WASHINGTON – Today, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Earth Week initiatives, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new actions helping support communities to increase resilience to extreme heat. For the first time in its history, HUD published a webpage on Extreme Heat that serves as a hub highlighting actions communities can take to prepare and respond to extreme heat events and available resources to help fund climate resilience projects. HUD also shared two new technical assistance products, an Extreme Heat Quick Guide, to help communities plan for extreme heat and identify mitigation strategies, and a webinar on Extreme Heat and Cold, focused on community resilience. In addition, HUD will hold a stakeholder briefing on extreme heat on May 23, 2024.

“Extreme heat affects all of us. Historically underserved communities are even more vulnerable.” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “At HUD, our priority is to increase awareness about the dangers of extreme heat and support local and state leaders as well all respond to this climate hazard.”

HUD is partnering with over 20 Federal agencies to participate in the National Integrated Heat Health Information System to build awareness about the dangers of extreme heat and develop solutions to reduce the negative impacts of extreme heat on communities throughout the country.

Last week, HUD joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to announce a plan to map urban heat islands across 14 American communities. HUD also hosted a roundtable in Puerto Rico to highlight climate resilience funding opportunities in the region. Importantly, much of HUD’s work serving low-income families aligns with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative ensuring historically marginalized communities benefit from Federal investment.

These actions represent only the first element of announcements to come on HUD’s actions to address extreme heat.