HOUSTON – Relief may soon be on the way for Houston residents still recovering from the effects of last year’s May derecho and Hurricane Beryl.
The City of Houston is poised to receive $314 million in federal disaster recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with a significant portion of that funding could go toward helping homeowners.
Following a series of public meetings and community feedback sessions, the City of Houston has proposed that $50 million of the federal grant be dedicated specifically to housing recovery. Mayor John Whitmire announced the proposal during a recent city council meeting, where he emphasized the importance of rebuilding homes and restoring communities.
“We listened,” said Mike Nichols, Director of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department. “The mayor made an important and bold decision to dedicate $50 million of the $314 million directly to housing.”
Nichols said the city heard from residents repeatedly during virtual town halls that housing should be a top priority. In response, city officials presented the case to HUD, requesting flexibility to use the funds for housing assistance.
Another $150 million is proposed to strengthen public facilities such as community centers and shelters.
“These include public facilities that are essential to us, like our water systems, like our sewage systems, and like our multi-service facilities where people will come when there’s a heat wave or there’s freezing weather with no electricity,” Nichols said.
Despite the announcement, the funding isn’t in Houston’s hands just yet. The city’s Draft Action Plan must first be approved by both city council and HUD. If approved, the funds could begin reaching homeowners by spring 2026.
Nichols stressed the process is highly regulated.
“One of the things I think is important for the public to understand is, you don’t get a check for that money,” he said. “You get the right to spend it. If the city follows every rule, then we go back to HUD for reimbursement.”
New Programs for winter freeze and Harvey Survivors
While homeowners wait for Beryl-related funding, two new assistance programs are expected to launch within the next 30 days, targeting survivors of past disasters:
- $40 million will be available for home repairs and reconstruction for damage from the 2021 winter freeze.
- $19 million will be allocated for down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers who lived in Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Importantly, applicants do not need to prove their home was damaged—only that they resided in the city during that time.
“As all of us remember, 100% of Houston was impacted by Hurricane Harvey,” Nichols said.
The city is currently finalizing timelines for when applications for these programs will open. Officials say more details are expected in the coming days.
