Emergency Shelter Grants Program Fact Sheet

This fact sheet provides an overview of important information related to the Emergency Shelter Grants Program. For more detailed guidance, please select Additional Information.

Purpose
Beneficiaries
Eligible Applicants
Eligible Activities
Grant Size and Duration
Requirements and Responsibilities
Availability
Schedule/Process
Additional Information

Purpose

Designed as the first step in the Continuum of Care, the Emergency Shelter Grants Program provides funds for emergency shelters — immediate alternatives to the street — and transitional housing that helps people reach independent living. Grantees use Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds to rehabilitate and operate these facilities, provide essential social services, and prevent homelessness.

Beneficiaries

The Emergency Shelter Grants Program strives to help homeless individuals and families, and subpopulations within this group, such as victims of domestic violence, youth, people with mental illness, families with children and veterans. Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds can also be used to aid people who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoff.

Eligible Applicants

The governments of States, large cities, urban counties, and U.S. territories are all eligible to participate in the Emergency Shelter Grants Program. Once they become grantees, these jurisdictions distribute Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds to recipients (local governmental agencies or private nonprofit organizations), who are then responsible for directly implementing eligible activities.

Eligible Activities

Renovation/Rehabilitation or Conversion. The renovation, major rehabilitation, or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters or transitional housing for the homeless. Renovated buildings must be used as shelters for 3 years, and a major rehabilitation or conversion project involves a 10-year commitment.

Social Services. The provision of essential social services, including case management, physical and mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, and childcare (not to exceed 30 percent of the total grant, unless waived by the HUD Secretary).

Operating Costs. The payment of shelter operational costs, such as rent, maintenance, security, insurance, utilities, and furnishings (management staff costs not to exceed 10 percent of the total grant).

Homeless Prevention. The development and implementation of homeless prevention activities, such as short-term and first-month's rent, eviction or foreclosure assistance, utility payments, security deposits, landlord-tenant mediation, and tenant legal services (not to exceed 30 percent of the total grant).

Grant Administration. Grant administration (not to exceed 5 percent of the total grant).

Please note: The acquisition or new construction of real property, staff recruitment, or training, fundraising, and direct payments to individuals are ineligible activities.

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Grant Size and Duration

The Emergency Shelter Grants Program allocates funds based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) formula, which measures community needs based on poverty levels, population, growth lag, overcrowding in housing, and the age of housing. Emergency Shelter Grants must be spent within 2 years of executing the grant agreement.

Requirements and Responsibilities

Both Emergency Shelter Grants Program grantees and recipients must:

  • Keep accurate records of all activities.
  • Promote proper financial management (e.g., fund usage, timeliness, procurement, accounting controls).
  • Enable homeless persons to participate in policy making.
  • Ensure confidentiality and basic habitability standards.
  • Comply with all applicable Federal requirements (e.g., nondiscrimination and equal opportunity, property management standards, conflict of interest, etc.).

Grantees are required to monitor the performance of Emergency Shelter Grants Program recipients. Monitoring can include program report reviews, telephone consultations, and onsite assessments.

Availability

The Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds are allocated to State and local governments by formula. Emergency Shelter Grants Program grantees may issue requests for proposals that require potential recipient agencies and nonprofit organizations to compete for Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds.

Schedule/Process

HUD notifies eligible jurisdictions of funding availability (generally before the start of the calendar year).

Eligible jurisdictions prepare and submit their consolidated plans, which must state how they will provide suitable solutions for homeless persons and expand economic opportunities within their communities.

These consolidated plans must be formally approved before HUD can enter into grant agreements with eligible jurisdictions.

  1. Grantees obligate Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds to recipients (local government agencies or nonprofit organizations).
  2. Grantees execute subgrant agreements with Emergency Shelter Grants Program funding recipients.
  3. Recipients request Emergency Shelter Grants Program funding from grantees (usually for costs already incurred).
  4. Grantees draw down Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds and reimburse recipients.

Additional Information

For more detailed information about the Emergency Shelter Grants Program, please visit the following sources:

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