HOUSTON — Harris County was set to launch on Monday a new program that will provide $500 a month to hundreds of low-income residents for 18 months.
The opening period for applications for the cash payments from Uplift Harris has been delayed, the organization posted Monday on its website.
"The beginning of the application period for the Uplift Harris Guaranteed Income Pilot has been delayed. We anticipate providing a new application launch date and application period soon.
"If you would like us to email you when the Uplift Harris County application opens, please fill out the interest form here. Please note that submitting this form is NOT an application for the program." the message said.
Who is eligible for $500 payments from Uplift Harris?
A total of 1,928 recipients will be selected to begin receiving payments by the end of April 2024.
The money from Uplift Harris is tax-free for those who qualify and can be used for living expenses and other necessities.
Eligible applicants for the pilot program will be randomly chosen from two groups: 10 high-poverty ZIP codes in Harris County or from participants in ACCESS (Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency) Harris County.
- Recipients from either group must be at least 18 years old.
- Household income in either group must fall at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
10 targeted ZIP codes for Uplift Harris
In this group, eligibility is determined by income and location. Recipients must live in one of the following Harris County ZIP codes.
- 77050
- 77093
- 77051
- 77060
- 77028
- 77033
- 77026
- 77081
- 77547
- 77091
About 70% of the participants will be selected from this group.
The other 30% will come from the ACCESS group.
What is The Federal Poverty Level (FPL)?
The Federal Poverty Level is used by the government to determine eligibility for programs based on monthly income and household size. These are the maximum incomes to qualify.
- For individuals: $29,160
- For a family of 2: $39,440
- For a family of 3 : $49,720
- For a family of 4: $60,000
- For a family of 5: $70,280
- For a family of 6: $80,560
- For a family of 7: $90,840
- For a family of 8: $101,120
- For a family of 9: $111,400
- For a family of 10: $121,680
- For a family of 11: $131,960
- For a family of 12: $142,240
- For a family of 13: $152,520
- For a family of 14: $162,800
More information on Uplift Harris
- All applications must be submitted online by computer, tablet or smartphone. Residents without access to a computer, tablet, smartphone, and/or the internet are encouraged to visit an application assistance partner to receive help completing their application.
- You can expect to receive an email and/or text message notification regarding whether you have been selected in mid-February. This notification will be sent to the email address and/or mobile phone number that you provided in your application.
- The pilot will be administered by GiveDirectly, a nonprofit charitable organization contracted by Harris County Public Health. You can expect to receive messages from GiveDirectly about your application and application status.
- All selected participants will receive their first payments by the end of April 2024. Most participants will receive their first payments in March 2024.
- Uplift Harris is funded with $20.5 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was passed to help struggling Americans recover after the pandemic caused an economic crisis.