Jackson, Miss., (Feb. 26) – Homeowners with elevated structures who lived inside the federally designated flood zone when Hurricane Katrina struck August 29, 2005, may qualify for up to $150,000 in federal grant funding through Mississippi’s Homeowner Assistance Program, Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) officials said today.

 “There’s been a lot of attention to the homeowner grant program, particularly Phase I which first targeted homeowners outside the federally designated flood zone whose homes nevertheless got flooded,” said Jon Mabry, Chief Operating Officer at MDA’s Disaster Recovery Division. “But there’s a smaller, lesser known subset of homeowners inside the flood zone whose homes were actually elevated above the federal requirements but still got flooded, and we want them to know MDA has a policy that can help them specifically.”

As the March 15 deadline for MDA Homeowner Assistance Program applications approaches, Mabry is encouraging those whose homes were inside the pre-Katrina flood zone and elevated above what was then the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines to apply for the grant.

“We’re finding many homeowners who had flood insurance think that disqualifies them from being able to get a homeowner grant, but that’s not true,” Mabry continued.  “Like those homeowners outside the pre-Katrina flood zone who were basically told they were safe from flooding, this group inside the flood zone had done everything the federal government advised them to do, as well.  These are homeowners who’d elevated above and beyond what was then accepted federal standards, and they were still flood damaged.  The homeowner grant program can help these homeowners, too.”

Mabry said so far MDA has issued about $48 million in grants to elevated homeowners inside the flood zone, resulting from almost 700 approved applications. More than 500 applications are pending.

The deadline for homeowners seeking assistance through this provision is March 15, 2008. For program eligibility information or to apply for a Homeowner Assistance Program grant, homeowners should visit one of three Service Centers located in each of the three coastal counties.  Additional information can be obtained by visiting www.MSHomeHelp.gov  or by dialing 866-369-6302 to connect with a customer service agent.  Service centers are listed below: