Supporting Local Climate Action
This page is designed to provide resources for grantees on how to use HUD funding to tackle climate change and build more resilient futures for communities.
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Community Resilience Toolkit
Use this toolkit to identify climate-related natural hazard risks; consider actions to enhance community resilience; and implement resilience actions using HUD funds and other innovative financing options.
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Climate Action Plan
HUD's Climate Action Plan, released in November 2021, details a comprehensive strategy to reduce the agency’s energy and carbon footprint and put our nation’s communities on the path to building more equitable, efficient, and sustainable housing infrastructure.
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Your Resilient Community
How Can Natural Hazard Risks Affect A Community?
The following hazards often lead to displacement of residents, interruption of pubic services, damage to buildings and infrasturucture, and injury, illness, and death.
- Sea level rise
- Erosion
- Extreme heat
- Landslides
- Drought
- Inland flooding
- Wildfire
What Does a Resilient Community Look Like?
The following are ideas of actions communities can take to mitigate natural hazards and increase community resilience.
- Living shorelines
- Elevating structures
- Elevating utilities
- Rain barrels
- Cool roofs
- Green roofs
- Bank stablization
- Vegetative buffers
- Setbacks
- Fire-resistant roofing and building materials
- Defensible zones
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Community Spotlight
Managing Stormwater Runoff with Park Design Features Emeryville, CA used multiple sources of federal, state, and local funding, including Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funds, to rehabilitate a brownfield into Doyle Hollis Park. The project incorporated many elements to manage site stormwater, including rain gardens, bathroom facilities with a green roof, and porous pavers. The park features signage to educate users about its unique stormwater management, and energy and water conservation elements. The site captures an estimated 85 percent of stormwater runoff.
Adjusting Freeboard Requirements in Coastal Zones Norfolk, VA regularly experiences coastal flooding which is being exacerbated by both sea level rise and land subsidence. Using regional sea level rise projections as a guide, the city passed an ordinance requiring that new structures in flood and coastal zones be built at least three feet above the 100-year floodplain. Existing structures that experience repeated significant flood damage must also be elevated to meet this standard.
Reducing Wildfire Risk in Urban Areas Colorado Springs, CO took several steps to mitigate and respond to wildfires after two destroyed 800 homes and resulted in four deaths between 2012 and 2013. The Colorado Springs Fire Department conducted wildfire hazard evaluations on more than 36,485 homes within the city’s wildland-urban interface. The city also provides support to homeowners to remove hazardous vegetation. In late 2012, Colorado Springs passed an ordinance with special wildfire mitigation requirements for structures in the Hillside Overlay zone. In 2014, the city issued a manual with improved construction practices to mitigate wildfire risk.