Public comments and ideas on economic and infrastructure projects are being accepted until Friday, Nov. 10.

Cameron Parish received $11,489,968 in funding that has been allocated through the state of Louisiana Office of Community Development from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Funds.

A public meeting was held at the Cameron Parish Police Jury on Wednesday to provide CPPJ and residents information on the CDBG-DR funding and get community input on “long-term and innovative ” economical and infrastructural solutions, said Matt Mumfrey, senior vice-president, Royal Engineers and Consultants.

As part of the HUD funding requirements, a public comment period has to be opened to acquire the input to properly determine storm recovery prioritization.

He said that the grants are meant to “address unmet needs from Hurricanes Laura and Delta within Cameron Parish.”

“Ultimate goal is to support rebuilding and recovery efforts associated with those storms in the Parish. … There has to be a clear nexus to the storm events for these programs to apply, and the purpose is to create and retain jobs to allow residents to have access to the products and services that they need and to respond to the communities more urgent rebuilding needs and assist and identify long-term and innovation solutions to infrastructure and critical services within the communities.”

Cameron Parish received funding through two specific programs: The Hometown Revitalization Program (HRP) and the Resilient Communities Infrastructure Program (RCIP).

HRP funds must be used to “encourage new economic revitalization opportunities for Louisiana communities while supporting the crucial recovery of the state’s commercial areas,” while RCIP – “addresses remaining unmet needs by supporting more resilient community infrastructure and planning.”

Both programs received $5,744,984. Across Louisiana, $125 million has been allocated for HRP and $100 million for RCIP.

The parish is not required to contribute any matching funds to receive HUD allocations.

The funding must be used for projects that benefit low to moderate income areas and individuals, have ties to Hurricanes Laura and Delta, be used in Parishes and areas presidentially declared disaster areas  and cannot be used for individual home repairs or home owner elevations, Stacy Bonnaffons, disaster recovery manager, CSRS, explained.

“With federal funds comes oftentimes federal strings.”

Additionally, 40 percent of allocation must be spent in a designated “Disadvantaged community,” as determined by the Department of Transportation and Development. She said the entirety of Cameron Parish qualifies as a disadvantaged community.

Project ideas based on the parish’s priorities were offered to encourage public participation.

Projects that could be completed under HRP include increased fisheries access via public piers or docks, program support to benefit local fisherman and/or the seafood industry, recreational improvements incorporating mitigation and green infrastructure, revitalization of industrial corridors and aerial mapping and GIS service to support economic resiliency.

Under CIP, shoreline protection and stabilization, drainage improvements to reduce flooding, rehabilitation or replacement of pump stations, rain gauges and other watershed management and the replacement or redesign of existing structures are eligible projects.

A list of projects must be written up and submitted by the Parish to the State for approval by the first week of January 2024..

The submitted projects will be determined using public comments. These comments are due in 30 days. A full vetted list of projects will be completed by late November or early December, Mumfrey said.

A special CPPJ meeting will be held during this time to discuss the eligible projects.

Public input can be submitted online and the survey can be found on the CPPJ Facebook page.