HUD ALLOCATES NEARLY $18 MILLION TO HELP VERMONT TO RECOVER FROM HURRICANE IRENE IN 2011
Disaster aid part of $514 million to be targeted in hard-hit areas in nine states

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today allocated nearly $18 million to the State of Vermont to help local communities to recover from the lingering effects of Hurricane Irene in the summer of 2011. This grant, part of $514 million allocated among nine states nationwide, is provided through HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to support long-term disaster recovery efforts in areas with the greatest extent of 'unmet need.'

HUD is allocating $17,932,000 to the State of Vermont. HUD's analysis also identifies Windsor County as having the greatest degree of damage, primarily flooding, from Tropical Storm Irene in August of 2011. The funding announced today supplements nearly $22 million HUD allocated to the State of Vermont in January of 2012.

"In the last two years, many communities have had to deal with the reality of our changing climate and the increasing severity of natural disasters," said Donovan. "HUD is continuing to work closely with state and local partners to help them realize a locally driven vision for restoring and rebuilding housing, infrastructure, and businesses that have been affected."

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, signed into law by President Obama on January 29th, included $16 billion in CDBG-Disaster Recovery funding. Eight days later, HUD announced a first round of aid totaling $5.4 billion to five states and the City of New York impacted by Hurricane Sandy. HUD will announce additional allocations throughout the year based upon the level of remaining needs to help other states and local communities impacted by natural disasters in 2011-2013.

HUD's CDBG-Disaster Recovery grants are intended to confront housing, business and infrastructure needs beyond those addressed by other forms of public and private assistance. Using a combination of data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA), HUD identified those states and local communities requiring the greatest assistance to recover from devastating tornadoes in the Southeast and Missouri; remnants of Hurricanes Irene and Lee in the Northeast and New England; severe flooding in parts of North Dakota; and destructive wildfires in Texas.

HUD will shortly publish a Notice that will regulate the use of the funds announced today. State and local grantees will then finalize disaster 'action plans' describing how they intend to expend these funds to support disaster recovery and HUD will quickly review them.

###

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.