Houston City Council approved an ordinance that will provide guidelines for the 2024 Derecho and Hurricane Beryl repair program.
What is it?
Called DR24 SF HRP, the program provides rehabilitation or reconstruction services to homes that are eligible for repair after damage from either of the 2024 storms. This program is for single-family homes only.
To be eligible, households must be low-to moderate-income, at least 80% below the area median income, which, according to the city, is $58,250 for one person. The home had to be directly or indirectly impacted by either storm.
The program has a $45 million budget, and residents can receive up to $100,000 for rehabilitation or $300,000 for reconstruction.
The city allocated a total of $50 million for the program, with $45 million for the home repairs and $5 million for administrative costs.
Some context
The ordinance was originally on the council agenda June 24. However, council member Julian Ramirez held it for July 8 because he said he had hoped that the funding could be used to help more families.
During a housing committee meeting, Ramirez said he learned that the expectation was to help 168 homes, and he felt the city should be able to help more with the amount of money it received.
“This is a philosophical difference, I think, with housing leadership,” Ramirez said. “Hopefully, going forward, we will structure it in a way that more money goes to homes that merely need to be rehabilitated, which allows up to $100,000 per house, versus reconstruction, which allows up to $300,000.”
Ultimately, he voted in favor of the ordinance, which passed unanimously.
One more thing
The Housing and Community Development Department said the program’s applications will open in early August.
