The County Connection: Ringing in Year Three of ARPA Program Investments

The county is working to reduce it even more. In June, Commissioners Court approved$7.2 million in American Rescue Plan funding for the Knowles-Rowland House Project, which will create 31 new permanent supportive housing units for people experiencing homelessness. The project will transform the existing gymnasium on the Bread of Life Campus into housing units and provide all residents with supportive services such as transportation so residents can go to job interviews, doctor appointments, and mental health counseling.

The more space provided, especially places that have the support and community that people experiencing homelessness need, the more people the county can help. While this is a proud step forward, there’s still more to do. As of last count, over 1,800 people in Harris County live in shelters. The county is making progress, but the fight to end homelessness is not done.

To help meet demand and free up officers needed for emergencies, Harris County Commissioners Court has approved $1.7 million to fund a new TeleDeputy program to allow officers to respond remotely to non-emergency calls, such as needing to file a police report after a car break-in or reporting an abandoned vehicle. The TeleDeputy program is expected to reduce response wait times from an average of over 14 minutes to less than 10 minutes. The new TeleDeputy Unit is another example of how Harris County is giving law enforcement the 21st-century tools they need to do their jobs most effectively, and ultimately better protect the community.

According to a study done in 2022, Harris County currently has significant pay disparities when it comes to both race and gender: female employees make an average of $7,000 less than their male counterparts. Black and Hispanic employees make an average salary of about $18,000 less than White and Asian employees. Harris County is one of the most diverse counties in the nation, and it should be leading the way when it comes to employee pay equity. In July, Commissioners Court approved recommendations to help ensure that county employees are not only paid equally, but that they’re getting paid what they deserve. Under this plan, the first positions that will be targeted are going to be positions below their salary range minimum and in grades 1-11, meaning the lowest-earning employees will benefit first.

Due to excessive heat and drought conditions, Commissioners Court approved a burn ban, on August 8th, at the recommendation of the Harris County Fire Marshal, for all unincorporated portions of the county. Under the burn ban, most outdoor burning is prohibited. Grilling and barbecuing, open ceremonial burning for religious purposes, and welding are still allowed under the ban. Violations of the ban are considered a Class C misdemeanor and can carry a fine of up to $500. The burn ban will be in effect for 90 days or until the Texas Forest Service (TFS) determines that Harris County is no longer experiencing a drought.

As of September 1, 83 percent of Texas counties were under a burn ban. In these drought conditions, things like sparks and cigarette butts can quickly catch fire. Please report any unattended fires to 911 immediately.

The HAY Center, a program of Harris County Resources for Children and Adults, has provided comprehensive, wraparound services for these foster youth in Harris County since 2005, and has helped thousands of young people in Harris County get access to the education, employment, mentoring and health services they need. In June, Harris County broke ground on a new campus that will, for the first time, give the HAY Center the capacity to actually house youth with its 50 on-site apartment units. The new campus will also provide wraparound services including therapy, employment assistance, transportation, and more for 1,300 additional foster youth in the county. Construction is scheduled to be complete in Summer 2024.

While she worked on the mural mostly independently, Abby did so under the mentorship of beloved Houston artist Alex “Donkeeboy” Roman Jr., her art teacher over the past few years. Many elements in the mural honor the judge: The top reads “18,183,” the exact number of votes the judge won the 2022 election by; Star Wars-style lettering was used because of her love for the iconic movie series; and her favorite color, purple. Judge Hidalgo was touched and inspired that Abby chose to honor her leadership and express herself in such a larger-than-life way.  You can view the mural at 2647 Crawford Street.

Congressman Leland grew up in Houston’s Fifth Ward and attended Texas Southern University, where he became a vocal champion for civil rights. He served six years in the state legislature and then went on to serve in Congress for twelve years. During his time in Congress, he was a major advocate for health care rights for low-income people. He helped pass legislation to alleviate food insecurity by providing fresh food for at-risk families and comprehensive services to people experiencing homelessness. After many years of public service, Congressman Leland tragically passed away in 1989 during a plane crash on his way to a federal relief mission in Ethiopia.