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
Monday, February 4, 2019
THIS NEWSLETTER INCLUDES:

  • Commissioner Bush Sends President Donald J. Trump Letter Requesting Help Getting Mitigation Rules Approved by HUD and OMB
  • Hurricane Harvey Survivors Living in Temporary Housing Unit Should Make a Plan to Rent or Buy
  • Hurricane Harvey Recovery Programs
  • Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) Housing Numbers
  • Statewide Recovery Efforts
  • Get to Know Your Outreach Coordinator
COMMISSIONER BUSH SENDS PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP LETTER REQUESTING HELP GETTING MITIGATION RULES APPROVED BY HUD AND OMB:

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced he sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump requesting help getting rules for Texas' Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) mitigation funding approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It has been nearly a year since the funding was appropriated by Congress.

"Mitigation should be a top priority to prevent future damage from hurricanes and storms while maximizing the use of recovery dollars, yet the federal bureaucracy is slowing recovery in Texas," said Commissioner Bush. "This continued delay is resulting in homeowner distress, community degradation and increased costs to the federal government due to subsequent damaging events. This is unacceptable. I need your help to cut through the red tape and call on HUD and OMB to publish the rules governing the $4.383 billion appropriated to Texas immediately."

Commissioner Bush also notified President Trump that, in an effort to expedite the publication of the rules, the GLO has worked closely with HUD in order to define mitigation activities. However, one year later, the rules have still not been published. Commissioner Bush  wrote to Director Mulvaney  regarding approving HUD's rules on Jan. 2, 2019.
HURRICANE HARVEY SURVIVORS LIVING IN TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT SHOULD
MAKE A PLAN TO RENT OR BUY:
Sales and extensions offered in participating jurisdictions

Hurricane Harvey survivors living in temporary housing units (THUs) provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) need to solidify their housing plans leading up to Feb. 25. Those who continue to meet FEMA eligibility requirements may be approved to remain in their current THU through Aug. 25 by paying rent. Others may be eligible to purchase their unit. However, these programs must be approved by local officials and may not be available in all areas.
 
The THU and direct-lease-apartment program was originally planned to run through Feb. 25, 2019. However, on Nov. 28, 2018, Commissioner George P. Bush announced FEMA granted his request for a six-month extension for Hurricane Harvey survivors still residing in federally funded manufactured housing units and travel trailers. Although the housing program has been extended through Aug. 25, 2019, those who remain in the program after Feb. 25 will be expected to pay rent to FEMA. Survivors who cannot afford fair-market rent are able to petition for a reduction by contacting FEMA.

Occupants who have questions about renting THUs can get more information and be
connected with a case manager by emailing femadr4332txrent@fema.dhs.gov .

Also at the request of Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, FEMA granted a THU Sales to Occupants program for Hurricane Harvey survivors still residing in federally funded manufactured housing units and travel trailers. Now certain Harvey survivors in THUs have been offered the opportunity to purchase their current unit. The sales offer is only good for 30 days after the notification letter was sent to the occupant. To be eligible to purchase a THU, the survivor must lack a permanent housing solution, through no fault of their own.

Each THU's sale price will be determined by FEMA based on the unit type, number of bedrooms and number of months the applicant lived in the unit. Applicants who are unable to afford the sale price may appeal the cost to FEMA.

Occupants who have questions about purchasing THUs can call
855-336-2003 or fax 512-490-1248.
HURRICANE HARVEY RECOVERY PROGRAMS:
HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ($1.098 billion):
Provides funding for rehabilitation of owner-occupied single-family homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey.
LOCAL BUYOUT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM ($275 million):
Local governments may buyout or acquire homes at a pre-storm or post-storm fair market value to move homeowners out of harm's way to a lower-risk area.
HOMEOWNER REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM ($100 million):
Allows homeowners to be reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred for repairs to the home including reconstruction, rehabilitation or mitigation up to $50,000.
AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROGRAM ($250 million):
Provides funding for rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction of affordable multi-family housing units in areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAM ($100 million):
Allows for interim assistance to small businesses (up to $250,000) impacted by Hurricane Harvey through deferred forgivable loans in exchange for job creation or retention for low-to moderate-income employees. Small businesses within Harris County will be eligible to apply for this program. 
LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE PLANNING ($137 million):
In collaboration with local communities, the GLO will work with Texas universities and/or vendors to conduct planning studies in the impacted areas with the purpose of promoting sound long-term recovery. 
LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM ($413 million):
Repairs, enhances and restores infrastructure for local communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey as part of a comprehensive long-term recovery program. Match for FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs may be eligible.
HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

