GALVESTON (November 17, 2009)--Texas has 45 days to rework its plan to spend the second round of $1.7 billion in Hurricane Ike federal recovery funds after the Department of Housing and Urban Development said the state did not provide enough chances for residents to comment on using disaster money on housing and infrastructure.

The agency, in the Nov. 10 rejection letter, also noted Texas did not update its 2003 plan to promote fair housing.

Gov. Rick Perry said the September 2008 hurricane was the costliest in Texas history and "this process should not stand in the way of assistance to disaster victims."

Perry raised concerns about funding delays, saying Texas does not plan to update its fair housing practices before February.