Bryan, HUD deputy secretary discuss housing and disaster-recovery funding in virtual meeting

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. met virtually with Deputy Housing and Urban Development Secretary Adrianne Todman on Sept. 20, 2021, to discuss housing issues in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to Government House.

Government House said the discussion included Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding, renovation of 3,000 public housing units by the Virgin Islands Housing Authority, possible changes to Emergency Rental Assistance Program requirements, homelessness, rental assistance and Bryan’s request that FEMA waive the 10% local match requirement on recovery projects being paid with CDBG-DR funds.

According to Government House, Todman said HUD would work with territorial officials on rental-assistance issues and review whether there were ways to provide more flexibility in the use of certain HUD funds. Government House also said she planned to raise with FEMA Bryan’s request for a waiver of the local match requirement.

Government House said Todman told officials HUD expected to receive about $300 billion in funding in the reconciliation bill then before Congress, including money for rental assistance and homeowner down-payment assistance programs.

Also attending the meeting were Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrienne Williams, Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Executive Director Daryl Griffith, Virgin Islands Housing Authority Executive Director Robert Graham and Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Chief Disaster Recovery Officer Dayna Clendinen.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-meets-virtually-with-deputy-hud-secretary-adrianne-todman/