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32% of all home-owning households in Houston were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. 60% of impacted households were located outside the flood plain, meaning many did not have flood insurance – or any expectation that they would be flooded. The Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program run by the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department will help homeowners rebuild after the disaster.
Of the $1.27 billion allocated to the City of Houston to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey, over a third will go to the Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program. Still, these funds are limited. Priority will be given to those who need the most help first, and not everyone who applies may receive assistance. We ask interested homeowners to fill out the Harvey Recovery Survey first. This survey helps us find those most in need and match potential applicants to the best options for their needs and resources.
Notice to Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program Applicants
The City of Houston and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) are working together on an agreement to assist homeowners who are in need of assistance with repair and reconstruction for homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey.
At this time, the City of Houston will continue assisting homeowners whose applications have been approved for construction. All other applications will be transferred to the GLO to complete the process. All homeowners who have submitted applications will also receive a notification regarding their particular case’s status.
Any questions for HCDD can be directed to our Call Center at 832-393-0550. The GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program team can be reached at 346-222-4686 or 1-866-317-1998 (toll-free) or at houston.glo@recovery.texas.gov.
More information about the GLO’s program can be found at recovery.texas.gov/hap/houston.
We appreciate your patience, and we will continue to work hard to ensure a smooth transition of applications to the GLO, so that no one is left behind.
Program Overview
The Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program repairs homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey and provides reimbursements to assist those who have already made their own repairs from Hurricane Harvey. The program is available to Houstonians of all income levels.
Homeowners who qualify for assistance will have three potential solutions for repairing their home:
SOLUTION 1: CITY-MANAGED REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION
- The City manages and completes the construction process.
- Homeowners do not select contractors or deal directly with the contractor.
- The City’s contractors will repair or reconstruct damaged properties.
- Economy-grade materials/finishes only.
- Temporary relocation assistance.
SOLUTION 2: HOMEOWNER-MANAGED REHABILITATION
- Homeowners manage repair or reconstruction work.
- Homeowners select contractors and deal directly with the contractor.
- The City provides advisory services and monitoring.
- Program provides funds for economy grade finishes only, but homeowners are allowed to pay the difference for higher grade materials/finishes.
SOLUTION 3: REIMBURSEMENT
- Homeowners who have completed
partial or full repairs before applying to the program may qualify for reimbursement of eligible expenses incurred before the application process or by December 31, 2020, whichever is sooner. - Reimbursement may be combined with rehabilitation (not reconstruction) as completed in Solution 1 or Solution 2.
- Reimbursement may also be a stand-alone solution.
Do I Qualify?
A property must meet the following requirements:
- It is located within the City of Houston.
- It is located outside of the floodway.
- The applicant lived in it as their primary residence during Hurricane Harvey. (August 25, 2017)
- It was damaged by Hurricane Harvey.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- They must be the owner of the property.
- They must be current (or on an accepted payment plan) for property taxes.
- Applicant and all household members over the age of 18 must be current on payments for child support.
- They must agree to remain in the home as their principle residence for the duration of a compliance period, which varies depending on the amount of assistance granted.
Additional eligibility requirements will depend on the program option selected.
Homeowner Guidance Documents
The documents in this table should be used as references and tip sheets to help walk applicants through the process. Any questions should be referred to our recovery call center at 832-393-0550.
| Document Name | Last Updated |
|---|---|
| HoAP Program Overview | September 21, 2020 |
| Program Guidelines | May 12th, 2020 |
| Reimbursement Overview | September 21, 2020 |
| Document Checklist for Applicants | September 21, 2020 |
| Eligible and Ineligible Expenses | September 21, 2020 |
| Information about Liens | September 21, 2020 |
| Area Median Income Information Sheet | July 14th, 2020 |
| Housing Resource Centers Contact Information | September 21, 2020 |
| Harvey Recovery Housing Budget | January 15th, 2020 |
| Fraud Notice | June 19th, 2020 |
| Step By Step Guide | September 21, 2020 |
| Duplication of Benefits | September 21, 2020 |
Applicant Forms
Copies of application forms can be viewed here as reference. As the Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program invites applications based on responses to the Harvey Recovery Survey, these forms are only for reference. The City will provide all applicants will fillable forms.