Faced with the aftermath of 2021's brutal Winter Storm Uri, the City of Fort Worth is investing heavily in patching up old wounds and bolstering its defenses against future skirmishes with Mother Nature. In a recent council meeting covered by a Fort Worth City news release, officials provided details on deploying $27.5 million in federal funds to initiate two major recovery and resilience programs.
The first slice of the financial pie goes to the Homeowner Assistance Rehabilitation and Repair Program (HARRP), which aims to help low- and moderate-income homeowners still nursing the scars left by Uri. Households bringing in 80% or less of the Area Median Income could see up to $150,000 to fix up single-family homes still bearing the brunt of the storm’s damage. Mobile homes aren't left out in the cold either, with reduced assistance available. According to the details provided, the city's giving a leg up primarily to those who hustled to get support through the HARRP's W.A.T.E.R. program right after Uri hit but still ended up short-changed.
But Fort Worth isn't just looking in its rearview mirror; it’s also got its headlights fixed on potential trouble down the road. Their Disaster Mitigation Plan throws $4.08 million at installing permanent generators in key community centers, upping their game against power outages during disasters. Plus, they're not skimping on stocking up salt and brine to keep roads safer when the winter weather tries to throw a slick one at them.
