[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6698552,"mediaKeyId","5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759","parentId",5332842,"title","City revises DR‑24 draft: $50M added for housing, HUD submission slated for August","audioSeconds",1768,"startMs",4290000,"endMs",6058000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759&start=4290&end=6058","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759/thumbnail_4290000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6698552/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/City-revises-DR24-draft-50M-added-for-housing-HUD-submission-slated-for-August","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698552-0d7d4e0e9a40e0831490d37495a40404/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142390&Signature=oyKgLPDP6mj7214Rgds73yT4nbjEJIv33H0MhDHZnM4bLGQGiht7fMeVYiMSISNloJ8~tn~QF~lmbfK3yMXWfk7OY1wW-89hMiPeJnWj57H8-5d53UWETU09qcTR7eo3t8nESTTupj2KeF0dcCrZL16RLqgLcCR~2X8d6jkkHdWhWK6MtHXyd-IHlk6IMF3e6QFLvV4-aZHI9KqBTCGNvYALWkSHNHejn1~kigVrJx~WjfNCk-cYggrDuhHfoZ5OqeYmD4KfbBUoeER-f7EoE1bxllA6DT5SWAjtqJ95f2e5jwbCnfSwQg42mkwFn1ST-thS-RdcDLs29o1uXyXTCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-07-08T00:00:00Z","article","City Housing Department staff and officials updated the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on July 8 about changes to the draft Disaster Recovery (DR‑24) action plan, reporting the draft reallocation adds $50 million for housing programs and retains large allocations for power‑generation resilience and debris management while requiring additional council approvals before funds are committed.

What changed: Housing Director Mike Nichols and Assistant Director Angela Simon said the draft reduces emergency‑response public‑safety funding and reclaims an $8.8 million FEMA public‑assistance line in order to allocate $50 million to housing needs identified during public comment and hearings. The $50 million is proposed to split as $20 million for single‑family home repair and $30 million for multifamily rehabilitation. Staff said the overall grant award is roughly $315 million and that the plan still budgets significant amounts for resilience and response work, including an existing $151 million allocation for power‑generation resilience.

Public process and timing: City staff described a multi‑step public engagement process. The city held three required public hearings plus a fourth evening session after community requests; roughly 327 residents participated in the virtual hearings and the city received formal written comments and questions. Staff said the action plan on the committee agenda is still a draft; the city will seek council approval of the action plan before submitting it to HUD. The city said it submitted required waiver requests and materials and that, per a granted extension, the HUD submission deadline is Aug. 19; HUD then has 45 days to review an application and, staff estimated, approval could come in early October 2025.

Program design and oversight: Staff emphasized that the action plan must remain high level — a HUD requirement — and that program guidelines, NOFAs and RFPs will be brought back to council for approval before disbursements. The draft budget items staff discussed include (figures from the presentation): $200 million for planning activities, $151 million for power generation resilience, $41.2 million (reduced) for emergency response/public safety (with $15.3 million still shown for high‑need equipment and delivery), $41 million for homelessness services, $32 million for debris repository programs, $30 million for multifamily rehabilitation and $20 million for single‑family repairs; administration was shown at about $15.7 million. Staff warned that final program rules and HUD waivers will shape what is allowable and how quickly funds can be deployed.

Public and stakeholder comments: Public speakers and community groups urged prioritizing housing and direct home repairs over fixed generators for police stations. Laura Gallier urged reallocating CDBG funds away from police generators toward housing, flood control and immediate home repairs for displaced families. Becky Smith of Clean Water Action said investing in safe housing reduces medical emergencies and asked that the city publish detailed program‑level budgets and explain administrative costs. City staff said the resident survey and public input will be incorporated into the final action plan and that the HCD recovery website and social media are being used to publicize the survey.

