After hearing from four people at a public hearing Tuesday, Hays County commissioners voted to move forward with distributing $11.6 million in disaster recovery funds to use to repair damage caused by the May and October 2015 floods.

About $3.7 million of the Community Development Block Grant funds will be used on housing rehabilitation, and $7.9 million will be used for infrastructure projects. The funding for the cities of Bear Creek Village, Buda, Dripping Springs, Hays, Kyle, Mountain City, Niederwald, Uhland, Wimberley and Woodcreek will go to the respective city councils for acceptance, and the cities will determine how to use the funds.



Residents who apply for the housing grants must have a priority need, must demonstrate they earn a low to moderate income and must have homes in the unincorporated areas of Hays County and the cities of Buda, Dripping Springs, Kyle, Uhland and Wimberley that were damaged in the floods.

The Texas General Land Office will review how the county plans to distribute the $11.6 million, which could take up to 90 days.

Once the TGLO approves the distribution, citizens can start applying for housing rehabilitation grant funding.

Clint Garza, the county's chief of staff, said some of the money in the unincorporated areas will be used for continued debris removal, low-water crossing improvements and to repair Cotton Gin Road.

Garza said the cities could return the money to the county if they do not have a need for it within the criteria.