Grants Administration Community Development Block Grant – Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) On January 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $2,288,000 in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds to the State of Alaska recovering from the 2018 Cook Inlet Earthquake. Under this notice, HUD allocated a minimum of $1,144,000 (50%) to be expended within the Municipality of Anchorage, and the remaining $1,144,000 (50%) to be expended within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. CDBG–MIT funds represent a unique and significant opportunity for the State of Alaska to use this assistance in areas impacted by the 2018 Cook Inlet Earthquake to carry out strategic and high-impact activities to mitigate disaster risks and reduce future losses. While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, CDBG–MIT funds will enable the State of Alaska to mitigate against disaster risks, while at the same time allowing the State of Alaska the opportunity to transform State and local planning. HUD seeks to: Support data-informed investments in high-impact projects that will reduce risks attributable to natural disasters, with particular focus on repetitive loss of property and critical infrastructure. Build the capacity of States and local governments to comprehensively analyze disaster risks and to update hazard mitigation plans through the use of data and meaningful community engagement; Support the adoption of policies that reflect local and regional priorities that will have long-lasting effects on community risk reduction, to include the risk reduction to community lifelines such as Safety and Security, Communications, Food, Water, Sheltering, Transportation, Health and Medical, Hazardous Material (management) and Energy (Power & Fuel); and future disaster costs (e.g., adoption of forward-looking land use plans that integrate the hazard mitigation plan, latest edition of the published disaster-resistant building codes and standards (to include wildland urban interface, flood and all hazards, ASCE–24, and ASCE–7 respectively), vertical flood elevation protection, and policies that encourage hazard insurance for private and public facilities); and Maximize the impact of available funds by encouraging leverage, private-public partnerships, and coordination with other Federal programs. The alignment of CDBG–MIT funds with other federal mitigation programs must also occur within the basic CDBG framework. The national objectives of the CDBG program are: (a) Providing benefit to low- and moderate-income persons; (b) preventing or eliminating slum and blighting conditions; or (c) addressing a severe and recently arising urgent community welfare or health need. Unlike other forms of Federal disaster recovery assistance, CDBG–DR and CDBG–MIT grants have a statutory focus on benefiting vulnerable lower-income people and communities and targeting the most impacted and distressed area, which HUD designated as the Municipality of Anchorage. Related Applicable Laws and Regulations Federal Register :: Allocations, Common Application, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Grantees FR-6109-N-04 dated January 27, 2020: Federal Register :: Allocations, Common Application, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Grantees; Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Allocation For more information about Alaska CDBG-DR Grants contact Contact DCRA staff at cdbgdr@alaska.gov Pauletta Bourne Division of Community and Regional Affairs Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Location: Fairbanks Phone: (907) 451-2721 Fax: (907) 451-2742 pauletta.bourne@alaska.gov Anita Baker Division of Community and Regional Affairs Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Location: Anchorage Phone: (907) 269-4252 anita.baker@alaska.gov Revised 08/23/2021 Content Reviewed 08/23/2021 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