State housing agency awards $4.9 million in nine cities for housing and services to assist homeless

(AUSTIN) – The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has announced funding in nine Texas cities under the state-funded Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP), which helps provide housing and support services to individuals and families at-risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The TDHCA Governing Board approved the funding at its meeting on July 25, 2019, as part of a $4.9 million HHSP allocation. Each city or nonprofit organization within the city will also receive a portion of an additional $1.5 million to provide services to unaccompanied homeless youth and homeless young adults 24 years of age and younger. The additional funding comes as part of the appropriation bill passed earlier this year by the 86th Texas Legislature.

For state fiscal year 2020, the following cities or nonprofits received funding: City of Arlington, City of Austin, City of Dallas, City of Plano, Mother Teresa Shelter in the City of Corpus Christi, City of El Paso, City of Houston, City of Fort Worth, and Haven for Hope in the City of San Antonio. The City of Plano became eligible for participation in FY2018 due to an increase in population that placed the city over the threshold for participation. Per state law, TDHCA distributes the funding to large metropolitan areas with populations greater than 285,500 persons.

Services and activities provided through HHSP include construction, development, procurement, or rehabilitation of structures targeted to serve homeless persons or persons at-risk of homelessness, and direct services and case management to homeless persons or those at-risk of homelessness.

HHSP, created by the 81st Texas Legislature (2009), funds homeless prevention and homeless services in the nine largest Texas cities. In FY18, more than 13,000 individuals were served through HHSP assistance. A chart detailing the city and amounts received follows the end of the press announcement.

* The City of San Antonio has applied to administer the HHSP youth set-aside funds, and its Application is in process. Based on the allocation formula, $268,670 in HHSP youth set-aside funds are being reserved for such future award recommendation in City of San Antonio.