Rural News
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
HUD Rolls Out 29 Waivers to Accelerate Hurricane Idalia Recovery Efforts in Florida
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today a package of 29 regulatory and administrative waivers aimed at helping communities in Florida accelerate their recovery from Hurricane Idalia.
The regulatory and administrative relief announced covers the following HUD programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Continuum of Care (CoC), and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP).
To expedite the use of these funds, HUD’s state and local partners can now access a waiver through a new simplified notification process. Through this waiver package, HUD is providing flexibility by:
- Allowing new housing construction with CDBG funding in declared disaster areas.
- Suspending the CDBG public services cap to provide additional support services related to the effects of the disaster on individuals and families.
- Waiving the HOME matching contribution requirements and CHDO set aside to expeditiously provide housing to displaced persons and repair properties damaged by the disaster.
- Providing flexibility in HOME tenant-based rental assistance requirements to reduce the burden for those seeking assistance.
- Extending term limits for certain types of assistance, including CDBG emergency grant payments and ESG rental assistance.
This waiver follows HUD flexibilities announced on September 6 following the natural disaster declaration. Below are examples of what CPD funding can be used for in the wake of a disaster:
- housing rehabilitation
- housing reconstruction,
- homebuyer programs replacing disaster damaged residences,
- acquisition and relocation programs to help people move out of floodplains,
- infrastructure improvements,
- demolition of buildings,
- reconstruction or replacement of public facilities,
- small business grants and loans,
- and assistance to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness after a disaster.
