City of Houston Continues Long-Term Recovery from Harvey with Community Meetings About How to Spend $1+ Billion in Housing Recovery Funds

March 23, 2018 — With more than $1 billion in housing recovery allocated to Houston, the City is seeking community input on priorities for long-term recovery efforts from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) is partnering with community groups on a series of upcoming meetings that will inform residents about long-term housing recovery and create opportunities for residents to give their input about priorities for rebuilding Houston after Hurricane Harvey.

The $1 billion in federal disaster recovery funding for Houston is a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through the State of Texas General Land Office (GLO). It is primarily intended to benefit low- and moderate-income persons to increase housing affordability and aid in the recovery after the disaster. These funds will be expended over the next six years, until 2024.

Later this summer, HUD will publish guidance about additional funding for activities to help prepare the City of Houston and the State of Texas against the effects of future storms. More than $5 billion is available to the State of Texas for mitigation activities.

“Recovery from Harvey means not just building back what was here before, but building the kind of city where all people have an affordable, safe place to live, in a community where they can thrive,” said Tom McCasland, Houston’s Housing Director.

“With more than a billion dollars for housing recovery, we have a chance as a city to make historic investments to make housing more affordable,” McCasland continued. “We want to hear from communities about what kinds of investments they want to see.”

In May and June, HCDD will partner with community organizations to co-host community meetings around the city. City council members also are invited to partner with HCDD in hosting a meeting. These events will be a chance for residents to receive information about short-term recovery programs, learn about the process for long-term recovery, and give input about what types of housing recovery activities they want to see in their communities. Houstonians also are invited to fill out an online survey about their disaster recovery experience, needs, and priorities: www.surveymonkey.com/r/HoustonHarveyRecovery.

Events will be posted on the HCDD Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HoustonHCDD and www.houstontx.gov/housing.

In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) should notify HCDD at (832) 394-6200 or email hcdd@houstontx.gov, at least 24 hours in advance of scheduled hearing date. A Spanish translator will also be present during the public meetings upon 24-hour request.

Si necesita una traducción en español de esta publicación por favor contacte al Departamento de Desarrollo Comunitario al (713) 475-7294.

For more information call (832) 394-6200. Submit comments about long-term recovery via the survey linked above, or email hcdd@houstontx.gov with the subject: “Harvey Action Plan comment.”