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Texarkana HOME program: city, builder and TDHCA partnership aims to add affordable homes
Summary
City staff and partners told the council the HOME program has completed five houses, has multiple homes in demo and pending applications, and applied for support for up to 14 homes at $135,000 each; a resident beneficiary described safety and livability improvements from a program house.
Matt Solomon, presenting for the city, told the council the local HOME program (in partnership with KBB Homes and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs) is entering its third year: five homes have been completed, four are in demolition, three applications are being processed through TDHCA, and the program plans a lottery on Dec. 17 for the next two homes.
Solomon said the city applied for support for 14 homes at $135,000 per house—an amount he described as “just under $2,000,000” injected into families and the community. He thanked KBB Homes and other partners for their role in implementing the program locally.
A recorded testimonial played as part of the briefing featured an unnamed resident who described a previously unsafe, deteriorating house and said the replacement home eliminated recurring leaks and safety hazards. The resident said the program eased anxiety over housing stability, adding, “This is the best thing ever. Don't give up hope.”
Council members and the mayor thanked program staff and community partners; staff noted the scale of the program and encouraged eligible applicants to engage the process. The council did not take formal action on the briefing; staff cited implementation work that will continue through permitting and lottery selection.
