Congressman Cohen Announces $60 Million Flooding Disaster Recovery and Prevention Grant for Shelby County

MEMPHIS, TN – January 22, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Shelby County a $60 million grant for the Mid-South Regional Greenprint and Sustainability Plan to help address unmet recovery needs in Memphis and Shelby County from the 2011 floods and protect Memphians from future flooding disasters.

“I am pleased HUD awarded Shelby County this grant for flooding disaster recovery and prevention,” said Congressman Cohen. “In October, I wrote a letter to HUD expressing my strong support for Shelby County’s application. These funds will help those in Memphis and Shelby County clean up from the devastating floods the area experienced in 2011 and make neighborhoods like Walker Homes and the Mitchell High School area more resilient during future flooding events.”

A copy of Congressman Cohen’s October letter to HUD can be found here.

In April 2011, Shelby County experienced a series of three severe storms, leading to historic flooding, three presidentially declared disasters, and $2 billion in damage. While the county has since worked to recover in many areas, several communities, particularly those with high concentrations of low- to moderate-income households, remain unaddressed. In order to protect these areas from future flood and other climate risk, Shelby County developed a series of strategies, building on the regional Greenprint plan, to improve the natural environment’s ability to handle flood waters while providing recreational, social, and economic benefits to surrounding communities. Projects and programs include: Big Creek Wetland and Restoration Area, Wolf River Wetland Restoration and Greenway, South Cypress Creek Watershed and Neighborhood Development, and the Regional Resilience Plan. More information on the grant projects and programs can be found here.