Worker & Community Protection

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Worker and Community Protection

Purpose

The Worker and Community Protection section is a sub-division of the Inclusive Procurements Division. WCP monitors compliance related to federal, state, and local funded construction projects providing worker protection and opportunities related to Prevailing wage, DBRA and HUD Section 3.

Prevailing Wage

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The Prevailing Wage team monitors compliance under Texas State Government Code Section 2258 regarding prevailing wages under state and local funding. This includes Certified Payroll approvals, site visits, field observations, and worker interviews.

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DBRA

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The DBRA team oversees compliance for construction projects under Davis Bacon & Related Act (DBRA). These federal policies require minimum compensation of prevailing wages and fringe benefits to workers. DBRA staff ensure contractors and subcontractors pay laborers and mechanics employed directly upon the site of the work at least the locally prevailing wages (including fringe benefits) for the work performed.

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HUD Section 3

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The purpose of Section 3 is to ensure that employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD assistance or HUD-assisted developments covered by Section 3 shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed to low- and very low-income persons, including persons who are recipients of HUD assistance for housing, with a preference for both targeted workers living in the service area or neighborhood of the Development and YouthBuild participants, as defined at 24 CFR Part 75 ("Section 3 Regulations").

Harris County is a recipient of HUD grant funding, including HOME funds, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Funds, and Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, which require compliance with Section 3 of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) (“Section 3”).

HUD updated Section 3 with the Federal New Rule Regulations found at 24 CFR Part 75 that became effective November 30, 2020 and implemented on July 1, 2021. Harris County DEEO has created Section 3 Policies, which are provided for your reference.

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Overview of changes in HUD Section 3 under the Final New Rule

section 3