JOHN H. RICE is a Partner in the Gulfport, Mississippi office and practices in the real estate and transactional section of the Firm. He is experienced in real property, residential and commercial transactions, estates, oil and gas matters, coal, lignite and mineral matters and is an agent for various title insurance companies. Mr. Rice has represented various developers, landowners, and financial institutions on a varied array of transactional matters, including the acquisition, construction, leasing, local entitlements, zoning issues, financing and development of retail, office and other real estate development. He has represented various energy and utility companies on various oil, gas, coal and lignite issues in the industry throughout the Gulf Coast region. Mr. Rice has testified as an expert witness on real estate, title and mineral matters before Chancery Courts in Mississippi, the Mississippi Oil & Gas Board, Circuit Courts in Alabama, and the Alabama Oil & Gas Board.
Since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, the transactional practice of Mr. Rice has centered upon Disaster Relief for the State of Mississippi. Representative Experience includes:
· Represents the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and the Office of Governor Phil Bryant on all Katrina related Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs. These programs total $5.5 Billion in CDBG funds.
· Assisted in the creation, implementation and administration of the Homeowner's Assistance Program (HAP) granting $2.1Billion to over 27,000 flooded homeowners.
· Assisted in the creation, implementation and administration of the Elevation Grant Program (EGP), Long Term Workforce Housing Program (LTWH), Small Rental Assistance Program (SRAP), Water/Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program, and various economic development grant programs such as the Port of Gulfport Restoration Grant Program.
· Provides legal, compliance and regulatory expertise on city, state, and federal issues including HUD, OIG, and other governmental agencies.
· Represented the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) on the Alternative Housing Pilot Program (AHPP) in Mississippi through a Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) grant program. This program totals $280 Million.
· Represented the State of Mississippi on hazard mitigation grant issues, and has been involved in other facets of disaster relief law at the local, state and federal levels.
· Attended intermediate CDBG training and certified advanced CDBG training by the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA).
· Co-authored article - Rice, John & Miller, Jennifer. "The Wind Versus Flood Dispute: A Conflict of Interest - A Review of the Proposed Multiple Peril Insurance Act of 2009." Engage, The Journal of The Federalist Society, July 2009 83-88.
Professional Activities
· Harrison County Bar Association
· Mississippi Bar Association, Real Property Section, Probate Section
· American Bar Association
· Mississippi Oil and Gas Lawyer's Association
· Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
· Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2012
News
April 21, 2011, Balch & Bingham Honored by United Way of South Mississippi