Page 14 - Nov/Dec Vol34 No5
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STATEWIDE/WEST TENNESSEE By Susan Marlow
TN: Becoming a Model in Resiliency
The state is leading the way in resiliency efforts, thanks to HUD and the TNECD
Two years ago, the U.S. Department of grants for resilient housing and infra- create a 1,200 acre park with wetlands and
Housing and Urban Development part- structure projects to applicants that were recreation areas in Millington, repurpos-
nered with The Rockefeller Foundation impacted by major disasters between 2011 ing two parks in Raleigh and Frayser and
to launch a $1 billion National Disaster and 2013. Tennessee met the criteria, and creating greenway trails to provide flood
Resilience Competition. Funding for thanks to diligent leadership within the protection and connectivity to communi-
the competition is from the Community Tennessee Department of Economic and ties along the Wolf River, and protecting
Development Block Grant supplemental Community Development, an applica- and revitalizing a flood-prone community
disaster recovery appropriation provided tion was submitted. Not only did TNECD along South Cypress Creek in Southwest
by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, apply, Shelby County did as well, after ex- Memphis. Construction for these projects
Public Law 113-2.1 So, what does all this periencing billions of dollars in damages will be complete in 2021.1
mean for Tennessee? Opportunities for after the 2011 storms. It was the damage
improvement, and a lot of them. caused by these storms that qualified the Shelby County Mayor, Mark H. Luttrell,
area for a large grant. Jr., said, “This is one of the largest grants
In May 2010, a 1,000-year storm event Shelby County receives exciting news ever awarded to Shelby County govern-
struck the southeastern United States, ment. It’s unique in that it will allow us to
including numerous areas in Tennessee. As mentioned in the March/April 2016 protect neighborhoods from future flood
The state had 21 deaths, and 30 counties issue of TPW Magazine titled, “Making damage and give us new opportunities
were declared major disaster areas by the Room for the River,” on January 21, HUD to expand the greenways and recreation
Federal government.2 The following year, announced that Shelby County will receive areas along the Mississippi River and its
more severe flooding impacted the state, more than $60 million in NDRC grant tributaries.”
especially the counties in west Tennes- funds. These funds will go towards projects The State of Tennessee scores big
see. In 2015, when the State of Tennessee that will enhance resiliency against future
learned it qualified to compete for NDRC flood and other natural disaster events. On January 21, TNECD received the
funding, it jumped at the chance. Through exciting news that HUD had approved
the competition, HUD was providing Specifically, the projects include ex- their application and they would receive
panding the floodplain along Big Creek to $44.5 million in grant funding. This money
14 TPW November/December 2016
