Department: County Administration
Department Head/Elected Official: David Berry, County Administrator
Regular or Supplemental RCA:
? Regular RCA
? Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Award
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): BakerRipley
MWDBE Participation (if applicable): N/A
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Office of County Administration for approval of a contract with BakerRipley in the amount of $500,000, funded via American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, to provide outreach and tax preparation assistance to low-income families to expand access to the Child Tax Credit.
end
Background and Discussion:
ARPA temporarily increased the Child Tax Credit (CTC), providing a credit of up to $3,600 per child under age six and $3,000 per child age six to 17. The CTC is refundable for all families including those whose income is below the threshold required to file tax returns. In Harris County, 21.7% of children live in poverty, and 9.4% live in "deep poverty" with a family income below half of the poverty line. According to the IRS, the CTC has not been claimed for at least 30,000 children in Harris County, representing over $90 million in missed payments.
This contract will allow BakerRipley, Harris County's largest Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) provider, to ensure that low-income families at risk of missing out enroll in and receive the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) which could lead to a significant decline in child poverty. This funding will enable BakerRipley to expand their capacity at 13 centers and off-site locations in high-need communities to provide free tax assistance and consultations about the CTC, as well as Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) for parents without Social Security Numbers. BakerRipley staff and volunteers will answer questions about the CTC by phone and in-person, conduct traditional and in-person outreach, he...
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