The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has enacted federal catastrophe help to state and native restoration efforts within the areas of Kansas affected by extreme winter storms and straight-line winds from March 17-22, 2022 that produced heavy snow and excessive wind gusts.
On May 25, President Biden issued a serious catastrophe declaration for the Kansas Counties of Barton, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Ford, Graham, Gray, Hodgeman, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Ness, Pawnee, Phillips, Rooks, Rush, Stafford, Trego, and Wallace.
Federal funding, supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), can be out there on a cost-sharing foundation for hazard mitigation measures statewide, and DuWayne Tewes has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal restoration operations within the affected areas of Kansas. Additional designations could also be made at a later date if warranted by the outcomes of harm assessments.
Earlier in May, U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran, and Roger Marshall of Kansas, together with U.S. Reps. Ron Estes, Sharice Davids, Tracey Mann, and Jake LaTurner of Kansas requested that President Biden declare a serious catastrophe in Kansas
“The storms devastated 20 counties in Western and Central Kansas, and all 105 counties and the four federally recognized tribal nations in Kansas were impacted by the storm systems,” the Congressional delegation wrote. “The damage caused by these storms will have long-lasting effects on the people of Kansas and its economy. Federal support must be quickly made available to equip our state and local governments with the resources necessary to respond to the devastation caused from these severe storms.”
Effective instantly, HUD will probably be taking the next actions to help the impacted Kansas counties:
- Provide speedy foreclosures reduction in counties coated by the foremost catastrophe declaration: HUD’s automated 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured house mortgages commenced on the date of the Presidential main catastrophe declaration (May 25), and foreclosures of mortgages to Native American debtors assured underneath the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program; 90-day extensions had been additionally routinely granted for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages commencing from the date of the Presidential main catastrophe declaration.
- Making mortgage insurance coverage out there: HUD’s Section 203(h) program gives FHA insurance coverage to catastrophe victims whose properties had been destroyed or broken to such an extent that reconstruction or substitute is critical, and they’re dealing with the daunting process of rebuilding or shopping for one other house. Borrowers from collaborating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100% financing, together with closing prices.
- Making insurance coverage out there for each mortgage and residential rehabilitation: HUD’s Section 203(okay) mortgage program allows people to finance the acquisition or refi of a house together with its restore by a single mortgage. It additionally permits householders who’ve broken homes to finance the rehabilitation of their current properties.
- Sharing info on housing suppliers and HUD packages: HUD will share info with FEMA and the state of Kansas on housing suppliers which will have out there items within the impacted counties, together with Public Housing Agencies and Multi-Family homeowners. HUD will even join FEMA and Kansas with subject material consultants to present info on packages and suppliers.
- Providing flexibility to Community Planning and Development Grantees: Recipients of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) Program, Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program, HOME Program, and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Program funds can apply for wanted administrative flexibility in response to pure disasters.
- Providing flexibility to Public Housing Agencies: Public Housing Agencies can apply for wanted waivers and flexibilities for catastrophe reduction and restoration.
- Providing flexibility to Tribes: Tribes and their Tribally Designated Housing Entities can apply for wanted administrative flexibility by regulatory waivers.
- Ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling companies are prepared to help: HUD-approved housing counseling companies have counselors out there to help these impacted by pure disasters to decide help wants and out there sources.
- Assisting with housing discrimination: Housing discrimination generally happens when individuals try to discover and entry housing following a catastrophe. HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is accessible to help individuals who consider they’ve skilled housing discrimination.