Sneak Preview: Collection of Data on CDBG-DR Applicants Urged
(The following was excerpted from Thompson Grants Compliance Expert article.) Although the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) currently collects vulnerable population data from Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery grantees (i.e., states, territories) on individuals who receive help under the program, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) called for the agency to require grantees to collect additional information, including data from individuals who apply for but do not receive funding, to better meet federal priorities to promote equity for underserved populations and accountability in distributing federal funding.
CDBG-DR funds provide significant, flexible federal recovery funding for states and localities affected by disasters, and allocations can be used for unmet needs related to housing, economic revitalization and infrastructure. Grantees are directed to demonstrate how their programs will promote housing for vulnerable populations such as racial minorities, the elderly or persons with disabilities. Recipients generally must spend 70% of their funds on low- and moderate-income people.
GAO notes that HUD does not collect and analyze key demographic data needed to assess the extent of service to vulnerable populations, and simply requires that CDBG-DR grantees report on selected data (e.g., race and ethnicity; the gender of single-headed households) for those served by activities that directly benefit from the funds. However, HUD only requires grantees to report on this data for those individuals who receive assistance, not on those who apply. After conducting a sample of six CDBG-DR grantees, GAO found that these recipients gathered additional demographic information on both applicants and those actually served, including age, disability status and primary language.
In addition, GAO noted that the Biden administration in March 2021 issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13985, which called for increased equity in federal funding that focuses on underserved communities, noting that many federal datasets are not disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability, income, veteran status or other key demographic variables. The executive order also requires agencies to select programs and policies for a review that will assess whether underserved communities face systemic barriers in accessing benefits and determine whether opportunities are available pursuant to those policies and programs.
(The full version of this story has now been made available to all for a limited time here.)
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