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Waco Housing Authority offers assistance, relief for Central Texas neighbors in need

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WACO, Texas (KXXV) — When there are Central Texans that can’t afford a place to stay, the Waco Housing Authority steps in.

Now, the agency has more money to expand its reach, and one man is telling his story of how the WHA helped change his life.

  • The Housing Stability Services Program offers financial assistance to McLennan County and smaller surrounding counties
  • The program offers assistance with application fee's security deposits, utility deposit, water, gas and electricity start up
  • The program can also connect Central Texans with childcare services and food assistance
  • This is year five of the Housing Stability Services Program
  • In December, the state awarded the WHA $2 million to continue helping neighbors who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

“It gives me a lot more focus at work,” said one McLennan County resident.

That’s the feeling of someone who no longer has to live paycheck to paycheck.

“I had a place to stay, but transportation was not there for me, so it would be hard to maintain that, and so I would have to couch hop from time to time,” he said.

25 News reporter Dominique Leh sat down with a young man who wanted to keep his identity private.

He spent months of his life struggling until he filled out an application to get help from the Waco Housing Authority last year.

“We help people get into stable housing by paying their application fee, security deposit, utility deposit, we’ll get your water, your gas, your electricity started,” an official with the WHA said.

This is year five of the Housing Stability Services Program.

In December, the state awarded the WHA $2 million to continue helping neighbors who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness.

“There’s instances the mothers living in their vehicles with their two or three children, or families out on the street when it’s cold,” said a case worker with the Housing Stability Services Program.

“Is this assisting to decrease the amount of homelessness is Waco?” asked reporter Dominique Leh.

“It helps the homeless population by helping them transition into a more stable living situation,” the program case worker said.

For the past year, our 25-year-old friend, has had a place of his own, and he picked up a job he loves.

“Currently I’m working at Amazon — that’s been a blessing because that was something that was not in my mind I was going to be able to get and maintain,” he said.

It was the helping hand he needed that changed his life.

“The constant effort to have to make ends meet is gone," he said.

"I just got to work, enjoy my time, and get to go back home — I don’t have any additional worries."

Click here for more information or to fill out an application.


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