CDA Announces Severe Storms & Flooding Recovery Planning Process with $25.8 Million CDBG-DR HUD Award

 

In the Summer of 2022, the St. Louis region endured unprecedented flash flooding, severely testing the resilience of the City of St. Louis’ community and infrastructure. In response, HUD allocated a Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) award of $25,834,000 to the City of St. Louis to support long-term recovery. To utilize these federal funds, the City of St. Louis - Community Development Administration (CDA) must prepare an action plan of priorities and projects. The CDBG-DR program creates pathways for more climate-resilient infrastructure and planning citywide.

Community input is paramount. CDA calls on all residents to play an active role. Participating in the comprehensive CDA Community Resident  Unmet Needs Survey will guide the direction of projects and initiatives under the CDBG-DR program. CDA, in partnership with key collaborators, is dedicated to ensuring that our recovery pathway is shaped by resident participation. 

Survey results will help draft CDA’s Unmet Needs Assessment and Action Plan, and a 30-day public comment period and public meetings will be held for further community engagement. Details will be available at www.stlouis-mo.gov/CDA/cdbg/disaster-recovery/. 

The main goal of the survey is to identify unmet needs of residents. “Unmet needs” refer to the issues for individuals, households, or communities that have not been adequately addressed through existing resources like FEMA or other recovery programs.

"Our top priority remains household relief for unmet needs, including home repair and direct relief payments,” said Nahuel Fefer, CDA Executive Director. “But we are also looking forward to hearing from City residents about their priorities, whether that’s building the City’s operational capacity to respond to flash flooding, or exploring innovative approaches to stormwater management, such as the restoration of the River des Peres or other green investments to make St . Louis’ cityscape more vibrant and resilient."

Unmet needs may include but are not limited to:

• Home Repair: Many individuals and families affected by a disaster may lack the financial means or resources like insurance to repair or rebuild their homes to safe and habitable standards.
• Infrastructure: Critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, and public facilities like schools or community centers were damaged by flooding, and new green infrastructure is needed.
• Economic Revitalization: Businesses may still struggle due to lost revenue, damage, or supply chain disruptions. Unmet economic needs could be business assistance, job creation initiatives, or workforce development.
• Public Services: Healthcare, childcare, transportation, and emergency response may experience increased demand or strain following a disaster. Unmet needs could be more access to medical care, mental health, or transportation for vulnerable populations.
• Planning and Preparedness: Communities may lack adequate planning and preparedness. Unmet needs could be funding for hazard mitigation projects like master planning near rivers and flood plains, resilience planning, preparedness education, or municipal response equipment.

About CDBG-DR: The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program is a vital federal initiative for aiding cities in recovering from major disasters. It focuses on long-term recovery, infrastructure restoration, housing, and economic revitalization. CDBG-DR funds are allocated for HUD-approved activities related to housing, infrastructure/public facilities, economic revitalization, public services, planning, or administration. A significant portion of funding is dedicated to assisting households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income.

City of St. Louis CDBG-DR Action Plan:   A detailed six-month planning process is in progress, involving data review and community input to identify unmet needs and develop eligible projects and activities. This process will culminate in an Action Plan submitted to HUD for approval, followed by an implementation plan. The estimated timeline for these activities spans from Winter 2023/24 through Fall 2024.

About CDA: The Community Development Administration (CDA) serves as the City of St. Louis’ clearinghouse for federal, state, and local funds. CDA works to implement the Mayor's economic justice agenda by funding a wide range of public and nonprofit entities to provide public services, build affordable housing, combat blight, and conduct various other community development activities.