Mississippi’s Post-Hurricane Katrina Recovery Success

Mississippi’s Post-Katrina CDBG Housing Recovery Program

IEM staff implemented Mississippi’s post-Katrina CDBG Housing Recovery Program—lauded by HUD as a success and best practices model

• Returned 48,000 Mississippi familes to permanent housing
• Distributed $4.6 billion in grant assistance, with $2 billion distributed to homeowners one full year ahead of projections
• Completed the program with an error rate of less than 1/10 of 1 percent and with no significant audit findings—an unmatched record of excellence
• Increased resiliency of the Gulf Coast by providing 10,000 new or rehabilitated affordable housing units—more affordable stock than was available before the storm

Mississippi’s $1 billion Public Infrastructure Program

IEM staff managed Mississippi’s $1 billion public infrastructure program

• Completed 200+ brick-and-mortar infrastructure construction projects
• Improved future storm readiness by integrating resiliency strategies into design and construction projects (drainage improvements; reservoir strengthening; building elevations; building relocations into less surge-prone areas; and relocation of water and waste water to safer areas to encourage/accommodate growth in more sustainable area)
• Increased community resiliency by ensuring that public buildings were rebuilt/reconfigured to serve as storm shelters for future hurricanes