Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the awarding of $35.4 million in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds for Harris County to initiate a buyout program for repeatedly flooded homes in Harris County. These funds will be administered by Harris County in partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District and will be used to acquire up to 160 single family homes and assist families in moving out of high flood risk areas. The areas acquired through the housing buyouts will be used for floodplain preservation, to include drainage improvements.
Additionally, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced $6.5 million in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help replace damaged and destroyed apartment complexes in Rockport, one of the coastal cities hardest hit by Hurricane Harvey. The $6.5 million will fund two large multifamily housing developments. To deliver financial support to the hardest hit communities as fast as possible, the GLO created a 5-day application window for the $10 million in funding, available to Aransas, Refugio and Nueces Counties. Those applicants who applied within the 5-day window received prioritization with remaining dollars available for an extended application period beyond the five days. The remaining funds will be awarded soon.
The funds above are being awarded from $57.8 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG-DR funds designated for previous events and held back in the case of an event in 2017.