GOVERNMENT Judge urges budget adjustment to assist homeless youth
requesting funds
BY ASIA ARMOUR
said. “We [have spent] money ... [in] so many places; how did we miss the children?” At the following Feb. 14. meeting, the court reserved $2 million from its Emergency Rental Assistance budget. This comes in anticipation of George’s and the nonprofits groups’ proposal for a transitional housing project. The group is set to come before the court on Feb. 28. In May 2021, the county was appropriated $157.42 million in ARPA funds, said Pamela Gubbels, director of finance and investments. All but $47.5 million of those funds remain unspent, she said. “At this time, 100% of those funds have been allocated to various projects,” Gubbels said in an email. “If commissioner[s] choose to add more projects, they would have to reduce funding from other projects.” Groff said there are 900 families receiving rental assistance through these federal funds, which could be exhausted as early as the end of
March. This does not include families who receive assistance from nonprof- its in the county, he said. The primary reason for this issue is what Groff called a lack of diversified housing stock, with prices that are unaffordable to families who are at risk of homelessness. In Fort Bend County, Groff said rent for a one-bedroom apartment will cost over $1,500 per month, and two- bedroom units usually exceed $1,800 per month. According to RentCafe, a national apartment listing service, the average rental price in Fort Bend County is $1,497 per month. As of February, 92% of rates are over $1,000 per month. The project will provide a long-term solution for residents experiencing homelessness in Fort Bend County, Groff said. It would offer long-term housing as well as housing identifica- tion, rent, move-in assistance and case management services. “It is going to be a big ask, but we know a diversionary project like this
Fort Bend County nonprofits will ask commissioners to reallocate up to $2 million from its Emergency Rental Assistance budget on Feb. 28 for a transitional housing project to counter homelessness.
To contend with child homelessness in Fort Bend County, Judge KP George implored the commissioners court on Feb. 7 to consider amending the federal American Rescue Plan Act budget by the end of February. At the same Feb. 7 meeting, Fulshear Mayor Aaron Groff addressed the court on behalf of several area nonprofits— including Attack Poverty, Abigail’s Place and Parks Youth Ranch—that named affordable permanent housing as one of the county’s greatest needs. “Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD have identified over 1,600 students in [the] 2021-22 [school year] who were homeless,” Groff said. “Some of our numbers suggest that in Fort Bend County alone, there are as many as 6,500 kids who are at risk of being homeless at any given moment.” As of Nov. 17, there were 803 home- less students in FBISD, George said. Of those students, 193 were unaccompa- nied by a parent or guardian, he said. “How did we miss that,” George
Lamar CISD students were homeless in the 2021-22 school year. Fort Bend ISD students were identified as homeless as of Nov. 17. children are at risk of being homeless in Fort Bend County at any given moment. Fort Bend ISD homeless students were identified as unaccompanied youth.
682
803
193
6.5K
SOURCES: LAMAR CISD, FORT BEND ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
will make a meaningful difference for those [who are] facing or are on the verge of homelessness in Fort Bend County,” Groff said.
FRY ROAD 1743 Fry Rd (281) 579-7004 KATY MILLS 24417 Katy Fwy (281) 394-5780
FRY ROAD NORTH 3811 N Fry Rd (281) 578-0916 FULSHEAR 24940 FM 1093 (281) 391-4008
MASON ROAD 1640 S Mason Rd (281) 395-6262
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