New HUD info, especially on CDBG, HOME

The HUD Hurricane Katrina Resource Page has placed some new links under the "HUD Information" heading with what genuinely seems to be substantial new information. Included among these items are waivers and instructions for the disaster-relief use of HOME and CDBG funds.

Here's what looks new:

- A link labeled "CPD Waivers" goes to this page, which in turn links to the following:

1) A document signed Sept. 5, 2005 by Assistant Secretary Pamela H. Patenaude, waiving public comment period requirements for amending CDBG consolidated plans in light of the Katrina disaster.

2) Another waiver signed Sept. 5 by Patenaude waiving the CDBG public service expenditure cap, which means that CDBG grantees serving disaster victims can spend more than the statutorily limited 15% of their existing grant money on "...costs, such as the provision of food, temporary shelter and related services..."

3) A five-page combined guidance and waiver document from Patenaude, dated Sept. 9, on use of HOME funds for disaster relief. It recommends that "receiving communities" should prepare vacant HOME rental units "for immediate occupancy by evacuees" and offers "guidance on using vacant HOME units and HOME tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) to assist evacuees. It also waives certain HOME regulatory provisions..." The waivers consist of the following:

a) A (possibly redundant?) waiver of the Consolidated Plan public comment requirements.

b) A waiver allowing landlords to take tenants' words for their income information without going to "source documentation" that may be underwater, provided the tenants register with FEMA within 60 days.

c) A one-year waiver of HOME TBRA rent standards, apparently allowing public subsidies to run higher than the usually required amount, which is "the difference between the rent standard and 30% of the families [sic] adjusted income."

d) A waiver of the usual Housing Quality Standards under 24 CFR 982.401, provided units meet state and local health and safety codes within 30 days, except that lead paint safety standards still apply.

...beyond which there is quite a bit more detail in this document for HOME rental housing people.

Also newly linked from the HUD Katrina page:

- A one-page PDF flyer for the use of disaster victims who have lost their own housing.

- HUD's Disaster Recovery Assistance page with a new "Community Planning and Development Resources" heading that has links to the password-protected HUD/CPD Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting System plus two public pages with 2003 revision dates on "Using CDBG and HOME Funds for Disaster Recovery" and on "CDBG Disaster Recovery Assistance."

- A copy of the HUD disaster instructions to housing authorities on Sec. 8 that became available indirectly to the public at PHADA and elsewhere a few days ago.

- An apparently new page with instructions to displaced public housing and voucher tenants.

- A new form captioned "Hurricane Katrina Verification of Family Assistance" that is described on the link as "Temporary Voucher/ Public Housing Certification Form."

September 9 is given as the date of the most recent update for the main HUD Katrina page, but in that case these new items must have been posted quite late in the day yesterday.