Hurricane Harvey
Through multiple appropriations from Congress, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated more than $5.676 billion in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery funds to the State of Texas for long-term disaster recovery. The GLO will administer these funds for housing, infrastructure and planning through state and local programs.
The State Action Plan for Hurricane Harvey has been published and approved for the initial $57.8 million allocation. An Action Plan for the subsequent allocation of $5.024 billion, the largest single allocation in history, was initially approved by HUD on June 25, 2018. Amendment 1 to the $5.024 State Action Plan was approved by HUD on December 11, 2018 and details the local recovery plans for Harris County and the City of Houston for their direct allocations from the GLO. These plans can be found on the Hurricane Harvey Action Plan Page.
HUD approved the second amendment to the GLO $5.024 billion state Action Plan for Hurricane Harvey on February 25, 2019. The amendment detailed how the GLO will use the $652 million to supplement current Hurricane Harvey programs being implemented by the GLO, as well as additional programs in Harris County and the city of Houston.
To expedite the recovery process with these funds, the GLO is administering a number of programs including a multi-family recovery program, and a repair reimbursement program. The GLO continues to encourage all impacted homeowners to keep receipts for any repairs made on their home, to include insurance and FEMA funds, to determine CDBG-DR funding eligibility.
- Homeowner Assistance Program ($1.334 billion): Provides funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction of owner-occupied single-family homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey.
- Local Buyout and Acquisition Program ($189 million): Local governments may buyout or acquire eligible homes at a pre-storm or post-storm fair market value to move homeowners out of harm’s way outside of a floodplain to a lower-risk area.
- Homeowner Reimbursement Program ($100 million): Allows homeowners to be reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred for repairs to their home including reconstruction, rehabilitation or mitigation up to $50,000.
- Affordable Rental Program ($586 million): Provides funding for rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction of affordable multi-family housing units in areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
- Economic Revitalization Program ($100 million): Allows for interim assistance to small businesses (up to $250,000) impacted by Hurricane Harvey through deferred forgivable loans in exchange for job creation or retention for low-to-moderate income employees. Small business within Harris County and the city of Houston will be eligible to apply for this program.
- Local Infrastructure Program ($413 million): Repairs, enhances and restores infrastructure for local communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey as part of a comprehensive long-term recovery program. Match for FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs may be eligible.
- Local, Regional & State Planning ($137 million): In collaboration with local communities, the GLO will conduct planning studies in the impacted areas with the purpose of promoting sound regional long term recovery.
- Harris County - Direct Allocation ($896 million): Harris County has elected to develop their own local recovery programs with exception of the Economic Revitalization Program.
- GLO's Homeowner Assistance Program in Houston: Houston homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey who need help in repairing or rebuilding their homes can now apply for assistance with the GLO.
- PREPS Program - State Match ($72.7 million): As a Hurricane Harvey Public Assistance program, FEMA pays for 90% of the expenses, and the GLO has allocated these CDBG-DR to cover the remaining 10% needed for the program.
State Action Timeline
August 25, 2017
Hurricane Harvey makes landfall on the Texas Coast and continues to drop 20 to 50 inches of rain along the affected area.
August 29, 2017
Commissioner George P. Bush submits a letter to President Donald J. Trump and key members of his Cabinet and the Texas Congressional Delegation describing $180 billion in overall damage to the State of Texas, estimating at least $40 billion in unmet need for the recovery, and requesting release of $57.8 million in held back HUD CDBG-DR funds.
September 8, 2017
President Donald J. Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2017 and the Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements, 2017 (Pub. L.56), (Appropriations Act), which included $7.4 billion to support response and recovery from disasters across the nation.
February 9, 2018
HUD published the Federal Register Notice (FR) allocating $5.024 billion to Texas.
April 10, 2018
GLO published State Action Plan on GLO website for public comment through May 1.
May 8, 2018
GLO submitted State Action Plan to HUD for approval.
June 25, 2018
HUD approved State Action.
July 11, 2018
City of Houston submits its Proposed Plan to the GLO for review, translation, and federally mandated comment period.
July 18, 2018
Harris County submits its Proposed Plan to the GLO for review, translation, and federally mandated comment period.
