Department: Housing and Community Development
Department Head/Elected Official: Thao Costis, Executive Director
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Grant
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 submit an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for grant funds in the amount of $2,000,000, with no required match, for the Eviction Defense Program.
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Background and Discussion:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s, Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP) <https://www.huduser.gov/portal/eviction-protection-grant.html>, supports experienced legal service providers in providing no cost legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction. This program (EPGP) was designed to increase housing stability for low-income tenants through: Prevention: Helping tenants avert eviction and prevent eviction filings. Justice: Helping tenants exercise and enforce their housing and civil rights and ensure the legal process during eviction is fair Diversion: Increasing tenant access to, and participation in, non-adversarial resolutions outside of the court system Relief: Helping tenants avoid the harmful consequences of eviction and gain access to stabilizing resources throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds to supplement the work of local social service organizations within the United States, both private and governmental, to help people in need of legal assistance.
Harris County Housing and Community Development (HCD) currently administers an eviction prevention program, Eviction Defense Program. The program was established so that Harris County resident 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. The goal of the Eviction Defense Program is to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability, increase knowledge about tenants’ rights and ensue legal representation of tenants in Justice Courts where there are high-volume eviction cases.
Expected Impact:
On June 12, 2024, HUD released the Eviction Protection Grant Program NOFA with an application deadline of August 20, 2024. HCD wishes to apply for EPGP grant funds in the amount of $2,000,000 to support the Eviction Defense Program. The grant term for the funding would begin on November 18, 2024, and end November 17, 2026.
Alternative Options:
No other option.
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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Precinct(s): Countywide
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Total Funding Request |
$2,000,000 |
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$2,000,000 |
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Anticipated Court Date: August 6, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): November 18, 2024
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Thao Costis, Executive Director; Housing Community Development
Attachments (if applicable): Court order, executive summary, notice of funding