Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville

The Brownsville City Council created the Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville (HACB) in 1938 in response to federal legislation (U.S. Housing Act of 1937) and enabling state legislation that charged local entities with providing decent, safe and sanitary housing for low to moderate income families and individuals. While independent of the City of Brownsville government, the Brownsville City’s Mayor Council appoints the Board of Commissioners.

In 1939, the City of Brownsville received funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the construction of its first public housing development of a 150 unit family dwellings named Buena Vida. The City of Brownsville held the groundbreaking at the site on November 3, 1939. Buena Vida was completed and dedicated on August 15, 1940. Since opening its first public housing development the HACB went through an incredible growth phase with the creation of more than 900 units from the 1940's through 1997.

The HACB’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as Section 8, was established in 1975. In 1975, the Brownsville Housing Authority received its first approved Annual Contributions Contract under the Section 8 Existing Housing Assistance Payment Program. This program provides federal housing assistance payment contracts to private housing and apartment owners. The HACB administers 2,163 Housing Assistance Payment Contracts.

Beginning in 2000, through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program the agency experienced a resurgence of affordable housing development activity with the construction of quality affordable housing.

Today, the Brownsville Housing Authority serves more than 1,000 low-income families, including over 2,163 families housed through the Housing Choice Voucher Program and another 500 living in 6 public housing and tax credit developments around the city. HACB administers the largest Lower Rio Grande Valley public housing and voucher programs.

To improve our clients quality of life by providing affordable and quality housing and promoting self-sufficiency through educational programs and client support services.

	Agency Name	City	State	Section 8 Voucher	Housing Units	Status	Distance
	Cameron County Housing Authority	Brownsville	TX	N/A	N/A	Open	2.11 Miles	Contact
	Los Fresnos Housing Authority	Los Fresnos	TX	N/A	N/A	Open	10.63 Miles	Contact
	San Benito Housing Authority	San Benito	TX	362	209	Open	17.49 Miles	Contact
	Housing Authority Of The City of Port Isabel	Port Isabel	TX	117	78	Open	19.22 Miles	Contact
	Harlingen Housing Authority	Harlingen	TX	798	494	Open	22.92 Miles	Contact
	The Housing Authority of Mercedes	Mercedes	TX	420	226	Open	30.95 Miles	Contact