The committee heard a presentation on two related ordinances to accept Homeless Housing Services Program (HHSP) funds from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Housing staff asked the committee to authorize the director to accept an HHSP award and execute the contract, including authority to amend the contract as needed.

Melody Barr told the committee the FY26 HHSP award to Houston totals $1,671,820: a general allocation of $1,266,780 plus a youth set‑aside of $405,040 targeted at youth‑headed households (defined as ages 18–24). Barr summarized allowable activities under TDHCA rules: the general set‑aside may fund activities that eliminate or prevent homelessness (including construction or procurement of housing, rehabilitation targeted to homeless persons, case management and other homelessness‑related activities as approved by TDHCA); the youth set‑aside must be used on activities serving youth‑headed households, including essential services, street outreach and transitional living.

Barr said the state distributes HHSP funding to the nine largest Texas cities; the city plans to allocate the accepted HHSP funds to local nonprofit organizations through an ordinance in the coming months and will use a request for expression of interest (REI) and competitive process to determine awardees. Council members asked whether specific youth housing programs in District I could be eligible; staff said eligibility depends on program activities and invited council members to connect staff with potential providers to determine competitiveness under the REI.

The ordinances would authorize the Housing Director to accept the HHSP award, execute the TDHCA contract and sign amendments as necessary. Committee members asked staff to share grant terms and to coordinate the REI timelines. Staff said the city has previously received similar state funds for roughly a decade and that the state program is an ongoing allocation to the largest Texas cities.

Ending — Staff said the city will present an ordinance to council to allocate the HHSP funds to local nonprofit organizations and will follow up with council offices on possible eligible projects, particularly for the youth set‑aside.