State housing agency, Houston nonprofit helping secure housing for persons with disabilities
AUSTIN, TX – July 1 30, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a funding award to a Houston-based nonprofit organization helping eligible persons with disabilities residing in Harris County secure affordable rental housing while working toward personal and financial independence.TDHCA awarded $300,000 in rental assistance funds to Services of the Emergency Aid Resource Center for the Homeless, Inc. (SEARCH) to help an estimated 60 qualifying individuals with their monthly rent payments.
“Finding a safe, affordable place to call home is a monthly challenge for many Texans,” said TDHCA Acting Executive Director Timothy Irvine. “Unfortunately, the challenge is even greater for persons with disabilities, and the award we are announcing today will help some of the state’s most vulnerable residents achieve this basic goal. We are not only making an immediate impact on the lives of these individuals, today’s award has the potential to create the long-term benefits of self-reliance.”
SEARCH will use the award to help subsidize rents and make security and utility deposits for eligible low income households, ensuring they can find decent, affordable rental housing. The assistance is available for up to 24 months. In return, tenants must participate in a self-sufficiency program with the goal of achieving eventual financial independence.
This award was made through TDHCA’s HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HOME funds are designed to assist households at or below 80 percent of the area median family income. For Harris County, this equals an annual income of $36,500 for a one-person household.
Under HOME Program rules, eligible applicants include qualifying units of local government, public housing authorities, Community Housing Development Organizations and other eligible nonprofit groups, and qualifying for-profit organizations.
For more information on this award, please contact SEARCH directly at (713) 739-7752.
About the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs administers a number of state and federal programs through for-profit, nonprofit, and local government partnerships to strengthen communities through affordable housing development, home ownership opportunities, weatherization, and community-based services for Texans in need.
Contact:
Gordon Anderson 512-475-4743
Jill McFarren 512-475-2844
