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H-GAC, in conjunction with the Texas Department of Agriculture, established Regional Project Priorities for the 2025-2026 Community Development (CD) application cycle.
The Community Development Fund is the largest fund category in the Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) Program. This fund is available on a biennial basis for funding through a competition in each of the 24 state planning regions, including the H-GAC region. Eligible applicants are rural cities under 50,000 in population, and counties that have a non-metropolitan population under 200,000 and are not eligible for direct CDBG funding from US Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The next funding cycle is anticipated to be released in 2025.
For more information on the grant program, please visit Community Development Fund Application & Guide (texasagriculture.gov).
Regional Project Priorities
Although most funds are used for Public Facilities (water/wastewater infrastructure, street and drainage improvements and housing activities), there are numerous other activities for which these funds may be used. As part of this process, H-GAC sought input on the establishment of regional project priorities. Input was solicited through a survey and a public meeting. The H-GAC Board of Directors approved the Regional Project Priorities during a regular Board meeting on April 16, 2024, and H-GAC shared the regional priorities with the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Regional Project Priorities will account for 25% of total points in scoring 2025-2026 Community Development applications. The priority categories are grouped by tier (importance to the region) and assigned points for each tier Tier 1 - 50 points, Tier 2 - 40 points, and Tier 3 - 30 points.
Tier 1 (50 Points)
- Flood Drainage Improvements
- Other Housing Rehab, Relocation, and/or Homeownership Services
- Parks, Recreational Facilities
- Planning
- Sidewalks
- Street Improvements
- Water/Sewer Improvements
Tier 2 (40 points)
- Economic Development – Assistance to Not-for-Profit Organizations
- Facility for Persons with Disabilities
- Fire Station/Equipment
- Health Facilities
- Neighborhood Facilities
- Solid Waste Disposal Improvements
- Youth Centers
Tier 3 (30 Points)
- Child Care
- Clearance and Demolition
- Code Enforcement
- Construction of New Housing (via community development organizations)
- Economic Development – Assistance to For-Profits
- Homeless Facilities
- Micro-Enterprise Assistance
- Non-Residential Historic Preservation
- Other Eligible CDBG Public Improvements
- Parking Facilities
- Public Housing Modernization
- Public Services
- Rehab; Multi-Unit Residential
- Rehab; Single-Unit Residential
- Rehab; Single-Unit Residential, Utility Connections
- Residential Historic Preservation
- Senior Centers
Developing Regional Project Priorities
Regional Project Priorities Survey
The public was invited to complete an online survey to help establish Regional Priority Projects by ranking a list of suggested priorities based on importance and providing comments. The survey was available online from March 11, 2024, to March 21, 2024.
Regional Project Priorities Public Meeting
The public was invited to attend a public meeting to see the results of a priority projects survey and recommended Regional Project Priorities and to provide input. The hybrid meeting was from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. March 25, 2024, at the H-GAC offices, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas, second floor., and on Zoom.
Texas Department of Agriculture Grants and Services
The Texas Department of Agriculture offers grants and services on production agriculture, health and nutrition, rural health, and economic development. View Texas Department of Agriculture Open Grants.