The Houston City Council is poised to authorize contracts for three Meyerland-area home elevations Wednesday, the next step in a federally funded program local officials have criticized as slow and expensive.

The elevations are projected to cost a total of nearly $920,000, paid for almost entirely by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA has authorized $14.8 million in 2015 grant funding to elevate 42 Houston homes, most of which have yet to enter the construction phase. Houston manages the program for FEMA, but does not determine eligibility or set maximum elevation costs.

Wednesday's vote would come a week after City Council signed off on five other elevation contracts while questioning the cost effectiveness of raising flood-prone homes.