The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently awarded a $5 million grant to DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, to help housing choice voucher families gain greater access to high-opportunity areas.
“The receipt of mobility grant funding will be transformative in DHA’s ability to assist families in transitioning to high-opportunity areas,” DHA President and CEO Troy Broussard said in a statement. “At DHA, we believe everyone deserves a place to call home with access to great schools, job opportunities, transportation, healthy food and health care resources. Access to high-opportunity areas is critical to the success of our families, allowing everyone the chance to thrive.”
The funds are designed to enable public housing agencies to provide critical housing mobility counseling and financial assistance to support families’ housing choice.
DHA said it is one of seven public housing agencies nationwide to be awarded the HUD grants. A “highly competitive” grant approval process required DHA to submit a comprehensive mobility plan for HUD review, the agency said.
As a leading public housing authority, DHA said it’s focused on creating inclusive, sustainable housing solutions and opportunities for families to enhance their quality of life and achieve a brighter future.
The link between lower-poverty neighborhoods and better outcomes
DHA said that recent research underscores the positive impact of lower-poverty neighborhoods on academic achievement and long-term success, allowing families to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Families living in those neighborhoods experience better health outcomes, such as lower rates of hospitalization, reduction in obesity and diabetes, and improved mental health, the agency said.
DHA said the HCV program offers families with vouchers the opportunity to live in a neighborhood of their choice.
Those families often face barriers that limit their ability to move into high-opportunity areas, DHA said. In addition to funds designated for mobility-related services for families, DHA said the mobility grant will address strategies to increase landlord participation in high-opportunity areas, reducing barriers for families looking to access areas with low poverty rates, high-performing schools, and abundant amenities.
DHA said it has 90 days to create a comprehensive implementation plan detailing how the grant funds will be maximized to help North Texas families find affordable housing in high-opportunity areas through mobility counseling, housing search, and financial assistance.
It said that there will be a six-month planning period ahead of funds being released.
“We’re excited that HUD found merit in our competitive application and proposed mobility plan to support the families we serve,” Broussard said. “We look forward to implementing a comprehensive plan that will enable us to continue to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of our clients, breaking down barriers and providing access to greater opportunities and brighter outcomes.”
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