Next steps: Staff said NOFA and RFP development is underway so programs can launch quickly if HUD approves the action plan; program guidelines will return to council for approval. City staff said they will continue coordination with Harris County, the state (GLO) and federal partners and will return with more detailed program rules and implementation timelines. The committee did not vote on the draft action plan at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Budget and Fiscal Affairs - Jul 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City housing officials told the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on July 8 that the revised draft Disaster Recovery (DR‑24) action plan adds $50 million for housing — split into $20 million for single‑family repairs and $30 million for multifamily rehabilitation — and that the document remains a draft until council and HUD approvals are complete.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698557,"Harris County tax assessor outlines property‑tax lifecycle, new prepayment option and outreach plans",1507,884000,2391000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759&start=884&end=2391","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759/thumbnail_884000.jpg","/articles/6698557/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Harris-County-tax-assessor-outlines-propertytax-lifecycle-new-prepayment-option-and-outreach-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698557-16f4bdd6a76eda4b1e0fa4b27baf17ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142390&Signature=gA4MgzJt~ZU7WLMfiwA-qzJbPvxWt~Hv3-4RrSoI2-gbBbOzP7vYU7U7TVnRYSuKWisHIZee8m9OIj27bVMWREDWIYT6o8-fwsNPhNi1Fzumgpl3mzwjLLvEH-Ph4ZDN8v1fdKR60Rzofcr5noNL6~9ssca2kCfPyUpOvLaaqkC0Cu3SG36nK~QNBD6t0ZlyjUsjJe7dYnDcKR1HoxuAJvtUoDQzEvqo8xX2t0nIx55e32oj11X7Bb4bv2NZrn7zFdb320zLxadJ~faeFkpS~2AqY25oSQPSQefI58e1LS83SHbAMErb4ZN2qMFkvEDE5tpBXz~bLINHymj8cxfx~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Annette Ramirez, Harris County Tax Assessor‑Collector, told the city Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on July 8 that her office manages roughly 1.7 million property‑tax accounts and collects for more than 80 taxing jurisdictions, including the City of Houston. She described the annual property‑tax lifecycle, protest deadlines and several upcoming service changes designed to reduce delinquencies.

Ramirez outlined the calendar that governs value setting and collections: the Harris County Appraisal District’s appraisal work runs primarily January through May; an equalization and protest period runs May through July (property owners generally must protest by May 15 or within 30 days of the appraisal district’s mailing date); taxing jurisdictions then receive certified values and set tax rates between July and October; tax bills are typically mailed in early November; payments are due by Jan. 31 and become delinquent on Feb. 1; and a 20% collection penalty may be added to delinquent accounts on July 1.

Key figures and services: Ramirez said the tax office processes roughly 4 million vehicle registration transactions annually, maintains a voter registration roll of about 2.6 million records, operates 16 branch locations, and collects about $10.5 billion in property taxes for all jurisdictions (roughly $2.0 billion of which stays with Harris County). She said roughly 96% of current‑year property taxes are collected by June 30; the remaining delinquent portion is handled after July 1.

New payment options: Ramirez announced that the tax office is implementing an ACH capability and will offer a prepayment (escrow) program beginning with tax year 2026 so property owners can spread next year’s estimated tax bill over multiple months. She said taxpayers will be able to create a login, set up ACH withdrawals for a chosen day of the month and select the number of installments; the office also plans a marketing push in collaboration with a vendor, PayIt, to promote e‑billing and the new prepayment option.

Protests, refunds and litigation: Ramirez described the protest process, including iSettle settlement offers from the appraisal district and in‑person ARB hearings if disputes continue. She said appraisal districts must provide estimated roll values by July 25 and that about 10% or less of values often remain subject to litigation at that time. Litigation and late homestead exemptions create periods in which the office may issue more refunds than receipts temporarily; Ramirez urged understanding of that timing effect.

Exemptions and outreach: Ramirez emphasized the importance of homestead and age‑65 exemptions, showing examples of the tax liability reductions they produce. She said the office conducts roughly 10 property‑tax workshops a month and partners with the appraisal district to educate taxpayers. Ramirez also described outreach on heirs‑property and tangled‑title situations and said the county has a public probate administrator to help locate heirs and clear titles where possible.

Monitoring tax‑exempt multifamily properties: Committee members pressed Ramirez about public‑facility corporations (PFCs) and housing finance corporations (HFCs) that claim tax exemptions. Ramirez said monitoring and enforcement involve multiple entities: the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) is responsible for annual reporting by certain entities, appraisal districts receive reports and the county assessor sits on the HCAD board; she said some PFCs have not filed required reports and that the legal authority and reporting path differ between PFCs and HFCs. Where exemptions are removed, appraisal districts provide supplemental rolls and the tax office will issue bills based on updated taxable values.

Collections and foreclosure policy: Ramirez noted that the tax office works with law firms under contract to pursue long‑delinquent property taxes and that an interlocal agreement among county, city and school district can affect whether a property is sold at tax sale. She said the county plans to review foreclosure‑sale policies with commissioners to ensure appropriate handling of problem properties.

