AUSTIN (KXAN) — Nearly three years after the devastating 2021 winter storm, Texas will get about $43.6 million in federal dollars to help with ongoing storm recovery.
The money will come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for long-term recovery from the 2021 winter storm, the Texas General Land Office announced Monday. The funding is for community development block grant-disaster recovery, which helps address needs after other help is exhausted.
The more than $43.6 million will be divided into two programs. About $30.4 million will go to the 2021 Winter Storms HUD MID Counties Program. This will go to Dallas, Harris and Tarrant counties and fund projects like infrastructure improvements and/or rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction of affordable multifamily housing.
The report said the 2021 storm “devastated infrastructure in Texas due to the lack of weatherization for extreme cold of infrastructure, critical facilities, and utilities.” There were over 430,000 insurance claims in the state with over $4.4 billion in damage, mostly caused by burst water lines.
The second $7.5 million program will help with long-term recovery and disaster relief for fire protection facilities in the remaining 251 Texas counties. This includes permanently affixed power generators at public facilities, which are needed during winter storm events, the general land office said.
In addition, three Texas cities will get money from HUD as they were marked "most impacted and distressed." Houston will get about $50 million, Dallas will get $40.4 million and Fort Worth will get about $27.4 million, according to the Texas General Land Office.
The Texas General Land Office also released its 2021 Winter Storms Public Action Plan on Monday, sharing how it plans to use the HUD money. The plan “will be focused on restoring affordable multi-family housing, repairing infrastructure, and strengthening fire response facilities.”
The office will have a public hearing on the plan Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. via Zoom.
The full Winter Storms Public Action Plan can be viewed online.
