The Mayor’s Office of Recovery seek approval of an agreement with and appropriation for Family Service Center of Houston and Harris County (Family Houston) to provide administration and management of the relocation services for the Fifth Ward Voluntary Relocation Program (FWVRP).
On July 13, 2023, Mayor Sylvester Turner created a Strike Team to begin work on a program to help relocate residents living over the creosote plume adjacent to the Union Pacific Railyard. On September 27, 2023, City Council approved funding in the amount of $5 million to assist with the relocation of certain residents who voluntarily seek to relocate away from the plume. The FWVRP seeks to provide a relocation plan for eligible homeowners and tenants who voluntarily wish to participate. The FWVRP includes options for acquisition of new residences at fair market value and relocation assistance for homeowners and to help find a comparable replacement rental dwelling for tenants. Relocation assistance will include advisory services, replacement housing payments, buyout of existing leases, relocation assistance for tenants, and moving expenses. The primary eligibility requirement is that residents must have permanently resided in the Relocation Zone prior to July 1, 2023.
Family Service Center of Houston and Harris County (Family Houston) will provide administration and management of the relocation process for homeowners and tenants as identified as eligible in the FWVRP program guidelines. Case management services will include eligibility and assessment tasks including intake, resident documentation, buyout of existing leases, rental assistance payments for first and last month rent to the new landlord, and approval process for homeowners. Family Houston will serve as the liaison with the FWVRP third party partners, Houston Land Bank and Community Land Trust.
Fiscal Note:
No significant Fiscal Operating impact is anticipated as a result of this project.
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Stephen Costello, Chief
Mayor’s Office of Recovery