HOME Investment Partnerships Program
The National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 created the Home Investments Partnership (HOME) Program. This federal program is designed to strengthen public-private partnerships and to expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for very low income and low-income families. The Urban County Program receives an annual federal entitlement of HOME funds to implement the Act locally.
 
HOME funds are used to achieve the following objectives:
    1.    To provide decent affordable housing to lower-income households.
    2.    To expand the capacity of non-profit housing providers.
    3.    To strengthen the ability of state and local governments to provide housing.
    4.    To leverage private sector participation.

As the administrative entity for Hidalgo County’s HOME entitlement allocation, the Urban County Program (UCP) is charged with the responsibility of providing safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for persons of low and moderate-income means. This is accomplished through a combination of activities and programs that provide incentives to develop and support affordable rental housing, owner-occupied rehabilitation and homeownership affordability. These activities are achieved through land acquisition (including assistance to homebuyers), new construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of non-luxury housing with suitable amenities. 

All such activities are guided by the requirements set forth in 24 CFR 92.205. HOME funds are provided in the form of a deferred loan, loan or a combination of both. The type of assistance provided depends on individual client characteristics and individual program guidelines. 

Since the HOME Program’s inception in 1992, the UCP has invested $54,651,640 towards improving housing opportunities for our areas less fortunate. Through UCP’s Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program, Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Program and the Homebuyer Program assistance has resulted in production of 2,782 total housing units that were acquired, rehabilitated or newly constructed. These projects on average contribute up to $2,000 per year to the County/Cities tax rolls. Also, over the course of the 10 years, for every HOME dollar ($1) spent, approximately $1.33 was secured from outside leveraged resources.

Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program

The Hidalgo County Urban County (UCP) Program’s Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation (Rehab.) Program purpose is to provide rehabilitation assistance to eligible low and moderate income Homeowners. The Program’s objective is to implement a rehabilitation program to arrest the deterioration of substandard homes by rehabilitating them to conform to Minimum Property Standards (MPS) in 24 CFR 200.925 or 200.926 and with other applicable State and Federal Laws, City Codes and Ordinances. This program allows the UCP to work in partnership with qualified Homeowners and Contractors to maintain the existing housing stock in decent, safe, sanitary and affordable conditions. 

Click here to view: Rehabilitation Program Housing Guidelines

Click here to view:  Rehabilitation Program Policies and Procedures

Haga click en el enlace: Lineamientos de la Vivienda del Programa de Rehabilitacion

Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Program 

The UCP utilizes no less than fifteen percent (15%) of its HOME annual allocation for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO) activities that consists of construction of new single-family housing units. HOME funds are allocated annually on an application basis to entities proposing programs or projects that address the following HOME objectives: 

1. To provide decent affordable housing to lower-income households;

2. To expand the capacity of non-profit housing providers;

3. To strengthen the ability of state and local governments to provide housing; and

4. To leverage private sector participation

Click here to view the: CHDO Policy Manual

Homebuyer Program 

Due to reductions in annual funding, this program is currently frozen. 

The purpose of this program is to provide homeownership opportunities to eligible low and moderate - income residents. The Program’s objective is to: 

1) Provide a means of stabilizing property values and enhancing the overall quality of life within eligible communities; 

2) Increase the number of affordable, single-family housing units within the jurisdiction; and

3) Address the issue of housing overcrowding by providing an avenue for eligible families to obtain a home commensurate with family size.