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Harris County, TX, August 15, 2024, Today Harris County Commissioners Court approved a new family financial assistance program. Under the new program, the approximately 1,600 families who were selected for Uplift Harris back in March will receive $500 monthly payments on a prepaid debit card that can only be used at certain vendors like grocery stores or pharmacies. According to the plan, families can expect to receive the payments in about four months. 

“Hundreds of Harris County families were counting on $500 monthly payments back in April to help lift them out of poverty, and they were left in the lurch because of Texas state leaders’ political posturing. While launching this new program instead of a guaranteed income program isn’t ideal, it’s the best way we can try to keep our promise to these families. I would say to the families who have been waiting for this lifeline: We are trying, but don’t get your hopes up just yet. We’re moving ahead with cautious optimism to see if the State will object,” said Judge Lina Hidalgo. 

In January, Harris County created the Uplift Harris pilot program, joining more than 80 cities and counties across the nation and other countries around the world that have seen success through similar programs. Uplift Harris was designed to provide monthly payments of $500 to some of the lowest-income Harris County residents using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan. Over 82,000 people applied for Uplift Harris, demonstrating the huge need for anti-poverty programs in Harris County. 

Participants were notified of their selection for Uplift Harris by March 22. On April 23, the day that these families were set to start receiving payments and after these families had been counting on receiving these $500 payments for several weeks, the Texas Supreme Court blocked implementation of the Uplift Harris program. State Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the program in part because he argued that the “no-strings-attached” design of the original payments made Uplift Harris unconstitutional. 

According to census data, roughly 1 in 6 people in Harris County live in poverty, more than the national average and more than all other large counties in Texas. Data from the Kinder Institute shows that roughly 2 in 5 Houston residents say they would be unable to pay for a $400 emergency.

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