COVID-19 Impact on the Hispanic/Latino Community

11/01/2023

This memo examines the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on health outcomes for the Hispanic/Latino community on the national, state, and county-level, where possible. In addition, various social determinants of health were reviewed for the Hispanic/Latino community and how they may have contributed to disproportionate negative health outcomes due to COVID-19. This memo also includes a review of language access programs and policies used by Harris County-related health and emergency management agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic and concludes with policy recommendations that may help mitigate disproportionate health impacts on the Hispanic/Latino community during a future health emergency.

Assessment of the Office of Justice and Safety and the Analyst’s Office

10/19/2023

To support the development of the Office of County Administration’s transition plan presented to Commissioners Court on August 8, 2023, the OCA requested the Commissioners Court’s Analyst’s Office (“The Analyst’s Office”) assist with the F2 Initiative pertaining to the function of the Research and Analysis Division. The F2 Initiative is set to be presented in two phases. This memo presents an assessment of the Office of Justice and Safety and the Analyst’s Office for phase one, and includes“clarifying the purpose, structure, roles, and responsibilities of departments reporting to the County Administrator that share policy, data, and research functions.”

Harris County Snapshot

10/18/2023

Harris County Snapshot is the first annual report for the Analyst’s Office and includes five sets of data indicators: Economic Indicators, Housing Indicators, Transportation Indicators, Health Indicators, and Environment Indicators. One indicator to note from the report includes the decrease in individuals experiencing homelessness by 50.9% within the continuum of care program for Harris County and the surrounding areas from 2010 to 2022. An indicator that highlights an area for improvement for Harris County is the poverty rate. At 16.4%, Harris County had the highest poverty rate in 2021 among all the counties analyzed in the report. The HarrisCounty Snapshot will be released annually at the end of each summer.

Review of Supplier Diversity Programs

09/14/2023

This memo provides a summary of various supplier diversity programs at the federal, state, and local levels, which aim to provide contacting opportunities for either small businesses and/or businesses owned by socially or economically disadvantaged groups. The supplier diversity programs included are Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Historically Underutilized Business (HUB), and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. The memo concludes with issues Harris County would need to address if it were to attempt to replicate New York City’s Making the Grade: New York City Agency Report Card on Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises report in order to evaluate and grade county departments and/or partner agencies on their M/WBE performance.

County Hotel Occupancy Taxes

09/14/2023

This memo explains how hotel occupancy taxes (HOT) may be collected by Harris County and how these funds can be spent in alignment with Texas statute. The Analyst's Office also collected feedback from four other Texas counties for their use of HOT funds and consulted with the Harris County Attorney's Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Auditor's Office to provide better context for the use of HOT funds. From Fiscal Year2018 to Short Fiscal Year 2022, Harris County collected $207.2 million in HOTfunds and had $20.7 million remaining. The Analyst’s Office provides four recommendations for the County's improved use of these funds.