Rep. Courtney Releases Letter to Crumbling Foundations Stakeholders Urging Robust Utilization of CDBG Funds to Address Crumbling Foundations Crisis | Congressman Joe Courtney
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Rep. Courtney Releases Letter to Crumbling Foundations Stakeholders Urging Robust Utilization of CDBG Funds to Address Crumbling Foundations Crisis

November 7, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) released a letter he wrote to state officials and state legislators updating them on federal housing funding that could be used for crumbling foundations, and additional ways to put the funding to greater use.

Rep. Courtney has worked for years to secure a variety of federal assistance for victims of the crumbling foundations crisis in Connecticut. Courtney first identified the CDBG program as a source of federal assistance to respond to the crumbling foundations crisis in 2016, after the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) confirmed that the state's allocation of CDBG funds could be used for crumbling foundations assistance.

Since 2016, Connecticut has received over $50 million in federal CDBG funds. However, to date, only $730,000 of that funding has been allocated by the Connecticut DOH to crumbling foundations assistance. Courtney also noted that this funding has thus far only been used for assistance in testing a home's foundation for pyrrhotite, even though HUD never restricted the use of federal CDBG funds for crumbling foundations solely to testing.

In his letter addressed to the Crumbling Foundations Caucus of the Connecticut General Assembly, Rep. Courtney wrote:

"As you continue to work to address the crumbling foundations crisis in Connecticut, I wanted to make sure that you and your staff were aware of the federal resources already available to assist homeowners in Connecticut affected by crumbling foundations due to pyrrhotite.

"[…] Please note that since 2016, the State of Connecticut has received $50,895,902 in non-entitlement CDBG funds. Yet, since 2016, only $730,000 of that CDBG funding has been allocated by the State Department of Housing to crumbling foundations. This $730,000 has only been allocated towards testing assistance, even though HUD has never restricted the use of CDBG funds for crumbling foundations solely to testing.

"Given the pressing needs facing homeowners and condominium owners with crumbling foundations – as well as the effects of pyrrhotite on municipal structures and private buildings – it is essential that we continue to work creatively to take advantage of any possible federal assistance through HUD that is already available to the State of Connecticut. […] In order for the State of Connecticut to take advantage of these funding opportunities, your office, the legislature, and Governor's office will need to work together to identify any opportunities for CDBG, HOME, or other HUD programs to be utilized for crumbling foundations remediation."

Congressman Courtney's full letter is available online, and is included below.

For more information on Rep. Courtney's work to secure assistance for victims of the crumbling foundations crisis, visit his website.

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