The General Land Office (GLO) will exhaust the remaining program funds from current disaster recovery grants from 2008 to 2019. The office has requested entities across Texas submit infrastructure and housing projects to receive grants before time runs out to allocate them. The Disaster Recovery Reallocation Program (DRRP) call for projects will end November 21, 2024. Eligible entities have until April 3, 2025, to apply.
Over an 11-year span, Texas established six action plans to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters. However, $135 million has not been distributed from these programs. The DRRP enables the GLO to reallocate de-obligated and un-utilized funds. The action plans featured in the program include:
• Hurricane Harvey $5.6 billion 2017 - $84.5 million.
• Hurricanes Ike and Dolly 2008 - $20.5 million.
• 2019 Disasters - $14.5 million.
• 2018 South Texas Floods $6 million.
• 2016 Floods and Storms $5.5 million.
• 2015 Floods and Storms - $4 million.
Eligible entities include cities, counties, tribes and public housing authorities. The action plans for Hurricanes Ike, Dolly and Harvey have a maximum award of $20 million. The remaining plans have a maximum $2 million award. Each entity can submit up to three projects to receive funds.
Applicants may receive funds for qualifying activities, including improving flood, drainage, water, wastewater and streets. Recipients may also use funds to permanently affix emergency communications equipment and rehabilitate, reconstruct and build affordable multifamily projects. All projects must benefit low- and moderate-income people and address urgent needs.
The DRRP funds come from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the program to help communities recover from major disasters.