Committee members asked for more data — including the share of property owners who do not escrow taxes — and Ramirez said her office would provide additional statistics on request. Ramirez also invited council offices to coordinate workshops targeted to seniors and other groups that may need in‑person assistance. No formal action was taken during the presentation.","Harris County Tax Assessor‑Collector Annette Ramirez reviewed how values are set and protested, collection timing, outreach and new tools — including a 2026 prepayment (escrow) option and ACH payment functionality — and discussed monitoring of tax‑exempt entities and delinquent accounts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698563,"City finance officials report stronger receipts, Moody’s affirms Houston credit rating",317,75000,392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759&start=75&end=392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332842-8e2e84b3b8103261447facf1a80a0759/thumbnail_75000.jpg","/articles/6698563/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/City-finance-officials-report-stronger-receipts-Moodys-affirms-Houston-credit-rating","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698563-749d9cb234b4f79895b88f2fe876838c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142390&Signature=NEDxfT~qr6tG~Di82VasMy9ZLwxTeLKvFtYDSxsgwn6Q-V2nRDbUioNHiSGxMtuqcblVvI1vKctUy4l~xphOqxkr57yKo9EU4FNss1Ws37a~A5TUu5zSczcZD1fdsgDK2QS78KySWJ60WwW1f3JaLONXhF9YhiWqvOy9WmPb-gvgVfPxZhOsQW4RAt04LQYTeGLfxk6ockI0JmDcQ8GfLOv9k1qeoc~cl0z9qKcG3oXCL5KawmLUhny25BFLEYNO2mABBcbxM2c2YV8gsUXiA7CvOtlB-TYER9lwt2Sv5qK7JieTKVwt-9vJtGjTAPNg0IgRd~pGMS3vvw0-BUejcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Controller Will Jones and the city finance director told the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on July 8 that year‑to‑date revenues ran ahead of earlier expectations and that the city’s fiscal position had improved, even as officials cautioned that some projections remain volatile.

Jones said the controller’s office projects a May 31 ending general‑fund balance of about $370.1 million — equal to 14.3% of expenditures excluding debt service — and noted that figure is roughly $38.6 million lower than the finance department's projection. Finance staff reported its own ending‑fund projection of about $408.7 million, up $27.9 million from the prior month.

Those upward revisions reflect recent stronger collections, the presenters said. The finance director reported April sales‑tax receipts of $75.1 million, roughly 6.2% above April 2024 and about 6.8% higher than budget; that performance and higher property‑tax collections contributed to an increase in revenue projections since the May report. Officials said interest income also rose, adding roughly $2.3 million to revenues.

Why this matters: a larger ending fund balance increases the city’s cushion for contingencies and affects borrowing and budget choices later in the year. Finance staff emphasized they continue to use conservative judgment before changing full‑year projections, because sales tax and other monthly receipts can be volatile.

Officials also described the city’s debt posture. The controller’s office said the city seeks to keep no more than 20% of each debt type in variable‑rate form — a practice it said aligns with rating‑agency guidance — while allowing temporary deviations during large capital projects. The finance director and deputy controller both said the long‑term portion of the city’s bond portfolio remains primarily fixed‑rate to limit exposure to interest‑rate swings.

The committee heard additional operational updates: the asset‑forfeiture fund is projecting roughly $900,000 more revenue than previously estimated, and the finance team reported a recent Moody’s surveillance concluded with the agency affirming Houston’s credit rating and stable outlook. The finance director credited the budget team’s multi‑year planning and ongoing engagement with rating analysts.

Committee members asked about forecasting methods and how and when staff revise estimates. Councilmember Flickinger pressed staff on their approach to updating annual projections when monthly trends emerge; staff said they monitor monthly results, model scenarios for different growth rates and try to avoid frequent, small swings in reported estimates. They said larger changes generally await a clearer multi‑month trend or quarter‑end results.

The presentations closed with recognition of the controller’s and finance department interns. No formal actions or votes were taken during this agenda item.","Deputy Controller Will Jones and Finance Director Dabowski reported higher-than-expected property- and sales-tax receipts for the year to date, producing a stronger projected fund balance and a Moody’s affirmation of the city’s credit rating; officials warned revenue projections remain sensitive to month-to-month volatility.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City revises DR‑24 draft: $50M added for housing, HUD submission slated for August

Harris County tax assessor outlines property‑tax lifecycle, new prepayment option and outreach plans

City finance officials report stronger receipts, Moody’s affirms Houston credit rating