State housing agency reports Texas Ending Homelessness Fund exceeded $128,000 since January 2018 launch; “Thank you Texas!”

(AUSTIN) – In January 2018 the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles successfully launched the Ending Homelessness Fund (the Fund). Its aim is to help counter the effects of homelessness through an easily-made voluntary donation, which can be made when renewing a vehicle registration online at www.texas.gov or when registering or renewing vehicle registration at a county tax assessor-collector office, substation, or subcontractor, such as a participating grocery store.

From the launch date through November 2018, TDHCA reports that donations totaled $128,460, averaging more than $11,000 each month.

Maximizing every dollar graciously donated by Texans, TDHCA is working to leverage contributions with the current federally-funded Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program and state-funded Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP), with the dollars tentatively scheduled for distribution in 2019.

“The Fund allows Texans the opportunity all year long to make a difference in the life of one individual or family,” said David Cervantes, Acting Director of TDHCA. “The donations given this year will do much to help counter the ill effects that homelessness has on our communities and state, and deliver crucial resources to help families and individuals most in need.”

Contributions to the Fund will help enhance the number and quality of emergency shelters, prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless, encourage self-sufficiency behaviors and secure stable housing. At such time when contributions will be distributed, a Notice of Funding Availability will be released with equal amounts directed to TDHCA-approved and active ESG providers, including current city or municipality providers.

While figures vary, the annual point-in-time count from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that more than 23,000 Texans are considered homeless, including approximately 7,000 living on the streets and more than 16,000 living in shelters and transitional housing.

About the fund
The 85th Texas Legislature passed H.B. 4102, which was enacted on September 1, 2017. The act amended Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code to add Section 502.415, Voluntary Contribution to Ending Homelessness Fund. This section allows registrants of a motor vehicle in Texas to elect to contribute any amount of funds to the newly established Ending Homelessness fund. Funds will be sent by the assessor-collector to the comptroller, and held in trust to be administered by the Department as trustee. The funds must be utilized to provide grants to counties and municipalities to combat homelessness. The act further requires the Department to adopt rules governing applications for grants from the Fund, and the issuance of those grants.