On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published the "Universal Notice" in the Federal Register (90 FR 1754). This notice 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.
Once Congress provides CDBG-DR funds for specific disasters, HUD will issue an Allocation Announcement Notice (AAN) in the Federal Register. This notice will apply requirements established in the Universal Notice, along with any new requirements based on the specific funding as established by Congress.
The Universal Notice also explains the grant award process, certification submissions, criteria for Action Plan approval, and eligible disaster recovery activities. It aims to make disaster recovery funding faster and more efficient for future grantees.
By publishing the Universal Notice, HUD hopes to provide more clarity, ensure consistent processes, and speed up access to funds, helping communities recover from disasters more quickly.
To develop the Universal Notice, HUD solicited feedback through a request for information (RFI), which was published in December 2022 with a comment period closing in February 2023. From there, the public comments were analyzed, along with common waiver requests, CPD notices, and updated crosscutting requirements; all of this information was used to develop the Universal Notice.
- Request for Information (RFI) for HUD's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Rules, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements (87 FR 77864) (English| Español)
- Watch the History and Future of CDBG-DR (2024 CDBG-DR Problem Solving Clinic) recorded training.
- Review HUDs Response to the RFI Comments (English)
- Read the Universal Notice to understand the requirements for future CDBG-DR allocations. (English)
Optional Administrative Action Plan
Universal Notice covered grantees have the option to submit an Admin Action Plan if they wish to access their administrative funds prior to developing their required Action Plan.
- Optional Grantee Admin Action Plan Template (English)
- HUD Checklist: Optional Admin Action Plan Review (English)
Action Plan
Universal Notice covered grantees must submit an Action Plan.
You submitted your Admin Action Plan or Action Plan to HUD for approval, what’s next?
Grantees are required to use the Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) system to manage and report on their grants over the lifecycles of the grant.
- Universal Notices DRGR Fact Sheet (English)
Disaster recovery needs change over time and grantees are required to reassess their unmet needs over the course of the grant lifecycle through substantial and nonsubstantial amendments.
Substantial Amendments
The Universal Notice outlines specific changes that would result in a substantial amendment to the grantees action plan, while others are established by the grantee. Grantees are encouraged to review this criterion within the Universal Notice, it’s important to note that substantial amendments to the grantees action plan will require HUDs review and approval!
- HUD Checklist: Substantial Amendment Action Plan Review (Coming Soon!)
Nonsubstantial Amendments
Nonsubstantial Amendments do not require HUDs approval. For example, grantees moving funds between grantee programs below the threshold cap established in the grantees initial Action Plan.
Under the Universal Notice, grantees can choose between two options for their pre-award financial management and grant compliance certifications: following the normal financial certification process or relying on previous financial certifications. Regardless of the path chosen the financial certification templates remain the same!
Under the Universal Notice, grantees are required to submit their housing policies and procedures within one year of the applicability date of the Allocation Announcement Notice, and their infrastructure and economic revitalization policies and procedures within 18 months of that date. HUD will monitor the grantees' policies and procedures within two years of the applicability date of the Allocation Announcement Notice.
- HUD Checklist: Programmatic Policies and Procedures Review (Coming Soon!)
- Universal Notices DRGR Fact Sheet (English)
Content current as of January 14, 2024.
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