TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE
Community Development & Revitalization
CDBG-DR
George P. Bush, Commissioner


This Newsletter Includes:
  • Commissioner Bush Kicks Off Multifamily Affordable Rental Property Program With $250 Million in Newly Released Funds
  • Commissioner Bush Meets With Local Officials in Rockport To Discuss Multifamily Affordable Housing
  • Harris County' Commissioner's Court Approves $1.1 Billion Local Action Plan
  • Commissioner Bush Issues Statement on President Trump's Disaster Declaration
  • Plan Ahead For Disasters
  • Recovery Updates by County
  • Statewide Recovery Progress Report
"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 BUSH KICKS OFF MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROPERTY PROGRAM WITH NEWLY RELEASED FUNDING:

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced $250 million in available Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rehabilitate, reconstruct and construct multifamily rental homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey. The program funding is in addition to the $10 million dedicated to multifamily rental developments in the previous $57.8 million Harvey allocation to help rebuild affordable housing in the Coastal Bend region.
 
"The GLO remains committed to returning all coastal Texans home as quickly as possible," said Commissioner Bush. "The Affordable Rental Property Program will improve local housing inventory and ensure low income citizens and families have a safe, habitable, and affordable place to live."

The GLO will begin hosting workshops this week for property owners interested in applying.
There will be a 90-day application submission period to begin on July 23, 2018 . Rehabilitation applications received prior to or on August 22, 2018, will receive priority status.

WORKSHOP DATES, TIMES AND LOCATIONS:

*Additional location added at GLO headquarters in Austin, Texas
at the Stephen F. Austin building*
 
  MONDAY, JULY 16:
 
TIME:
9:30 a.m.
LOCATION:
City of Conroe Tower (City Hall)
300 West Davis, Conroe, TX 77301
6th Floor of the Conroe Tower conference room
 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 18:
 
TIME:
1:00 p.m.
LOCATION:
Stephen F. Austin Building, Room 170
1700 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78711
Affordable Rental Program Information:

  • $250m allocation managed by the GLO for affordable housing rental for rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction
  • If property is in one of the 48 eligible counties and was damaged by Hurricane Harvey - minor or severe - you can apply for grant fund assistance
  • 20-year CDBG affordability program to ensure low income citizens and families of Texas have a safe, descent, and affordable place to live
  • Public or privately owned multifamily structures - 8 units or more are eligible
  • At a minimum, 51% of the units must target residents with income levels at 80% or less of the area median income
  • Allocation minimum - $250,000 and allocation maximum - $25,000,000 per award
  • Application acceptance period: July 23, 2018 - October 23, 2018
  • Project construction must be completed within 18 months of the effective date of the contract.

*Developments located within the city limits of Houston and/or within Harris County are ineligible
as these entities received direct allocations from which programs such as this may be funded. 
 
For more program specific information please visit TexasRebuilds.org .
COMMISSIONER BUSH MEETS WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS IN ROCKPORT TO DISCUSS MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Commissioner Bush and the GLO team met with Aransas County local officials from
Rockport, Fulton, and Refugio to discuss long-term Hurricane Harvey recovery.
HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVES PLAN TO SPEND $1.1 BILLION IN
POST-HARVEY FEDERAL FUNDS:
Harris County Commissioner’s Court voted to accept $35,465,600 from the Texas General Land Office for the 2017 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Residential Buyout Project in coordination with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Office of the
County Engineer.

The plan includes $211 million to help rebuild single-family homes damaged in Harvey, $221 million to help build new/reconstruct damaged multifamily housing projects & dedicates $200 million to purchasing homes that have flooded throughout the county.
Harris County Commissioners Court approves Local Action Plan

Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday approved the county's plan to spend $1.1 billion in the first round of post-Hurricane Harvey federal funds.

Read more
m.chron.com
COMMISSIONER BUSH ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DISASTER DECLARATION IN RESPONSE TO RIO
GRANDE VALLEY FLOODING:

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush issued the following statement in reaction to President Donald J. Trump's issuance of a federal disaster declaration for Hidalgo and Cameron Counties in response to recent significant flooding:

"President Trump issued a much-needed federal disaster declaration in response to devastating flooding in the Rio Grande Valley," said Commissioner Bush. "When the flooding began, my team and I traveled to the RGV to meet with local officials from all of the counties affected. I am committed to advocating for residents and we are ready to help RGV communities recover."

The Community Development and Revitalization (CDR) division of the Texas General Land Office administers both short- and long-term housing recovery missions for the state of Texas. 
Following Hurricane Harvey, Governor Greg Abbott tasked the GLO with partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the short-term housing mission in addition to the long-term CDBG-DR effort. This was the first time in Texas history that a state agency has participated in the short-term housing mission. The GLO, in partnership with FEMA, helped more than 60,000 Texans in need of federal short-term housing assistance. 

To apply for assistance if you live in the declared counties, visit:
PLAN AHEAD FOR DISASTERS:
Whether you are experiencing heat, hurricanes, or wildfires... make sure & monitor the
weather in your area. Pay attention to local officials instructions and stay safe.

To plan ahead for a disaster, click the following link:
HURRICANE HARVEY COUNTY
RECOVERY UPDATES:
41-COUNTY RECOVERY:

Please click the following link to access the most
up-to-date dashboards for Hurricane Harvey impacted areas.


*Please note: If the link doesn't work in your email,
copy and paste into browser.
STATEWIDE PROGRESS REPORT:
HURRICANE HARVEY RECOVERY UPDATE AS OF 7/9/18
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; https://www.facebook.com/HUD/; Twitter: @HUDgov

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
TexasRebuilds.com
(512) 475-5000
Texas General Land Office
P.O. Box 12873
Austin, Texas 78711-2873