By Murray Wennerlund published 7-17-2019 updated 1-15-2022
Grantee: Louisiana
Grant: B-16-DL-22-0001
Projected Start Date: 05-01-2017 (5-27-2017*)
Projected End Date: 04-03-2023 (7-31-2020*)
Appropriations and Allocations
Total Allocation: $1,708,407,000
Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4277, DR-4263, DR-4272
Based on a review of the impacts from these disasters, and estimates of unmet need, HUD is making a total allocation under Pub. Law 114-223 of $437,800,000.
Of the $437,800,000 HUD identified the most impacted and distressed areas within the disaster state and instructed the state to provide at least 80% of the total allocations to these most impacted and distressed areas. HUD requested that $350,240,000 be allocated to the following disaster areas:
November 21, 2016 HUD CDBG-DR State of Louisiana Allocations, Common Application, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Grantees
b. Housing Counseling Services. Grantees are encouraged to coordinate with HUD-approved housing counseling services to ensure that information and services are made available to both renters and homeowners. Additional information is available for Louisiana.
Resource Link: Housing Counseling Services focused on preventing defaulted loans and homelessness.
Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4263 and DR-4277
Allocated to the State of Louisiana $1,219,172,000 and require that a minimum amount of $975,337,600 must be expended for recovery in the HUD-identified "most impacted and distressed" areas which include:
Allocation Calculation
Once eligible entities are identified, the allocation to individual grantees represents their proportional share of the estimated unmet needs. HUD calculates total serious unmet recovery needs as the aggregate of:
Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4263 and DR-4277
Allocated to the State of Louisiana $51,435,000 and require that a minimum amount of $41,148,00 must be expended for recovery in the HUD-identified "most impacted and distressed" areas which include:
HUD has approved the state of Louisiana to use these CDBG-DR funds for three main recovery programs under Pub. Law 115-31:
These programs were developed to address the most urgent and significant unmet needs of those areas impacted by the eligible 2016 disasters listed above.
The state of Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit submitted a request to establish a lower overall benefit requirement based information provided to HUD. [see FR notice] In the states request the state contends that out of the 57,600 households that suffered major or severe damage during the flooding in 2016, only 44 percent were low and moderate income (LMI) persons.
HUD granted the waiver and alternative requirement by reducing the overall percentage from 70 percent to not less than 55 percent of the states allocations of HUD CDBG-DR funds. This includes all allocations under Public Law 114-223, 114-254 and 115-31 which must be used to benefit LMI households and not be less than $939,623,850.00 in total grant funding.
"Section 414 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5181) provides that "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person otherwise eligible for any kind of replacement housing payment under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-646) [42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.] ["URA"] shall be denied such eligibility as a result of his being unable, because of a major disaster as determined by the President, to meet the occupancy requirements set by [the URA]". "
"This waiver has no effect on URA eligibility for relocation assistance and payments for existing tenant occupants of dwelling units who may be displaced or relocated temporarily as a direct result of a CDBG-DR activity."
"After addressing remaining unmet need for 2015 and 2016 disasters, $57,800,000 in CDBG-DR funding remains available to be allocated for major disasters occurring in 2017 or later. Public Law 115-31 specifies that the funds allocated for disasters in 2017 or later are subject to the same authority and conditions as those applicable to CDBG-DR funds appropriated by Public Law 114- 223 and, therefore, these funds are also subject to the requirements of the November 21, 2016 notice, except the major disaster may occur in calendar year 2017 or later until such funds are fully allocated."
"Pursuant to the November 21, 2016 notice, each grantee receiving an allocation of funds for 2017 or later disasters in a subsequent notice is also required to expend 100 percent of its allocation of CDBG-DR funds on eligible activities within 6 years of HUD's execution of the grant agreement."
Resources:
* State of Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit proposed dates.