State of Texas Plan for Disaster Recovery: Hurricane Harvey Amendment No. 4 Published: March 26, 2021 PREPARED BY Public Comment Period: THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE March 26 - April 9, 2021 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION PROGRAM HUD Acknowledge: Section 421 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Pub. L. 115-31, approved May 5, 2017) Table of Contents Amendment No. 4 ........................................................................................................................... 4 I. Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 5 II. Needs Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 9 A. Cumulative Impact of Prior Disasters .................................................................................... 9 B. Impact of Hurricane Harvey ................................................................................................. 10 C. Resiliency Solutions and Mitigation Needs.......................................................................... 14 D. Demographic Profile of Impacted Counties ......................................................................... 16 E. Low to Moderate Income Analysis ....................................................................................... 18 F. Housing Impact ..................................................................................................................... 18 1. Real Estate Market ............................................................................................................. 18 2. Homelessness..................................................................................................................... 19 3. Social Services: 2-1-1 Texas Program ............................................................................... 22 4. Interim Housing Assistance ............................................................................................... 24 5. National Flood Insurance Program .................................................................................... 25 6. Small Business Assistance (SBA) Disaster Home Loans ................................................. 29 7. Public Housing Assistance (PHA) Data ............................................................................ 31 8. FEMA Individual Assistance............................................................................................. 31 G. Infrastructure Impact ............................................................................................................ 38 1. Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas ....................................................................... 38 2. Texas Coastal Resiliency Study ........................................................................................ 39 3. FEMA Public Assistance ................................................................................................... 40 H. Economic Impact .................................................................................................................. 41 1. Employment....................................................................................................................... 41 2. Small Business Assistance (SBA) Business Disaster Loans ............................................. 41 3. Agricultural Impacts .......................................................................................................... 43 4. Tourism .............................................................................................................................. 44 III. General Requirements ............................................................................................................. 45 A. Public Housing, Affordable Housing, and Housing for Vulnerable Populations ................ 45 B. Displacement of Persons and/or Entities .............................................................................. 45 C. Maximum Assistance ........................................................................................................... 46 D. Elevation Standards .............................................................................................................. 46 Page 1 of 126 E. Planning and Coordination ................................................................................................... 46 F. Infrastructure Activities ........................................................................................................ 47 G. Leveraging Funds ................................................................................................................. 48 H. Protection of People and Property ........................................................................................ 48 1. Quality Construction Standards ......................................................................................... 48 2. Housing Contractors Standards ......................................................................................... 48 I. Appeals Processes .................................................................................................................. 49 K. Program Income ................................................................................................................... 49 L. Monitoring Standards ........................................................................................................... 50 M. Broadband Infrastructure ..................................................................................................... 50 IV. State Administered Disaster Recovery Program .................................................................... 51 A. Action Plan ......................................................................................................................... 51 B. Program Budget .................................................................................................................. 51 C. Use of Funds ....................................................................................................................... 53 1. Harris County Voluntary Buyout Program .................................................................... 53 2. Harris County Mandatory Buyout Program ................................................................... 54 3. Affordable Rental Recovery Program ............................................................................ 56 D. Ineligible activities ............................................................................................................. 57 E. Administrative Funds ......................................................................................................... 57 F. Location .............................................................................................................................. 57 G. Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................... 57 H. Use of Urgent Need ............................................................................................................ 58 V. Citizen Participation .............................................................................................................. 59 A. Public Website .................................................................................................................... 59 B. Consultation ........................................................................................................................ 60 C. Consideration of Public Comments .................................................................................... 62 D. Citizen Complaints ............................................................................................................. 62 E. Substantial Amendment ..................................................................................................... 62 F. Non-substantial Amendment .............................................................................................. 62 G. Waivers ............................................................................................................................... 62 VI. Appendix A – CDBG-DR Eligible Counties .......................................................................... 64 VII. Appendix B – Certifications .................................................................................................. 65 Page 2 of 126 VIII. Appendix C – Public Comment ........................................................................................... 68 IX. Appendix D - Projected Expenditures .................................................................................. 124 Page 3 of 126 Amendment No. 4 This document constitutes the Fourth Amendment to the State of Texas Plan for Disaster Recovery: Hurricane Harvey (Action Plan), for CDBG disaster recovery funds related to the August 2017 Hurricane Harvey event (DR-4332). This amendment is being made to the Action Plan which responds to Section 421 of the Consolidated Appropriation Act 2017 (Public Law 115- 31, approved May 5, 2017). The following changes to the Action Plan are made in this Amendment: • I. Executive Summary o Table 2: Total Allocation Budget added. • IV. State Administered Disaster Recovery Program o Table 14: Allocation Budget updated; o Added language separating the Harris County Buyout Program into two separate programs voluntary