From: MDA News Release   Filed 12/02/08

JACKSON, Miss.  – In accordance with federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations governing the expenditure of federal disaster funds appropriated by Congress for Hurricane Katrina recovery projects, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Disaster Recovery Division has posted on its website proposed modifications to its Long Term Workforce Housing (LTWH) Program Action Plan.

The proposed modification will be available for public comment through December 13, 2008.   The modification includes extending LTWH Program activities to two additional Coastal counties, specifically Stone and George counties.  If accepted by HUD, this modification will allow the use of direct assistance to facilitate and expand home ownership as well as the use of revolving loan programs to assist in the development of affordable housing.  New construction activities may also be funded on a case by case basis.

Grant funding from the LTWH program is available to individuals, businesses, non profits and other entities who submit qualifying plans to construct or rehabilitate workforce housing in Mississippi’s Coastal counties, hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.  

Since the LTWH program began application approvals and funding disbursals earlier this year, in Rounds 1 and 2 more than $243 million has been awarded for workforce housing projects in Jackson, Harrison, Hancock and Pearl River counties.    A third LTWH round is under development.

The proposed modification may be viewed on MDA’s website: www.mississippi.org, click on “Disaster Recovery” and then “Long Term Workforce Housing Action Plans.”

Public input regarding the proposed modification can be made via regular mail, fax or email.  To comment by email send comments to disasterrecoverycomments@mississippi.org, or fax comments to 601-359-4003.   To send written comments, letters can be mailed to: Mississippi Development Authority, P.O. Box 843 Jackson, MS 39205-0849, attention “Disaster Recovery.”