Plan

HUD Community Resilience Toolkit

Summary

The HUD Community Resilience Toolkit is a user-friendly guide to help recipients of HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) funds identify opportunities to use their CPD dollars to mitigate the impacts of natural related hazards. The toolkit is divided into 6 separate sections, each related to a specific natural hazard. Each section provides an overview of the natural hazard as well as suggestions for different mitigation techniques that are eligible under different CPD programs. Additionally, the toolkit has a financing section with other funding opportunities for resilience projects. The toolkit also includes a helpful infographic highlighting how different natural hazard risks can affect communities and what a resilient community could look like. The toolkit is easy to use and will help recipients of CPD funds learn how current and future natural hazard risks may impact their community and actions they can take to reduce those risks.

Year
2024

Details

Hazards Addressed
Drought
Erosion and Shoreline Recession
Extreme Heat
Flooding – Coastal
Flooding – General
Wildfire
Assets
Energy and Utilities
Multiple or All Assets
People
Property
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Lessons Learned

These coastal, inland, urban, and rural areas depict examples of actions communities can take to increase their resilience to climate-related natural hazards. Explore the actions to generate ideas on how to increase your community's resilience:

  • Elevating structures reduces the impacts of sea level rise and coastal storms.
  • Elevating utilities or other mechanical devices reduces the impacts of sea level rise and coastal storms.
  • Rain barrels are a supplemental water source for onsite irrigation in drought and non-drought conditions.
  • Cool roofs decrease indoor building temperatures and reduce cooling costs.
  • Green roofs decrease roof temperatures by providing shade and removing heat from the air.
  • Setbacks limit development in areas at-risk of erosion, landslides, or flooding.
  • Fire-resistant roofing and building materials help structures withstand wildfires.
  • Living shorelines use structural and organic materials such as wetland plants, aquatic vegetation, and oyster reefs to reduce erosion, manage water flow, stabilize steep slopes, and trap sediment.
  • Drought-tolerant plant species reduce dependence on irrigation.
  • Permeable pavement allows rain and snowmelt to seep through the surface to mitigate both drought and flooding.
  • Bank stabilization, including the use of natural vegetation, reduces erosion.
  • Vegetative buffers around streams and channels absorb and manage stormwater runoff.
  • Defensible zones around buildings – clear of vegetation, debris, and other combustible materials – slow the spread of wildfire.

Options Used

Regulate new development and mitigate old construction in wildfire hazard areas, especially in the urban growth boundary. Identify and promote programs that can help residents access air conditioning during periods of extreme heat, such as fan and AC unit distribution programs. Work with community organizations to conduct outreach to vulnerable populations during extreme heat events.

Steps to Resilience

Get Started
Understand Exposure
Assess Vulnerability & Risk
Investigate Options
Prioritize & Plan
Take Action

Plans

HUD Community Resilience Toolkit

Organizations to Contact

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Relevant Options

Work with utility companies to increase energy sources that do not depend on water. Maintain hydroelectric generating capacity, if possible. If not possible, switch to pumped storage hydropower or deconstruction to allow for river restoration efforts.
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