Cmr. George P. Bush Announces Publication of HUD Guidance for Additional Harvey Long-Term Housing Assistance Recovery Funds

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas  Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued its guidance for the administration of an additional $652 million award to the state of Texas to help with the long-term recovery following Hurricane Harvey. The additional award brings the total award of Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to the state of Texas to $5.734 billion. The CDBG-DR funds will be administered by the Texas General Land Offices (GLO) Community Development & Revitalization (CDR) program. These funds may be used for a wide variety of activities including housing redevelopment infrastructure repair and long-term planning.

Recovering from Hurricane Harvey is no small task but the GLO is dedicated to working with our federal and local partners to put resources to work in local communities to expedite the recovery process said Commissioner George P. Bush. As the GLO continues to take the necessary steps to implement HUD-approved plans for the initial Harvey CDBG-DR allocation we are eager to begin the process for these additional housing assistance and infrastructure repair funds. While disaster recovery is challenging we continue to work every day to help our fellow Texans maximize this funding to build back stronger and more resilient communities.

In HUDs guidance issued August 8 2018 the entirety of Fayette Jasper Newton and Refugio counties were included in the most impacted and distressed area along with four additional zip codes: 77482 77493 77320 and 77351. The GLO will complete an amendment to the current Action Plan outlining the method of distribution for the additional $652 million. On April 10 2018 HUD announced the distribution of nearly $28 billion in CDBG-DR funds that were appropriated by the Further Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act 2018. The announcement included this allocation of $652 million and an addition allocation of 4.074 billion for the state of Texas. A future HUD notice will specify the requirements and process for $4.074 billion in mitigation funds. Currently the GLO is accepting applications for multi-family housing projects under its previously announced $250 million Multi-Family Affordable Rental Property Program. Applications will be accepted in every region until the closing date of October 23. The GLO continues to encourage all impacted homeowners to keep their receipts and gather the required documents for applications for assistance under forthcoming homeowner assistance programs. The latest updates on all upcoming programs is available at TexasRebuilds.org. About GLO Community Development and Revitalization (CDR) In addition to short-term housing in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency the CDR division of the Texas General Land Office administers the Housing and Urban Development CDBG-DR on behalf of the state of Texas. More than $9 billion have been allocated for recovery following Hurricanes Rita Dolly and Ike the 2011 wildfires the 2015 and 2016 floods and Hurricane Harvey. These grants can be used for a wide variety of activities including housing redevelopment infrastructure repair and long-term planning.