DENVER – June 25, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced that Colorado has been selected to advance to the second phase of the National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC), a billion dollar federal competition for communities that have been struck by natural disasters in recent years. Specifically, based on competition thresholds, HUD determined that Boulder County communities are eligible to participate in the second phase in partnership with the state.
“Participating in the NDRC translates planning into action and provides Colorado with an opportunity to receive additional resources to further implement long-term resiliency plans,” Hickenlooper said. “We’re incredibly grateful to the many Coloradans who participated in this application process and shared their ideas.”
The NDRC was announced in July 2014 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and makes available $1 billion in funds, with a maximum award of $500 million. Eligible applicants must successfully develop innovative resilience projects that both address unmet needs from federally-declared disasters in 2011 through 2013. Colorado was one of 67 eligible applicants for the NDRC Phase One process.
In the Phase One application, Colorado proposed the development of local resilience strategies and the implementation of those strategies through innovative public-private partnerships. Moving to Phase Two means that eligible Colorado communities can work with the state to compete for much needed funding for projects that meet resilience criteria outlined in the state’s recently adopted Colorado Resiliency Framework. The state will begin to assemble the Phase Two application with community partners, and local resiliency planning will take place through the summer.
The application is a two part process. Phase One, which does not include any funding, consisted of identifying disaster impacted areas that meet impact, distress and unmet needs thresholds. Colorado submitted a Phase One application in March, and after a rigorous review and selection process, was selected to move to Phase Two by HUD. Phase Two provides applicants an opportunity to submit specific projects and request funding to implement those projects.
The Phase Two application must be submitted to HUD no later than October 27th, 2015. Colorado’s application will propose the specific resilience projects that Colorado would like to submit to HUD for funding. Colorado will find out if the Phase Two application is accepted in early 2016.
“We are very pleased to move forward with Phase 2 of this competition, and are optimistic that we’ll gain additional support for Colorado communities in need” says Molly Urbina, executive director of the Colorado Resiliency and Recovery Office, which spearheads the competition application. “In addition to the competition efforts, the Colorado Resiliency Framework identifies specific activities the state is taking which includes working with local communities to further their resiliency planning. Colorado’s innovative resiliency-focused projects and implementation efforts can be instrumental in leveraging resources to help us all be as prepared as possible, and weathering the storms together.”
Coloradans can contribute to the State Resiliency Framework implementation:
View the Colorado Resiliency Framework and nominate a ‘resiliency hero’:
www.coloradounited.com/resilient
