$55 million grant awarded for tornado recovery | News

A federal grant for $55 million will be divided between several tornado-impacted communities in Alabama, helping the state continue to recover from the devastating effects of last April's tornadoes.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a community development block grant in the amount of $55 million to Alabama. The money will be dispersed in the following way:

• City of Tuscaloosa will receive $16.634 million
• Jefferson County will receive $6.386 million
• City of Birmingham will receive $6.386 million

The remaining $24.14 million will be given to counties in Alabama that sustained damage from the tornadoes. Four target counties, DeKalb, Tuscaloosa, Marion and Jefferson counties, will receive the bulk of the remaining funds. The

The state is required to use 80 percent of the remaining money in the following four targeted counties: DeKalb, Tuscaloosa, Marion, and Jefferson.

The funding will help Alabama communities make necessary repairs in infrastructure, housing areas, economic development projects in the areas that were damaged by the tornadoes.

"This is another step in our efforts to rebuild after last year's devastating tornadoes. With this funding many in Alabama will have the resources needed to reconstruct their homes or businesses," said Congressman Spencer Bachus in a release.

"Our hope is that these funds will help our severely impacted communities achieve a successful recovery," he added.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell expressed her appreciation for the federal funds in a release today:

"I am delighted that HUD will provide this vitally important funding to the cities of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Jefferson County to continue to rebuild their communities. These cities are in need of funding for economic development and infrastructure renovation as a result of the April tornadoes. Alabamians are still in desperate need of relief and this funding will assist in their rebuilding and recovery efforts," Sewell said.

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