State solicits input on disaster recovery funding criteria

INDIANAPOLIS (January 2009) - The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is soliciting input from local officials across the state that will be used to determine the allocation criteria of long-term disaster recovery funding. 

OCRA Community Affairs Director Kathleen Weissenberger urges officials to take this step. "Information on community needs is critical as we prepare to allocate funds for long-term economic recovery in many areas of our state."

State and local officials in each Indiana county that was declared natural disasters in 2008 are asked to complete a Capital Infrastructure Survey to provide information on capital infrastructure projects that are necessary for economic recovery of towns, cities and counties.  The information will be used to develop allocation criteria for funding requests.

Earlier this month, Indiana received an additional $95 million in federal funding to be allocated for long-term disaster recovery. The funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and represents a portion of the supplemental funding Congress appropriated in September for emergency disaster assistance in states affected by severe storms and flooding in 2008. The funding can be used by the state for long-term recovery efforts for damage caused by any previous natural disaster which received a federal declaration this year.  It is in addition to the $67 million the state was allocated in September that can be used exclusively for recovery efforts from damage caused by June storms and flooding. 

The funds will be distributed through OCRA.  The application process communities and other qualifying organizations can use will be outlined by OCRA in early 2009.  Funding allocations will focus on unmet housing needs, including home buy-outs and aiding in low cost housing development as well as infrastructure revitalization projects not covered by other federal funds. 

Representatives of local government units should complete and return the Capital Infrastructure Survey by January 26, 2009.  The survey form is available on the Office of Community and Rural Affairs website at http://www.in.gov/ocra/2429.htm or by contacting OCRA at 317-232-8333 or bdawson2@ocra.in.gov.

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