(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher announced that following her submission of comments to the Texas General Land Office (GLO), the GLO has amended the State of Texas Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Mitigation Action Plan (Draft State Action Plan).  This plan provides the guidelines for the distribution of over $4 billion in federal funding to help communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.  

On January 10, 2020 Congresswoman Fletcher submitted a formal comment to the GLO identifying limitations in the Draft State Action Plan for federal funds in the region, and she called on the GLO to revise the plan to reflect the intent of Congress and the needs of Harvey victims. 

“I am glad to see the GLO taking my recommendations and the recommendations of the Houston community into account to improve the State Action Plan,” said Congresswoman Fletcher.  “I appreciate their collaboration with my office.  The changes will address several of my concerns about the distribution of federal funding better to help communities most affected by Hurricane Harvey.”

The changes to the GLO plans to implement before submitting a final version of the Action Plan:

• Encourages collaboration between regions: Eligible entities will be able to submit three individual applications and three additional joint applications with other regions.  Previously, the Draft State Action Plan discouraged collaboration between regions for large-scale projects. 

• Increases the number of applications from three to six: The original Draft State Action Plan had a three-project application limit, inadequately providing relief to regions that were most affected by Hurricane Harvey.  Eligible applicants will now be able to submit three individual applications and three joint applications.

• Improves distribution of funding to better meet need: The GLO will assess each applicant’s funding need in order to determine which regions need more funding, and plan to distribute funding to high-need regions before others. Previously, the Draft State Action Plan limited the ability for applicants to develop more than one project at a time, but the changes will allow applicants to make comprehensive mitigation projects and allow the GLO to determine funding need based on these plans.

The full text of Congresswoman Fletcher’s letter to the GLO can be found here.