HOUSING NUMBERS

Total Applicants: 3724
  • Central/Golden Crescent Region: 155
  • Coastal Bend Region: 531
  • Deep East Texas Region: 240
  • HGAC - East/Gulf Coast Region: 835
  • HGAC - West/Lower Colorado Region: 323
  • South East Texas Region: 1640

*Please Note: Numbers as of February 4, 2019
FOLLOW THE ACTION:
Click the following photos to see our social media!
Lots of progress happening on the Rodriguez family’s Homeowner Assistance Program rebuild
in Rockport. Visit http://recovery.texas.gov/hap  to apply for assistance.
Next stop: Texas GLO Rockport Homeowner Assistance Program Office!
Commissioner Bush & the disaster recovery team visited the Torres family in Victoria, TX,
whose house was damaged in Hurricane Harvey and is being rebuilt through
the GLO Homeowner Assistance Program.
GET TO KNOW YOUR
OUTREACH COORDINATOR:


JONAH CHEN:
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. 

Jonah Chen joined the GLO in February 2018 after an internship with Congressman Pete Olson in his Fort Bend and Brazoria County office. The staff there valued his educational background and gave him opportunities to connect with local elected officials, local stakeholders, and local businesses, which encouraged him to move to the area after the storm to help in the recovery effort.

“Every single day, I either travel to meetings or get to the office and execute dozens of tasks and assignments knowing that every issue successfully addressed brings us closer to getting somebody who was affected by the storm back into their home,” Jonah said. “I lived in the disaster area, I work in the disaster area, and I am committed to helping us recover. My love for Texas and my fellow Texans motivates my desire to work hard.”

A Taiwanese-American immigrant who moved to America at the age of 2, Jonah knows the power of hard work. Two generations ago, his family members were farmers and blue-collar factory floor assemblymen. He feels his family is a success story for chasers of the American dream. 

Jonah can be reached by email at jonah.chen.glo@recovery.texas.gov .
PREPAREDNESS & PARTNERS:
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster Preparedness
FEMA Disaster Preparedness
FEMA.gov; 800-621-3362
(voice, 711/VRS-Video Relay Service)
American
Red Cross
Department of Housing and
Urban Development
HUD.gov; Twitter: @HUDgov; https://www.facebook.com/HUD/
Texas Division of Emergency
Management
National Flood Insurance
Program Flood
Smart.gov; (800) 427-4661, TTY (800) 427-5593
Texas Department of
Insurance
Small Business
Administration
SBA.gov; (800) 659-2955
DISASTER RECOVERY RESOURCES:
Survivors May Register in
Many Ways:


• (TTY: 800-462-7585 ). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).

• Via the FEMA app , available for Apple and Android mobile devices. To download visit: www.fema.gov/mobile-app .

• Visiting a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). Find the location of nearby DRCs online at www.fema.gov/DRC .
Find Resources on
Social Media:

FEMA – Hurricane Harvey:
Twitter: @FEMARegion6

Twitter: @RebuildTXtoday

Texas General Land Office:
Twitter: @txglo
Instagram: @glotx

Download A Copy of The Hurricane Harvey Recovery Guide:
Important Contacts:

Federal Agencies:
FEMA Fraud Hotline: (800) 323-8603
Internal Revenue Service:
(800) 829-1040, TTY (800) 829-4059
Social Security Administration:
(800) 772-1213
Department of Veterans Affairs:
(800) 827-1000

State Agencies:
Texas General Land Office:
(844) 893-8937; or (512) 475-5000
Consumer Protection Help Line:
(800) 621-0508
Texas Windstorm Insurance Assoc. & Texas FAIR Plan:
(877) 281-1431 or Spanish: (866) 443-3144
Texas Dept. of Insurance Consumer Help Line: (800) 252-3439
 Shelter, Food, and Disaster Services: 2-1-1
Education Hotline for Houston, Beaumont and Victoria areas: (512) 463-9603
Governor Abbott's Information Hotline: (800) 843-5789
(512) 475-5000
Texas General Land Office
P.O. Box 12873
Austin, Texas 78711-2873