.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Previous Court Action:
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Address: 2800 S MacGregor Way Houston, TX 77021
Precinct(s): Precinct 1
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Non-Labor |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Commercial Paper |
$ |
$850,000 |
$850,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$850,000 |
$850,000 |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$850,000 |
$850,000 |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
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- |
Anticipated Court Date: 7/9/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Sandra Staine, Senior Assistant County Attorney, 6/2/26
Department Approval by: Isaura Garcia-Assistant Court Administrator-Mental Health Division 6/25/2026
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuiness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 6/23/2026
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Probate Courts
Project PeopleSoft ID: TBD
CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series D-2 can be used for (1) construction of public works, (2) the purchase of automobiles, equipment and machinery, including computers, materials and supplies for the operation of the County’s precincts and departments (3) Professional services, including services provided by engineers, architects, attorneys, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal agents, in connection with the contractual obligations described in (1) and (2).
Commercial Paper is being requested for the Probate Court 3 Mental Health Renovation project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
Note: Commercial Paper is issued in increments of $5,000 and the excess is not available to be spent by the department.
OMB Financial Management contact: Fahad Gulzar, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget