Welcome to HUD’s Office of Housing environmental review resources page. This page contains links to the Office of Housing’s environmental review guidance and resources.
An environmental review is the process of reviewing a project and its potential environmental impacts to determine whether it meets federal, state, and local environmental standards. The environmental review process is required for all HUD-assisted and insured Office of Housing projects to ensure that the proposed project does not negatively impact the surrounding environment, and that the property site itself will not have an adverse environmental or health effect on residents.
HUD’s Office of Environment and Energy (OEE) manages the overall environmental review process for HUD. You will find an overview of HUD environmental requirements on the Environmental Review page.
The Office of Residential Care Facilities (ORCF) published Mortgagee Letter 2021-10 on March 30, 2021, extending temporary revisions to underwriting standard processes for third-party and lender site inspections as a result of the COVID-19 National Emergency previously detailed in ML 2020-15.
Date Published: March 30, 2021
COVID-19 Questions and Answers for Office of Multifamily Housing Stakeholders
This document provides questions and answers for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Multifamily and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) stakeholders on topics including Phase I reports, radon, asbestos and LBP tests, Section 106 consultation, and HUD staff site visits.
Date Published: May 21, 2020
HEROS Guidance for ORCF Partners
This document provides instructions to consultants and lenders assisting with environmental reviews for the Office of Residential Care Facilities, Section 232 FHA-insured projects.
Date Published: April 2020
HEROS Guidance for Multifamily FHA Partners
Date Published: November 2019
Date Published: October 2019
HEROS Guidance for 223(a)(7) and CENST 223(f) Projects
Date Published: August 2019
HEROS Guidance for RAD Partners
Date Published: April 2018
This Notice clarifies the difference between maintenance and repair for compliance with HUD's environmental regulations, 24 CFR Parts 50 and 58. It applies to all HUD program offices – CPD, Housing, and PIH. The Notice supersedes and replaces the March 28, 2006 CPD policy memorandum on the subject.
Date Published: February 2016
This Notice reconciles the approach to balconies within the Department's regulatory constraints in 24 CFR Part 51 Subpart B, Noise and Abatement and Control, and clarifies compliance.
Date Published: December 2016
Comprehensive Guide: Using HEROS as a Section 202/811 Applicant
View detailed instructions for applicants and third-party providers assisting HUD with Part 50 environmental reviews for Section 202 and Section 811.
Environmental reviews for Section 202 or 811 applications are performed in two stages:
Additional information can be found in the 2019 Section 202 NOFA and the 2019 Section 811 NOFA.
To register for HEROS, complete the HEROS Access Form:
Please allow at least two weeks for registration to be processed.
Visit the HEROS Login page to sign into HEROS. If prompted:
HEROS Page: HEROS instructional videos and FAQs
Email 202CapitalAdvanceNOFA@hud.gov or 811CapitalAdvanceNOFA@hud.gov (811 Capital Advance NOFA) for HEROS technical questions.
Applicants who choose not to use HEROS at the application review stage must submit the following partner worksheets, including associated maps and documentation, at the time of application. If the application is selected for funding, HUD will require the applicant to input this information into HEROS.
Noise (CEST) (for existing projects) OR Noise (EA) (for new construction)
Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) is designed to establish national standards for approved lenders to prepare, process and submit loan applications for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily mortgage insurance. This MAP Guide provides guidance for HUD staff, lenders, third party consultants, borrowers, and other industry partners. Topics include mortgage insurance program descriptions, borrower and lender eligibility requirements, application requirements, underwriting standards for all technical disciplines and construction loan administration requirements. The MAP Guide only applies to FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs. Except to the extent lender monitoring or enforcement activities overlap, Section 232 and other programs administered by the Office of Healthcare Programs are not addressed by the MAP Guide. Chapter Nine of the Guide is dedicated to environmental review and requirements.
2016 and older Map Guide versions
Date Published: December 2020
Healthcare Mortgage Insurance Program Handbook
This Handbook is intended as a comprehensive guide to the Section 232 Program, and supersedes prior handbook or other guidance specifically on the Section 232 Program, consistent with statutory and regulatory requirements. Handbook chapters may include appendices which list the most recently published transactional documents, but the Handbook also covers transactions for which earlier versions of the documents were used and are in force. There may also be instances where existing guidance (particularly related to Borrower audited financial statement matters), references “Multifamily Housing”, because the guidance was issued at a time when the Section 232 Program was a part of the Office of Multifamily Housing, and thus is still applicable to Section 232 Projects. If a particular Section 232 program matter is not addressed in this Handbook, and appears in other guidance, questions regarding applicability may be raised with the Office of Residential Care Facilities (ORCF). Chapter Seven of the Handbook is dedicated to environmental review.
Date Published: January 2017
232 LEAN Environmental Review Webpage
The ORCF Environmental Resource page provides useful website links related to the environmental review process.
RAD Environmental Review Guidance
This document outlines how to perform environmental reviews for Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) transactions. This guidance is intended for RAD Awardees, Responsible Entities, and HUD staff involved in the environmental review process, and describes the steps that all parties will take to complete environmental reviews for RAD transactions. Environmental review procedures for RAD transactions will vary depending on whether the transaction is using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance and whether the transaction is converting to Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) or Project-Based Vouchers (PBV).
Date Published: January 2020
Site-Specific Environmental Review Form for Part 50 RAD Conversions
This site-specific form is part of a larger programmatic environmental review for RAD conversions without physical activities beyond routine maintenance. This form should be used only to initiate site-specific environmental reviews for RAD transactions without FHA insurance that do not anticipate any reasonably foreseeable repairs or other physical activities beyond maintenance where HUD is conducting the environmental review following the procedures established in 24 CFR Part 50. It is available for use on RAD conversions from any prior form of assistance, including for Public Housing, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, Moderate Rehabilitation McKinney Vento Single Room Occupancy, Rent Supplement, Rental Assistance Payment, and Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts.
Date Published: February 2019
This notice sets forth the Department’s policies and procedures for transferring all or a portion of any remaining budget authority of a project-based Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract to one or more contracts under Section 8(bb)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (The Act) where the existing HAP contract is terminated by mutual agreement. This document includes environmental review guidance for these transfers.
Date Published: April 2015
Section 8 Renewal Policy Guidebook
Guidance for the Renewal of Project-Based Section 8 HAP contracts, including environmental review guidance.
Date Published: July 2017
Section 811 PRA Program Cooperative Agreement
The Section 811 PRA Program Cooperative Agreement outlines grantees requirements for this new program first implemented as a demonstration program in FY 2012. Environmental review requirements are under Exhibit 5 Program Guidelines, Section 215.
Housing Finance Agency Risk-Sharing Pilot Program Handbook (4590.1)
Section 542(c) provides credit enhancement for mortgages of multifamily housing projects whose loans are underwritten, processed, serviced, and disposed of by HFAs. HUD and HFAs share in the risk of the mortgage. This is the Office of Housing’s only FHA program under 24 CFR Part 58. Chapters 3 and 4 contain environmental review requirements.
This notice establishes the terms and conditions by which HUD will approve a request for the transfer of project-based rental assistance, debt held or insured by the Secretary, and statutorily required income-based use restrictions from one multifamily housing project to another (or between several such projects).
This page includes information on HEROS availability and HEROS training resources.
HUD's OEE 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 Access
Environmental review preparers for the Office of Housing may request HEROS access using the appropriate links below.
HEROS FAQs are updated quarterly with HEROS questions that come in during live webinars and through the Ask a Question Portal.
Environmental Review Training Webinars
These webinars, held by OEE, provide comprehensive information for grantees and staff on the various components of the environmental review process. All major topics are discussed by subject matter experts. All previously-held webinars are recorded and available for viewing.
HEROS Guidance for Multifamily Asset Management Projects
Date Published: October 2021
HEROS Guidance for ORCF Partners
This document provides instructions to consultants and lenders assisting with environmental reviews for the Office of Residential Care Facilities, Section 232 FHA-insured projects.
Date Published: April 2020
HEROS Guidance for Multifamily FHA Partners
Date Published: October 2021
HEROS Guidance for 223(a)(7) and CENST 223(f) Projects
Date Published: August 2019
HEROS Guidance for RAD Partners
Date Published: April 2018
HUD’s Office of Housing and OEE partnered to provide specific environmental training for Multifamily and Residential Care FHA Partners in FY 2020. OEE also provided training on the new Propane Tank updates to HUD’s Acceptable Separation Distance regulation. The links below will take you to the recorded trainings and related material.
HEROS Training for Multifamily and Healthcare FHA Partners Webinar
This webinar is intended to assist HUD FHA partners in registering and submitting environmental reviews in the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) in support of applications for HUD and FHA programs. This webinar is for consultants or lenders who prepare or view environmental reviews for Multifamily and Healthcare FHA programs.
Date Published: September 2020
24 CFR 51B Noise Abatement for Multifamily and Residential Care FHA Programs Webinar
This webinar is intended to assist HUD FHA partners who prepare noise assessments pursuant to HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 51 Subpart B for environmental review records under 24 CFR Part 50, in support of applications for HUD and FHA programs. This webinar is for consultants or lenders who prepare or view environmental reviews for FHA programs.
Date Published: August 2020
This webinar is intended to assist HUD FHA partners with Section 106 Historic Preservation submissions, in support of applications for HUD and FHA programs. This webinar is for consultants or lenders who prepare or view environmental reviews for FHA programs.
Date Published: July 2020
24 CFR Part 55 Floodplain Management for Multifamily and Residential Care FHA Programs Webinar
This webinar educated FHA partners on HUD’s Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection regulations at 24 CFR Part 55 implementing Executive Orders 11988 and 11990. This webinar is for consultants or lenders who prepare or view environmental reviews for FHA programs.
