HUD Dedicates $2B+ Toward Disaster Recovery Efforts

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the allocation of approximately $2 billion in CDBG-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and CDBG-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds as mandated in the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (PL 117-43; the Act). These funds highlight HUD and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to improving the nation’s disaster recovery efforts and to construct long-term solutions to issues related to climate change.

HUD’s funds are being shared among 10 states covering 15 separate major disasters that occurred during the year 2020. These funds will go to recover from and build resilience to natural disasters, including climate disasters. The funds are specified under the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act to be used for: “disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and mitigation, in the most impacted and distressed areas.”

The funds will be used by each state for the following natural disasters:

• Alabama: Hurricane Sally (September 14, 2020-September 16, 2020) & Hurricane Zeta (October 28, 2020-October 29, 2020)
• California: Wildfires from August 14, 2020-Sep 26, 2020 & September 4, 2020-November 17, 2020
• Florida: Hurricane Sally (September 14, 2020-September 28, 2020)
• Iowa: Severe Storms (August 10, 2020)
• Louisiana: Hurricane Laura (August 22, 2020-Aug 27, 2020) & Hurricane Delta (October 6, 2020-October 10, 2020)
• Michigan: Severe Storms and Flooding due to a Dam Failure (May 16, 2020-May 22, 2020)
• Mississippi: Hurricane Zeta (October 28, 2020-October 29, 2020)
• Oregon: Wildfires and Straight-line Winds (September 7, 2020-November 3, 2020)
• Puerto Rico: Earthquakes (December 28, 2019-July 3, 2020) & Tropical Storm Isaias (July 29, 2020-Jul 31, 2020
• Tennessee: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (March 3, 2020) & Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (April 12, 2020-April 13, 2020)

“These disaster recovery and mitigation funds are essential to advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate and equity priorities by building long-term and inclusive resilience to the impacts of climate change, particularly for underserved and marginalized communities,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “With these allocations, we are addressing climate justice in hard-hit communities that can now begin the process of building back better from disasters and improving long-term, equitable resilience to future impacts of climate change.”

As part of the President's plan to confront the changing climate, HUD released its Climate Adaptation Plan in early October on how to adapt to a world with a changing climate, and ensure that its operations are resilient to potential impacts. The plan was announced alongside 23 other federal agencies who each released their own set of plans.