Health & Human Services

News & Announcements

General News

August 29, 2017 - HUD Announces Disaster Assistance for Victims of Hurricane Harvey

The Austin Animal Center Continues to Ask for the Community’s Help as Shelter Remains at Capacity

Zika Virus Information

Watch the Black History Program from February 11, 2016

Family Services News

The online application for Family Support Services assistance will be disabled on 12/1/2016 until further notice. To apply for assistance please visit any one of the seven community centers. You may also print the application from here and submit these documents to the Community Center of your choice.

LIHEAP is the program that funds the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) at all seven Travis County Community Centers, helping low income residents pay their utility bills and achieve energy efficiency. More...

New WIC Income Guidelines Released, June 23, 2015 

Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has the answer! Watch this week's video!

Research and Planning News

The following policy updates are available on the 85^th session of the Texas Legislature:

• House and Senate Bill Report
• 85th Legistlature State Budget Analysis

Other recently published reports by Research and Planning staff include:

• Travis County Snapshot from the 2016 American Community Survey
• Community Planning Groups: Exploratory Research

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) News

Invitation to comment on the Program Year 2017 CDBG Annual Report, also known as the Consolidated Annual Program Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Invitation available in English and in Spanish. Comments will be accepted from November 28, 2018 to December 12, 2018, and at a public hearing on December 4, 2018. Starting on November 28, 2018 the draft PY17 CAPER and a summary in English and Spanish will be available on the CDBG website and at the Travis County Community Centers.

Central Texas Fair Housing Assessment

Travis County is currently participating in a collaborative planning process with nine other local jurisdictions to conduct a regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. In addition to Travis County, the participating jurisdictions include the cities of Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville, Williamson County, and the housing authorities of Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock, Taylor and Travis County.

In 2016, HUD launched a new approach to identifying fair housing challenges, called the Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). This approach encouraged communities to embrace a more comprehensive planning process, focusing on economic, as well as housing barriers. Prior to the AFH, communities accepting federal housing and community development funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were required to complete an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, or AI.

In January 2018, HUD suspended the AFH requirement, reverting to the AI approach. This was done to give communities more time to adjust to the new, AFH format. HUD’s notice on this suspension can be found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/01/05/2018-00106/affirmativelyfurthering-fair-housing-extension-of-deadline-for-submission-of-assessment-of-fair.

The Central Texas Fair Housing Assessment is proceeding with a Regional AI that includes many aspects of the AFH process. The overall goal of this approach is to help communities improve economic conditions for all residents, in a way that best fits the community.

More information about the study can be found at www.centraltexasfairhousing.org.