Ease The Burden

Handy list of COVID-19 financial assistance for Houston residents and businesses

Local groups and organizations are here to help Houstonians during trying these trying times.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The coronavirus is causing massive layoffs and widespread furloughs around Houston, and it feels like there may be more to come. Fortunately, a number of local, state, and national agencies are offering some financial relief. And remember in Houston, 2-1-1 is a tool available for community resources and information regarding food, housing, healthcare, and more.

Here are some options to get through these tough times.

Jobs and meals
Workforce Solutions has a plentiful job listings page for Harris and the surrounding 12 counties. They also offer career services and resources to find for child care.

WorkinTexas.com has updated job openings that you can search by city, state, or county. Other tools include a resume builder, career services, and job training services.

Houston Food Bank has pantries all over the city and nearby areas, including Burleson, Trinity, and Chambers County, with many still operating to serve the communities. If you're in need of food, call 832-369-9390.

Montgomery County Food Bank has continued to operate as normal and has mobile markets and pantry services available. Check the calendar here or call 936-271-8800.

Industry-specific
Houston Arts Alliance has a list of grants and relief available to a wide variety of artists, including writers, musicians, and actors. Some have application deadlines, but many are ongoing and you can apply at any time.

Southern Smoke Foundation funds out-of-work employees from the food and beverage industry through an application process. The money can go toward medical bills, family support, healthcare, or any other pressing needs.

Car
State car fees have been put on hold. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is allowing extensions on registration, renewals, and vehicle titling. There's no end date on this temporary waiver; the DMV says it'll be in effect for at least 60 days.

Auto insurance companies are pausing payments or extending payment deadlines including Geico, which is offering flexible payment plans, and Allstate, which is allowing deferred payment plans that let you go two billing cycles of nonpayment with no penalty.

Rent/mortgage
Gulf Coast Community Services Association has help for Harris County renters who have a vacate notice. The site also has food, utilities, and transportation assistance.

West Houston Assistance Ministries is available to help with the cost of rent, mortgage, or utilities for residents in these zip codes: 77042, 77057, 77063, 77077, 77082. For an interview, call 713-780-2727 ext 200, Monday-Thursday. The nonprofit also offers job and food assistance.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has suspended evictions and foreclosures on any mortgages through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Some private lenders are also offering grace periods, including Chase Bank which has a payment assistance program here or call 1-800-848-9136; and Wells Fargo, which is offering a three-month payment suspension with an option to extend for an additional three months, with no late fees.

Healthcare
Harris County Public Health has a COVID-19 self assessment tool to help you learn whether you need testing and should see a doctor. If you don't have healthcare access, the Harris Health Ask My Nurse line can help with any inquiries related to COVID-19. It's open seven days a week from 9 am-7 pm. The number is 713-634-1110.

HOPE Clinic offers a range of healthcare services for the uninsured and under-insured across the Houston area. The clinic can accommodate services in 30 different languages including Mandarin, Korean, Arabic, and Spanish. Please note that it does not offer COVID-19 testing. Call 713-773-0803.

Small businesses
The newly enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has a variety of programs for small businesses including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, which has grants of up to $10,000. Lenders are anticipating delays since they're still awaiting guidelines.

The Small Business Administration has a page dedicated to coronavirus relief options that include low-interest loans and disaster relief.

Taxes
The IRS has extended tax day, which means you don't have to file until July 15, free of interest and penalties.

Unemployment
Some workers qualify for state unemployment benefits through the Texas Workforce Commission. The site has been slow due to a surge in applications, but the organization is waiving the normal waiting period; once you apply, you get your first check in about a month.

Stimulus
As you probably know, taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 are due to receive a check of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples, and up to $500 for each qualifying child. The payments decrease if you make more than $75,000, or more than $150,000 as a household, so check the site to see how much you qualify for.

Student loans
Federal student loan payments have been placed on hold until September 30. U.S. Department of Education Select loans will carry zero percent interest rate.

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Astrodome's new vision

New proposal to save the Astrodome calls for shops, restaurants, and more

Rendering courtesy of Gensler

A new plan for renovating the Astrodome has emerged.

The Houston Astrodome is both the city’s crown jewel and a rotting albatross depending on which direction you view it from. To address the ongoing problem of what to do with the facility, the Astrodome Conservancy has unveiled Vision: Astrodome, the latest bold plan to repurpose the dome by turning it into a small city-within-a-city with four inner buildings and walkable green spaces.

“Our 8th Wonder of the World is as Houston as it gets,” says Abbie J. Kamin, Houston City Councilmember from District C. “This historic protected landmark, filled with generations of memories and a legacy of iconic sports and music, is woven deeply into our hearts and our heritage. I am grateful that the Astrodome Conservancy has found a path forward to not only save the Dome but provide an economic asset Houstonians can enjoy year-round.”

Here's the vision. There will be a central event space on the dome floor. Four building will surround it, offering restaurants, retail shopping, and offices. The plan should result in 450,000 square feet of revenue generating space, all within the confines of the dome itself.

In addition, a connecting boulevard will move visitors throughout the area. This plan is based on New York City’s Highline, a raised walkway built on an old viaduct that opened in 2009 and has become a template for repurposed city architecture across the nation. Not only will the dome boulevard connect the various structures inside the dome, but also lead to the other buildings in NRG Park.

Built in 1965, the Astrodome is one of the most iconic sports stadiums still standing in the world. It was the first domed stadium, ushering in a new era of air-conditioned sports entertainment that earned it the nickname 8^th Wonder of the World. Muhammad Ali fought in the dome, it hosted Wrestlemania, the famous “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match took place there, and it was of course the longtime home of the Houston Oilers, Houston Astros, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

When it closed in 2008 (and failed to meet fire code the next year), no one quite knew what to do with it. Ken Hoffman, writing in 2019, called it “puny and old, an embarrassing, dingy public eyesore” next to the shiny new NRG Stadium. In 2013, the city held a referendum on spending $217 million to renovate the dome, which failed and seemed to doom the dome to the wrecking ball.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett started a campaign to save the dome, leading to a long and protracted discussion on what was best for the city. On the one hand, the Astrodome is a fully paid-for asset of Harris County and an iconic landmark to boot. On the other hand, no one could agree on what to do or how to pay for it. The dome waited.

In 2016, the Astrodome Conservancy was formed as a private nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing the dome. To date, they have raised $3 million toward the project, which is still a drop in the bucket when it comes to remodeling the space. Two years later, Harris County Commissioners court approved $105 million to raise the floor and turn the dome back into an event space. Progress was again halted under Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who questioned whether renovating the dome was a wise use of the county’s money. The county currently spends $150,000 to $400,000 to maintain the empty dome.

So, what will Vision: Astrodome cost and where will the conservancy get it? The answer to the first question is currently: don’t know. The answer to the second question is: don’t know, but . . .

Vision Astrodome is meant to be a “conversation starter” between the major stakeholders in NRG Park according to official press documents. That likely means the conservancy is hoping to leverage economic interest and city pride to raise the money from the Houston Texans and the rodeo. Both have a contract with the county that gives them priority at NRG Park until 2032 and are unlikely to approve anything that threatens the parking situation in the complex.

The rest will likely come from Harris County itself, paid for through taxes and hotel fees. Houston refused to foot the bill in 2013, but nostalgia may have turned the hearts of the populace since then, especially if Houston can get a first-class facility out of the deal. Until then, the dome sits as it has for 15 years, watching the city pass it by.

Rendering courtesy of Gensler

A new plan for renovating the Astrodome has emerged.