Newsroom

Harris County, TX, April 18, 2024 – Today, Judge Ursula Hall of Harris County’s 165th District Court denied the Texas Attorney General’s attempt to block the disbursement of Uplift Harris funds. Although the program is technically allowed to go into effect as planned on April 24, we expect the state to appeal and continue attacking Harris County. 

“This is an important victory. The Harris County courts are allowing the people of Harris County to receive this aid. From a legal perspective, it’s clear that the state’s case has no merit at all. Donald Trump himself sent out checks to people below a certain income in 2020, which I received. The Texas Attorney General and far-right state leaders constantly bully Harris County, likely to get free news coverage, but doing so harms their own constituents and I urge this to stop. My invitation remains to introduce the Attorney General to some of the hardworking families who can’t pay the bills without this aid. We expect that the state will appeal this ruling, and we will keep fighting for Uplift Harris every step of the way,” said Judge Lina Hidalgo.

In January, Harris County created the “Uplift Harris” guaranteed income 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. In Texas, San Antonio and Austin ran similar programs starting in 2020 and 2022, respectively. 

Uplift Harris provides $500 monthly cash payments to eligible families for 18 months beginning this month, using federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan. Recipients were notified beginning March 18th and have been counting on receiving these $500 payments for several weeks. Recipients will have full discretion to spend the funds on whatever their family’s most urgent needs are. Uplift Harris recipients were randomly selected from the 10 most impoverished zip codes throughout the county, which make a median annual income of $35,000. For example, a family of four would have to make less than $60,000 annually and reside in a low-income community. While poverty reduction is one of the most stubborn policy goals, programs like this have proven uniquely successful at decreasing poverty and increasing employment rates in communities around the nation and globe.  

Guaranteed income is one of the oldest and most successful anti-poverty programs. Celebrated conservative economist Milton Friedman notably advocated for the idea of a universal basic income. In other jurisdictions, recent data shows that these programs have helped increase employment rates, strengthen families, and improve health outcomes and mental health (Journal of Urban Health, 2023).  

Harris County is experiencing poverty at rates higher than other large counties in Texas state and the nation. 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. 

###