The Housing Authority of the City of Texarkana Texas (“HATT”) has been awarded the 2017 Mainstream Voucher Program (MVP) Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 6, 2018

Contact: 903-838-8548, ext. 102

TEXARKANA, TEXAS - The Housing Authority of the City of Texarkana Texas (“HATT”) has been awarded the 2017 Mainstream Voucher Program (MVP) Grant. The grant award amount is $145,892 annually and will assist non-elderly persons with disabilities.

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/2018MainstreamVoucherFinalChart.pdf.

Approximately $18 million was made available via the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2017 for new Section 811 Housing Choice Vouchers (known as Mainstream Vouchers) to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities. An additional $385 million was made available under the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2018 for new Mainstream Vouchers. The Housing Authority of the City of Texarkana, Texas’ (HATT) portfolio consists of more than 1,500 market rate, tax credit, and other affordable apartments.

These housing resources include HATT owned market rate residential communities, HATT sponsored mixed-income, mixed-finance residential communities, Housing Choice vouchers, rental single-family homes, and homeownership opportunities. Most of the HATT’s programs are funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

For over 78 years, the Housing Authority of the City of Texarkana, Texas (HATT) has worked to achieve its mission of creating affordable housing, viable neighborhoods, and opportunities for self-sufficiency that enhance the quality of life for citizens of Texarkana, Texas. We shall continue to do all these things while serving our residents and neighboring citizens with the highest degree of professional courtesy, empathy, and respect. The Housing Authority of the City of Texarkana is committed to serving the needs of all disabled persons, regardless of age or type of disability.

The Texarkana Area has a significant population of homeless. Unfortunately, many of them are also suffering from disabilities which increase the struggle of attaining reliable and independent living. Managing a significant population of disabled homeless will require an effort of greater magnitude than currently available by the housing authority. Partnerships with the City of Texarkana, TX, Texarkana College, The Lighthouse Group, Christus St. Michaels, and others will be prevalent in helping to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities via the MVP Grant.

The staff has brought the HATT to a position where it can carry out programs that specifically assist the disabled, and those at risk of homelessness. The housing authority has been able to successfully implement the HUD-VASH, a collaborative program between HUD and VA combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless, and their families find and sustain permanent housing. In 2017, the HATT was able to provide 16 VASH vouchers. Our experience with the HUD-VASH program gives us unique and relevant experience to manage Mainstream Vouchers.

The HATT greatly appreciates the grant writing team at Comprehensive Grants Management for being instrumental in helping the HATT receive the 2017 MVP Grant this year.