Caldwell County secures $250,000 grant to support veterans

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                            

      Caldwell County has been awarded $250,000 in grant funding from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to support local veterans and their families through temporary financial assistance and critical home improvement projects.

     During a recent meeting, Caldwell County Commissioners voted to accept the funds, which will be used to establish the Caldwell Vets First grant program, according to Veteran Services Coordinator Sara Love. The initiative aims to ease financial burdens on veterans while improving their quality of life through essential housing-related upgrades.

     The funding includes a $150,000 grant from the TVC Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) Housing for Texas Heroes – Home Projects Grant. This portion will support home modifications, repairs, and weatherization for veterans and surviving spouses. Eligible projects include accessibility improvements, critical home repairs, and energy-efficient upgrades.

     An additional $100,000 was awarded through the TVC FVA General Assistance – Financial Assistance Grant. This grant will be used to assist veterans and their families with emergency expenses such as housing costs, utilities, transportation, and other basic needs.

     Veterans interested in applying for aid through the Caldwell Vets First program can pick up paperwork at the Caldwell County Veteran Services Office, located at 1403 Blackjack St. in Lockhart. No appointment is necessary. Applications may also be requested via email at sara.love@co.caldwell.tx.us.

     In other business, commissioners voted to leave the county’s burn ban off and approved a proclamation recognizing July 21–27 as Pretrial, Probation and Parole Week in Caldwell County.

     Commissioners also approved a development agreement for the Eden Hills RV Park at 32 Serna Road, off FM 672, and gave the green light to a preliminary plat for Southern Meadows subdivision. The new development includes 674 lots on approximately 121 acres near FM 1984 and William Pettus Road.

     Additionally, the court granted County Judge Hoppy Haden permission to enter negotiations with Unified Strategic to explore IT staffing strategy and governance. The county has relied on external IT services since 2022, but Judge Haden noted that recent growth in county operations may warrant a return to an in-house IT department. He said partnering with Unified Strategic has already saved the county around $100,000.

     Commissioners also approved a hardware maintenance and software support agreement between the county and Elections Systems and Software to support election infrastructure.