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<br /> <br />~Cl, <br />HARRIS COUNTY <br />\\ <br />COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY <br />WHAT IS THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY? <br />The Harris County Community Development Agency was created in 1975 by Harris County <br />Commissioners' Court to administer the community development block grant for Harris <br />County. The block grant program was authorized under Title I of the Housing and <br />Community Development Act of 1974 to improve the quality of living conditions of low and <br />moderate income areas. <br />WHY DOES HARRIS COUNTY HAVE ITS OWN GRANT? <br />Becausethecombined population in both the unincorporated and certain incorporated areas <br />inside Harris County is greater than 200,000 persons, Harris County was designated as an <br />urban county and is therefore entitled to its own block grant program. <br />WHAT IS AN URBAN COUNTY? <br />An urban county is any county located within a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area which <br />is authorized to undertake community development and housing activities in unincorporated <br />areas. Any urban county can enter into cooperative agreements if its goal is to aid in the <br />improvement of community development and housing activities in incorporated cities within <br />the urban county. <br />WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES? <br />The primary objective of the block grant program is to fund a wide range of community <br />development activities directed toward encouraging viable urban communities by providing <br />decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, <br />principally for persons of low and moderate incomes. The local objectives are to meet basic <br />community development needs, such as clean water and sanitary sewer facilities, housing <br />rehabilitation and economic development as well as park development, street improvements <br />and community centers. <br />WHO DOES THE PROGRAM SERVE? <br />Harris County Community Development Agency serves those areas containing large <br />percentages of low and moderate income persons within the boundaries of Harris County but <br />outside the Cities of Houston, Pasadena, Baytown and certain other small cities with a <br />population under 50,000. The Agency serves residents in 13 incorporated cities and 34 <br />unincorporated areas to develop programs and priorities for community development <br />activities. The Agency also provides assistance to elderly and disabled residents in its service <br />areas. <br />