Update: The initial Jan. 8 online application intake date for the Uplift Harris program has been delayed, according to county officials. A new launch date and application period is expected to be announced starting Jan. 9.
Select community members living in Harris County’s top 10 most poverty-stricken ZIP codes will be eligible to apply online Jan. 8 for Uplift Harris, the county's income assistance program.
The Uplift Harris Guaranteed Income Pilot program will provide $500 monthly cash payments to 1,928 Harris County residents for 18 months. Harris County Public Health is running the initiative, and officials said the goal is to improve participants’ financial and health outcomes.
What you need to know
The application period starts on Jan. 8 at 9 a.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 26.
Eligible applicants will be selected randomly from two cohorts. The first cohort, which will be around 70% of the participants, will be based on those who live in the targeted ZIP codes. To apply for the program, three requirements must be met, including:
- Be age 18 or older
- Have a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, which stands until March at an annual gross household income of $60,000 for a family of four
- Live in one of the following 10 ZIP codes: 77026, 77028, 77033, 77050, 77051, 77060, 77081, 77091, 77093 or 77547
The second cohort is for active participants within Harris County’s Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency—or ACCESS—Harris program. Around 30% of the participants will be selected from this population of applicants, according to the program website.
- All applications must be submitted online, according to the program’s website, since there are no paper applications. All eligibility documents can be uploaded as photos.
Community members without access to a computer, a smartphone or the internet are encouraged to visit an application assistance partner or a public library.
How we got here
Harris County commissioners approved of the pilot program with a 4-1 vote in June. The $20.5 million program will be allocated through local and state funds from the American Rescue Plan Act as part of the county’s broader strategy to address the region’s economic inequality.
Going forward
Eligible applicants who are interested in receiving an email from county officials when the application opens can fill out an interest form, which does not substitute as an application for the program. Community members must apply when the application period begins Jan. 8.
