Grant awards will increase homelessness prevention and services across Iowa after severe storms, flooding and tornadoes
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced $686,019 to the State of Iowa, and the City of Des Moines to support people experiencing homelessness after extreme weather events from May 2024. Funding from the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) program will help residents and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and support communities in efforts to recover from severe storms, tornadoes and catastrophic flooding. While FEMA, the Red Cross and local community members have stepped up to assist survivors, the severity of the damage and displacement experienced in the awarded jurisdictions has exceeded local capacity and more assistance is needed. RUSH funding is intended to address the immediate unmet needs for homelessness assistance and homelessness prevention in declared disaster areas.
“RUSH funding provides lifesaving assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors who struggle to find safe, stable housing in the wake of disasters,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman.
Today’s announcement follows President Biden’s declaration of two Major Disasters under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) for Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding (DR-4784-IA) and for Severe Storms and Tornadoes (DR-4779-IA). The eligible activities for this funding announced today include:
- For people experiencing homelessness before the disaster: emergency shelter; rapid re-housing, which provides up to 24 months of rental assistance, financial assistance for move in costs, and supportive services; and
- For people who were at-risk of experiencing homelessness before the disaster: homelessness prevention, which provides up to 24 months of rental assistance, utility assistance, and supportive services for people at risk of homelessness; and outreach assistance, including assistance to meet urgent needs.
The following list enumerates the localities that are receiving the funding:
| Jurisdiction | Allocation |
| State of Iowa | $151,114 |
| Des Moines, Iowa | $534,905 |
| Total | $686,019 |
“Every day counts when communities are working to get people safely housed in the aftermath of disasters,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marion McFadden for Community Planning and Development. “Today’s announcement and the recently published RUSH notice represent HUD’s commitment to strengthening our support for disaster impacted communities.”
RUSH funding provides rapid assistance under the Emergency Solutions Grant program for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in eligible declared disaster areas where FEMA has activated Transitional Sheltering Assistance. This funding is available to help communities provide outreach, emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention assistance, and supportive services.
In July, HUD published the RUSH Notice in the Federal Register. This Notice describes HUD’s approach to allocating and administering RUSH formula grants including the funding methodology, eligibility for awards, and requirements for implementing grant funding.
The RUSH Notice will streamline the process of allocating awards when responding to future disasters and ensure funding quickly reaches communities in need. This Notice is open to public comment for 60 days until September 16, 2024. Comments can be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov or via mail.
The RUSH program was first launched in 2022, and to date approximately $28 million has been awarded to disaster impacted areas.