The State of Alabama has been allocated nearly $312 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to be utilized in recovery efforts stemming from damage caused by Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, which pummeled the state’s coastal region in fall 2020.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated the $311,732,000 in CDBG Disaster Recovery funds as part of the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act 2022. The funds will be managed by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).
According to the governor’s office, HUD designated the funds for areas that were most impacted by the natural disaster. The areas include all of Mobile and Baldwin Counties as well as the 36502 zip code in western Escambia County.
Gov. Kay Ivey advised that the funds would serve as a “boost” to recovery efforts and hailed the strength of Alabamians in working to rebuild their communities.
“Natural disasters like Sally and Zeta may test our resolve, but I have seen the resiliency of Alabama and her people time and time again as they recover, rebuild and come back stronger than ever,” stated Ivey in a release. “These funds will provide a boost to long-term recovery efforts in the communities affected by these disasters.”
ADECA intends to hold public meetings to field feedback regarding the department’s plans to formulate a grant process for the funds. Information concerning the funds and grant development process can be found here.
ADECA director Kenneth Boswell touched on the importance of CDBGs and indicated that the funds play a vital role in helping communities recover from natural disasters.
“Community Development Block Grants do so much to help Alabama communities complete needed projects that they otherwise would not be able to afford, and that need becomes even greater when a community is recovering from an unexpected natural disaster,” said Boswell. “ADECA is pleased to play a role with Governor Ivey in this funding process, and we will work in the coming months to develop a clear action plan for deploying the grants in an effective manner.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
