The Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) recommends Council approval of Ordinance that authorizes the City of Houston (City) to enter into a contract with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and accept $401,908.00 of Homeless Housing Services Program (HHSP) funds for FY 2023 to address youth homelessness.
The youth set-aside must be used by the City on activities eliminating and/or preventing homelessness in youth-headed households. Specifically, allowable activities include essential services, street outreach and transitional living for persons experiencing homelessness in youth-headed households; provision of direct services and case management to persons experiencing homelessness in youth-headed households; or other homelessness-related activities as approved by the TDHCA.
HHSP was established by the 81st Texas Legislature through an appropriations rider and codified during the 82nd Texas legislative session. Through HHSP, the state provides funding to the nine largest cities in Texas in support of services to homeless individuals and families. Cities currently served through HHSP include Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano and San Antonio.
HCD also requests City Council to authorize the HCD Director or his designee to act as the City's representative in the application process with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds as awarded, and apply for, accept and expend all subsequent awards, if any, to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related agreements with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant not to exceed five years.
An Ordinance allocating the accepted HHSP funds for use by local nonprofit organizations will be presented to Council for consideration within the coming months.
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
The Housing and Community Affairs Committee Chair was briefed on this item on December 14, 2022.
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Keith W. Bynam, Director