HUD Approves Recovery Plans in Mass

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved two disaster recovery plans in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts totaling $17.5 million to help local communities to recover from severe storms and tornadoes in 2011.

These disaster plans will rely on grants provided earlier this year through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

Earlier this year, HUD allocated more than $29 million to support long-term disaster recovery efforts in especially hard-hit areas throughout Massachusetts.

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The following grantees requested HUD approve recovery plans totaling $17.5 million to allow them to begin implementing their recovery strategies.

“This is another important step toward recovery and healing for hard-hit communities across Massachusetts,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “State and local planners will now be able to implement their recovery strategies for restoring and rebuilding housing, infrastructure, and businesses that have been affected.”

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, signed into law by President Obama on January 29th, included $16 billion in CDBG-Disaster Recovery funding.  HUD will announce additional allocations throughout the year based upon the level of remaining needs to help other states and local communities impacted by natural disasters in 2011-2013.

Grantee

Approved Disaster Plans

Commonwealth of Massachus etts

$3,638,739

Springfield

$13,906,000

TOTAL

$17,544,739

 

HUD’s CDBG-Disaster Recovery grants are intended to confront housing, business and infrastructure needs beyond those addressed by private insurance and other forms of public assistance.  Using a combination of data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA), HUD identified those states and local communities requiring the greatest assistance to recover from devastating tornadoes in the Southeast and Missouri; remnants of Hurricanes Irene and Lee in the Northeast and New England; severe flooding in parts of North Dakota; and destructive wildfires in Texas.  In January of 2012, HUD also allocated $7 million throughout Massachusetts to help communities recover from severe storms and tornadoes in the Summer of 2011