Congressman Henry Cuellar announced that the City of McAllen will receive a $1,350,756 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood alleviation to the Retiree Haven subdivision.

FEMA, under the Hazard Mitigation Grant program, has obligated funding directly to the State of Texas Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management, which will administer the funding to the City of McAllen.  The City of McAllen will contribute $450,333 for a total project cost of $1,801,089.

“The funds received by the City of McAllen for drainage relief will have a positive impact on 262 residences in the Retiree Haven community,” Congressman Cuellar said. “The infrastructure funding will allow for less disruption in the daily life of residents and I thank the City of McAllen and Mayor Richard Cortez for successfully applying for funding. 

The City of McAllen will alleviate flooding in the Retiree Haven subdivision – an area where drainage is limited due to slow draining soils, lack of topographic relief and the absence of natural watercourses.

“The grant received from FEMA will not only reduce property destruction, but will also minimize the costs of future disaster recovery,” City of McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez said. “I thank Congressman Cuellar for his close work with the City of McAllen in providing this much needed flooding alleviation to the Retiree Haven subdivision.”

The infrastructure project will consist of the construction of curb and gutter, a storm sewer network, a storm-water detention pond with a pumping station and an outfall force main system. The location of the project is ¼ mile south of FM 1016 and on the west side of State Highway 336.