Date Published: May 2020
OEE Updates to HUD's ASD Requirements for Propane Tanks Webinar
This webinar increased HUD partner awareness of recent changes to HUD’s regulation at 24 CFR Part 51 Subpart C, excluding above-ground storage tanks of 1,000 gallons or less containing liquified petroleum gas or propane from the ASD requirements of that subpart.
Date Published: February 2020
Three-part Environmental Training for Multifamily FHA
This training provides an introduction to FHA Environmental Training and discusses site contamination. It also discusses the role of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, HUD’s general environmental regulations, and environmental review resources.
Date Published: July 2016
External HEROS Partner Training for RAD
HEROS is currently open to Transaction Managers (TMs) to complete RAD reviews. This training provides assistance for HUD partners using HEROS.
Date Published: February 2018
External HEROS Partner Training for FHA
FHA partners are now able to access Part 50 Environmental Reviews in HEROS. This webinar helps third-party consultants learn how to navigate through the HEROS system.
Date Published: May 2018
Multifamily Housing Radon Webinar
This webinar provides an overview of policies that incorporate radon testing and mitigation into HUD programs.
Date Published: June 2016
Web-Based Instructional System for Environmental Review (WISER)
WISER teaches grantees how to understand and address all aspects of the environmental review process required for all HUD-assisted projects. This set of self-paced online learning modules can be completed in any order. Each module includes its own learning assessment and opportunity for obtaining a certificate of completion.
Topics include:
Q: Can HUD provide examples of how to correctly aggregate Multifamily Federal Housing Administration (FHA) project activities to determine the scope of the environmental review?
A: View the Project Aggregation document.
Q: What types of environmental mitigation actions can be conditioned in the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) and at Firm Commitment?
A: View the Environmental Conditions at Firm document.
Q: What are the requirements for Underground Storage Tank (UST) Integrity Tests?
A: View the UST Tank Integrity Tests document.
Q: Where can I find the Section 106 Programmatic Agreements that apply to FHA multifamily and healthcare projects?
A: View the Part 50 Programmatic Agreements for Section 106 Historic Preservation document.
Q: HUD’s Noise regulations require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for new construction, conversion, or substantial rehabilitation projects at the Environmental Assessment (EA) level of review that have noise over 75 db (DNL). What are the options for processing an environmental review for this type of project and what information am I required to provide to HUD?
A: View the EIS Waiver for Noise over 75 Process document.
Q: Can HUD provide more detailed guidance about the pipeline, fall distance, and Acceptable Separation Distance requirements in the MAP Guide?
A: View the Acceptable Separation Distance Fall Hazards and Pipelines Fact Sheet.
Environmental Review News and Announcements
News and Announcements about the environmental review process.
Related Federal Environmental Laws and Authorities
Federal Laws and Authorities related to the environmental review process.
FAQs related to the environmental review process.
Environmental Review Resource Library
Resources, training materials, and reports related to the environmental review process.
Webpage for HUD's Office of Housing, which plays a vital role for the nation's homebuyers, homeowners, renters, and communities through its nationally administered programs.
HUD Exchange Environmental Review website
Webpage for the Office of Environment and Energy, which manages the environmental review process for HUD.
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
Webpage for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes program, which provides funds to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards. In addition, the office enforces HUD's lead-based paint regulations, provides public outreach and technical assistance, and conducts technical studies to help protect children and their families from health and safety hazards in the home.
Housing Program Environmental Clearance Officer
Sara Jensen
206-220-5226
Sara.Jensen@hud.gov
Housing Program Environmental Specialists
|
Name |
Housing Program |
Regional Coverage |
|
Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sara Jensen |
PECO |
National |
206-220-5226 |
|
|
Terry Bessette |
ORCF (Healthcare) |
National |
401-277-8312 |
|
|
Lillian Mano |
ORCF |
National |
202-402-6413 |
|
|
Rasheedah Dix |
ORCF |
National |
313-234-7389 |
|
|
Miki Webb |
ORCF Asset Management |
National |
312-913-8083 |
|
|
Stephan Thomatos |
Hospital Program |
National |
212-542-7854 |
|
|
Greg Byrne |
RAD |
National |
202-402-6436 |
|
|
Rick Shaw |
MF |
MF NE Region (HUD Regions 1-3) |
212-542-7930 |
|
|
Mark Marino |
MF |
MF SE Region (HUD Region 4) |
904-208-6042 |
|
|
Larry Hall |
MF |
MF SW Region (HUD Regions 6 and 7) |
913-551-5519 |
|
|
Shatorya Modkins |
MF |
MF SW Region (HUD Regions 6 and 7) |
817-978-5712 |
|
|
Bret Morgan |
MF |
MF West Region (HUD Regions 8, 9 and 10) |
312-913-8129 |
|
|
John Schneider |
MF |
MF Midwest Region (HUD Region 5) |
312-913-8129 |
|
|
Eric Golicz |
MF |
MF Midwest Region (HUD Region 5) |
313-234-7496 |
Regional and Field Environmental Officers
HUD has expert staff in locations around the country to assist persons involved in the environmental review of HUD-funded projects.