HUD Announces RUSH Funding to Prevent or Address Homelessness After Maui Wildfires
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $6.9 million in Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) funding to the state of Hawai’i to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have needs not being met by existing federal disaster relief programs.
This is a second allocation of RUSH funding to help communities in Maui recover from the devastating wildfires; HUD provided $1.3 million in August. The eligible activities for this funding include:
- For people experiencing homelessness: emergency shelter; rapid rehousing, which provides up to 24 months of rental assistance, financial assistance for move-in costs, and supportive services
- For people at risk of homelessness: homelessness prevention, which provides up to 24 months of rental assistance, utility assistance, and supportive services; and outreach assistance
In addition to RUSH funding, HUD will continue to provide remote and on-the-ground technical assistance to help Hawai’i, impacted communities, and homeless assistance providers better serve people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Hawaii is also one of the eight states selected to receive federal technical assistance through the HHS-HUD Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator, which aims to help states expand services to make it easier for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness with complex medical needs to get and/or keep stable housing.