Homeowners Reimbursement Program

Homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey who spent their own money to repair damages to their homes may apply for reimbursement for some of the costs of those repairs. In the context of this article, "their own money" refers to funds spent out on an individual’s savings or income that was not gained through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, flood insurance proceeds, or other means of assistance.

Income Requirements

The Homeowners Reimbursement program contains income requirements with the primary goal to assist low to moderate income persons. Low income households will be prioritized with all funds being dispersed on a first come first served basis. Depending on your circumstances, making over 120% of the median household income may exclude you from the program.

Please read all materials carefully to verify that you are eligible for the program. The 2018 median household income for the region is $74,900. For a family of 4 earning over $89,900 per year, you may not qualify. For a family of 4 earning less than $59,900 per year, there is a strong chance that you qualify and would be prioritized as low to moderate income.

Galveston County Residents

The Texas General Land Office released applications for its Homeowner Reimbursement Program on February 28, 2019. For additional information on what the Galveston County residents Homeowner Reimbursement Program is, eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit the Texas General Land Office website.

The application will be available online at the Texas General Land Office website.

Program Details

The reimbursement program will pay homeowners up to $50,000 in eligible repairs to their Hurricane Harvey damaged home. To qualify for the program, people must be able to show proof the home is their primary residence and was damaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Eligible repairs must have been completed prior to the application launch date of February 28, 2019. If you have additional questions about the program, email or call 844-893-8937.

This program is available to homeowners within 48 counties, which includes Galveston County.

Harris County Residents

Harris County has a similar program for homeowners. Harris County will receive a direct allocation of $1.115 billion from the State’s allocation of $5.024 billion at the direction of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Harris County has elected to develop its own local recovery programs with the exception of the State’s economic revitalization program.

Harris County developed a local action plan for submission to the General Land Office (GLO) for review. Following the review, the GLO incorporated the local action plan, along with the City of Houston’s local action plan into an amendment 1 to the state action plan. Amendment 1 to the state action plan received HUD approval on December 11, 2018.

For More Information

For additional information on what the Harris County residents Homeowner Reimbursement Program is, eligibility requirements and how to apply, please refer to the Texas General Land Office website.