HUD Approves Texas and Florida’s CDBG-Disaster Recovery State Action Plans

HUD has approved the Texas action plan for its $5 billion allocation from the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program designed to support long-term recovery from Hurricane Harvey. The funds go to the Single-Family Homeowner Assistance Program ($1.1 billion, the largest single allocation), buyouts and acquisitions for eligible homeowners to sell their damaged homes to local governments ($275 million), and the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and new construction of affordable multi-family rental properties ($250 million), among others.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) is representing Texas Housers in a complaint filed against the Texas General Land Office (GLO) relative to its CDBG-DR action plan. The complaint cites the state’s failure to meet its obligations to low and moderate income people as required by HUD’s Federal Register notice, having a disparate impact on black and Hispanic populations. TRLA also wrote a letter to HUD stating that the GLO has not properly fulfilled its affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH) obligations, and is thereby perpetuating racial segregation.

HUD also approved Florida’s CDBG-DR state action plan, which allocates $616 million towards long-term housing recovery efforts. There is $100 million earmarked for affordable rental housing. The largest allocation is $273.3 million for a housing repair program.

Learn more about the Texas action plan at: https://bit.ly/2KvGZBu

Read the press release on Florida’s state action plan at: https://bit.ly/2tCiSuM