AUSTIN — Today the Texas General Land Office (GLO) is announcing time and funding is running out for the Homeowner Reimbursement Program (HRP). This landmark program marks the first time federal recovery assistance has been available to reimburse Texas homeowners for up to $50,000 for out-of-pocket expenses for eligible repairs. The GLO continues working with applicants to turn federal funds in to reimbursements as quickly as possible, which means time will soon run out to complete applications.

"The hugely successful Homeowner Reimbursement Program is a first-of-its-kind effort to help Texans regain a sense of financial security and hope after one of the most destructive storms to hit our state," said Brittany Eck, Communications Director. "In less than a year the program has helped hundreds of Hurricane Harvey survivors recover an average of more than $30,000 in eligible, out-of-pocket expenses. But time and funds are running out as the program reaches record approval pace. If folks are interested in applying, they should do so immediately before funding - and time - runs out."

The GLO is encouraging Hurricane Harvey survivors who incurred out-of-pocket expenses as a result of flooding or other damage to apply as soon as possible. The application will close permanently at 5:00 p.m. on December 31, 2019. However, applications are being considered on a first-come, first-served basis while funds are still available. This means applicants should apply quickly before both time and funding runs out.

The GLO allocated $100 million in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for this program. Thus far the GLO has received nearly 6,000 completed applications and has helped 776 applicants get approved for more than $24 million in critical federal recovery funds. Remaining funds will go quickly as thousands of applications are being processed for eligibility. If interested, individuals in the 48 eligible counties should complete their applications as quickly as possible to be considered for eligibility.

Potential applicants should review the Homeowner Reimbursement Program Checklist to have all applicable documents ready prior to applying. Interested homeowners should visit recovery.texas.gov/hrp to apply. Homeowners in the City of Houston or Harris County should apply for reimbursements through programs being administered by direct allocations at the local level.