Judge Lina Hidalgo announces new child tax credit program to help reduce child poverty in Harris County
“Judge Lina Hidalgo, in partnership with BakerRipley, unveiled a new program that will help more families living below the poverty level in Harris County to receive the federal child care tax credit.
Hidalgo said the goal is to help increase access to the child tax credit, especially for families who would not qualify without the 2021-22 expansion while helping families access other vital resources.
In Harris County, 21.7%, or one in five children live in poverty, and 9.4% live in “deep poverty,” or with a family income below half of the poverty line, Hidalgo said. According to the Tax Policy Center, this temporary expansion of the child tax credit (CTC), along with other recovery efforts, can lead to a significant decline in child poverty this year.”