HUD DISASTER RESOURCES
Scroll down to see the variety of disaster resources provided by HUD.
HUD Announces Disaster Assistance for Puerto Rico
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance, including a new package of waivers offering regulatory and administrative relief, to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in areas of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Fiona beginning on September 17, 2022, and continuing. More…
HUD Announces Disaster Assistance for Kentucky Disaster Survivors
On December 12, President Biden approved a disaster declaration for areas in the Commonwealth of Kentucky affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and tornadoes. To learn about the disaster assistance HUD is providing, click here.
For additional resources, visit FEMA’s Kentucky page severe storms and tornadoes page.
HUD Announces Disaster Assistance for Hurricane Ida Survivors
On August 29, President Biden approved a disaster declaration for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. To learn about the disaster assistance HUD is providing, click here.
On September 5, President Biden approved disaster declarations for the State of New Jersey and the State of New York due to Hurricane Ida. To learn about the disaster assistance HUD is providing, click here.
For information regarding HUD’s package of 27 regulatory and administrative waivers aimed at helping communities to accelerate their recovery from Hurricane Ida, click here.
For additional resources, including safety information and storm resources, visit FEMA’s Hurricane Ida page. Visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-200-462-7585 to apply for assistance.
HUD's Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Single Family Housing Program
Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH)
Community Development and Housing Assistance
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
HUD provides a variety of disaster resources listed below. We also partner with Federal and state agencies to help implement disaster recovery assistance. Under the National Response Framework the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) offer initial recovery assistance.
When the President of the United States declares a disaster area, HUD, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and state agencies join to assist those that have been affected by the disaster. By working with disaster recovery teams, HUD, using its special programs, can assist victims in rebuilding safe and healthy housing.
HUD's Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims (Section 203(h)) Program. The 203(h) program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims who have lost their homes and are facing the daunting task of rebuilding or buying another home. Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs.
HUD's Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance (Section 203(k)) Program. The 203(K) program enables survivors of disasters to finance the purchase or refinance of a house along with its repairs through a single mortgage. It also allows homeowners who have damaged homes to finance the rehabilitation of their existing 1-4 unit single family home.
HUD Disaster Relief Options for Homeowners with FHA-Insured Mortgages. If you are a homeowner impacted by a disaster and concerned about making your mortgage payments, foreclosure, or have questions about next steps with your home, contact your mortgage servicer immediately. Your mortgage servicer, also known as your loan servicer, is the company to which you send your monthly mortgage payments. Visit the HUD Disaster Relief Options for Homeowners with FHA-Insured Mortgages web page to view the options that may be available to you.
Homeowners with a conventional mortgage are also strongly encouraged to contact their mortgage servicer for further information, and to see if you are eligible for relief.
Additionally, HUD approved housing counseling agencies are available to assist by calling 1-800-569-4287. You do not have to have an FHA-insured mortgage to meet with a HUD approved housing counseling agency. There is never a fee for foreclosure prevention counseling.
Contact the FHA Resource Center for more information.
To help you prepare and respond to disasters in your community, HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling has developed a Disaster Recovery and Emergency Preparedness Toolkit. Resources include:
- Emergency Preparedness Guide for Housing Counseling Agencies: This guide will provide useful and easy-to-implement information to assist housing counseling agencies successfully prepare for any type of disaster or emergency. Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan is one of the most important strategic decisions you will make as a housing counseling agency.
- Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources for Housing Counseling Agencies: This document was originally developed for housing counseling agencies. However, it contains a comprehensive list of website resources to help anyone prepare their community for a disaster. The web links provided are best reviewed ahead of an actual disaster since Internet access is not guaranteed during emergency situations.
- Housing Counseling Disaster Program Guide: Housing counselors play a critical role in helping communities impacted by disaster connect families to key housing resources. This universal document provides a model for HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to expand and support their long-term disaster recovery services as part of their grantee action plan in their respective jurisdictions receiving Federal disaster recovery funds.
Ginnie Mae encourages all single-family, manufactured housing, and multifamily Ginnie Mae issuers offering forbearance to provide forbearance to mortgagors in areas receiving a Presidential disaster declaration. In certain instances, Ginnie Mae will assist issuers in their efforts to offer forbearance to mortgagors with pass-through payments. Visit Ginnie Mae's website
After the disaster, there are many things to consider: Is your home safe to enter? How do you save and clean up your possessions? How can I rebuild stronger and safer to protect myself and family from future disasters? HUD’s OLHCHH has created multiple resources to help you get back into your home safely.
Click here for OLHCHH Disaster Recovery and Rebuild Resources.
Download the FREE Rebuild Healthy Homes App by clicking here:
This app informs users on the essentials of healthy homes for post natural disaster restoration of homes, including the principles and technical aspects of the safe and proper response and removal of mold, radon, asbestos, lead, and other hazards and unsafe conditions.
Having the right plan in place before a disaster will ensure an effective, coordinated response. The Ready to Respond: Disaster Staffing Toolkit is a guide developed by Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. in partnership with HUD, to help affordable multifamily housing organizations develop comprehensive disaster staffing plans to protect buildings, engage residents and continue business operations in the event of a disaster. The Ready to Respond: Disaster Staffing Toolkit is based on the Incident Command System (ICS), a planning framework used by federal, state and local first responders to help with command, control and coordination of disaster response.
By using the toolkit to develop a disaster staffing plan, your housing organization will be able to:
- Minimize building damage and ensure quick return to service
- Support the safety, preparedness and recovery of residents
- Maintain key business operations throughout a disaster
Metropolitan cities, urban counties, and states may request that awarding of annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds be expedited or that program year start dates be moved up. For activities in a disaster area, they may also request modification of some program requirements to facilitate disaster assistance. CDBG Disaster Recovery Program.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) offers Disaster Response Toolkit (guidance on how to rehabilitate flooded homes, design & construction practices that promote moisture resistance & durability, preparedness for future disasters, and other relevant content) to aid in the recovery process. The reports in this Kit are available in print by calling the HUD USER Clearinghouse at (800) 245-2691, option 1 or can be downloaded for free from HUD USER. For a limited time, printed copies of the reports are available to those in storm-affected areas free of charge.
- SAMHSA's Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 (call or text) provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
- USA.gov’s U.S. Government Response to Hurricane Ida provides government-wide information related to Hurricane Ida. The Spanish-language version of the webpage is available at Respuesta del Gobierno de EE. UU. ante el huracán Ida.
- Disaster Household Distribution Program: On September 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service approved Louisiana’s use of USDA Foods from TEFAP for a disaster household distribution program, in response to food assistance needs resulting from the Presidentially declared emergency declaration in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. The disaster household distribution food package will be provided to 800,000 individuals through multiple centralized locations to serve nineteen parishes (West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Washington, Livingston, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, Assumption, St. James, St. John The Baptist, Orleans, St. Charles, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne). Approval for disaster household distribution is granted from September 2 through September 30, 2021 or until D-SNAP is implemented.
Page last updated: October 7, 2022