MDA, HUD update covenants for recipients of Hurricane Katrina Homeowner Assistance Program

MDA, HUD update covenants for.

Key points

• "The Homeowner Assistance Program played an important role in helping Mississippi families recover after Hurricane Katrina, " remarked MDA Executive Director Bill Cork.
• The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 saw millions in damage throughout South Mississippi.
• Job market rebounds as employers add 162, 000 jobs; the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%.
• During a dinner in the Rose Garden, President Trump informed vulnerable lawmakers they have a triumphant story to tell voters.
• Mississippi Culture Bearer: Linda Ross-Aldy, a champion of Oakland.

MDA, HUD update covenants for recipients of Hurricane Katrina Homeowner Assistance Program. By: Jeremy Pittari – September 4, 2026.

Meanwhile, the changes are projected to produce real estate transactions less cumbersome for affected property owners.

Amendments to covenants associated with properties that received support through the Homeowner Assistance Program after Hurricane Katrina have been approved by the Mississippi Development Authority to bring them in line with modern standards.

For context, the amendments are now in effect for those homeowners who received the assistance.

"The Homeowner Assistance Program played an important role in helping Mississippi families recover after Hurricane Katrina, " remarked MDA Executive Director Bill Cork. "More than two decades afterwards, it's notable that these covenants reflect today's federal requirements rather than those that existed in 2005. Working with HUD, we've updated the language to remove outdated barriers for property owners while maintaining the program's original purpose."

For context, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 saw millions in damage throughout South Mississippi. In response, grants were provided to Mississippi homeowners in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Pearl River Counties through the Homeowner Assistance Program as part of the rebuilding process.

Restrictive covenants requiring flood insurance were introduced for those receiving the assistance. Nevertheless, in the 21 years since Katrina, federal flood insurance requirements have changed. Today, that means unnecessary covenants are creating problems for some owners when they try to sell properties that were rebuilt with the program's assistance.

To address those problems, MDA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development drafted more modern, blanket covenant wording for the applicable properties that preserves the original intent of the program while additionally bringing them in line with current federal specifications.

These updated covenants can be seen in the land records in each affected county, negating the need for individual landowners of affected properties to seek their own modifications. Regarding the Author(s).

Jeremy Pittari is a lifelong resident of the Gulf Coast. Born and raised in Slidell, La., he moved to South Mississippi in the early 90s. Jeremy earned an associate in arts from Pearl River Community College and went on to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned a bachelor's of arts in journalism. A week after Hurricane Katrina, he began an internship as a reporter with the community newspaper in Pearl River County. After graduation, he accepted a full-time position at that news outlet where he covered the recovery process post Katrina in Pearl River and Hancock Counties. For almost 17 years he wrote concerning local administration, education, law enforcement, crime, business and a variety of other topics. Email Jeremy: [email protected].

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For now, MDA, HUD update covenants for recipients of Hurricane Katrina Homeowner Assistance Program remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.