The two programs are designed to provide assistance and opportunities for Houston residents to either repair their homes or help them purchase their first home, said Cedrick LeSane, assistant director of single family operations in the Housing and Community Development Department.
“If we’re not putting back into our housing stock, it creates a bigger housing shortage than what we have right now,” LeSane said. “Houston is the city where everybody wants to be now. If we're not repairing the housing stock, it changes the quality of life for individuals.”
Hurricane Harvey in 2021 damaged more than 150,000 homes in Harris County, according to the Greater Houston Partnership. Winter Storm Uri in 2021 left 4.5 million homes and businesses in Texas without power, according to the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs.
Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program 2.0
The $19 million program helps first-time homebuyers or those who lost their homes due to Hurricane Harvey, offering up to $125,000 in down payment assistance, closing costs, principal reduction and interest rate reduction.
LeSane said the program is for those who:
- Lived within the city of Houston on August 25, 2017, during Hurricane Harvey
- Are a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
- A first-time homebuyer or have lost a home due to Hurricane Harvey
- Complete an eight-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education course
- Qualify for a fixed-rate mortgage from a recognized lender
- Have a household income at or below 120% of the area median income
- Are not a registered sex offender
Mike Nichols, the Housing and Community Development director, said in a July 8 Budget and Fiscal Affairs meeting that there have been 124 applications so far, with three of those approved.
Winter Storm Uri Single-Family Home Repair Program
The $50 million program awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will help support residents whose homes were damaged during Winter Storm Uri through two different pathways, LeSane said.
The first pathway will provide $10,000 reimbursements to residents who have already made repairs to their homes, as a way to help ease the financial strain of storm recovery.
The second pathway will support low- and moderate-income households that have not yet repaired their homes after Winter Storm Uri to receive up to $100,000 for rehabilitation or up to $300,000 for full reconstruction of their home, ensuring homes meet current safety and livability standards and are built to withstand future storms.
“If we see things that don’t comply with code, such as the electrical system in an older home, we’re going to go in and we’ll repair that electrical system as well,” LeSane said. “We will replace those pipes that are going to be more resilient.”
LeSane said homes eligible for this program will also receive upgraded insulation, such as solar panels or a generator, to keep the home warmer and resistant to future winter storms.
He said the program should run for five years, but he anticipates the program to conclude much faster than the five-year mark as more and more people apply. Nichols said during the Budget and Fiscal Affairs meeting that 56 applications are in the process, with one complete application.
Applications can be done through the program’s website and residents must qualify through these criteria:
Pathway 1
- Participants are classified based on area median income, and whether the household includes an elderly member or someone with a disability.
- Proof of repairs: Documentation must show eligible work completed and costs incurred.
- Timing: Repairs must be completed before applying to qualify for reimbursement.
- Participants are classified based on area median income, and whether the household includes an elderly member or someone with a disability.
- The home must be the primary residence of the applicant(s).
- Property must be located within Houston city limits and outside of a floodway.
- Home must have been damaged by Winter Storm Uri.
In other news
Houston recently announced their revised plan to allocate $315 million in federal funding for disaster recovery efforts from Hurricane Beryl and the 2024 derecho, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
The revised plan will include allocating parts of the federal funding to needs such as public facilities, the city's homeless population and housing, including:
- $151 million: adding resilience measures toward public facilities to provide backup power during disasters
- $50 million: housing programs, specifically $30 million for multifamily housing and $20 million for single-family housing
- $41 million: toward the city's $70 million homeless initiative
- $15 million: emergency response and public safety programs to purchase emergency vehicles such as ambulances and high-water vehicles
