Governor Bentley Goes to Nation's Capital to Secure Fair Funding for Tornado Recovery
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: September 13, 2012
Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of an effort to secure fair
and adequate funding for the ongoing tornado recovery in the City of Tuscaloosa.
Governor
Bentley met with Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. The meeting followed a letter Governor
Bentley sent to President Obama on September 6, alerting the President
to concerns regarding a formula used by HUD when calculating disaster
recovery funding. That formula caused hundreds of Tuscaloosa houses
that were damaged or destroyed in the April 27,
2011, tornado outbreak to be excluded from recently-announced recovery
assistance funding.
"My
goal in writing to the President and meeting with the HUD Secretary is
to give more people access to the resources they need on the long road
to recovery," Governor Bentley said. "Many people are still struggling
to rebuild their lives. I will do everything I can to help with
long-term recovery needs and to make sure communities have fair access
to available funding."
"We
had a productive meeting this afternoon with Secretary Donovan. We are
confident he understands our concerns," Governor Bentley added. "HUD
is promising to consider our position, and we look forward to hearing a
response in the coming weeks."
Nearly
4,700 homes in Tuscaloosa were severely damaged or destroyed by the
tornado. But according to the formula used for HUD's Community
Development
Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) assistance, the amount of
properties that counted toward HUD recovery money was disproportionately
low.
Specifically,
the formula had a severe impact on Tuscaloosa's funding because of the
high concentration of rental properties in some of the most severely
damaged parts of the city. The formula counts rental properties only if
they are located within a census tract in which more than half of the
owner-occupied properties sustained severe damage or were destroyed. As
a result of that formula, unmet housing needs
have been severely underestimated in areas of Tuscaloosa with a high
concentration of rental properties.
The
State understands HUD cannot fund the entirety of the community's unmet
needs. However, Governor Bentley believes Tuscaloosa's fair share of
funding is higher than the amount that has been allocated so far.
One
particular area excluded in the funding is the exact location President
Obama toured with Governor Bentley on April 29, 2011. The
tract where the President toured included 440 severely damaged rental
units in the Alberta area of Tuscaloosa. According to the HUD formula,
none of those rental units counted toward Tuscaloosa's unmet housing
needs.
Governor
Bentley is appreciative of the HUD funding allocated for various parts
of the state that were impacted by the April 27 outbreak.
The purpose of his letter to the President and the visit with Secretary
Donovan is to help ensure the City of Tuscaloosa receives its fair share
as well.
"Since
April 27, HUD has been an active partner in the recovery process, and
we appreciate the assistance Alabamians have been given,"
Governor Bentley said. "The President himself saw firsthand the
destruction in areas with high concentrations of rental properties. I
am asking the President and Secretary Donovan to reconsider the formula
used to calculate assistance for those areas."
"My
administration will continue working with Alabama's Congressional
delegation, HUD and others on this issue," Governor Bentley added.
"HUD is an active partner in our state's recovery efforts, and we
appreciate the department's continued support."
