AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) will fully fund 14 multifamily developments for reconstruction or new construction, rebuilding an additional 1,363 affordable rental units for families across Hurricane Harvey-affected areas. The GLO will use $135,231,628 for the Multifamily Affordable Rental Program from unspent Partial Repair and Essential Power for Sheltering (PREPS) Program as well as unused or declined funds from the buyouts/acquisitions and infrastructure programs.

"Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas coast, damaging or destroying numerous affordable housing complexes," Commissioner Bush said. "The GLO continues to work daily with communities to prioritize multifamily construction projects that help Texans return home. We remain steadfast in our commitment to restore safe, affordable housing and increase the resiliency of our communities."

Together with $23 million in remaining funds from the original allocation of more than $450 million, the new funding allows for the following 14 multifamily housing applications: 

The remaining funds will be used for program and underwriting costs. These funds will supplement the more than $450 million already being used to repair or rebuild 68 different affordable housing developments, which equates to 4,801 rental homes being rebuilt. Of these, 80% are guaranteed to house low- to-moderate income residents. 

Learn more about how the GLO is helping renters in this Medium post - Texas GLO providing assistance for renters.

Information on the Multifamily Affordable Rental Program

The GLO has undertaken very impressive efforts using $450 million in Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to rebuild 68 different affordable housing developments - accounting for 4,801 damaged or destroyed affordable rental housing units - in the 48 affected counties outside of the city of Houston and Harris County, which requested and were granted direct allocations of funds from HUD to conduct housing programs. Of the multifamily affordable housing units being rebuilt by the GLO, 80% are guaranteed to house low- to moderate-income residents for 20 years after completion of new construction and 15 years after completion of repairs.

The GLO is also utilizing $10 million for additional multifamily projects of a previous allocation of $57.8 million from a Congressional appropriation for the 2015 - 2016 flood events that Congress directed HUD to hold in reserve for potential 2017 events. Commissioner Bush requested HUD release these funds three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall.

Eligible entities from 48 counties affected by Hurricane Harvey were invited to submit affordable multifamily housing project proposals for the available funding. The proposals were conditionally awarded on a first-apply, first-considered basis while extensive due diligence was performed in order to pass federal mandates. Each project underwent an underwriting analysis and environmental review in addition to confirming damage, submitting an Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan, Accessibility Plan, and meeting other federal requirements. Once all federal requirements for due diligence are achieved, a contract can be executed between the property owner and the GLO, then construction can commence.