Faster Recovery Starts Here: HUD’s Universal Notice for Disaster Relief Funding
In an effort to streamline funding requirements following a disaster, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has published in the Federal Register a “Universal Notice” that outlines the requirements for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding after a qualifying presidential disaster declaration. It explains the steps, timelines, and any exceptions that will guide the use of these funds for disaster recovery.
The Universal Notice was issued the same day HUD announced it has allocated nearly $12 billion in CDBG-DR funds for communities across 24 states and territories. To support recovery from Hurricane Helene, HUD provided more than $1.6 billion to communities across North Carolina, including $225 million to the City of Asheville and $1.2 billion to the state for disaster impacted communities statewide. These funds are critical — with tens of thousands of houses damaged or destroyed, more than 12,000 western North Carolinians are without safe housing. HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman made the announcement of these critical funds during a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, alongside Gov. Josh Stein.
Until HUD receives permanent authorization of the CDBG-DR program from Congress, the Universal Notice is intended to provide publicly informed, consistent guidance for communities recovering from disasters. The Universal Notice incorporates many of the public’s and recommendations from the Request for Information on CDBG-DR Rules, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements. HUD received more than 700 unique comments offering feedback on how to make disaster recovery faster and more efficient, effective, resilient, and equitable.
The changes include updates to:
- Improve outcomes, increase access to information, and simplify documentation requirements for disaster survivors.
- Expand and extend eligible activities for rental assistance and disaster relief, including allowing reimbursement for these expenses.
- Create new eligible activities for local disaster preparedness and resilience.
- Align more closely with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements for environmental reviews and community-driven relocation.
- Streamline Action Plan requirements and encourage broader community engagement in the Action Plan formation process.
- Reduce administrative burden on grantees, creating greater flexibility regarding building standards, implementation requirements, and financial management procedures.
In addition to significant policy changes and updates, HUD has established a comprehensive rollout strategy to support grantees and the public with their understanding of the Universal Notice and its requirements.
Universal Notice Resources and Training
- Universal Notice Resources on HUD.gov: Bookmark the official Universal Notice Overview page on HUD.gov to access resources developed to support grantees, including Action Plan templates, HUD review checklists, and additional resources organized by grant life cycle phase for Universal Notice-covered grantees.
- ODR Digest Volume 13; Universal Notice Special Edition: To review a summary of all things Universal Notice from development to an overview of published and upcoming resources, view the Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) Digest Volume 13.
- Universal Notice Rollout Webinar Series: ODR’s Policy Division is hosting the Universal Notice Rollout Webinar Series to provide key information to the public and potential grantees about the new requirements. Each webinar will be a live training session with time set aside for questions and answers.
There is no need to register for the webinars. Interested parties are invited to join at the identified date and time.
| Webinar | Date and Time | Joining Link |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Notice Overview Session (Option One) | Tuesday, January 14, 2025 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST | Join the Webinar |
| Universal Notice Overview Session (Option Two) | Tuesday, January 21, 2025 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST | Join the Webinar |
| Universal Notice Phase 1: Action Plan Requirements and Process Overview | Tuesday, January 28, 2025 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST | Join the Webinar |
| Universal Notice Phase 2: Financial Certification and Oversight of Funds | Tuesday, February 4, 2025 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST | Join the Webinar |
| Universal Notice Phase 3: Implementation Requirements | Thursday, February 6, 2025 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST | Join the Webinar |
