[StBernard] First CDBG Application Submitted to HUD

[Westley Annis]

 Would anyone care to illustrate the various steps needed before the
additional 4.2 Billion allocated towards housing recovery can become a dream
come true? As the proposed action Plan goes to HUD, what follows? The U.S.
Senate, then the U.S. House of Representatives, then the President to sign?
Please outlay the various needed steps and what's the usual time (in our
very unusal situation) envisioned by officials to fruition? Thanks.

Jer.

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First Community Development Block Grant Application Submitted to HUD

"Action Plan" Includes Funding for Small Businesses, Infrastructure and
Housing Start-up Costs

BATON ROUGE, La. - After receiving final approval today from the Louisiana
Legislature, the plan for spending part of Louisiana's initial allotment of
federal hurricane recovery dollars has been delivered to the U. S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington. 

As submitted, Louisiana's "action plan" requests $359 million in
supplemental Community Development Block Grants for Louisiana's Small
Business Bridge Loan Program, local government emergency infrastructure,
state building infrastructure, start-up costs for The Road Home housing
program and administrative and technical assistance. 

The funding is part of $6.2 billion appropriated by Congress in December for
Louisiana's hurricane recovery. Another $4.2 billion is currently under
consideration in Congress. Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco has committed to
spending the bulk of the funding to address Louisiana's severe housing needs
resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee failure.


"This first plan, now submitted to HUD, allows us to get additional money in
the hands of entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, to rebuild necessary state
and local infrastructure, and to cover startup costs for a contractor to
prepare for implementation of The Road Home Housing Program," Louisiana
Recovery Authority Chairman Norman Francis said. "With these funds we can
begin to breathe life into communities that have been so devastated by the
storms. We thank the Legislature for its support and anticipate quick
approval from HUD." 

If the $4.2 billion in additional CDBG funding is approved, Governor Blanco
has committed to spending it and other federal hazard mitigation funds in
the following ways: 

*	$9.25 billion for housing
*	$2.5 billion to infrastructure and 
*	$350 million to economic development 
	
	
	The Road Home, the Governor's homeowner assistance and rental
reinvestment plan, which would comprise the bulk of the funds, is currently
in a comment phase. It will next go to the Legislature for approval before
it is submitted to HUD. 
	
	-end-