LUMBERTON — Almost $13 million to fund recovery efforts related to Hurricane Matthew will be coming to the city’s public housing agency.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently approved 16 public assistance projects for which the Housing Authority of the city of Lumberton requested funding and cleared the way for recovery work to move forward. As a result the Housing Authority is eligible for a total of $12,948,296. FEMA is providing 75 percent of the funds. The rest will come from the state.
Members of the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners met with FEMA representatives last week, said Adrian Lowery, the authority’sdeputy executive director. Projects covering such work as debris removal, hazard mitigation and mold remediation, and building rehabilitation, including replacement of some contents, were given the green light for FEMA funding.
“Now we can plan accordingly. We know what money we are eligible for,” Lowery said. “This money is all reimbursement. We have to spend it before we can get it.”
The FEMA exit briefing was important because it provided the authority with paperwork that will be necessary when FEMA comes back after the projects are completed and conducts an audit, he said.
“The Housing Authority and FEMA have a very productive relationship,” Lowery said. “The Housing Authority is very thankful for assistance provided by FEMA staff, especially Kathleen Murray, the team’s leader.”
Work already has started on some of the projects, Lowery said. All debris removal is done, and rehab work currently is under way on 28 three-bedroom units at Weaver Court.
A project must be closed out before the Housing Authority can receive the final 25 percent in funding provided by the state, Lowery said.
