Dale
Gray, Public Affairs Officer Phone: (913) 551-5542 Fax: (913) 551-5469 |
For
Release Tuesday June 15, 2004 |
HUD ANNOUNCES DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR STORM VICTIMS IN 37 MISSOURI
COUNTIES
Temporary housing and foreclosure protection offered to displaced
families
KANSAS CITY - Housing and Urban Development Regional Director Macie Houston today announced she would speed federal disaster assistance to 37 Missouri counties and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters.
On June 13, 2004, President Bush declared 37 Missouri counties
as federal disaster areas. The declaration covers damage to private
and public property affected by the recent severe storms, tornadoes
and flooding. The
designated counties are Adair, Andrew, Bates,
Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Clay,
Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory,
Jackson, Johnson, Knox, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Mercer, Monroe,
Nodaway, Platte, Polk, Randolph, Ray, Shelby, St. Clair, Sullivan,
Vernon and Worth.
"HUD is here to help the families whose homes have been damaged
or destroyed," said Houston. "Working closely
with FEMA,
the Small Business Administration and local officials, we want to
give families the help they need to recover from this disaster."
HUD will:
- Grant immediate foreclosure relief - HUD will grant
a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and forbearance
on foreclosures of Federal Housing Administration-insured homes;
- Provide temporary housing and shelter - HUD will work
with FEMA to identify vacant public housing and HUD-owned properties
that can be used as temporary housing for those forced from their
homes;
- Offer Section 108 loan guarantee assistance - HUD will
offer state and local governments federally guaranteed loans for
housing rehabilitation, economic development and repair of public
infrastructure;
- Make available mortgage insurance - HUD's Section 203(h)
program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims who have lost
their homes and are facing the daunting task of rebuilding or
buying another home. Borrowers are eligible for 100 percent financing,
including closing costs;
- Make available insurance for both mortgages and rehabilitation
- HUD's Section 203(k) loan program enables those who have
lost their homes to finance both the purchase or refinancing of
a house along with
its repair or rebuilding through a single mortgage. It also allows homeowners who have damaged houses to
finance the rehabilitation of their existing single-family home.
- Work with local governments to streamline re-allocating
federal resources to disaster relief - HUD's Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program gives local governments in Iowa the
flexibility to
redirect millions of dollars to address critical needs, including housing and services for storm victims.
For more information about these and other HUD programs designed to assist disaster victims, visit HUD's disaster relief website.
HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing minority
homeownership, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income
Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities
and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic
and community development as well as enforces the nation's
fair
housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available
on www.hud.gov.
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