Drawdown Levels for the Initial Round of CARES Act Emergency Solutions Grants Were Minimal

We conducted this limited review to identify the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) drawdown levels for the initial round of Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funding. In addition, we researched information published by grantees on how they have used and will use their funds. Our objective was to highlight the grantees’ (1) drawdown levels for the initial round of ESG CARES Act funding and (2) published information on how the funds have and will be used. Our review determined that as of July 1, 2020, the ESG CARES Act drawdown levels for the initial round of funding of $1 billion had been minimal. In addition, a majority of grantees in our sample had not elected to waive their citizen participation plans or indicated whether they would use their consultation waiver, and many had not published their planned uses of the funds. We did not make any recommendations to HUD.