Background
The 2016 flooding from March to June resulted in three qualifying events for federal disaster recovery funds. The events caused severe damage across half the state, roughly 134,000 square miles - almost double the size of Louisiana and West Virginia combined. The flooding events were a devastating blow to many Texas communities still trying to recover from the impact of the 2015 flooding events. The continuous rainfall on saturated ground created excessive downstream flooding and record-breaking crests that destroyed agricultural areas and residential homes. A major business disruption occurred due to the closure of Interstate 10 along the Texas-Louisiana border, creating lengthy delays and the loss of a major transportation corridor. Thousands of Texans were forced to evacuate their homes as entire cities required mandatory evacuations.
Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, and Newton Counties designated "most impacted" by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), were encouraged to submit applications for $19 million in reallocated Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. Applications for acquisition and/or demolition of real property along with flood and drainage improvements were considered.
2016 Disaster Timeline
- March 7 to 29, 2016 - first disaster event
- March 19, 2016 - DR-4266 declaration
- April 17 to 30, 2016 - second disaster event
- April 25, 2016 - DR-4269 declaration
- May 22-June 24, 2016 - third disaster event
- June 11, 2016 - DR-4272 declaration
- September 29, 2016 - $45.2 million in CDBG-DR funds appropriated under Continuing Resolution
- November 21, 2016 - Federal Register Notice published providing requirements for State Action Plan for use of the $45.2 million HUD allocation
- December 10, 2016 - $177 million in CDBG-DR funds appropriated under fiscal year 2017 Further Continuing Resolution into law
- January 18, 2017 – Federal Register Notice published allocating to Texas $177 million for 2016 disaster
- March 10, 2017 - GLO posts 2016 State Action Plan to website for 14-day public comment period
- April 3, 2017 - GLO submits plan to HUD for approval
- May 5, 2017 - $70 million in addition CDBG-DR funds appropriated under the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2017
- May 30, 2018 - GLO begins to accept project applications from eligible communities for $40.2 million in available disaster funds
- June 2, 2017 - HUD approves State Action Plan
- July 16, 2018 – HUD approves Amendment 2 detailing MODs for Fort Bend and Harris County
- August 7, 2017 - Federal Register Notice published allocating to Texas an additional $70 million in supplemental funds for 2015 and 2016 disasters
- May 1, 2018 - HUD approved Amendment 1 providing scoring criteria for housing and infrastructure projects
- May 30, 2018 - GLO begins to accept project applications from eligible communities for $40.2 million in available disaster funds
- August 30, 2018 – HUD acknowledges non-substantial Amendment 3 clarifying description of planning funds
- September 27, 2018 - 5 p.m. deadline for eligible communities to submit completed project applications to the GLO
- July 3, 2019 – HUD approved Amendment 4 moving $19 million from planning budget to HUD MID competition
- August 9, 2019 – GLO submits Amendment 5 to HUD for approval; Houston moves infrastructure money to housing
- August 16, 2019 - GLO announces application period open for $19 million in the 5 most impacted and distressed eligible communities
- October 8, 2019 - HUD approved Amendment 5 of the State Action Plan.
- August 12, 2021 - GLO Published Amendment 6 for the State Action Plan for the federally mandated 14-day public comment period. Newton County amended its County Method of Distribution (MOD) to reflect the current unmet needs of the county.
- November 1, 2021 - HUD approved Amendment 6 of the State Action Plan
- August 2, 2023 - HUD Acknowledged Nonsubstantial Amendment 7 of the State Action Plan
Next Steps:
-
All 2016 grant funds are to be expended within 8 years of the date of the executed grant agreement (November 1, 2017) between HUD and the GLO.