CITY & COUNTY
News from Harris County & Jersey Village
Harris County Commissioners Court will meet at 10 a.m. Aug. 8 at 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. 713-274-1111. www.harriscountytx.gov Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 will meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 at 10710 Telge Road, Houston. 281-550-6663. www.cyfairfd.org Jersey Village City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at 16327 Lakeview Drive, Jersey Village. 713-466-2100. www.jerseyvillagetx.com MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS HARRIS COUNTY For low- priority calls to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, more deputies will be available to respond virtually thanks to a $1.7 million investment from county commissioners June 27. Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to add overtime officers to HCSO’s TeleDeputy unit. The unit responds only to nonviolent calls—such as an abandoned vehicle or a crime tip—which make up about 60% of HCSO’s total calls, officials said. HCSO’s response time for emergency calls is about 14 minutes; the commissioners’ investment in the TeleDeputy unit is expected to bring the response time down to 10 minutes. JERSEY VILLAGE Officials with the city of Jersey Village broke ground on a new clubhouse at Jersey Meadow Golf Club on July 24 to celebrate the start of construction on the $8.72 million renovation that will include converting the existing clubhouse space into an event center. The project will include a new clubhouse, new pro shop, office space, new bar and grill, new bathrooms, event space and storage. Brookstone Construction is building out the space, which was designed by FGM Architects.
County considering affordable housing tax exemption policy
BY MELISSA ENAJE
HOUSING COST BURDEN A countywide housing needs assessment and 10-year strategy in October 2021 found nearly 500,000 families are paying more than they can afford for their homes.
HARRIS COUNTY A policy that will consider property tax exemptions for affordable housing owners is moving forward after a unanimous Commis- sioners Court vote July 18. Why it matters: An existing Texas tax code already provides exemptions to certain organizations that meet low-income housing requirements, but each local governing jurisdiction has to approve the tax exemption and specify the allowed threshold amount, said Mary Lawler, the CEO of Avenue, a Houston-based nonprofit affordable housing builder. “We are struggling right now with rising costs for our apartments and our ability to keep our rents affordable to working families and seniors who are really in need,” she said.
Annual household earnings Families paying more than they can afford
$20,000/year $35,000/year
$50,000/year
$75,000/year
• 128,767 renters • 46,849 owners
• 124,019 renters • 44,083 owners
• 58,109 renters • 35,582 owners
• 27,751 renters • 34,462 owners
Occupations • Fast food
• Retail
• Truck drivers • Administrative assistants • Bookkeepers
• Elementary school teachers • Skilled trade workers
and counter workers • Home health and personal care aides
salespersons
• Cashiers • Customer service • Waiters • Medical assistants
representatives
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, KINDER INSTITUTE FOR URBAN RESEARCH, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT, TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
could make it more financially feasible for certain organizations to build affordable housing units.
The finalized exemption policy is projected for completion by the end of August.
What’s next: Officials said the policy
Jersey Village prepares for FY 2023-24 budget
POTENTIAL BONDS ON THE BALLOT Jersey Village City Council members in July discussed the possibility of including up to three separate bond packages on ballots in the upcoming Nov. 7 election. Water and sewer
BY DAVE MANNING
• Sales and property taxes will bring in $13.65 million, about 60% of the city’s revenue. • The largest city expense is emer- gency services—$9.7 million in the proposed budget. The conditions: The proposed budget reflects rising inflation, infrastructure cost increases and residents’ expecta- tions for repairs of parks, streets and other services, city officials said. What’s next: Council is set to adopt a budget at its Aug. 21 meeting.
JERSEY VILLAGE In July, the Jersey Village City Council discussed proposed bond referendums and the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2023-24. Budget explained: The proposed budget will bring in about 8.24% more revenue than last year. • The proposed budget estimates $29.3 million in expenses. • Estimated revenue is calculated at the current tax rate of $0.7425 per $100 valuation.
$15.8 MILLION Street and bridge repair $18 MILLION Pool and park renovations $19 MILLION
SOURCE: CITY OF JERSEY VILLAGE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
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CY-FAIR EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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