Flexible grants to help communities recover from presidentially declared disasters, especially in low- and moderate-income areas.

Nature of Program: This funding is not permanently authorized. When major disasters occur, Congress may appropriate additional funding for the CDBG program as Disaster Recovery grants to rebuild the affected areas and bring crucial seed money to stimulate recovery. Past appropriations have provided funds for disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure, housing, economic revitalization, and mitigation.

HUD publishes allocations and grant requirements in notices in the Federal Register. Generally, CDBG requirements apply unless modified by an appropriations statute, waiver, or alternative requirement. CDBG-DR Assistance is also subject to some of the requirements of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) that apply to Federal disaster assistance.

Because CDBG funds a broad range of activities, CDBG-DR assistance helps communities and neighborhoods that otherwise might not recover due to limits on other resources. CDBG-DR grants supplement insurance and disaster programs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Applicant Eligibility: Appropriations language determines applicant eligibility. Historically, recipients have included states and local governments in places that have been declared by the President of the United States as major disaster areas pursuant to the Stafford Act. Some appropriations acts have restricted recipients to states or geographically limited the use of funds to most impacted and distressed areas within counties with major disaster declarations. HUD generally awards noncompetitive, nonrecurring CDBG-DR grants by a formula that considers disaster recovery needs unmet by other Federal disaster assistance programs.

Legal Authority: Public laws making CDBG-DR appropriations (Public Laws 115-123 and 115-56, which are subject to certain requirements of Public Laws 115-141 and 115-72, and Public Laws 115-31, 114-254, 114-223, 114-113, 113-2, 112-55, 111-212, 110-329, 110-252, 110-116, 109-234, 109-148, 108-324, 107-206, 107-117, 107-73, 107-38, 106-31, 105-277, 105- 276, 105-174, 105-18, 104-134, 104-19, 103-327, 103-211, 103-75, and 103-50); provisions of title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301, et seq.) (made applicable by appropriations acts unless waived); certain provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121, et seq.).

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development; HUD field offices.

On the Web: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg-dr/

Current Status: Active.