HUD APPROVES DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS IN NORTH DAKOTA
$24 million to support hard-hit areas including the City of Minot

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today approved two disaster recovery plans totaling nearly $24 million to help local communities in North Dakota to recover from severe storms and flooding in 2011. These disaster plans will rely on grants provided earlier this year through HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

Last March, HUD allocated a total of $41.6 million to the State of North Dakota and the City of Minot. North Dakota requested HUD approve $3.5 million in disaster spending while the City of Minot requested HUD approve $20.4 million. Read more about the State of North Dakota (www.communityservices.nd.gov/community/community-development-block-grant-disaster-recovery/) and the City of Minot's (www.minotrecoveryinfo.com/) disaster recovery plans.

"This is another important step toward recovery and healing for hard-hit communities in North Dakota," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "State and local planners will now be able to implement their recovery strategies for restoring and rebuilding housing, infrastructure, and businesses that have been affected."

Rocky Mountain Regional Administrator Rick M. Garcia added: "HUD continues to focus on providing funding and other resources, while laying the groundwork for North Dakotans to rebuild in ways that make their communities stronger and more economically sustainable."

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, signed into law by President Obama on January 29th, included $16 billion in CDBG-Disaster Recovery funding. 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 private insurance and other forms of public 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.

*In addition to the disaster funds approved today, HUD allocated nearly $79.4 million to the State of North Dakota and the City of Minot in January of 2012 to help communities recover from severe storms, and flooding in the Spring of 2011.

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