RECOMMENDATION:
Approve an ordinance authorizing an application to the Texas General Land Office Regional Mitigation Program for the Sunnyside Area Detention project; declaring the City's eligibility for such grant; authorizing the Director of Houston Public Works to act as signatory on the grant application with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds as awarded, and to apply for and accept and expend all subsequent awards, if any, to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
Following the devastating impacts of flooding from the 2015, 2016, and 2017 extreme weather events, the state of Texas received an allocation of Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD). CDBG-MIT funds provide assistance in areas impacted by recent disasters for activities that increase resilience to future disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship.
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is designated to administer the CDBG-MIT funds on behalf of the State of Texas. The Texas CDBG-MIT Regional Mitigation Program allocated funds for hazard mitigation projects to each Council of Governments region impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. On September 6, 2022, the GLO approved the Method of Distribution (MOD) for the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) regional allocation of $488,762,000.00 in CDBG-MIT funding. Pursuant to the approved MOD, $10,790,000.00 was allocated to the City of Houston.
The proposed project - Sunnyside Area Detention - includes the acquisition of land as well as design and construction of a 181 acre-feet multi-use detention basin at Bender's Creek at Sims Bayou. The detention basin will capture overland flow in the neighborhood, reduce street ponding, and increase the level of service for the surrounding area. The acquisition and construction of the parcel at Bender's Creek will add additional, accessible green space for the area and expand access to FM Law Park. The project will also provide a detention facility that creates stormwater resiliency to the future stormwater trunkline improvements proposed in the community.
The table below identifies the requested funding and proposed City of Houston contribution for the project. Houston Public Works will seek Council approval to appropriate the City's contribution at the time of contract awards for acquisiton, design, and construction.
| GLO CDBG-MIT Regional Mitigation Program Funding Request |
$10,790,000.00 |
| City of Houston Proposed Contribution |
$2,145,626.50 |
| Total Projected Project Cost |
$12,935,626.50 |
FISCAL NOTE: No fiscal note is required on grant items.
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Carol Ellinger Haddock, P.E., Director
Houston Public Works