SAFE Program Cash Helping Buyout Area Residents Move to Safety
Greetings,
I had the great pleasure recently of presenting the Post Disaster Relocation and Buyout Program’s first award through the SAFE (Special Assistance Funding Effort) initiative, which is a special fund created last year with $2.3 million from Harris County Commissioners Court and United Way. The $5,000 check you see here is a partial advance on the $10,000 total going to Mr. Valdez to help him resettle in a new home that is safe from the constant threat of flooding.
Neighbors in the mobile home community where Mr. Valdez lives are in line to get relocation assistance also, and we’ll be issuing many more checks in the coming weeks. We want to help as many residents as possible, but funds are limited. If you live in one of Harris County’s mandatory buyout areas, please contact a relocation specialist at 832-927-4961 right away. Whether you rent or own, whether you are a U.S. citizen or undocumented immigrant, you don’t have to live in constant fear of flooding. Let us help you move while funds are available.
The SAFE initiative provides financial awards to residents displaced by the mandatory buyout program but are ineligible for full federal relocation benefits. This includes households with financial hardship or legal status issues and earning no more than 120% of Harris County’s area median income ($95,050 for a family of four). Through the program:
- Renters can receive up to $10,000 if needed to cover the cost of moving and rental gap assistance, which is the difference between their current rent and the new monthly rental amount.
- Homeowners can receive up to $31,000 toward the purchase of a replacement home.
- Mobile home owners can receive an additional $5,000 to move their mobile home, if it’s movable, or the salvage cost if it’s not movable.
For additional information about the buyout program, including maps showing the mandatory buyout areas, visit https://harrisrecovery.org/post-disaster-relocation-and-buyout-program/ or email RebuildHarris@csd.hctx.net.
Dr. Adrienne Holloway
Executive Director
Harris County Community Services Department
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