United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson today announced the allocation of the remaining $1.988 billion in CARES Act funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The allocation focuses funds towards places with households facing higher risk of eviction. To date, HUD has provided nearly $5 billion in CDBG funding nationwide to help communities combat the coronavirus and alleviate economic hardship.
“The Trump Administration has maintained that no one should risk losing their home due to the coronavirus,” said Secretary Ben Carson. “We’ve taken several actions since the beginning of this pandemic to keep Americans in their homes. Today, we announce additional aid to the communities that need it the most. These funds can help households struggling to meet their rental or mortgage obligations to stay afloat as our nation continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”
These funds can be used to provide temporary financial assistance to meet rental obligations for up to 6 months. The funds are focused toward places with households facing higher risk of eviction. Specifically:
- Communities with high rates of individuals in industries with high job loss in states with high unemployment;
- Communities with high rates of businesses in industries with high job loss in states with high unemployment; and
- Concentrations of those most at risk for transmission and risk of eviction, with higher amounts for states with high rates of coronavirus.
Today’s announcement is consistent with the President’s August 8, 2020 Executive Order “Fighting the Spread of COVID-19 by Providing Assistance to Renters and Homeowners,” which directs HUD to identify “any and all available Federal funds to provide temporary financial assistance to renters and homeowners who, as a result of the financial hardships caused by COVID-19, are struggling to meet their monthly rental or mortgage obligations.”
Since President Trump issued that order, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has reiterated the Trump Administration’s commitment to minimize displacement and evictions resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic national emergency. For more information on HUD’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the actions the Department has taken, please visit HUD.gov/coronavirus.
Homelessness service providers and Public Housing Authorities across the Nation have jumped into action to assist those they serve during this unprecedented time. Read more about their stories featured in HUD’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign, here.