Houston’s city council on Wednesday passed a new relief program meant to get $1,200 into the pockets of struggling residents.
It will use up to $30 million for that purpose. The program builds off a similar, $60 million effort launched by Harris County.
Here’s what you should know.
Who is eligible?
While the federal stimulus check went to most Americans, the city and county programs are a targeted form of relief, called direct assistance, for people struggling to get by.
The county’s program, operated by Catholic Charities, required people demonstrate their income was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, live in a household that makes less than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (that would be $47,288 for a family of four), and could not have received assistance from another county program.
The city said it will use 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which would be $63,050 for a family of four.
How do I apply for the check?
You cannot yet.
The city and BakerRipley, a community nonprofit that is administering the program, are working to finalize a portal for new applicants, but those details are not final yet.
The money that is funding both the city and county programs comes from the federal CARES Act, which Congress passed as part of a broader stimulus package.
It must be spent by the end of the year, which leaves the city with less than 30 days to disburse the funds.
Given that time crunch, the city and BakerRipley also plan to consider Houston residents who applied for but did not receive help from the county’s program, the city’s rent relief program, or the direct assistance fund from the Greater Houston Community Foundation, among others.
Catholic Charities will turn over the names of some 20,000 Houston residents who applied and have not received funds from that program.
The city and BakerRipley initially said it expected those applications to exhaust all the funds. Later in the afternoon, Ben Melson, chief of staff to Houston Recovery Czar Marvin Odum, said the city would launch a portal to “serve as many Houstonians as possible.”
They will announce those instructions when available.
I applied to one of the earlier programs. Do I need to apply again?
It is too soon to tell. The city and BakerRipley say they will announce instructions when they are available.
dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
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What you need to know about Houston’s $1,200 direct relief program - Houston Chronicle
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