Department working with states and local units of governments to aid vulnerable populations amid outbreak
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson today provided guidance and additional flexibility to states and units of local government who are utilizing their existing federal disaster recovery funds to support low- and moderate-income persons and vulnerable populations for disasters occurring in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 during the coronavirus outbreak. The Federal Register notice published on August 17, 2020 grants extensions and clarifies submission deadlines for Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery (CDBG-DR) grantees.
“Helping Americans recover from the coronavirus pandemic is a top priority,” said Secretary Carson. “Today’s guidance underscores the Trump Administration’s commitment to offering countless flexibilities and accommodations so that states and localities can best respond to the needs of their communities.”
Key new flexibilities available to CDBG-DR Grantees are:
- Provided a one-year extension of its previously established expenditure deadline for CDBG-DR funds under certain public laws in response to a 2015, 2016, or 2017 disaster.
- Provided with the option to request an additional expenditure extension beyond the one-year extension, for a maximum of two years.
- Provided submission extensions to CDBG-DR grantees for their certifications, implementation plan and capacity assessment, and action plan in response to a 2018 or 2019 disaster. Also includes a new provision that allows grantees to request additional submission extensions.
For more information on HUD’s CDBG-DR program, please visit Hud.gov.
Public Housing Authorities across the Nation have jumped into action to help assist their tenants and their communities during this unprecedented time. Read more about their stories featured in HUD’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign, here.