Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham will be in Levelland on Sept. 3, to tour the newly rebuilt home of Joanna Moore, the GLO’s first Homeowner Assistance Program recipient in Hockley County.
There will also be a chance to observe construction of another home being rebuilt through the program, owned by Kelle Ellison. The visits will provide an opportunity to showcase the resilient, energy-efficient construction, performed by the GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program, to rebuild homes damaged by storms in 2024.
“Celebrating the first Homeowner Assistance Program home rebuilt in Hockley County is an exciting milestone,” said Buckingham. “The Moore family home was significantly damaged by straight-line winds that devastated Levelland, but we have the opportunity to celebrate a fresh start and a safe place for this family to call home.
“For Hockley County homeowners who are still working to recover from the 2024 storms, help is available. I encourage Hockley County homeowners in need to visit our website, review the eligibility information and apply so the GLO can help more families recover.”
Hockley County has experienced 16 federal disaster declarations since 1970. The 2024 Disasters marks the first time federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG- DR) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been available to help Hockley County homeowners rebuild after a disaster.
HUD granted Texas $555,687,000 in CDBG- DR funding to support recovery programs in federally designated areas impacted by the Texas Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-4781) and Hurricane Beryl (DR-4798), otherwise known as the 2024 Disasters.
The GLO allocated $244.1 million for the Homeowner Assistance Program to repair and reconstruct owner-occupied single-family homes and $43.1 million for the Homeowner Reimbursement Program to reimburse eligible applicants for out-of-pocket home repairs. Eligible reimbursement ranges from $3,000 to $75,000 for stick-built homes and $3,000 to $50,000 for manufactured housing units.
The programs are available only for a homeowner’s primary residence, and homeowners may apply for either reimbursement or repair and reconstruction assistance, but not both. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and applicants must submit all required documents for an application to be considered complete.
The GLO currently holds office hours at the Levelland Fire Station from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to assist Hockley County homeowners. or by calling 1-844-893-8937.