Harris County Community Land Trust
CLT Board Information
The Harris County CLT provides and preserves affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income residents of Harris County and operates as an entity under the HCHFC.
CLT Board of Directors
Mercedes Sánchez
Board Chair
Executive Director of Government & Community Relations
Harris County Precinct 2
Mercedes Sánchez serves as Executive Director of Government and Community Relations for Harris County Precinct 2, where she leads the Policy and Community Relations departments, a team of 26 people who are responsible for policy development and community engagement. She also spearheads the Precinct’s government affairs coordination across 17 cities within Harris County Precinct 2. She has led cross-agency initiatives focused on affordable housing, homelessness response, and community development, helping align public, nonprofit, and private partners to expand access to housing and services. Mercedes also serves as Chair of the Harris County Community Land Trust.
She previously held roles with the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Houston Apartment Association, and the Office of Houston City Council District H. Mercedes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Southwestern University.
Thao Costis
Secretary
Executive Director
Harris County Housing and Community Development
Thao Costis is the Executive Director of Harris County Housing & Community Development. She leads a department that strives to strengthen communities by investing in housing, infrastructure, and services that promote resiliency. Previously, Thao was President and CEO of SEARCH Homeless Services for over two decades.
Hon. Dwight Jefferson
Treasurer
Counsel
Grealish McZeal, P.C
Judge Jefferson is Of Counsel with Grealish McZeal P.C. and a retired State District Judge (215th District Court of Harris County, Texas). He has over 30 years of litigation experience. He earned his Bachelor of Government from the University of Texas in 1978, where he subsequently earned his J.D. in 1983.
Francisco Castillo
Director
Policy Advisor
Harris County Precinct 2
Francisco Castillo has served Harris County Precinct 2 and Commissioner Adrian Garcia since 2019 and is the current Housing and Homelessness Policy Advisor. He led the Precinct’s 2020 Census outreach efforts and the 2021 eviction-moratorium and COVID-19 emergency rental assistance response efforts with the Keep Harris Housed coalition. Castillo advanced the Yellow Cab and Hardy Yards multifamily key housing developments, led the creation of the Harris County CHDO Tax Exemption Policy, and coordinated the creation and implementation of the county’s first Homelessness on the Bayou policy to improve encampment response in flood-prone areas. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Santa Clara University.
2026 CLT Board Meetings
-
January 21
-
April 22
-
July 15
-
September 23
Times and locations may be subject to change.
2025 CLT Board Meetings
-
March 19
-
April 23
-
May 21
-
June 18
-
September 24
-
November 7
-
December 17
Times and locations may be subject to change.
CLT Agendas & Minutes
2025
2024
2023
| January | No Meeting Scheduled | |
| February | No Meeting Scheduled | |
| March | Agenda | Minutes |
| March | Agenda | Minutes |
| May | Agenda | Minutes |
| June | Quarterly Meeting | |
| July | No Meeting Scheduled | |
| August | No Meeting Scheduled | |
| September | Quarterly Meeting | |
| October | No Meeting Scheduled | |
| November | Agenda | Minutes |
| December | Agenda | Minutes |
Only one meeting took place in 2024. It was held August 20, 2024.
CLT Audits