HUD announced today the release of $21.6 million in community rebuilding funds to Vermont. This is one of the largest single awards of federal disaster relief funds in Vermont's history. The funds were awarded by a newly enacted appropriations bill, through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The award will help communities rebuild homes and businesses damaged or destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene. Due to the flexibility of the the CDBG program, funds could be used to relieve the affordable housing shortage worsened by the storm and to help rebuild housing units, provide loans to homeowners, and help rebuild essential community facilities, according to a press release from Vermont's congressional delegation.