The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) was organized in 1966 by local leaders from Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties and the cities of Galveston and Houston. H-GAC now covers a 13-county region made up of Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties. H-GAC provides opportunities for local elected officials to work together to resolve significant public issues. The City of Houston has numerous appointments held by elected officials and City staff to various committees and the Board of Directors covering issues such as transportation, criminal justice, homeland security, economic development and the environment.
H-GAC is a funding resource for Houston. As a Council of Government (COG), H-GAC coordinates or administers a variety of important federal and state grants to the City of Houston. An example from 2023-2024 is $416,559.00 for criminal justice/public safety programs. H-GAC also facilitated the committee process for $273,000.00 in State Homeland Security Grant funds. In addition, the City of Houston benefits from participating in H-GAC’s cooperative purchasing program, enjoying significant savings for the purchase of vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, radios and construction equipment.
H-GAC is the regional Workforce System helping individuals through 28 career offices to provide training, apprenticeships, employment resources, resume assistance, and adult literacy programs.
Local government dues, state appropriations, and state and federal grants and contracts finance H-GAC activities to fulfill its mission to serve as the instrument of local government cooperation, promoting the region’s orderly development and the safety and welfare of its citizens
Annual renewal for H-GAC membership in the amount of $92,183.20 is calculated using the City of Houston’s population from the 2020 Census. The dues amount is the same as the previous year. Dues are calculated at $0.04 per capita.
FISCAL NOTE: Funding for this item is included in the FY2025 Adopted Budget. Therefore, no Fiscal Note is required as stated in the Financial Policies.
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Joshua Sanders, Chief of Intergovernmental Relations
Estimated Spending Authority
DEPARTMENT FY2025 OUTYEARS TOTAL
General Government $92,183.20 $0 $92,183.20