Jim Wells County reviews housing project planned near floodplain, wetland

Jim Wells County is weighing whether a HOME-funded housing project tied to Reservation 2023-0034 and Contracts 1003531, 1003532 and 1003533 should move ahead in a floodplain and wetland, a site choice that could shape where affordable housing is built and how much risk nearby families inherit.

The county’s April 20, 2026 early notice says the proposed activity falls under the HOME Investment Partnership Program and must be reviewed under federal floodplain rules, including Executive Order 11988 and HUD’s 24 CFR 55.20. That review requires the county to look at practicable alternatives and the potential effects on the floodplain before any work can proceed. In plain terms, Jim Wells County cannot treat the project as routine housing paperwork. It has to show why this location makes sense, or why another site is not a better fit.

The HOME program is meant to help low-income homeowners replace their current home with a new house built on the same lot. County program material says the maximum amount of funds for reconstruction can reach $175,000, depending on family size and the number of bedrooms. That puts the notice at the center of a basic local question: which Jim Wells County families will benefit, and can the county deliver that help without putting new housing in a more vulnerable spot?

The county said the review covers Reservation 2023-0034, all associated contracts, and any additional HOME funds awarded in 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 under the same scope of work. Jim Wells County has also said the HOME announcement does not apply to the Cities of Alice, Orange Grove, Premont, or the portion of San Diego located in Duval County. For households outside those city limits, the project could be a meaningful source of home replacement support.

Floodplain placement carries more than a paperwork burden. It can affect drainage design, long-term storm vulnerability, and the practical cost of owning a home if insurance or repairs become more expensive over time. That matters in a county that has already lived through repeated storm damage and major drainage needs. The Texas General Land Office approved more than $29.7 million for flood mitigation projects in Jim Wells County and the cities of Alice and Premont after damage in 2015, 2017 during Hurricane Harvey, and 2018.

TDHCA says Jim Wells County has participated in the HOME Program since 2001, and a prior county showcase said five residents received new homes through the program. That history gives the April 20 notice added weight: the county is trying to keep housing aid moving while proving that the site choice will not create the next round of preventable flood risk.