COVID-19

HUD’s Response

After President Trump signed the CARES Act into law, HUD acted immediately to allocate its first wave of funding - over $3 billion to assist communities and non-profits - to help protect the homeless and Americans with compromised immune systems, as well as assist Tribal communities in their COVID-19 response efforts. To date, all grant agreement amendments from the first round of funding have been completed by grantees and approved by HUD.

Shortly after the initial $3 billion tranche, HUD announced a second wave of funding to help low-income Americans living in Public Housing. For more information on HUD's response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the actions the Department has taken, please visit Hud.gov/coronavirus. 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.

The third wave in CARES Act coronavirus relief funding totaling $1 billion is through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The allocation formula uses variables focusing on public health needs, risk of transmission of coronavirus, rate of coronavirus cases, and economic disruption. The formula uses data on low-income elderly and poor children to target to places with higher public health risk while also using recent unemployment insurance claims data to provide for states hardest hit, at the time of the allocation, by unemployment. All of the factors are adjusted so that places with higher than the national average in COVID-19 cases receive a slightly higher share of funding.

Local and State Strategies for Responding to the COVID-19 Housing Crisis
Read a feature article on The Edge, PD&R's online magazine: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-featd-article-092820.html

HUD’s Safety Net Responsibilities in Times of Crisis
Read a message from Seth Appleton, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development & Research here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-frm-asst-sec-040620.html

Philanthropic COVID-19 Response
IPAD is actively tracking the major foundations, affinity groups, and community foundation efforts in response to COVID-19. For more on what IPAD is following read here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-frm-asst-sec-042020.html?WT.mc_id=edge_April2020&WT.tsrc=Email

Regional Community Foundations Response
There are over 750 community foundations located in urban and rural areas throughout the United States. As public charities focus on improving outcomes within a local geographic area, Community Foundations are best positioned to coordinate and manage the local philanthropic response to the communal needs that have emerged as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. HUD regional and field offices should contact their local community foundations to find out more about their specific responses. More information can be found on their websites.

International Ministry COVID-19 Response
IPAD is monitoring our ministry counterparts to track innovative initiatives and programs to managing housing assistance during COVID-19.