1990-07-09 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • ~~ pJ~~r of tiq~p ~~ ~~~; s ~~ ~~F°F ~~} R Y ~ AR z oU T S N COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY WHAT IS THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY? The Harris County Community Development Agency was created in 1975 by Harris County Commissioners' Court to administerthe community development block grant for Harris County. The block grant program was authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to improve the quality of living conditions of low and moderate income areas. WHY DOES HARRIS COUNTY HAVE ITS OWN GRANT? Because the combined population in both the unincorporated and certain incorporated areas inside Harris County is greater than 200,000 persons, Harris County was designated as an urban county and is therefore entitled to its own block grant program. WHAT IS AN URBAN COUNTY? An urban county is any county located within a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area which is authorized to undertake community development and housing activities in unincorporated areas and in those incorporated cities within the county with which it has a cooperative agreement. WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES? The primary objective of the block grant program is to encourage viable urban communities by funding a wide range of community development activities directed toward providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate incomes. The local objectives are to meet basic community development needs, such as water and sanitary sewer facilities, housing rehabilitation and economic development as well as park development, street improvements and community centers. WHO DOES THE PROGRAM SERVE? Harris County Community Development Agency serves those areas containing large percentages of low and moderate income persons within the boundaries of Harris County but outside the cities of Houston, Pasadena and Baytown, (these cities have their own community development programs), and certain other small cities that did not sign a cooperative agreement. The Agency serves low and moderate income, elderly and disabled residents in 14 incorporated cities and 31 unincorporated areas.