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-16- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE General The secretary is authorized to make community development block grants for community development programs which may include, among other things, the acquisition, construction or installation of (a) water and sewer facilities, (b) flood and drainage facilities where assistance for such facilities is unavailable under other federal laws or programs, and (c) fire protection services and facilities which are located in or serve areas where other community development activities are being carried out, Treatment works for sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature are expressly prohibited, The secretary also is authorized to make grants to states, metropolitan planning agencies, local governments and Indian tribes for comprehensive plan- ning, including that for water and sewer systems, Grants generally cover two-thirds of the planning cost. The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-234) substantially expands the National Flood Insurance Program in order to provide better pro- tection to the public and to reduce annual disaster assistance outlays through the increased availability of flood insurance, The act extends the emergency program through December 31, 1975, and addresses three key areas: insurance, flood plain management and local community consultation and appeals procedures, HUD publishes information on known flood-prone communities and notifies them within six months of enactment of their tentative identification as such, After such notification, the community must either make prompt application for participation in the flood insurance program or satisfy the secretary that it is no longer flood prone, Communities having identified flood-prone areas are required to participate in the flood insurance program by July 1,1975, or one year from the date of identification, or else they become ineligible for federally related financing for projects that would be located in such areas, The law requires owners of property in flood-prone areas to purchase flood insurance if they are to benefit from financial assistance for their property from the federal government or from any federally insured, regulated or super- vised lending institution, The act permits federally regulated lending institutions to make conven- tional mortgage loan funds available for the acquisition of previously occupied residential dwellings only, located in the special flood hazard areas or non- participating communities after the date the communities should have become eligible but failed to do so, The granting of this relief is only for a period of six months or until January 1, 1976, The secretary, in carrying out land use responsibilities under the act, is required to establish procedures assuring adequate consultation with elected officials of local governments, including those whose eligibility under the program has been suspended. Such consultation is specifically required with