Primary Department: Housing and Community Development
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Thao Costis
Secondary Department: County Administration
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Jesse Dickerman
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Award
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Housing and Community Development that the County Judge execute an agreement with Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center for the purpose of representing indigent defendants facing imminent eviction proceedings within Harris County, for a sum not to exceed $1,000,000 in FLEX Funds.
end
Background and Discussion:
In June, Commissioners Court approved the Office of County Administration to close out the Community Prosperity Program and to reallocate remaining funds to Rental Assistance, Homelessness, and Food & Nutrition programs. Housing & Community Development staff have since coordinated with partners to design appropriate usage of the $16,000,000 allocated to Rental Assistance and Homeless Services. At the end of July, the Steering Committee approved usage of allocated funds for a number of homeless and homeless prevention activities, and among those are eviction defense legal services.
HCD requests approval of an agreement between Harris County and Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center for the purpose of representing indigent defendants facing imminent eviction proceedings within Harris County, for a sum not to exceed $1,000,000, effective October 1, 2025 for one year, through monthly flat fees for performing the legal services required by the agreement. During the 12-month term, the contractor will represent a minimum of 1,000 tenant households in eviction hearings in Harris County Justice Courts.
The Commissioners Court of Harris County finds that legal services are professional services and are therefore exempt from competitive procurement pursuant to §262.024 of the Texas Local Government Code; and that defense of indigent defendants facing imminent eviction, as anticipated in this agreement, serves a public purpose pursuant to §81.027 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Expected Impact:
$1M, FLEX Funds, part of the existing reallocation requested in a separate item.
Alternative Options:
Without approval of this program’s contract, Harris County would suffer from increased housing instability and residents at risk of homelessness for the coming years.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 6. Help residents achieve housing stability.
County Strategic Plan Objective: V: Reduce eviction and foreclosure rates among residents.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan: These investments contribute to multiple objectives under Goal #6, as this support those currently challenged by affordability, those already homeless and needing stability and housing support, and those imminently facing eviction.
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
6/12/2025 |
13 |
Approval to close out the Community Prosperity Program (CPP), including all active contracts, and reallocate remaining funds to
Rental Assistance, Homelessness, and Food & Nutrition programs. |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
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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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Other |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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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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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grants – Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget:
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request:
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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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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- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
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- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
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Anticipated Court Date: 9/18/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 9/18/2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Amanda Rocha, Director, Policy & Partnerships, Housing & Community Development
Attachments (if applicable): Agreement and Court Order