HUD Announces New Form of Disaster Relief to Assist Homeless Populations

By: Steven Molinari, Policy Analyst

On July 18, HUD released a notice providing implementation guidance for the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) program.

Grants for this program are awarded under the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program and are made to States or local governments for the purpose of assisting individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in a federally “declared disaster area.” These grants are meant to prevent homelessness and meet needs that are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs.

The notice explains HUD’s plan for allocating and administering RUSH grants, which include their funding methodology and applicable requirements for awards. According to the notice, “provided that data is available, HUD plans to notify States or local governments of their eligibility for a RUSH grant within 30 days of a major disaster.”

Additionally, HUD requests comments on the notice by September 16, 2024.

To view the full notice, see here.