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Houston Granted Extension for Harvey Recovery Funds

Summary

Shannon Ryan of KTRK-TV reports that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has granted Houston an extension to utilize or reimburse $5.7 billion earmarked for Hurricane Harvey housing recovery, including $1.2 billion allocated to Houston. Mayor John Whitmire and Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced the extension, giving the city two additional years to spend the funds. Challenges in meeting grant deadlines prompted the city to sell properties acquired for affordable housing and return money to the grant, risking financial losses. The city now plans to retain one property for affordable homes and sell others to recoup funds for relocation efforts, with leftover grant money filling gaps. This extension, initially requested in October 2023, aims to facilitate effective utilization of federal aid for housing recovery in Houston.

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