WASHINGTON, July 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. government has sent notices to people whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina saying they will receive up to $150,000 for rebuilding.
The government has set aside more than $10 billion for the program, to which 90,000 Louisiana homeowners and 16,500 Mississippi residents have applied, USA Today reported Thursday.
"It's imminent -- letters are going out saying how much they'll receive and information on how to go about collecting the grant," said Scott Hamilton, spokesman for the Mississippi Development Authority.
Walter Leger, of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, said he hopes 30,000 more people in the state will register for the grants. He said it could take up to two months for the money to be distributed to applicants.
"This is the building block of the recovery of the Gulf Coast. It is critical to making sure the recovery is jump-started. It's a very important step," said Donald Powell, the president's appointed coordinator of rebuilding communities devastated by the hurricane and ensuing floods along the Gulf Coast.
