Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)
New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
11/08/2023
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
190
0
250
0
0
0
A growing body of research demonstrates how the increasing severity and frequency of disasters exacerbates existing challenges of housing affordability and stability, especially for renters in disaster-affected states, counties, and cities. While the federal government plays an increasingly central role in recovery, pathways for long-term recovery of renters and affordable rental housing are understudied, leaving policymakers with limited tools for long-term planning.
The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grants are one of the most prominent sources of federal funding for post disaster recovery, supplementing assistance programs administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA) and other agencies. To date $96 billion dollars have been allocated through CDBG-DR starting from Hurricanes Andrew and Omar in 1992 through Hurricane Ida and other events in 2021. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG-DR funding is appropriated by Congress following major Presidentially declared disasters when Congress deemed other aid and resources were not enough to meet the needs of the impacted community. State or local CDBG-DR grantees develop action plans and aligned budgets to address unmet need in their communities. According to HUD, “housing assistance is typically the most immediate priority of state and local governments and is often the largest budgeted activity. The intent of housing recovery programs is to ensure those whose homes were impacted by the disaster can return to safe and adequate housing or relocate to suitable housing elsewhere.”
To address the gap in understanding recovery outcomes for rental housing and assessing CDBG-DR effectiveness for this population, in summer 2022, HUD issued a NOFO (FR-6600-N-29A) to announce availability of funding for two research projects. The joint goal of the research is to “improve disaster recovery effectiveness for renter households by examining the disaster recovery outcomes of renter households and rental housing stock in places that received Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery grants (CDBG-DR).” Funding for these studies came from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, approved December 27, 2020) which provided funding to HUD for research on disaster recovery to support the Department to evaluate the efficacy of its disaster recovery programs. This is aligned with HUD’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan for ensuring everyone has an affordable, healthy place to live.
The scope of the research will focus on the disaster recovery outcomes of renter households and rental housing stock in places awarded CDBG-DR grants, the contributing factors and mechanisms driving recovery outcomes for renter households, and opportunities to improve upon them. The findings of the research will provide recommendations to support Congress, HUD, and State and Local governments in mitigating the loss of affordable rental housing following disasters and facilitating faster and better recovery of renter households.
Urban Institute was awarded a cooperative agreement to pursue one of the research studies made available through the NOFO. Research questions identified by HUD in the RFQ—and the corresponding data collection strategy proposed by The Urban Institute—are provided in Table A1.
This supporting statement requests approval for qualitative research (interviews and focus groups) in three disaster affected communities to provide context and help identify potential additional variables of interest for local quantitative analysis of changes in rental housing changes in renter populations and understand the recovery initiatives and role of CDBG-DR requirements in influencing outcomes. The other data collection strategies are not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act and are therefore not included as part of this request.
This research employs a multi-method strategy aimed at providing all of the information necessary to answer HUD’s research questions (Table A1) about the post-disaster rental recovery and the CDBG-DR program.
All of the data collection will be performed by Urban Institute. The qualitative research activities (subject of this ICR request) for this study site includes visits to three case study communities (to be determined) to conduct Interviews with those involved in the recovery process (grantees, city leaders, CDFIs, housing advocates, public housing authorities, local housing organizations, and tenant advocates) as well as focus groups with renters and landlords. All data collection instruments are included in Part C. Urban Institute staff will conduct the site visits as one-time data collection activities. The Urban Institute used the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics to categorize interview and focus group participants by relevant labor category: federal, state, and local government representatives; professionals and business services representatives; and private sector employees. Each data collection activity is described below in Table A2.
Upon completion, the study will make substantial contributions to the understanding of post-disaster rental housing recovery and the efficacy of the CDBG-DR program in order to improve disaster recovery effectiveness for renter households. Specifically, it will provide data and information about:
• Outcomes of renter households and changes in rental housing dynamics in areas impacted by disasters.
• How disaster recovery programs funded through CDBG-DR impacts renters.
• Lessons learned for future recovery efforts.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
30-Day Notice Study of Post-Disaster Outcomes of Renter Households and Rental Housing (CDBG-DR).pdf
OMB Clearance_Appendix A.docx
Focus groups – Private sector employees