GOVERNOR CULVER JOINS WITH OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON TOUR OF FLOOD-DAMAGED CEDAR RAPIDS
6/10/2009 12:59:33 PM
“I am proud to join Congressman Loebsack, my predecessor as Governor, Secretary Vilsack, and Secretary Donovan, as we continue our collective efforts to rebuild Cedar Rapids, and the state,” said Governor Culver. “I appreciate the efforts of our federal partners – in Congress and in the Obama Administration, and we will never rest in our commitment helping Iowans recover from the floods of 2008.”
The group was also joined by Rep. Dave Loebsack who represents the community. During the tour they visited the historic Time Check neighborhood, Downtown Cedar Rapids, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is still damaged after last year’s flooding.
The visit comes just one day after Governor Culver, HUD officials, Sen. Harkin, and Rep. Loebsack announced that Iowa would receive $517 million in disaster Community Development Block Grant funding. The award was made official today by Sec. Donovan during a press conference in Cedar Rapids.
This brings Iowa’s funding from HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to nearly $800 million to date. The funding will be administered by the state under an agreement to follow modified rules of the CDBG program, a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs such as home buyouts, public infrastructure projects, and assistance to businesses, economic revitalization and flood mitigation.
In addition, Iowa may receive additional funding through the $312 million Disaster Recovery Enhancement Fund which was announced today. These dollars will be available on a competitive basis to state’s who suffered from natural disasters in 2008.
Over the last year, Iowa has received more than $3 billion for disaster recovery efforts, including more than $265 million from Governor Culver’s I-JOBS Initiative, which was signed into law by the Governor last month. The disaster funding includes funding for several Cedar Rapids projects, including $5 million for the Cedar Rapids Public Library, which was included in the tour today.
| DISASTER AID* | AMOUNT |
| CDBG Funds | $798,987,957 |
| FEMA Public Assistance | $585,519,594 |
| Iowa Finance Authority Disaster Tax Credits | $418,559,200 |
| I-JOBS Disaster Recovery Funds | $265,000,000 |
| Small Business Administration Funds | $264,626,000 |
| FEMA Infrastructure Funds | $251,000,000 |
| FEMA Housing Funds | $135,290,176 |
| US Department of Agriculture Disaster Funds | $106,460,000 |
| Rebuild Iowa Disaster Funds | $56,000,000 |
| Initial Jumpstart Iowa Funds | $35,000,000 |
| State Executive Council Action | $28,261,175 |
| US Dept. of Transportation Funds | $23,307,498 |
| National Emergency Grant (Jobs Assistance) | $17,127,000 |
| Social Services Block Grant | $11,157,994 |
| Disaster Unemployment Insurance Funds | $6,681,951 |
| US Crisis Counseling Grant | $4,369,495 |
| State CEBA Disaster Recovery Funds | $2,375,000 |
| State College Scholarship Disaster Grant | $500,000 |
| US Administration on Aging Funds | $57,818 |
| TOTAL | $3,013,380,808 |
