A new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluates how HUD uses Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to serve vulnerable populations. GAO found that the CDBG-DR grantees interviewed for the study used funds to assist vulnerable populations. HUD, however, does not collect the necessary data to analyze the full extent to which grantees serve these populations. GAO recommended that HUD collect, analyze, and publish demographic data on both applicants for and recipients of assistance from CDBG-DR grantees. HUD neither agreed nor disagreed with GAO’s findings, but highlighted challenges with capacity, as well as an opportunity better utilize Census data for program evaluation.
GAO reviewed documentation from HUD and a sample of six CDBG-DR grantees. Grantees from Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands were chosen because they represented the four largest 2017 CDBG-DR grantees, while two grantees from Louisiana and New Jersey were selected because they were further into the implementation of their grants. HUD officials, other grantees, and organizations representing vulnerable population were also interviewed. GAO loosely defined vulnerable populations as including low- and moderate-income people, as well as the people of color, LGBTQ people, seniors, and people with disabilities.
HUD requires CDBG-DR funds to benefit low- and moderate-income people and other vulnerable populations. GAO found that the six grantees interviewed for the study met this requirement. All six of the grantees set aside a share of funds to address the unmet housing needs of low- and moderate-income people and other lower-income, vulnerable populations. Five grantees dedicated at least half of their funding to housing assistance. Housing assistance included a range of activities such as rehabilitating or reconstructing damaged homes, reimbursements for repair costs, buy outs for properties with repeated flooding, short and long-term rental assistance, and affordable housing construction.
CDBG-DR grantees are required to collect data about the number of low- and moderate-income people served, including gender, race, and ethnicity, and for activities that directly benefit households or individuals. GAO found all six grantees collected data on the income, gender, race, and ethnicity of both applicants for and recipients of housing assistance. Grantees also collected data on age, disability status, and sometimes language preference.
HUD, however, only collects some of these data from grantees, and the data are limited to people served by CDBG-DR grantees; data are not tracked on applicants. GAO recommended that HUD collect, analyze, and publish data on both applicants and recipients of assistance from CDBG-DR grantees, including additional data collected by grantees. Improved data collection would allow HUD and grantees to better asses how well they reach vulnerable populations with CDBG-DR funds. GAO also indicated this data would facilitate transparency and accountability in the delivery of CDBG-DR assistance.
HUD neither agreed nor disagreed with GAO’s recommendation but noted challenges for improving its data collection for CDBG-DR. HUD specifically identified a need for additional staffing, information infrastructure, and privacy protocols to implement GAO’s recommendation. HUD indicated it is also considering a pilot effort to develop dashboards combining CDBG-DR and U.S. Census Bureau data to better analyze the impacts of CDBG-DR funds.
Read the full report, highlights, and recommendations.