AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved $7,336,821 in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery funds to improve streets as well as sewer, drainage, and public facilities in the City of West Orange. 

"Hurricane Harvey devastated communities across the Texas Coast," said Commissioner Bush. "These recovery funds are critical to improving local infrastructure that will protect lives, homes and businesses from future storms. We continue to work with our partners in communities across the region to leverage these resources efficiently and effectively to benefit Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey."

With these funds, West Orange will be able to make substantial street improvements to nearly 30,000 linear feet of roadway on the north side of the city near Western Avenue and Highway 87, including reconstructing streets, replacing metal guard fencing, and installing terminal anchors to bridges.

West Orange will perform nearly 60,000 linear feet of extensive flood and drainage infrastructure improvements in the neighborhoods between Western Avenue and Highway 87, and Western Avenue and Dowling Avenue. Projects will include expanding and regrading ditches, removing debris, replacing culverts, and repairing driveways. 

Additionally, the city will be able to procure a pumper truck, a rescue boat, air packs and bunker gear for the fire department equipment compound. Lastly, West Orange will reconstruct and elevate the wastewater treatment plant.

Texas GLO Hurricane Harvey Recovery Funds:

Commissioner George P. Bush and the Texas General Land Office was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to lead the historic Hurricane Harvey housing recovery efforts funded by $5.676 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The GLO allocated $413 million of the allocation for infrastructure projects to protect communities affected by the storm. The GLO allocated the funds to regional Council of Governments' (COGs) based on a HUD approved needs assessment. The locally-led COGs then conducted methods of distribution (MODs) for determining infrastructure and buyout and acquisition amounts for cities and counties within each jurisdiction. COG boards are comprised of officials from the impacted communities elected in part to prioritize funds allocated for recovery programs. The MOD process requires public engagement and the GLO reviewed each MOD for compliance with federal rules and requirements before approving each plan.

To review the approved MODs, please visit https://recovery.texas.gov/action-plans/hurricane-harvey/index.html.