Beginning May 1, more than $123 million will be available to Kentucky communities impacted by the 2021 tornadoes and flooding to build homes, rental properties and multifamily rental properties.
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated Kentucky funds from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery appropriation. Under the Disaster Recovery program, the four counties most impacted and distressed by the 2021 weather events – Graves, Warren, Hopkins and Breathitt – will receive 80 percent of the funds. The other 20 percent of funding will help an additional 36 counties also impacted by 2021 weather events.
Gov. Andy Beshear said estimates indicate that funds will go toward the construction of 600 housing units statewide.
Applications can be completed by eligible cities, counties, nonprofits, for-profits and other governmental entities. These groups will be conducting public outreach to make sure they are meeting housing needs in their impacted communities.
Hopkins County Judge/Executive Jack Whitfield participated in the announcement.
“It is overwhelming the events and destruction we have seen across Kentucky,” Whitfield said. “This funding is going to be used to keep bringing us forward and to continue the great economic developments years that we have had. This is going to make sure we continue that growth, and that Kentucky will be better than it’s ever been because of events like this.”
The program will be administered by the Department for Local Government, and the applications will be available on its website starting May 1. Questions about the program can be sent to DLG.DR@ky.gov.
The application process for the 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky should be announced in May. Earlier this year, HUD announced nearly $300 million will come to Kentucky to recover from those floods.
