For some households, the information I provide helps them get back in their homes. Others I've had a hand in helping them recovery from some of their disaster debt burden. In any case, when you use the information I provide and it's helpful and makes you more successful with your disaster rebuild or new construction then feel free to contribute what you can and when you can. It helps with the hours of unpaid research and reading.
Your HUD CDBG-DR Grant Award will come with a "Determination" letter that will in some section of the generic form letter vaguely explain the reason for your grant award.
The easiest letters to read and understand are the letters pointing out why you were determined ineligible for your grant.
Example 1: NOTICE OF INELIGIBILITY
Eligibility Requirement: 1. Applicant must have owned and occupied the property as
their primary residence prior to April 8, 2016, if requesting recovery assistance for
the March 2016 floods, and prior to August 31, 2016, if requesting recovery
assistance for the August 2016 floods.
Issue: 1. The Program either verified that applicant did not own the property prior
to either of the designated disaster events OR the Program was not able to verify
ownership.
Example 2: Form Letter footer shows this letter to be a "Positive" award calculation which means you will be receiving a grant award. But the first paragraph and nearly all pages yield no wording as you might expect. "Congratulations, your grant award has been approved!"
Footer: Award Calculation (Positive) Version 3.1 effective 10/5/2018
Letter may start with: Based on the information you have provided to the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program (the "Program" or "RLHP"), in connection with your application, the Program has made a determination on the eligibility of your application and calculated your potential award. Your award calculation table is available by clicking the link "Open Grant Award PDF" within eGrants.
This is a Positive award and will then have pages of information that you must read. This is your rules and how to proceed. Most of you will be asking your Case Workers to explain this. It's best to get as much information from your state managed program then ask other homeowners for their experiences.
Example: 3 Zero Award (Footer) Award Calculation (Zero) v2.2 – 03/16/18 (Your award has not be reviewed since this date and is out of date for all calculations for reconstruction.
You can send a copy of your letter for review using the "Tell your Story" link.