$12 million federal grant to help Texas house, reduce homelessness among low-income persons with disabilities

(AUSTIN) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced that Texas has been awarded a $12 million federal grant with the goal of creating affordable integrated housing for as many as 385 extremely low-income persons with disabilities.

This funding will enable the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to provide a subsidy to rental properties it finances and allow persons with disabilities earning less than 30 percent of area median family income to live in integrated mainstream settings.

The grant to Texas was just one of 13 awarded to state housing agencies nationally through HUD’s Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration (PRA Demo) Program.

“The PRA Demonstration Program offers us a rare opportunity to offer permanent housing coordinated with critically needed supportive services to some of the state’s residents most in need of affordable housing,” said TDHCA Executive Director Tim Irvine. “It will help us reduce homelessness and provide a greater opportunity for individuals with disabilities to live in an integrated community setting.”

TDHCA partnered with the state’s Medicaid Agency, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), which delegated lead responsibility to the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). DADS, as lead agency, along with HHSC, Department of State Health Services, Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will provide direct services and supports to the populations they serve.

Texas identified three target populations in its application: individuals with disabilities exiting institutions, individuals with serious mental illness, and youth with disabilities transitioning out of the state’s care.

TDHCA proposed to focus the Section 811 PRA Demo Program on seven priority areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos; Brownsville-Harlingen; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington; El Paso; Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown; McAllen-Edinburg-Mission; and San Antonio-New Braunfels.

TDHCA identified approximately 20,000 units in its portfolio that may qualify for this funding. In the coming months the Department plans to issue a competitive Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to select properties to participate in the Section 811 PRA Demo Program. The Health and Human Services agencies that have partnered with TDHCA will refer potential tenants to awarded 811 units.