Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs - Building Homes and Strengthening Communities

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (Department) will be the Texas governmental agency administering several significant programs under the Recovery Act: Prevention of Homelessness, Weatherization, Community Services Block Grant, Housing Tax Credit Assistance, Housing Tax Credit Exchange, and Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The Department, in administering these programs, will promote transparency and efficiency. Although the Department will, using Recovery Act funds, add resources to administer these programs, as the programs wind down the Department will return to normalized staffing levels.

Implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Recovery Act programs that will be implemented through TDHCA are as follows:

  • Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) provides homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing of persons that have become homeless. This includes:
    • Financial assistance limited to rental assistance; security deposits; utility deposits and payments; moving cost assistance; and motel and hotel vouchers.
    • Housing relocation and stabilization services limited to case management; outreach and engagement; housing search and placement; legal services; and credit repair.
  • Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is an expansion of TDHCA’s WAP. The program helps low-income Texans control energy costs to ensure a healthy and safe living environment. Qualified households may receive weatherization materials installed in their residences and/or energy conservation education.
  • Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) is an expansion of TDHCA’s CSBG Program. The CSBG Program provides administrative support to a network of local Community Action Agencies that provide services to very low-income persons. The funding helps provide such essential services as childcare; health and human services for children, families and the elderly; housing; and other poverty-related programs.
  • Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) provides HOME Program funds for Housing Tax Credit (HTC) developments awarded in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Funding will be distributed according to the HTC Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and is subject to HTC rent and income and use restrictions.
  • Housing Tax Credit Exchange allows Housing Tax Credit (HTC) allocating agencies, including TDHCA, to choose to receive a portion of their 2009 and returned 2008 HTCs in the form of a grant from the federal government rather than as tax credits. These funds will be available to assist 2009 HTC developments.
  • Homebuyer Tax Credit provides a federal tax credit to first-time homebuyers. TDHCA is designing a down-payment assistance program for recipients of the federal homebuyer tax credit.
  • Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) is a program in which local units of government or nonprofit organizations may purchase foreclosed or abandoned properties to demolish or create affordable housing and stabilize existing neighborhoods. The Recovery Act provides for an increase of NSP funds to be awarded on a competitive basis.

State Plans and Reports

Other Resources