ORDINANCE adopting the City of Houston Home Repair Program Guidelines for 2015 Disasters

The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD), requests approval of an Ordinance authorizing and approving Guidelines for the Home Repair Program for Disaster Recovery 2015 (HRP-DR15), which will assist low-and moderate-income homeowners whose homes received damage in the 2015 flood disasters.  The main objective of the program is to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing to homeowners affected by the 2015 flood disasters through activities designed to provide home repair assistance.  Under the Houston Action Plan for Disaster Recovery – 2015 Flooding Events, $12 million is allocated for housing (Single-Family Home Repair) activities.  These guidelines will outline the governance of such activities.

The program gives priority to age-dependent (age 65 and older or age 5 and under) and disabled households.  HCDD has been recognized by the U.S. Department of housing and Urban Development (HUD) for best practices under its Disaster Recovery Round 2 Program, and these guidelines will not only adopt these best practices, but will also recognize additional program resources.

A summary of the minimum criteria for assistance, as stated in these guidelines, is as follows:

1. The home damaged by the 2015 disasters must be single-family and must be the homeowner’s primary residence.

2. The household income eligibility limit is 80% of the Area Median Family Income (AMFI).

3. A five-year lien will be placed on the home, requiring partial repayment if the home is sold within five years of completion of the home rehabilitation activity.

4. A twenty-year lien will be placed on the home, requiring partial repayment if the home is sold within 20 years of completion of the home reconstruction activity.

5. Homeowners are responsible for all moving and relocation costs, if necessary.

This Ordinance enables the Director of Housing and Community Development Department, at his/her discretion, to amend the guidelines to comply with HUD and other regulatory requirements or to ensure the efficient and proper administration of the program.  Such administrative revisions must limit the area median income requirement for participants to no more than 80%.

____________________________________________

Tom McCasland, Director

Roxanne Lawson

832.394.6307