August 14, 2018
City of Houston submits its Proposed Plan to the GLO for review, translation, and federally mandated comment period.
September 7, 2018
GLO published State Action Plan, Amendment 1 on website for public comment through October 6, 2018. Amendment 1 includes the local plans for Harris and the City of Houston.
October 12, 2018
The GLO submitted Amendment 1 to the State Action Plan for Hurricane Harvey recovery, which includes local plans detailing the distribution and eligible uses of $2.3 billion in direct allocations for the City of Houston and Harris County, to HUD for final approval.
October 19, 2018
Draft Regional Housing Guidelines for the Homeowner Assistance Program posted for a federally mandated 30- day public comment period.
November 19, 2018
GLO published Amendment 2 to the State Action Plan for a federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
December 3, 2018
GLO announces application for Homeowner Assistance Program is available in all CDBG-DR eligible Hurricane Harvey affected counties.
December 11, 2018
HUD approved Amendment 1 to the State Action Plan.
January 10, 2019
GLO submitted Amendment 2 to HUD for review and approval, which details an additional allocation of $652 million to meet.
February 22, 2019
HUD approved Amendment 2 to the State Action Plan.
February 26, 2019
GLO announces application for Homeowner Reimbursement Program is available in all CDBG-DR eligible Hurricane Harvey affected counties.
March 22, 2019
GLO published Amendment 3 to the State Action Plan for a federally mandated 30-day comment period through April.
June 13, 2019
HUD approved Amendment 3 to the State Action Plan. Amendment 3 details how additional funding for Harris County and the City of Houston will be allocated.
September 11, 2019
HUD acknowledged non-substantial Amendment 4 to the State Action Plan. This non- substantial amendment updated project expenditures.
March 10, 2020
GLO published Amendment 6 to the State Action Plan for a federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
March 13, 2020
HUD acknowledged non-substantial Amendment 5 to the State Action Plan. This non-substantial amendment clarified language that Harris County, City of Houston, or the GLO will manage the direct allocations.
April 14, 2020
GLO submitted Amendment 6 to the State Action Plan to HUD for review and approval. This substantial amendment moves $50 million in public service funds into oversubscribed HAP regions and reallocates $86.5 million in declined buyout funds to the Affordable Rental Program.
May 22, 2020
HUD approved Amendment 6 to the State Action Plan.
June 1, 2020
GLO published Amendment 7 to the State Action Plan for a federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
August 21, 2020
GLO submitted Amendment 7 to HUD for review and approval. This substantial amendment made adjustments to the Harris County Direct Allocation and created a state-run Harris County Homeowner Assistance Program. The amendment also eliminated all funds from the City of Houston local run programs and created three new state-run programs: City of Houston Homeowner Assistance Program, City of Houston Rental Program, and City of Houston Economic Revitalization Program.
October 6, 2020
HUD Approved Amendment 7 of the State Action Plan.
March 15, 2021
GLO published Amendment 8 to the State Action Plan for a federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
May 6, 2021
GLO submitted Amendment 8 to HUD for review and approval. This substantial amendment reinstated over $835 million for City of Houston administered programs, and reallocated Harris County administered project delivery funds to the county’s housing and infrastructure programs and increased the Homeowner Reimbursement Program by more than $14 million.
June 22, 2021
HUD approved Amendment 8 of the State Action Plan.
August 19, 2021
GLO published Amendment 9 of the State Action Plan for federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
September 23, 2021
GLO Submitted Amendment 9 to HUD for review and approval. This substantial amendment revised program language under various City of Houston and Harris County programs to include additional program information, clarify eligible activities, and modify the types and parameters of assistance.
November 1, 2021
HUD approved Amendment 9 of the State Action Plan.
March 16, 2022
GLO Published Amendment 10 for the State Action Plan for federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
June 15, 2022
HUD approved Amendment 10 of the State Action Plan.
October 7, 2022
GLO Published Amendment 11 for the State Action Plan for federally mandated 30-day public comment period.
January 20, 2023
HUD approved Amendment 11 of the State Action Plan.
September 8, 2023
HUD approved Amendment 12 of the State Action Plan.