BATON ROUGE – The Governor's Office of Community Development submitted its final plan for $438 million flood-relief appropriation on Friday.

The plan was submitted to the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development and Edwards said that the state should be cleared to begin spending as soon as March. The Office of Community Development is now working on an action plan for an additional $1.2 billion flood-relief appropriation that Congress approved in December.

The Restore Louisiana Task Force was scheduled to vote on a budget structure for that plan at its Friday meeting, however it was canceled due to the severe weather.

The task force will review the proposed final plan for the $1.2 billion at its next meeting on Jan. 20.

The Governor's Office of Community Development would direct most of the money toward homeowners, renters and small business owners:

$935.4 million for homeowners

$80 million for renters

$50 million for business owners

Edwards says the Office of Community Development is also working on more recommendations for the specific eligibility requirements for families and business owners. He said the goal is to expand the number of flood survivors, especially homeowners, who receive assistance.

"We'll write the plan for spending the $1.2 billion so we can expand the homeowner assistance program and offer at least some measure of help to everyone who had major or severe damage and did not have flood insurance," Edwards said.