Rebuilding Together Houston Offers Funds to Low-Income Homeowners

Rebuilding Together Houston
Image: rebuildinghouston.org

A busy construction executive, Karun Sreerama recently founded a new business entity, SRRE Developers and Builders, LLC, in Houston, Texas. Focused on helping with rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Harvey, Karun Sreerama develops, constructs, and refurbishes affordable housing for working-class Houston families.

Some Houston residents are still dealing with water damage or continued leaks resulting from the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey. One of the available assistance programs that funds home repairs is called Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH). Available to certain residents in Harris County zip codes, RTH focuses its assistance on low-income seniors, veterans and veterans’ spouses, and people with disabilities.

To qualify for the funding, the applicant must be listed on the home deed, live in the home as a full-time resident, and be current on property taxes. Services funded under the program include repairs to the home foundation, the electrical and plumbing systems, and the exterior of one-story homes. In addition, necessary safety-related modifications and bathroom repair needs are covered. To learn more about the program and eligibility requirements, email info@rebuildinghouston.org or call 713-659-2511.

Texas Organizing Project Advocates for Medicaid Expansion to Cut Costs

Texas Organizing Project
Image: organizetexas.org

Karun Sreerama serves as the head of SRRE Developers and Builders, LLC. An accomplished Houston-area builder committed to community service and philanthropy, Karun Sreerama received the 2016 Community Champion Award for Outstanding Civic Leadership from the Texas Organizing Project (TOP). The grassroots organization unites community members to advocate for justice, with areas of focus including health care expansion.

According to the organization’s policy director, Tiffany Hogue, Texas’ Medicaid system is among the most restrictive in the United States. In fact, the Texas Medicaid eligibility standards exclude families of four who earn more than $285 per month. If adults don’t have children, they cannot qualify for Medicaid unless they have disabilities or are pregnant, in addition to meeting specific income requirements.

The current situation of restricted Medicaid coverage leaves many people uninsured, creating more economic problems in the long term. Instead of receiving preventive care and early interventions, people without access to doctors are experiencing devastating symptoms by the time they turn up in an emergency room. Relying on ERs to give care to uninsured individuals instead of expanding Medicaid is the “most expensive and most inefficient use of our tax dollars,” Hogue said. Greater Medicaid expansion is needed to provide more cost-effective care to people in need.

City of Houston Offers Direct Lease Housing Option

 

Karun Sreerama

A successful engineer and entrepreneur, Karun Sreerama serves as principal of SRRE Developers and Builders, a group of socially responsible professionals and entities in Houston, Texas. Karun Sreerama is committed to developing affordable housing to help Houstonians recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Continuing its Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts, the City of Houston is overseeing three Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs to help homeowners and renters repair their homes or gain access to temporary housing. One of these, the Direct Lease Housing Option, is a temporary housing program offered to survivors when there is a scarcity of rental resources. The City of Houston extended this program to residents whose homes had been damaged beyond repair.

Under the Direct Lease Housing Option, homeowners and renters can sign a lease for temporary housing for up to 12 months. They must meet with case managers at least twice a month to evaluate their status and plans for finding permanent housing.

Visit www.houstontx.gov to find more information about FEMA assistance programs.

Exciting New Construction Projects Underway in Downtown Houston

Houston Downtown Management District
Image: downtowndistrict.org

Karun Sreerama leads the socially conscious civil engineering firm SRRE Developers and Builders, which offers affordable housing options with renewable energy features to working-class families. Karun Sreerama formerly served on the board of the Houston Downtown Management District, which presented him with a Resolution of Appreciation in recognition of his service.

Since its inception in 1995, the Houston Downtown Management District has played a key role in the development of many of the projects that have allowed downtown Houston to evolve into the bustling center of economic and community activity that it is today. In the last 23 years, the organization has seen the investment of over $9 billion in the area, with another $3.9 billion in construction projects that are either in the pre-development/design phase or are already underway.

Exciting projects in development include a number of new residential buildings to house a growing number of locals who hope to work and play in the energizing downtown area. These include the eight-story Alexan Downtown, the 28-story Catalyst, and the 21-story Camden Downtown. To support the growing population of families, downtown Houston will also be home to the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as well as the new Southern Downtown Park. In addition, the University of Houston Downtown is in the process of establishing a new College of Technology building in the area.