June 28, 2018

 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

This afternoon I had the opportunity to sit down with Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush to discuss the needs of District G residents after Hurricane Harvey. Specifically, I let the commissioner know about the devastation caused not just by the rains, but also by the release of water from the reservoirs.  Commissioner Bush leads the Texas General Land Office which oversees the spending of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding coming from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
 
Yesterday City Council passed the city's Action Plan to spend $1.15 billion in CDBG-DR funds coming to Houston.  Current federal rules dictate 70 percent of these funds must be used to support activities benefiting low- and moderate-income persons.  Low- and moderate-income persons are defined as those earning 80 percent of area median income (AMI) and below.  For Houston, AMI for a family of four is $71,880; 80 percent of AMI is $59,900.  I advocated strongly for this 70 percent ratio to be lowered to 50 percent. In other words, I feel more than 30 percent of these funds should be made available to those who exceed the income thresholds.  As the commissioner noted, Hurricane Harvey did not discriminate; both prosperous and disadvantaged areas suffered greatly.
 
Further, I highlighted the importance of repairing homes and bringing stability back to many west Houston neighborhoods. The commissioner encouraged me, once the city's action plan has been approved and programs are in place, to have constituents apply for various homeowner assistance programs. There will be funding for home rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reimbursement; even if you have completed your repairs, you may be eligible for reimbursement provided you have proof of your expenditures--please keep all of your receipts together and in a safe place. I will keep you posted as the details of these programs are set forth.
 
I believe today's meeting was very productive and please know I will continue to fight for you as Harvey relief funding flows to Houston.





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____________________________________________________________
  
Greg Travis
Houston City Council Member, District G
900 Bagby, 1st Floor
Houston, TX 77002
  
Mailing:
P.O. Box 1562
Houston, TX 77251-1562
  
Phone: 832-393-3007
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