01.06.17

Hoeven Announces More Than $920,000 to Address Emergency Housing Situation in Nelson County

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $922,100 to the Nelson County Housing Authority (NCHA). The funds, part of HUD’s Capital Fund Emergency Grant program, will be used to remediate mold and repair housing properties.

“This grant will help the Nelson County Housing Authority’s efforts to remediate and prevent mold, as well as provide necessary repairs to residential buildings under its oversight,” Hoeven said. “It will help the housing authority continue its work to provide safe and affordable housing for residents.”

NCHA residents in Lakota began noticing mold, and the housing authority was making repairs as needed. However, the issue was discovered to be more widespread. Tenants living in the cities of Petersburg and Michigan also began reporting mold-related health concerns. NCHA checked other units and found that the problem was county-wide.

The NCHA did not have sufficient resources to remediate the situation for all those living in and around the properties, so Hoeven’s office reached out to HUD Secretary Julian Castro to expedite the county’s application. Due to the lack of resources to address the issue, HUD subsequently classified the situation as an emergency so NCHA could receive a special set aside of funds.

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