Department: Housing and Community Development
Department Head/Elected Official: Thao Costis, Executive Director
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Housing and Community Development for approval to allocate $4,000,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for the purpose of providing 2 Homeowner Sustainability Programs: $2,000,000 for a Homeowner Legal Assistance Program, and $2,000,000 for a Homeowner Education and Counseling Program.
end
Background and Discussion:
The goal and purpose of the Homeowner Legal Assistance Program is to contract a legal service provider to provide legal guidance and assistance to low-income households on matters such as, suit of partition, reviewing real estate documents, removing cloud on title, adverse possession, probate, estate planning, and other legal matters related to homeownership.
The goal and purpose of the Homeowner Education & Counseling Program is to contract with HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to provide eligible homebuyers with housing counseling and education to increase awareness of homeownership opportunities including access to downpayment assistance programs (made available through Harris County, City of Houston, and the State of Texas, as well as privately funded programs), closing cost assistance programs, post-purchase counseling, financial management, mortgage default and foreclosure prevention counseling services; and home maintenance education.
Next step following the authorization to allocate the funds will be to develop the request for proposals for both programs.
Expected Impact:
Fiscally, $4,000,000 will be allocated from ARPA SLFRF Affordable Housing for these two programs (at $2,000,000 each).
Alternative Options:
If the funds are not allocated to these programs, the County will have to strategize a new allocation of these ARPA funds and they must be allocated/committed by the end of the year.
Alignment with Goal(s):
_ Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
X Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any): N/A
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Action Taken |
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Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Housing and Community Development |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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2651 - American Rescue Plan 2021 |
$ |
$4,000,000 |
$4,000,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$4,000,000 |
$4,000,000 |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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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 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: April 23, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): N/A
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Amanda Rocha, Director of Strategy & Partnerships
Attachments (if applicable): N/A