Case Studies

When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the state of Mississippi sustained massive damage to its local community and industrial base. Included in this damage was the public housing sector, which supports low- to moderate-income tenants. In fact, most public housing located along the coast was either severely damaged or completely destroyed.

As part of a major recovery effort, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided $100 million in the form of community development block grant (CDBG) funding to the state of Mississippi for the repair, renovation, new construction, and reconstruction of the much-needed public housing stock. These funds will assist the state in its goal to quickly replenish and rebuild public housing to meet the critical needs of local residents.

As part of this complex initiative, CDM began by reviewing initial damage reports and performing site assessments on impacted facilities. Based on CDM's assessment results, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) was able to allocate the $100 million in grants equitably to the five participating public housing authorities to address their long-term needs.

Going forward, CDM will:

• Complete environmental assessments for all projects that request CDBG funding
• In coordination with MDA, recommend a grant application process, including development of policies and procedures and creation of the application form
• Provide assistance to public housing authorities with application preparation
• Review grant applications for each project and provide recommendations for approval
• Perform construction monitoring to ensure code and regulation compliance
• Provide pay application oversight for construction operations for approval and proper disbursement of funds

CLIENT: Mississippi Development Authority
LOCATION: State of Mississippi