HUD Award | Video

Jenny Castro | 9/12/2012

More funding will be available for flood recovery now that HUD has approved disaster recovery plans in North Dakota. Just over 79 million dollars will go toward recovery efforts in Minot and several other communities.

But the city of Minot had to follow certain requirements set by HUD, which means not everyone is eligible for assistance.

There are specific conditions to the action plan for HUD funding. Fifty one percent of the funds must benefit low to moderate income individuals and families. And for those who have already rebuilt their homes, HUD would not allow any cash reimbursements.

"There are people that had to borrow from relatives or had to take out numerous bank loans and things like that, so they`re very frustrated. Some of them feel like they`re being punished because they went ahead and took the initiative and got the work done on their home, where there are others that do understand and are glad that some funding is going to be able to help some folks in a certain way just not in a way that anyone had hoped it would be,” said Cindy Hemphill, city finance manager.

"To me, I guess it comes down to a day late and a dollar short,” said homeowner, Palmer Miller.

Six million will go towards property acquisitions, meaning that for those who have agreed, they`re closer to receiving that money. But for homeowners who aren`t sure whether or not they`ll get an acquisition offer down the road, they`re still waiting.

"Well its been awful hard, a lot of wonder, everybody in the neighborhood is wondering what`s going to happen. Are they going to be bought out? And that`s why in the neighborhood we don`t have many of them repairing their houses and they`re just waiting for the money to come in to see if we have any money on this buyout,” said Bill Klimpel, a property owner in Minot.

The city is working on other sources of funding for long term recovery and it could be years before more acquisitions are made. Right now, it`s a mini accomplishment for the city to have these HUD funds to work with.

"We really are working diligently and hopefully we`ll be able to get these funds out there soon and we`re hoping that we can even start on some rehabilitation and reconstruction before this year is over,” said Hemphill.

These funds will also be going towards projects that benefit renters, assisting in the development of more low income rental options. For a complete look at the action plan for these funds it`s on the Minot Recovery information website, www.minotrecoveryinfo.com.

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