Maverick County Commissioners to Revisit Transfer of $8.9 Million to Maverick County Housing Finance Corporation
By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Maverick County Commissioners Court will consider approving and transferring an estimated $8.9 million to the Maverick County Housing Finance Corporation at their scheduled meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. inside the Commissioners Courtroom at the Maverick County Courthouse, located at 500 Quarry Street, Eagle Pass, Texas.
The agenda calls for commissioners to consider transferring funds from a Housing Finance Corporation account held under Maverick County’s name into an account belonging to the Housing Finance Corporation under its own taxpayer identification number.
Although the agenda does not state the amount, previous discussions placed the balance at approximately $8.9 million.
The proposed transfer follows a September 4 , 2026 meeting of the Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors, composed of Commissioners Roberto Ruiz, Olga Ramos, and Roxi Rios.
During that meeting, board members approved requesting that the county release the money and place it under the corporation’s control.
The Maverick County Housing Finance Corporation was incorporated on June 24, 2024, under the Texas Housing Finance Corporations Act. Its original board included former County Judge Ramsey English Cantu and County Commissioners Roberto Ruiz, Roxy Rios, Olga Ramos and Gerardo “Jerry” Morales. Morales resigned from the Housing Finance Corporation’s Board in 2025 after becoming disenchanted with its direction and management.
The corporation is legally separate from Maverick County, although it was created and sponsored by the county. That distinction became central to questions over where the money should be held and who has authority over it.
Housing Finance Corporation’s Bond counsel Arnold Cantu previously explained that the HFC operates as a separate public nonprofit entity created to promote affordable housing.
The approximately $8.9 million reportedly came from fees and other proceeds connected to affordable housing transactions involving conversion of private apartment properties into tax exempt properties, including at least 29 properties across Texas estimated having an appraised value of $1 Billion, but none in Maverick County.
The corporation is also involved in several lawsuits connected to these housing transactions outside Maverick County. For instance, the Housing Finance Corporation was named in a case involving the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth and Tarrant County, where officials challenged property tax exemptions claimed through outside housing finance corporations such as the Maverick County Housing Finance Corporation. Other pending lawsuits against the Housing Finance Corporation’s include the City of Missouri City, Texas; Hays County; and Bexar County.
In July 2026, the Texas Second Court of Appeals dissolved temporary injunctions because the orders did not meet procedural requirements. The ruling did not resolve the underlying dispute over the exemptions.
Texas lawmakers also amended the law in May 2025 to require approval from the local government before an HFC may obtain ownership interests or property tax exemptions outside its sponsoring jurisdiction. They can no longer own properties outside Maverick County except the 29 properties purchased before the law changed in 2025.
The local significance of the money has drawn attention as Maverick County continues facing serious housing needs. According to the 2025 County Health Rankings, approximately 24 percent of county residents experienced severe housing problems, compared with 18 percent across Texas.
Commissioner Roberto Ruiz previously emphasized the importance of publicly clarifying issues surrounding the corporation and explaining how the money could be used locally.
Wednesday’s agenda item addresses only the transfer. It does not identify any housing programs or projects that would receive the money.
If approved, the funds would move from the county-held account into an independent account controlled by the HFC.
