HUNT, Texas – Scott Turner, the U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development, toured Hunt, Texas, one of several Hill Country communities impacted by the catastrophic Fourth of July floods.
The former Texas lawmaker visited Hunt with President Donald Trump a few weeks ago, and he returned this week to survey damage and talk to Kerr County residents about what they need.
Among the places Turner visited on Monday was The Hunt Store — a century-old staple in the community that was destroyed in the floods.
Upon seeing the damage, Turner said the first word to come to mind was, “devastating.”
“It’s heartbreaking to actually see the devastation that took place here,” he said.
Turner is also a Baptist preacher, and on Monday he had the opportunity to pray with the community’s residents and first responders.
“My job is the secretary of HUD. … But what I also am every day of my life is a pastor. … and so I wanted to come down here — yes as a secretary — but even more so as Scott, as Pastor Scott,” he said.
Turner also visited a winery that has turned into a disaster recovery center. The center is used to connect people with services from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The Red Cross and the Small Business Administration.
Turner said HUD plans to be in the community for as long as rebuilding will take.
“HUD is here right now, but HUD will also be here for the long haul,” he said.
On July 8, HUD announced assistance for those affected by the Hill Country floods, including:
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A 90-day foreclosure moratorium on Federal Housing Administration-insured single-family mortgages in Kerr County
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Section 203(h) loans, which provides 100% financing for eligible homeowners in Kerr County to rebuild their home or purchase a new one
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Section 203(k) loans, which allows borrowers seeking to purchase/repair a damaged home to finance the purchase or refinance of a house, as well as repair or renovation costs
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Hotline assistance from HUD’s National Disaster Recovery Division, FHA Resource Center and HUD-approved counseling agencies
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Vacancy lists provided by HUD to FEMA and the state of Texas with available housing units for displaced residents
There are 900 homeowners in the Hunt area who have been impacted by flooding and have FHA loans, according to Turner.
“When you’ve been hit with a disaster of this magnitude, to know that rural families are putting in a lot of work and have seen much devastation … disaster recovery does not look much different from HUD’s standpoint,” Turner said.
Turner encouraged homeowners affected by the floods to call 1-800-CALL-FHA.
He said housing counselors are standing by to help homeowners understand their options when it comes to mortgage pauses and home loans going forward.
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