Federal dollars are being earmarked for recovery needs in southwest Louisiana in association with hurricanes Laura and Delta. That word came Tuesday from Governor John Bel Edwards who says the state is being allocated 595-million-dollars in block grant aid funding.
“We’re thankful we got it, it’s taken a long time. It is not in our view sufficient to effect a full recovery particularly as it relates to housing,” said Edwards.
The block grant funds will be overseen by HUD, with Louisiana required to outline its plans for spending the funds and the state’s Office of Community Development overseeing the actual spending.
Edwards says the 595-million-dollars still falls short of what the state needs in its recovery from Laura and Delta, but he’s hopeful for more appropriations when Congress meets December 3rd.
“So we will be going back both as it relates to 2020 to get additional funding for Laura and Delta, but also to make our case as it relates to Hurricane Ida,” said Edwards.
Edwards says the 595-million dollars allocated only represents 20-percent of the three-billion dollars in assistance he’s requested.
Edwards says it’s important to point out that the block grant aid for Laura and Delta is not money in the bank at this point. “And, in fact, HUD has still yet to issue the federal registrar notice which contains the rules pursuant to which we have to design our program,” said Edwards.
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