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ELEVATION GRANT PROGRAM DISBURSES OVER $25 MILLION TO GULF COAST HOMEOWNERS With more than $25 million in federal grants disbursed to assist Gulf Coast homeowners in meeting new post-Katrina flood standards, The Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA) Elevation Grant Program (EGP) is poised to finalize all applicant intake and closings by December 31. “EGP awards are available only to homeowners who’ve received assistance from the separate Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) Phase 1 or Phase 2 grants, who did not have flood insurance, and who are now required to elevate because of more stringent federal flood maps,” Jon Mabry, Chief Operations Officer of the Mississippi Development Authority Disaster Recovery Division (MDA DRD) said. EGP applicants can receive up to $30,000 to help offset costs incurred with raising a primary residence as long as they are built to Federal Emergency Management Agency standards. The first $15,000 is granted upon the building permit and initial elevation certificate; the other half is disbursed to the recipient upon satisfactory completion of the elevation project, demonstrated by the certificate of occupancy and the final elevation certificate, which are obtained through the local building office and a licensed surveyor respectively. “We’re especially encouraging applicants who haven’t turned in their certificate of occupancy and final elevation certificates to get them in quickly, as this determines how fast they’ll receive the remainder of their grant,” Mabry said. In two years, more than 1,000 EGP applicants have been approved and received elevation funds. In the new year, the focus will be on completing and processing the approved applicant’s required documentation. To comply with federal law, all EGP applicant properties were subject to environmental review to ensure the property is compliant with environmental regulations. Among other things, these reviews were designed to protect wetlands, detect valuable archeological items or historic structures, locate hazardous toxins and detect hazardous lead-based paint. “After the environmental reviews, delays are often the result of applicants lacking the required documentation, specifically building permits and certificates of elevation and occupancy,” Mabry continued. “Though the applicant technically has two years from their closing date to do the construction and provide this documentation, we obviously want the work completed as soon as possible so we can disburse dollars and so that they’ll be prepared in the event of another major storm.” The funds are drawn from a $5.4 billion federally-funded recovery package, appropriated for Mississippi shortly after Hurricane Katrina. The recovery package is administered federally by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and at the state level by MDA. 
HANCOCK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LAUNCHES $3 MILLION PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES During September, the Hancock Community Development Foundation signed a contract with the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to administer the Job Generation Fund (JGF) for Hancock County. The Hancock Community Development Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established by the Hancock Chamber following Katrina to act as a funding conduit for community development programs in Hancock County. Chaired by Basil Kennedy of The Peoples Bank, the Foundation is staffed by the Chamber. "When Governor Barbour announced that $200 million in Katrina Disaster Community Development Block Grants would be earmarked for Hancock County, the Hancock Chamber was there to work with the Hancock County Board of Supervisors, the City of Bay St. Louis, the City of Waveland, the Mississippi Development Authority and HUD to forge the development of this $3 million low interest/forgivable loan program for small businesses," said David Holman, President of the Hancock Chamber. In total, the Chamber and MDA worked on this project for four years to bring it to implementation. When the deadline approached for the full application process, 133 applications were received. Over the past month, the loan committee has been conducting a review of all applications. By the end of December, applicants will be notified as to whether or not funding is available for their proposed project. Tish Williams is Executive Director for the Hancock Chamber and Hancock Community Development Foundation. Williams has close to 30 years experience in non-profit management at the local, state and national level. She has worked for state and county governmental agencies and with state and national non-profit corporations. Carol Wasielewski is the JGF Program Manager. She has 15 years experience as a program manager working for the Marine Corps as a civilian and has 31 years of government service. She came to Hancock County as a volunteer following Hurricane Katrina, working for Lagniappe Presbyterian Church, and has now made Hancock County her home of choice. Mike Chapoton is the Loan Officer for the JGF. He has 30 years experience in the banking industry. A resident of Hancock County since 1993, he brings a wealth of loan administration experience to the program. “Hancock County is blessed with talented people who are absolutely committed to restoring the community’s status as an attractive destination for economic and industrial growth, residential development and tourism, “ Jon Mabry, Chief Operations Officer for MDA’s Disaster Recovery Division said. “Much of the county’s economic base is small businesses tied to the area’s tourism economy --- businesses that were hit very hard by Hurricane Katrina. The JGF is helping those businesses recover and encouraging new job growth in the small business sector.” 
