TEXARKANA, Texas- The Housing Authority of Texarkana, Texas, received another round of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act grant funds.
Of the total $365,370 awarded to several Texarkana area cities and counties, HATT received $124,980, while the Ark-Tex Council of Governments Housing Authority received $184,609. The Public Housing Authority of DeKalb received $9,390.
"HATT is utilizing our COVID/Cares funds by hiring a caseworker and providing additional resources to assist HCV (Housing Choice Voucher) Program clients with lowering their rent payments when income has decreased, as well as helping make referrals to local resources, when needed, along with ensuring file documentation for regulatory requirements," HATT Chief Executive Officer Antonio D. Williams said Friday afternoon. "We are continuously reassessing our financial needs as strategies may change, based on the fluctuations of COVID-19 trends."
As of Friday afternoon, the Ark-Texas Council of Governments offices were closed, but DeKalb Mayor Lowell Walker said this was the first time he heard of DeKalb's Housing Authority receiving the $9,390 in CARES funds.
"Neither I, nor our housing authority director, received notification about this, but she did say she was very glad to hear about it," Walker said.
For DeKalb, this will be the second time for its housing authority to receive CARES grant funds. The authority initially received about $26,000 earlier this year.
Other Texarkana area housing authority cities to receive CARES funds include Jefferson with $1,908, Paris with $41,987, and Pittsburg with $2,496.
"As Texans continue to grapple with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, it's critical that we continue to do everything we can to shield them from the economic fallout," Cornyn said in a prepared statement. "I'll continue to do everything I can to encourage economic recovery in the Texarkana area amid this deadly pandemic."