HUD Community Resilience Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Resilience Toolkit offers descriptions of natural hazard risks and ideas for adaptation actions that communities can take to increase their resilience to climate change. State and local governments receiving HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) funds can use this guide to identify types of adaptation actions that are eligible for CPD funding. Specific attention is drawn to the risks to vulnerable populations as well as adaptation actions that prioritize low- and moderate-income communities.

The guide is organized by six natural hazards exacerbated by climate change and a factsheet dedicated to each of the following: 

  • Increasing temperatures and Extreme heat
  • Sea level rise and Coastal storms
  • Inland flooding
  • Wildfire
  • Drought
  • Erosion and landslides

The factsheets describe the natural hazard and its risks to communities, and offers community level adaptation strategies. Adaptation Actions are given for each category of Planning and Policy, Buildings and Infrastructure, Environment and People within each of these priority climate impacts.  

Actions that can be funded with CPD dollars are highlighted. Brief case studies accompany the lists of actions in each section to offer examples of how cities around the country have already successfully implemented some of the suggested resilience actions. Suggested Adaptation Actions include, among many others:

  • Incorporate natural vegetation into public facilities and housing rehabilitation projects to help expand the natural cover and reduce the impacts of extreme heat. 
  • Work with local authorities to create building codes that restrict inappropriate redevelopment in areas damaged by inundation, erosion, and flooding to prevent future losses. 
  • Consider shore protection measures – including non-structural shore stabilization techniques such as wetland protection, beach nourishment, dune building, and structural shore stabilization techniques
  • Collaborate with state floodplain managers and mitigation officials to incorporate Integrated Flood Management approaches that consider entire basins or watersheds into local plans. 
  • Incentivize the use of low-impact development techniques to manage stormwater.
  • Develop a buyouts program to acquire residential properties and local businesses that experience repetitive flood losses.
  • Use permeable streets, parking lots, or sidewalks; and increase urban green space to reduce runoff, promote groundwater recharge, and mitigate drought impacts. 

The toolkit also provides a detailed section on funding with information on HUD funding streams including: 

  • Community Development Block Grants and Disaster Recovery
  • HOME funds
  • Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program
  • Emergency Solutions grants 
  • Continuum of Care programs
  • other HUD funding opportunities 

and other non-HUD funding streams including: 

  • State and Local Bonds Market Opportunities
  • Local and Regional fee programs, 
  • State revolving funds and publicly regulated banks, 
  • Public-private partnerships
  • Government Agencies and Private Foundation grants

 

The description of each natural hazard in this toolkit includes specific mention of the risks that hazard poses to vulnerable populations. Some of the adaptation actions presented that address equity concerns include to:

 

  • Collaborate with your emergency management office to create a warning or public notification system for all natural hazards. In particular, ensure that vulnerable populations – including low- and moderate-income people, those with limited education levels or limited English proficiency, and those living in older homes – are prepared for natural hazard risks.
  • Reach out to community development organizations to organize formal outreach to vulnerable populations at the neighborhood level such as buddy systems where neighbors are aware of, check on, and assist those at risk. 
  • Consider using funds to construct community safe rooms for coastal flood events. Prioritize the availability of safe rooms with adequate supplies in low- and moderate-income areas. 

 

Publication Date: 2020

Related Organizations:

  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Sectors:

Resource Category:

Resource Types:

  • Case study
  • Policy analysis/recommendations

Impacts:

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