Harris County utilized it’s My Home Is Here needs assessment as a guide in developing the program.  The needs assessment engaged the community to determine the current conditions and gaps regarding housing and the community’s desires on how to best to address the issues.

Additionally, guidelines were created by coordinating with a Focus Area Team and Steering Committee consisting of staff from the Four County Commissioner’s Precincts and the County Judge’s Office. The Guidelines were distributed to Connective, Rebuilding Together, and Habitat for Humanity for additional comments. The Guidelines were also posted on Harris County Community Services Department’s Website and social media for Public Comment.

The current goal is to rehab 115 homes for LMI residents of Harris County.

https://hcd.harriscountytx.gov/

Homeowners can become housing cost-burdened for a variety of reasons. Although many homeowners have long-term mortgages with fixed payments that do not increase on a month-to-month basis, other housing- related costs are variable, such as costs related to utilities, homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, and HOA fees. When these variable costs rise, LMI homeowners can struggle to afford to pay their housing-related expenses, especially if the homeowner is on a fixed income. Additionally, when a homeowner lives in an older home, they may face significant, unplanned maintenance related expenses when major items, such as roofing and heating or air conditioning, fail. Faced with a limited income and often with no savings from which to draw upon, LMI homeowners often prioritize paying their mortgage and property taxes. They defer maintenance, often to the detriment of their health and safety. Worse yet, deferred maintenance can actually make the cost of utilities rise, since a poorly maintained home operates less efficiently.