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GAO’s recommendations database contains report recommendations that still need to be addressed. GAO’s priority recommendations are those that we believe warrant priority attention. We sent letters to the heads of key departments and agencies, urging them to continue focusing on these issues. Below you can search only priority recommendations, or search all recommendations.

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As of October 25, 2020, there are 4812 open recommendations, of which 473 are priority recommendations. Recommendations remain open until they are designated as Closed-implemented or Closed-not implemented.

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Subject Term: "Community development programs"

1 publication with a total of 1 open recommendation
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Disaster Assistance: Federal Assistance for Permanent Housing Primarily Benefited Homeowners; Opportunities Exist to Better Target Rental Housing Needs
GAO-10-17, Jan 14, 2010
Director: Scire, Mathew J
Phone: (202)512-6794

1 open recommendations
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Recommendation: To the extent that the CDBG program continues to be the primary vehicle used to provide post-disaster assistance for permanent housing, Congress may wish to consider providing more specific direction regarding the distribution of disaster-related CDBG assistance that states are to provide for homeowners and renters. If Congress wishes to change the proportion of assistance directed to homeowners and rental property owners in future recovery efforts, Congress could, for example, require states to demonstrate to HUD that they are adequately addressing the needs of both homeowners and renters with their CDBG allocation and other resources as a condition for receiving funds. Alternatively, Congress could direct HUD to develop a formula that accounts for the housing needs of both homeowners and renters. Such a formula could be used by states to determine the proportions of their disaster CDBG funds that should be used for housing, specifically rental housing. Further, the formula could also reflect the anticipated production levels of other programs that provide permanent housing assistance, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Agency: Congress
Status: Open

Comments: Since 1993, Congress has appropriated Community Development Block-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding in the wake of numerous presidentially-declared disasters, including, most recently, $2.431 billion in Public Law 116-20, the majority of which amount is for disasters that occurred in 2018 and 2019. Similar to previous CDBG-DR appropriations, the CDBG-DR appropriation in Public Law 116-20, enacted June 6, 2019, neither requires states to demonstrate to HUD that they adequately addressed the needs of both homeowners and renters nor, alternatively, directs HUD to develop a formula that accounts for the housing needs of both homeowners and renters. A bill introduced and reported out of committee in the 115th Congress, HR 4557, required HUD to disapprove a state action plan that detailed a grantee's use of funds if, among other reasons, the plan did not provide an equitable allocation of resources among homeowners, renters, and persons experiencing homelessness. A draft bill, whose provisions were essentially identical to HR 4557, was the focus of a hearing during the 116th Congress.