Nueces County requests next tranche of federal ERAP funds to keep rental assistance flowing

Nueces County Commissioners Court voted July 29 to ask the U.S. Treasury for the next tranche of Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds, a step staff said is required before the county can access the remainder of its ERAP allocation.

County social‑services and finance staff told commissioners that the program requires a formal request to Treasury to deploy the next percentage of allocated funds. Staff explained that an initial allotment had been received and used to issue payments; requesting the next tranche (described in the meeting as roughly 60% of the county’s allocation) would allow the county to continue processing and reimbursing approved rental assistance claims already in the queue.

Commissioners and staff discussed program administration and past coordination with outside contractors. Staff said the county is transitioning program administration to internal social‑services staff and will continue to use federal guidance to verify eligibility, upload requests and submit reimbursement claims to Treasury. Staff emphasized the program’s poverty‑alleviation role and noted the county reached out earlier to help residents when neighboring jurisdictions ran out of funds.

The court voted to authorize staff to request the next ERAP tranche and to continue program administration; staff said they will proceed with the Treasury request and continue weekly program coordination meetings.

Ending: County staff will submit the formal request for the next ERAP tranche and continue processing applications. County staff also said they will continue training in‑house staff to administer the program and will provide commissioners regular updates on program spending and outcomes.