Tish Williams, Executive Director of the Hancock Chamber and Hancock Community Development Foundation (center), Carol Wasielewski, Foundation Program Manager (left) and Basil Kennedy, Chairman of the Foundation (right) are pictured above. NEW FIRE ENGINES FOR HANCOCK COUNTY DEPARTMENTS The Bayside and West Hancock volunteer fire departments in Hancock County recently took delivery of new ladder trucks, funded by the state’s Hurricane Katrina Recovery Package. The trucks were funded specifically through the “Ground Zero” program composed of some $200 million in Katrina recovery funds set aside for Hancock County’s unique recovery needs. Ground Zero was conceived last year by Governor Haley Barbour, and once it cleared federal regulations, the program began approvals and disbursals in early 2009. The new ladder trucks are capable of extending up to 75 feet, which firefighters say will be particularly useful in a rebuilt Hancock County where elevated structures will be much more numerous to comply with stricter, post-Katrina flood levels. The trucks are also expected to help increase the departments’ fire ratings, which, in term, is expected to help lower insurance rates in areas served by Bayside and West Hancock. 
PASS CHRISTIAN’S STREETSCAPE PROJECT Local leaders and citizens of Pass Christian, along with Mississippi Development Authority’s Disaster Recovery Division representatives, recently commenced construction of Pass Christian’s Streetscape or Downtown Enhancement project. Funded with almost $8 million from the state’s Hurricane Katrina Recovery Package, the project seeks to improve historic downtown Pass Christian, which was badly damaged during the August 2005 storm. The design conforms to the Smart Code, including street widening, parking areas, sidewalk repairs, decorative lighting, decorative planters and other landscaping. Other Katrina rebuilding projects underway in Pass Christian include the Pass Christian Library ($1.4 million), City Hall ($2.5 million) and drainage improvements ($2.4 million). Mayor Chipper McDermott encouraged those at the groundbreaking to be patient with all of the roadwork and keep their eyes on the vision of an enhanced downtown area. 
HOUSING VOUCHERS AVAILABLE On December 8 and 9, the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is holding briefing sessions with families who are receiving temporary housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or who are residing in Mississippi Cottages. The sessions include representatives from public housing agencies, which are administering the program, as well as from the Housing Resource Center’s FEMA, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Case Management Consortium, and the Open Doors Homeless Coalition. Agency representatives are speaking about their efforts to assist residents who wish to convert from Temporary Housing Units (THU) to the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Approximately 3,700 vouchers have been made available to Mississippi residents, and current THU beneficiaries must register to receive the Housing Choice Vouchers. Eligibility requirements and registration procedures will be provided at the briefings, which will take place on the following dates in these locations: Tuesday- 12/8/09: 4p.m. to 7p.m. Wednesday- 12/9/09 4p.m. to 7p.m. RENOVATION OF D’IBERVILLE CITY HALL BEGINS On Friday December 4, 2009, officials began renovation of the D’Iberville City Hall using more than $3.4 million from Mississippi’s Hurricane Katrina Recovery Package, administered by the Mississippi Development Authority’s Disaster Recovery Division. The project aims to enlarge and renovate the municipal building, including the construction of a new addition as well as refurbishment of the existing building. The City of D’Iberville is contributing a $1.5 million local match as well as more than $200,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
Work has begun on the D'Iberville City Hall using more than $3.4 million from Mississippi's Hurricane Katrina Recovery Package. PORT OF GULFPORT PROGRESS REPORT As of December 1, 2009, 468,427 cubic yards of sand have been used for the Port’s 60-acre West Pier fill project. 
Click on pie chart to view all of Mississippi's Katrina CDBG programs and status. According to the Council of State Community Agencies, historically Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) have been utilized by states in the following manner: In accepting CDBG funds states must make certain certifications to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. States also have four major responsibilities for utilizing these funds: This newsletter is produced by the Mississippi Development Authority Disaster Recovery Division. Lee Youngblood, Disaster Recovery Division |
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