GALVESTON (Galveston County Daily News) – City council members yesterday released $25 million in federal disaster recover funding to begin the plan to rebuild 569 units of hurricane-damaged public housing.
The Galveston Housing Authority will use the money not only to rebuild the units, but also to leverage support for federal Hope VI grants to revitalize entire neighborhoods on the island.
The housing authority must rebuild 569 rental units of public housing, not homeownership units, according to an agreement with advocacy group Lone Star Legal Aid.
The first round of federal funding must be spent by September 2011, two years after the council approved the plan for spending the money.
Council members also approved conceptual plans for rebuilding three of the four public housing developments. These include Oleander Homes, Cedar Terrace and Magnolia Homes.
The housing authority will begin searching for architects for these developments as it draws up plans, which will then be sent to the planning commission to make a recommendation to the council for final approval.
Funding Approved for Island’s Damaged Public Housing
