HUD's Office of Environment and Energy has developed an online system for developing, documenting, and managing environmental reviews. It covers all levels of environmental reviews for both Part 50 and Part 58 projects and includes on-screen guidance for completing HUD environmental reviews.
HEROS Availability
HEROS is currently available for staff of CPD entitlement communities (Responsible Entities - REs) in all regions. If you work for a CPD entitlement and would like to request HEROS access, please contact your Field or Regional Environmental Office. Include in your email the information in the HEROS Access Chart.
HEROS is only available to responsible entities, grantees, applicants, consultants or users working with state-administered, Native American, or Public Housing on a programmatic basis (see below for more information). For further information, submit a question to Ask a Question under Environmental Review.
The following list provides information on the Part 58 programs for which Responsible Entities may now complete environmental reviews in HEROS:
- CDBG (including CDBG-DR and Section 108): HEROS is open to CPD entitlement staff to complete all environmental reviews for CDBG funded activities.
- HOME: HEROS is open to CPD entitlement staff to complete all environmental reviews for HOME funded activities.
- CoC: Because of the specialized "limited scope" forms that were developed for leasing and rental assistance projects funded by the CoC program, which are not HEROS-compatible, using HEROS to complete reviews for CoC projects is not recommended. As with all Part 58 CPD Programs, HEROS may be used on an optional basis.
- SHOP: Part 58 SHOP Reviews can be entered into HEROS at this time, but please note that SHOP grantees do not yet have access to HEROS. Grantees are encouraged to submit information using HEROS-compatible worksheets posted on the HUD Exchange.
- Public and Indian Housing (PIH) programs: HEROS can be used by entitlement REs who complete environmental reviews for Public Housing projects, as long as the necessary HUD PIH staff have HEROS access to certify the review. HEROS is not available to PHA users and other non-entitlement users for Public Housing projects at this time. HUD anticipates Part 58 PIH rollout for PHAs and other partner users to begin in Fall 2018.
- Office of Native American Programs (ONAP): HUD is conducting an ONAP HEROS pilot during the Summer of 2018 and early Fall. HEROS is only open to ONAP pilot participants at this time. HUD anticipates HEROS rollout for all ONAP users to begin in November 2018.
HEROS is available for HUD Staff to prepare Part 50 environmental reviews for the following programs:
- CPD Programs: CPD staff is required to use HEROS to complete Part 50 reviews for CPD Programs (including CoC for leasing and rental assistance). Note that nonprofit grantees may not yet get access to HEROS to assist HUD with these reviews, but they are encouraged to submit information using HEROS-partner worksheets posted on the HUD Exchange.
- RAD: HEROS is currently open to Transaction Managers (TMs) to complete RAD reviews. TMs are required to use HEROS to complete all their Part 50 reviews.
- Multifamily programs: Multifamily staff is required to use HEROS to complete all environmental reviews prepared following the Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Guide, revised in May 2016.
- Healthcare Programs: Healthcare staff is required to use HEROS to complete all environmental reviews prepared following Chapter 7 of the Healthcare Mortgage Insurance Program Handbook (4232.1), revised in January 2017. Note that Healthcare partner users cannot yet access HEROS but can assist HUD staff complete environmental reviews by submitting HEROS-partner worksheets with applications.
- Public and Indian Housing (PIH) programs: PIH staff is required to use HEROS to complete Part 50 reviews for PIH programs (excluding ONAP).
HEROS is available for Partner Users (e.g. consultants, lenders, PHAs, applicants, and other recipients) to prepare environmental reviews for the following programs:
- Multifamily Programs: HEROS is available to lenders and consultants completing FHA Multifamily environmental reviews. Please work with your HUD Program contact to get HEROS access. Partner users who do not yet have HEROS access can assist HUD staff complete environmental reviews by submitting HEROS-partner worksheets with applications.
- RAD: HEROS is available to consultants and PHAs completing Part 50 reviews for the RAD program. Please work with your HUD Program contact to request HEROS access.
- ONAP: HEROS is only available to consultants, TDHEs, and PHAs completing ONAP environmental reviews as part of the Summer 2018 pilot program. HUD anticipates HEROS rollout for all ONAP partners to begin in November 2018.
- CPD Programs: HEROS is not available to consultants and other non-RE recipients for CPD Programs at this time. HUD anticipates HEROS rollout for CPD partners to begin in late Summer 2018.
HUD staff who require HEROS access should work with their program office to request access.
Environmental Review Records
HEROS increases transparency of environmental reviews by posting them on the HUD Exchange for public review. Environmental assessments and categorically excluded projects completed through HEROS are posted online during public comment periods and archived for a year after completion.
Search Environmental Review Records
HEROS Training Resources
A suite of HEROS training materials are available for Responsible Entity users and HUD staff:
- The HEROS Part 58 User Guide provides information on how to use HEROS. The pdf provides screenshots, and links through out the document that link to the next chronological screen in HEROS.
- The HEROS “How to” videos (formerly e-tutorials) are prerecorded videos that are brief, topic-specific tutorials that demonstrate how to use HEROS. There are twenty videos in total, and they range in time from three to seven minutes. You can watch them as you work through different parts of HEROS, or play them all at once.
- The HEROS Q&A Webinar Sessions are held quarterly and provides the opportunity for participants to ask and answer questions regarding the use of HEROS.
- The HEROS FAQs are updated quarterly with HEROS questions that come in during live webinars and through the AAQ Portal. See information about submitting questions below, keep your questions coming!
Questions?
If you are experiencing a technical problem with HEROS or have a question about using the system you can submit a question through Ask a Question by selecting My question is related to "Environmental Review and HEROS."