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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth Communications Office
Mayor Roger J. Reinert
411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802 • www.duluthmn.gov
411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information, please call 218-730-5309
DATE: 6/25/2015
SUBJECT: Minnesota DEED (and Duluth) advances to final round of multi-million dollar National Resiliency Competition
BY: Pakou Ly, Public Information Coordinator
SUBJECT: Minnesota DEED (and Duluth) advances to final round of multi-million dollar National Resiliency Competition
BY: Pakou Ly, Public Information Coordinator
Minnesota DEED (and Duluth) advances to final round of multi-million dollar National
Resiliency Competition
[Duluth, MN] - The U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro announced yesterday that the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (with Duluth as the pilot area) has been selected among 40 communities nationwide to advance to the second and final phase of the National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC).
According to HUD, the National Resiliency Competition is “aligned closely with a companion education and technical assistance effort by the Rockefeller Foundation, HUD’s competition is designed to help states and local communities recover from past disasters while improving their ability to withstand future extreme events through strategic community investments.
‘In Phase 2, each finalist is invited to propose specific projects that advance their community’s comprehensive resilience plans, as envisioned in Phase 1. Selected projects will be funded from a total pool of nearly $1 billion. $181 million is set aside for projects in New York and New Jersey. The maximum grant award available at the end of Phase 2 will be $500 million and the minimum will be $1 million.
‘The deadline for Phase 2 applications will be October 27, 2015. All successful applicants will be required to tie their proposals back to the eligible disaster from which they are recovering. For example, a community that suffered a flood might want to offer buyouts to property owners in the most impacted and distressed areas, coupled with restoration of a wetland to limit future flooding and provide a nature preserve or recreation area. A community that lost housing and a road during a mudslide might want to construct housing in safer areas for survivors, while also making infrastructure investments that support a more diverse and vibrant economy to help impacted businesses recover from the effects of the last event and bounce back more quickly from future hazards. HUD will announce the winners of Phase 2 in early 2016.
The City and DEED will work with the community and local organizations to identify additional flood impacted projects for funding in the second phase to help ensure a more resilient community which can handle bigger disasters and recover more quickly after natural disasters. The grant allows for funding to be used for projects related to housing, infrastructure, economic development, and the environment.
Questions about this application can be directed to Keith Hamre, Director of Planning and Construction Services, (218) 730-5297
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