TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE

Community Development & Revitalization

CDBG-DR

"We work to rebuild communities, to put Texans back

in their homes, and to help businesses recover

after the trauma of disaster."

George P. Bush, Commissioner

Friday, March 15, 2019

NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS:

COMMISSIONER BUSH APPLAUDS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK, SENATOR CHARLES PERRY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE FOR FOCUSING ON LEGISLATION THAT PRIORITIZES FLOOD PLANNING AND MITIGATION

By George P. Bush



Hurricane Harvey was the most destructive storm ever to hit the Texas coast with four days of rain inundating communities with 27 trillion gallons of water. Since the storm made landfall, my team at the Texas General Land Office and I have logged more than 350 meetings, briefings and other events throughout the affected area, speaking with more than 180 community leaders, including judges, county commissioners and mayors.

It is difficult to conduct flood mitigation at the federal level because of the bureaucracy and inconsistent funding. Texans are better able to lead this effort at the state level rather than rely on the federal government. State ownership of flood control efforts will not completely eliminate the problem but can substantially reduce it.

I strongly support legislative action and I commend Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Senator Charles Perry and other members of the Texas Legislature for focusing on legislation that prioritizes flood planning and mitigation.

( CLICK HERE to see the whole article in the Austin-American Statesman )

HOMEOWNER REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM LAUNCH:

FIRST OF ITS KIND PROGRAM REIMBURSES HOMEOWNERS UP TO $50,000 FOR REPAIRS

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ONLINE, IN-PERSON, AND VIA MAIL

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has allocated $100 million in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reimburse homeowners for up to $50,000 for eligible repairs for damage from Hurricane Harvey.

To be eligible for this program:

Potential applicants should review the  Homeowner Reimbursement Program Checklist  to have all applicable documents ready prior to applying. Interested homeowners should visit  recovery.texas.gov/hrp/  to apply online or download a printable version of the application.

(CLICK VIDEO LINK ABOVE FOR PSA)

The GLO's Homeowner Reimbursement Program team will also assist households that cannot submit electronic applications. In-person assistance is available at regional Homeowner Reimbursement Program offices across the affected area. Visit  recovery.texas.gov/hrp/  to find a regional office near you. For assistance, email  [email protected]  or call 1-844-893-8937.

The GLO anticipates receiving more applications than funds available, so do not delay!

Hurricane Season is less than 3 months away – starts June 1 ^st . Check your coverage before it's too late. Learn more at www.ready.gov . 

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LEGISLATIVE FILINGS RELATING TO GLO'S HURRICANE HARVEY: TEXAS AT RISK REPORT:

Commissioner George P. Bush applauded a multitude of bills filed by both members of the Texas Senate and House relating to recommendations from  Hurricane Harvey: Texas At Risk , a report released by the Texas General Land Office on the one-year anniversary of landfall.

Since bill filing began, Texas Legislators in both chambers have filed various pieces of legislation to address several of the following recommendations in  Hurricane Harvey: Texas At Risk :

DISASTER RESPONSE LESSONS FROM TEXAS WEBINAR:

Hurricane Harvey, Ike and Rita plus floods and wildfires in Texas put the state on the leading edge of disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Join the Security and Sustainability Forum (SSF) and the Texas General Land Office officials in a discussion of what the State has learned to improve preparedness from extreme weather events .

Date/Time: Thu, Apr 4, 2019

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2139559864941470978

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$4.3 BILLION CDBG-DR AWARD TO TEXAS FOR MITIGATION RELATED TO HARVEY AND 2015/2016 FLOODS:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Texas $4.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds for mitigation activities related to the 2015 and 2016 Floods and Hurricane Harvey. HUD’s rules detailing program requirements will be published in a Federal Register in the coming months. Since 2015, 140 Texas counties have received a Presidential disaster declaration. The GLO is currently working to develop the HUD-required mitigation State Action Plan. A critical component of this plan involves vital stakeholder input.

 

Mitigation Survey:

The following survey is one method the GLO is using to generate feedback on mitigation needs and challenges: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GLO_Mitigation

HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

HOUSING NUMBERS

Total Applicants: 7,148

*Please Note: Numbers as of March 15, 2019

FOLLOW THE ACTION:

Commissioner Bush speaking at the Brazoria County Legislative Breakfast to discuss continued resiliency efforts.

GLO Staff Traveling To Provide Technical Assistance On Infrastructure And Buyout Applications.

Next stop: The City Of Anahauc In Chambers County.

Last Stop: The South East Texas Regional Planning Commission Providing Technical Assistance

Stay Tuned For More Workshops In Your Region!

GET TO KNOW YOUR

COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR:

Troy Allen:

As your day-to-day contact for disaster recovery housing needs, Outreach Coordinators are here to serve you and your community. Their commitment to helping Texans repair their homes and rebuild their lives goes beyond the mission of the GLO. For them, it is personal.  

Outreach Coordinators live and work in the areas they serve, and so do many of their families. Some coordinators lost homes or vehicles in Hurricane Harvey. Others watched as the communities they grew up in were inundated by the rains. Each newsletter we will feature one coordinator whose story you may or may not know.  

Troy Allen answered the call to public service in July, joining the GLO as an Outreach Coordinator for  Harris County. Troy has lived in Houston for five years, surviving the Memorial Day floods, Tax Day floods and Hurricane Harvey. A student at the University of Houston at the time, Troy was unable to leave his dorm for three days during Hurricane Harvey. Once able to leave, he found he not only lost his vehicle to the floods, but a close friend as well. Troy dedicated his time after the storm to volunteering and serving his community.   

“The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that I am helping Texans recover from a massive disaster and helping people restore their lives,” he said.

Troy can be reached by email at [email protected] .

PREPAREDNESS & PARTNERS:

DISASTER RECOVERY RESOURCES:

Recovery.Texas.Gov

(512) 475-5000

Texas General Land Office

P.O. Box 12873

Austin, Texas 78711-2873