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Grants Administration

Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) – 2023 Lower Yukon Floods

FEMA Disaster #4730

Lower Yukon area map

Public Comment Opportunity

The Draft Recovery Action Plan will be posted to this website by November 20, 2025. The draft plan public comment period will be open through December 20, 2025. Please join us for a virtual public meeting to learn more about the draft plan, ask questions, and provide feedback:

  • Wednesday, December 3 from 12-1 p.m.
  • Call-in number: 1-669-444-9171
  • Meeting ID: 815 7261 0951 #
  • Click here: Zoom link

Click here to download or print the project flyer.

The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development works to rebuild Alaskan communities by putting Alaskans back in their homes, restoring critical infrastructure and mitigating future damage through resilient community planning.

The Division of Community and Regional Affairs is the lead agency for administering the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds on behalf of the State of Alaska for the 2023 Lower Yukon Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA) Flooding (CDBG-DR 2023 Lower Yukon Flooding) funds on behalf of the State of Alaska.

On January 16th, 2025, HUD allocated $10,392,969 for recovery from the 2023 Lower Yukon Flood.

Action Plan

The Division of Community and Regional Affairs is developing a Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan, funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in response to the impacts of the 2023 flooding event in the Lower Yukon. This plan is required by HUD as a way to communicate how CDBG-DR funding will be used in the rebuilding process. It is an important step needed for HUD to release the funding for programs that will help address recovery needs.

The 2023 Lower Yukon Floods Draft Recovery Action Plan includes nine communities identified by HUD as the “most impacted and distressed” (MID) communities, which include Kotlik, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Mountain Village, Pitkas Point, Saint Mary’s, Pilot Station, Marshall, and Russian Mission.

2 Plans, 3 Disasters, 4 Years

This draft plan is being developed at the same time as the 2022 Typhoon Merbok Recovery Action Plan. The project teams are working together with DCRA and the impacted communities to identify remaining Unmet Needs that haven’t been addressed by other funding sources and Mitigation Needs (or ways communities can protect against and prepare for future disasters). A Recovery Action Plan may be developed to address the impacts of Typhoon Halong, but we don’t have information on that yet.

What is the plan?

The Draft Recovery Action Plan will address remaining unmet recovery needs from the 2023 Lower Yukon Floods. It will use the best available data to identify unmet recovery and mitigation needs, and how funding from HUD may be used to address them. The total amount of funding available for Lower Yukon communities is approximately $10 million.

What happens next?

The Draft Recovery Action Plan with public comments incorporated must be submitted to HUD by December 31, 2025. To meet that deadline, we will post the Draft Recovery Action Plan for public review and comment by November 20, 2025. The comment period will be open for 30 days.

We will host a virtual public hearing on December 3 where you can ask questions and provide comments on the Draft Recovery Action Plan.

  • Wednesday, December 3 from 12-1 p.m.
  • Call-in number: 1-669-444-9171
  • Meeting ID: 815 7261 0951 #
  • Click here: Zoom link

After the Draft Recovery Action Plan with public comments incorporated is submitted to HUD, we will immediately begin work on amending the Draft Recovery Action Plan in close coordination with each community included in the plan.

To expedite the funding, we are on an accelerated timeline. There will be more opportunities to review and comment while we work on amending the Draft Recovery Action Plan in 2026.

Please contact us with questions or comments! If you would like to request language interpretation or accommodations for a disability, let us know. Email us at cdbgdr@alaska.gov.

2023 Lower Yukon River Flooding

The Lower Yukon REAA covers approximately 30,000 sq. miles and includes ten (10) riverine communities along the Yukon River. This REAA is located within the boundaries of the Kusilvak Census Area (pop: 8,368) and includes the Cities of Emmonak (pop. 825); Alakanuk (pop. 756); and Russian Mission (pop. 421).

On May 13, 2023, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a state disaster emergency for the Alaska Gateway, Yukon Flats, Kuspuk, and Copper River Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA)s due to flooding. On May 22, 2023, Governor Dunleavy added the Northwest Arctic Borough, the Iditarod REAA, Lower Kuskokwim REAA, and Lower Yukon REAA to the declared disaster areas.

On May 21, 2023, flooding reached Holy Cross inundating low-lying roads and a fueling station.

On May 22, 2023, flooding reached Russian Mission inundating the airstrip for weeks, along with several homes and fuel infrastructure. Homes were evacuated and occupants were sheltered. With sustained flooding of the airstrip causing a shortage of food, medicine, and medical personnel, the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in coordination with Tanana Chief's Conference (TCC), ordered an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter mission to deliver a medical provider and supplies while evacuating the medically fragile. When the water receded weeks later, the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT & PF) made emergency repairs to reopen the airstrip and estimated permanent repairs at six million dollars.

From May 27-30, 2023, flooding reached Emmonak inundating city-owned apartments, infrastructure, and the woman’s shelter, requiring evacuations. In Alakanuk flooding damaged community water and sewage systems, and two homes, requiring evacuation and sheltering.

Applicable Plans

Public Notices

CDBG-DR Administrative Action Plan

CDBG-DR Citizen Participation Plan

CDBG-DR Language Access Plan

CDBG-DR Action Plan and Substantial Amendments

Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR)  Action Plan and Quarterly Performance Reports

Programs

2023 Lower Yukon REAA

  • State Administration / Not to exceed 5%
  • State and Local Planning / Not to exceed 15%
  • Resilience and Mitigation / Not to exceed 15%
  • Public Services / Not to exceed 15%
  • Housing Recovery (New Construction, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction)
  • Public Infrastructure Recovery
  • Economic Revitalization

Related Documents

Related Applicable Laws and Regulations

Procurement Policies

Solicitations and Contracts


Confidential Citizen Complaints may be filed at:

https://ak-ombuds.i-sight.com/portal 

or in writing on a complaint form, mailed to

Alaska Ombudsman
1500 West Benson Blvd.,
Anchorage, AK 99503

or via email to 

ombudsman@akleg.gov

or by telephone at

907-269-5290

Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HUD programs to

https://archives.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/rhiip/uivreporting.cfm


For more information about Alaska CDBG-DR Grants contact

Contact DCRA staff at ced.cra.cdbg.dr.yukon@alaska.gov

Brandon McNaughton
Division of Community and Regional Affairs
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
Location: Anchorage
Phone: (907)269-4501
Fax: (907) 269-4563
brandon.mcnaughton@alaska.gov

Anita Baker
Division of Community and Regional Affairs
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
Location: Anchorage
Phone: (907) 269-4252
Fax: (907) 269-4563
anita.baker@alaska.gov

Revised 11/12/2025

Content Reviewed 11/12/2025

The State of Alaska, Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This publication is available in alternative communication formats upon request. Please contact the DCRA Publication Specialist at 1-907-269-4560