Grantee Louisiana Grant B-16-DL-22-0001 HUD CDBG-DR Program Allocations, Obligations, and Expenditures.
Follow the flow of American taxpayer dollars as it leaves the hands of Washington D.C. executive branch agency control for state government control and management to be used for disaster recovery programs per policy and procedure of HUD CDBG-DR programs.
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By Murray Wennerlund published 7-17-2019 updated 1-15-2022

Grantee: Louisiana
Grant: B-16-DL-22-0001
Projected Start Date: 05-01-2017 (5-27-2017*)
Projected End Date: 04-03-2023 (7-31-2020*)

Appropriations and Allocations

  • 1st Allocation: $437,800,000
  • 2nd Allocation: $1,219,172,000
  • 3rd Allocation: $51,435,000

Total Allocation: $1,708,407,000

 

  • November 21, 2016 1st Allocations under Public Law 114-223 Federal Register Notice:

Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4277, DR-4263, DR-4272

Based on a review of the impacts from these disasters, and estimates of unmet need, HUD is making a total allocation under Pub. Law 114-223 of $437,800,000.

Of the $437,800,000 HUD identified the most impacted and distressed areas within the disaster state and instructed the state to provide at least 80% of the total allocations to these most impacted and distressed areas. HUD requested that $350,240,000 be allocated to the following disaster areas:

  • East Baton Rouge Parish
  • Livingston Parish
  • Ascension Parish
  • Tangipahoa Parish
  • Ouachita Parish
  • Lafayette Parish

November 21, 2016 HUD CDBG-DR State of Louisiana Allocations, Common Application, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Grantees

b. Housing Counseling Services. Grantees are encouraged to coordinate with HUD-approved housing counseling services to ensure that information and services are made available to both renters and homeowners. Additional information is available for Louisiana.
Resource Link: Housing Counseling Services focused on preventing defaulted loans and homelessness.

 

  • January 18, 2017 2nd Allocations under Public Law 114-245 Federal Register Notice:

Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4263 and DR-4277

Allocated to the State of Louisiana $1,219,172,000 and require that a minimum amount of $975,337,600 must be expended for recovery in the HUD-identified "most impacted and distressed" areas which include:

  • East Baton Rouge Parish
  • Livingston Parish
  • Ascension Parish
  • Tangipahoa Parish
  • Ouachita Parish
  • Lafayette
  • Lafayette Parish
  • Vermilion Parish
  • Acadia Parish
  • Washington Parish
  • St. Tammany Parish

Allocation Calculation
Once eligible entities are identified, the allocation to individual grantees represents their proportional share of the estimated unmet needs. HUD calculates total serious unmet recovery needs as the aggregate of:

  • Serious unmet housing needs in most impacted counties.
  • Serious unmet business needs.
  • The estimated local match requirement for the repair of infrastructure estimated for FEMA's Public Assistance program.

 

  • August 7, 2017 3rd Allocations under Public Law 115-31 Federal Register Notice:

Covering disasters (FEMA) DR-4263 and DR-4277

Allocated to the State of Louisiana $51,435,000 and require that a minimum amount of $41,148,00 must be expended for recovery in the HUD-identified "most impacted and distressed" areas which include:

  • East Baton Rouge Parish
  • Livingston Parish
  • Ascension Parish
  • Tangipahoa Parish
  • Ouachita Parish
  • Lafayette
  • Lafayette Parish
  • Vermilion Parish
  • Acadia Parish
  • Washington Parish
  • St. Tammany Parish

HUD has approved the state of Louisiana to use these CDBG-DR funds for three main recovery programs under Pub. Law 115-31:

  • Housing 86 percent
  • Economic Development 4 percent
  • Infrastructure 6 percent 

These programs were developed to address the most urgent and significant unmet needs of those areas impacted by the eligible 2016 disasters listed above.

  1. Waiver of the 70 percent overall benefit requirement. The overall benefit requirement set by the HCDA requires that 70 percent of the aggregate of the grantee's CDBG program's funds be used to support activities benefitting low and moderate income persons. 

The state of Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit submitted a request to establish a lower overall benefit requirement based information provided to HUD. [see FR notice] In the states request the state contends that out of the 57,600 households that suffered major or severe damage during the flooding in 2016, only 44 percent were low and moderate income (LMI) persons. 

HUD granted the waiver and alternative requirement by reducing the overall percentage from 70 percent to not less than 55 percent of the states allocations of HUD CDBG-DR funds. This includes all allocations under Public Law 114-223, 114-254 and 115-31 which must be used to benefit LMI households and not be less than $939,623,850.00 in total grant funding.

"Section 414 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5181) provides that "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person otherwise eligible for any kind of replacement housing payment under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-646) [42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.] ["URA"] shall be denied such eligibility as a result of his being unable, because of a major disaster as determined by the President, to meet the occupancy requirements set by [the URA]". "

"This waiver has no effect on URA eligibility for relocation assistance and payments for existing tenant occupants of dwelling units who may be displaced or relocated temporarily as a direct result of a CDBG-DR activity."

"After addressing remaining unmet need for 2015 and 2016 disasters, $57,800,000 in CDBG-DR funding remains available to be allocated for major disasters occurring in 2017 or later. Public Law 115-31 specifies that the funds allocated for disasters in 2017 or later are subject to the same authority and conditions as those applicable to CDBG-DR funds appropriated by Public Law 114- 223 and, therefore, these funds are also subject to the requirements of the November 21, 2016 notice, except the major disaster may occur in calendar year 2017 or later until such funds are fully allocated."

"Pursuant to the November 21, 2016 notice, each grantee receiving an allocation of funds for 2017 or later disasters in a subsequent notice is also required to expend 100 percent of its allocation of CDBG-DR funds on eligible activities within 6 years of HUD's execution of the grant agreement."

 

Resources: 

* State of Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit proposed dates.