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Manatee County outlines CDBG‑DR process for storm recovery; $252 million allocation, 70% LMI requirement
Summary
Manatee County told Longboat Key and county commissioners it has a $252 million CDBG‑DR allocation for storm recovery and mitigation and outlined program rules requiring at least 70% of funds to benefit low‑to‑moderate income persons and at least 15% to be used for mitigation.
Manatee County staff briefed commissioners and Longboat Key officials on the CDBG‑DR (Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery) program the county is administering for three storms (Debbie, Helene and Milton). Michelle Davis Farnham, the county’s CDBG‑DR lead, said the county’s allocation is $252,000,000 and explained program rules and timing.
Key rules and schedule explained: the program includes a 70% low‑to‑moderate income (LMI) benefit metric across funded activities; at least 15% of CDBG‑DR funds must be used for mitigation (though HUD rules allow mitigation to be counted differently if it ties back to eligible disaster recovery); and up to 5% of grant funds may cover administrative costs. The county staff said about 95% of the allocation (roughly $240 million) will be available for projects after administrative set‑asides. The county is collecting unmet needs and project proposals from municipalities and expects to publish a draft action plan by May 20, begin a 30‑day public comment period, and then submit to HUD; staff said HUD review is expected late fall or early winter.
The county reported more than $1 billion in proposed projects countywide from municipal submissions; Longboat Key submitted roughly $10 million in requests across about 10–12 projects, including stormwater, wastewater infiltration & inflow work and other recovery and mitigation items. Michelle Davis Farnham urged municipalities to furnish detailed unmet‑needs documentation and disaster tiebacks because HUD requires that projects demonstrate eligibility and that environmental reviews will be required for selected projects.
Why it matters: CDBG‑DR is a major federal source for mitigation and recovery; municipal proposals will be ranked once HUD approves the action plan and allocations to local subrecipients are defined.
Next steps: county staff will complete the draft action plan, host public comment and then submit to HUD; municipalities should refine project details and be prepared to prioritize projects if Manatee County allocates direct subgrants to local partners.
