Program Will Reimburse Eligible Homeowners for Harvey-Related Repairs

August 10, 2018 — The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) is releasing a new tip sheet for homeowners making repairs to their Harvey-damaged homes. Later this year, the City of Houston will launch a Homeowner Reimbursement Program to reimburse homeowners for eligible repair expenses.

“Houston is a resilient city. Many Houstonians have been working hard to rebuild their homes,” said Housing and Community Development Director Tom McCasland. “Help is on the way to assist homeowners with the cost of repairs.”

The Homeowner Reimbursement Program is one of five programs the City of Houston will launch to assist homeowners with home repair. Program guidelines outlining the specifics of the program are being developed now. The tip sheet advises residents about how to prepare to apply to the Reimbursement Program as they make repairs.

“We’re advising all homeowners to save receipts, sign contracts for any work completed on their homes, take before and after pictures, build to code, and familiarize themselves with the kinds of expenses that are eligible for reimbursement,” said Mayra Bontemps, HCDD’s Assistant Director for Disaster Recovery. The program will not reimburse homeowners for luxury finishes such as marble countertops, Jacuzzis, or pools. “Not everyone will qualify for the program, but we want to make sure homeowners know about the programs that are coming and how they can get ready,” continued Bontemps.

Mayor Turner worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Texas, and County Judge Emmett to ensure that the City of Houston would administer its own housing recovery programs and that Houston got its fair share of recovery resources. The programs that launch later this year will be the first in more than $1 billion for housing recovery programming from Hurricane Harvey.

Earlier this year, HCDD convened 18 public meetings and conducted an online survey about Houstonians’ priorities for housing recovery. More than 800 people attended an in-person meeting, and an additional 700+ participated in the online survey. See a summary of public comments received so far here. And read the City’s Harvey Action Plan here. Please visit www.houstontx.gov/housing for updates on housing recovery programs.