The Houston City Council approved a $314 million disaster recovery plan this month to address funding needs still lingering from Hurricane Beryl and the 2024 derecho.
The plan uses federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), targeting long-term relief efforts for residents impacted by the storms as well as future preparedness.
Housing programs are allocated for $100 million in the plan, one of the largest single allocations. This comes after several rounds of public comments regarding the original draft plan, which did not include increased funds for housing. After receiving public feedback, officials directed $50 million from the Power Generation Resilience Program to essentially double the existing housing funding.
The housing programs consist of multifamily housing and single-family housing, both receiving $50 million from the plan. The funds will go toward repairing or reconstructing homes, along with personal property loss not otherwise covered. The original draft plan found that the city had roughly $229 million in housing repair needs.
Another major allotment is $100 million for the Power Generation Resilience Program, which focuses on purchasing and installing backup generators for public facilities, better serving emergency responders, the unhoused population and the general public during natural disasters. The program will also implement emergency power systems for critical infrastructure, further supporting first responders and increasing preparedness.
Other funding allocations include:
- $41 million for the Homeless Services Program (part of the city’s broader $70 million homeless initiative).
- $33 million for the Debris Repository Acquisition/Development Program.
- $15.7 million for administration costs.
- $15.3 million for the Emergency Response/Public Safety Program (purchasing emergency vehicles including ambulances and high-water rescue vehicles).
- $8.3 million for the Vegetation Management/Debris Removal Program.
- $200,000 for planning.
The plan passed by a 12-3 vote and will now go to HUD for approval, which is expected by Oct. 3. The funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program, allocated through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act approved by Congress in December 2024.
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