In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Greater Houston Partnership is providing a daily update on public policies and other newsworthy items from local, state and national levels of government. View all updates here.
Executive Summary
Texas continues to respond to COVID-19 with a focus on addressing vulnerable populations and slowing the spread of the virus. Governor Greg Abbott announced local jails and detention centers will receive $38 million in federal funding to help cover COVID-19 costs related to PPE, medical care and overtime pay for public safety personnel. At the local level, the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund deployed its first round of grants, totaling $1.5 million invested in 30 nonprofits, to provide food and emergency financial assistance to vulnerable families and individuals in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller counties. Fort Bend ISD announced that campuses will remain closed for the remainder of the current academic school year. They are the first traditional public school district in the greater Houston region to extend campus closures.
Federal
Numbers
- Johns Hopkins University is reporting over 632,800 cases and over 27,800 deaths.
State
Governor Abbott announced $38 million in federal funding will go to local jails and detention centers to help cover COVID-19 costs, including personal protective equipment, medical care costs and overtime pay for public safety personnel.
Numbers
- As of noon on April 14, 15,492 Texans are reported to have contracted COVID-19, with 364 deaths. 151,810 tests have been administered. 184 of 254 counties report cases. An estimated 4,150 Texans have recovered. Harris County has the greatest number of COVID-19 cases, at 3,907, with Dallas County second with 1,877 cases.
Local
- The Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund deployed its first round of grants to provide food and emergency financial assistance to vulnerable families and individuals in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller counties.
- You can find the full list of Round One grantees, as well as information about the fund’s investment strategy, volunteer task force, donors, and more at greaterhoustonrecovery.org.
- The first round of grants includes $1.5 million invested in 30 nonprofit partners to provide critical basic needs assistance to vulnerable families and individuals who may not receive any other aid, such as government stimulus funds.
Public Education
School Closures
- Fort Bend ISD announced that campuses will remain closed for the remainder of the current academic school year. They are the first traditional public school district in the greater Houston region to extend campus closures. One week ago, Houston’s largest charter school networks, YES Prep Public Schools and KIPP Texas Public Schools, announced the same decision.
Higher Education
- The federal Department of Education laid out the amount of money each institution should expect to receive from the Education Stabilization Fund in addition to what amount is intended for direct student aid.
