Georgetown University Law Center

Harris County commissioners gave initial approval to spend $3 million in local tax dollars on three community safety initiatives — HART, RISE, and the county's Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention programs — after federal budget cuts and declining philanthropic giving threatened their survival. Final approval is expected Thursday, alongside a proposed 7.6% property tax increase meant partly to cover the programs and close a $180 million budget deficit.

The programs, created after the George Floyd protests, have shown measurable results: HART has diverted thousands of hours from deputies and EMS while connecting over 5,000 residents to care; RISE neighborhoods saw a 36% drop in crime; and domestic violence programs have assisted more than 5,000 survivors. The new funding raises total annual investment to roughly $14 million.

The move comes as federal support collapses — the Department of Justice terminated hundreds of grants worth about $500 million nationwide, with Harris and Fort Bend counties alone losing roughly $4 million. Advocates warn that without local or state backing, similar safety-net programs in surrounding rural counties could disappear entirely.