CDBG funds are utilized to carry out street improvements,
housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, land acquisition,
construction of public parks, and the provision of public services.
All activities funded through the CDBG program must benefit persons
of low and moderate income, aid in the prevention or elimination of
slums and blight and/or address other urgent community development needs.
HOME Program funds are used to increase the availability of
affordable housing. Funded activities include the new
construction of single family units, substantial rehabilitation
of existing owner-occupied units, and downpayment assistance.
Funds made available through the HOME Program, like CDBG, must
also be utilized to benefit individuals and families of low
income.
HOUSING REHABILITATION
Before
Through the Housing Rehabilitation Program, owner-occupants
of substandard units are provided assistance in the form
of loans and grants to rehabilitate and/or improve their homes.
As with other CDBG finded activities, the Housing Rehabilitation
Program is designed to benefit low and very low income families.
The various housing rehabilitation programs include:
*Housing Rehabilitation Loans of up to $21,000 to correct
code deficiencies and bring houses to standard condition;
*Emergency Repair Grants of up to $5,000 to address life
threatening hazards, such as substandard electrical, plumbing
and roof defects.
*Fire Rehabilitation Loans of up to $30,000 to rehabilitate
After fire damaged homes.
*Sewer Connection Grants of up to $8,000 to eliminate pit
privies, cesspools and septic tanks.
*Paint Grants of up $2,500 to paint the exterior of homes located
within low income areas of the City.
To maintain an assisted housing unit's affordability, homeowners are required to
payback only 57% of the note; the remaining 43% is forgivable as long as the
homeowner continues to reside in the home for the duration of the loan period.
A 100% forgivable loan is made available to elderly and/or disabled head of households
with incomes of 60% or less of the housing area median family income (HAMFI). All loan programs
are amortized at 0% interest.
HOME PROGRAM
Community Development staff administers HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds in making
available affordable housing for individuals and families of low income and moderate income. Through
the HOME Program and in cooperation with the private sector, affordable housing programs implemented
include new construction of single family housing for first time homebuyers, downpayment assistance
for first- time homebuyers, and substantial rehabilitation of owner- occupied units.
South Laredo Affordable Housing Project
Through a public/private partnership affordable housing is
constructed and made available for homeownership to individuals
and families of low income. Homes are constructed citywide, on
lots that are owned by applicants and on City owned property.
The City utilizes HOME funds for interim construction financing
and works together with local banking institutions to provide
the necessary long-term financing. Most recently the City has
partnered with the Laredo Affordable Housing Corporation for the
construction of single family housing units for
low income first time homebuyers.
Downpayment assistance is also made available to first-time
homebuyers. Homeownership is made more affordable by providing
first time, low income homebuyers with downpayment loans of up
to $3,000 and $5,000 for low and very low income households,
respectively.
Also assisted through the HOME Program are owner-occupants of
homes which are in need of extensive repair and/or replacement.
Eligible families participating in the City's Substantial
Rehabilitation Loan Program are provided low interest loans
which exceed $25,100 so that the homes can be brought up to
standard condition. HOME funds are used to finance interim
construction; permanent loan financing is provided by
participating private lenders.
The City through the HOME Program also provides funding to
Community Housing Development Organizations to further promote
affordable housing opportunities for persons of low income.
RELOCATION
The Relocation Assistance Program assists households and
businesses who are displaced by federally assisted projects, and
insures displacees are equitably compensated. Examples of
capital improvement projects which involved relocation include
the expansion of El Metro Maintenance Facility, the construction
of the Central Business District Transit Center and the West
Laredo Overpass.
REAL ESTATE DIVISION
The Real Estate Division is an active participant in the City's
development. Staff is responsible to handle all land
acquisition matters as they pertain to obtaining necessary
right-of-way to facilitate infrastructure improvement projects
as implemented by the City and other state and federal agencies.
Some of the projects for which right-of way has been obtained
include the Inner Loop, the Central Business District Transit
Center, El Metro Expansion Project, Mines Road, Springfield Avenue, and Clark Boulevard.
The Real Estate Division also administers the City's Street
Closing Program. Laredo is unique in that it owns and has the
option to sell those streets found to be located within the
boundaries specified by the original land grant from the Crown
of Spain. Streets are sold to abutting landowners upon their
request and/or closed in support of public projects. Both these
actions are contingent on approval by City Council.
STREET PAVING ASSESSMENT
The Street Paving Assessment Program is responsible for
preparing the assessment rolls that set the cost to be charged
against each abutting parcel of land where streets are scheduled
to be paved. In addition, staff notify property owners of the
proposed paving and provide paving assessment grants to
qualifying low income owner-occupants who reside in affected
Community Development Block Grant service areas.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The Code Enforcement Division monitors and insures compliance
with City ordinances pertaining to weeds, nuisances, junked
vehicles, illegal dumping, graffiti and other detrimental
conditions which impact the health and safety of community
residents. Apart from identifying and responding to complaints
of code violations, staff participate in various beautification
and clean-up programs including weekend surveillance of illegal
dump sites and patrol of the Downtown area.
Special campaigns are carried out in cooperation with the City's
Beautification Committee and volunteers from the private sector.
Included are Operation Clean-Sweep, Graffiti Removal Campaigns,
the Block of the Month Campaign, the Adopt-A-Highway Program,
and the Refuse and Trash Patrol.
LAREDO MUNICIPAL HOUSING CORPORATION
The Laredo Municipal Housing Corporation's (LMHC) primary
function is to provide decent, safe and affordable housing to
the citizens of Laredo. LMHC maintains and manages two housing
developments, the Jose A. Flores Apartments and the Tomas Flores
Apartments. Within these two housing projects, there are a
total of 211 rental apartments which
consist of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units.
Additionally the LMHC operates a Lease Purchase Program through
which homeownership opportunities are provided to first-time
homebuyers who may have a problem due to poor or marginal
credit. This program enables homebuyers to clear and help
strengthen their credit as well as purchase a home. The
Lease/Purchase Program consists of 50, three bedroom, two bath,
single family housing units in the Riverhills Subdivision. The
offices of the LMHC are located at 559- B Poplar Lane and can be
Tomas Flores Apartments contacted at 795- 2320.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
P.O. BOX 1276
TRANSIT CENTER
EAST WING, 3RD FLOOR
1301 FARRAGUT STREET
LAREDO, TEXAS 78042
For more information you may call 795-2675
Equal Housing Opportunity
Weekend surveillance of illegal dump sites and patrol of the
Downtown area.
| Community Development Director |
Erasmo A. Villarreal |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Real Estate Manager |
John Orfila |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Relocation Specialist |
Angelo Ferrazano |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Housing Rehab Manager |
Alfonso Herrera |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Code Enforcement Supervisor |
Raul Garcia |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Home Coordinator |
Deborah Gonzalez |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Downtown Economic Development Coordinator |
Arturo Garcia |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Street Closing Coordinator |
Ricardo Mireles |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Administrative Assistant-Emergency Shelter |
Leticia Rios |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Administrative Assistant-Compliance Officer |
Karla De La Rosa |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2675 |
| Laredo Municipal Housing Director |
Mario Maldonado |
dcd@icsi.net |
(956)795-2320 |
