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 Higher-than- average maternal mortality rates; a wage gap between men and women; and domestic violence against women in Harris County were all outlined in a July 18 report by the Harris County Women’s Commission presented to county commissioners July 18, according to a news release from Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis spearheaded the commission’s launch in March 2022 with a goal to improve health, economic opportunity and safety for the women living in Harris County. This was the first report from the nine-member group, which will hold community town halls and release an annual report as its work progresses. 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. How we got here: In April, com- missioners directed several county departments, including the Commu- nity Services Department, to establish a policy related to the approval of tax
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
exemptions for certain low-income housing projects. The department presented its preliminary policy to commissioners in July, and the finalized exemption policy is projected for completion by the end of August.
The bigger picture: The policy could make it more financially feasible for certain organizations to build afford- able housing units. A 2021 study found nearly 500,000 households in the county are paying more for housing than they can afford. 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
Harris County sues state over election bill
Jersey Village prepares for FY 2023-24 budget
BY MELISSA ENAJE
HARRIS COUNTY Leaders in Harris County officially filed a lawsuit against the state in an attempt to allow the courts to decide how it should run elections—a challenge to Senate Bill 1750, a recently passed law that eliminated the county’s election administrator office. “We’re suing because this law vio- lates the Texas Constitution,” Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said July 6. “We are filing a lawsuit to undo Senate Bill 1750, the law that botches the EA’s office in only Harris County. ... This is about protecting Harris County elections.” The county attorney’s office will be going to court and ask the judge to temporarily block SB 1750 from going into effect on Sept. 1, Menefee said. “What we don’t want is a situation where no court has agreed with us and we have an election to run in November 2023,” he said.
BY DAVE MANNING
JERSEY VILLAGE In July, the Jersey Village City Council discussed proposed bond referen- dums 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. • Sales and property taxes will bring in $13.65 million, about 60% of the city’s revenue. • The largest city expense is emergency services—$9.7 million in the proposed budget.
$15.8 MILLION Street and bridge repair $18 MILLION Pool and park renovations $19 MILLION
SOURCE: CITY OF JERSEY VILLAGE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
budget reflects rising inflation, infrastructure cost increases and residents’ expectations 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 before the beginning of the new fiscal year in September. The city is currently seeking public and internal input on the projects.
The conditions: The proposed
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CYPRESS EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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