The emergency solutions grant (ESG) authorizes the department of housing and urban development (HUD) to make grants to states, units of general-purpose local government, and territories for the…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development awarded County of Hawaii $275,851 on September 19, 2025, under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (CFDA 14.231), a formula grant providing funding for street outreach, emergency shelter operations, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and homeless management information systems to help individuals and families regain permanent housing stability after experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis.

The award covers eligible activities including rehabilitation or conversion of buildings for emergency shelter use, operating expenses for emergency shelters, essential services for shelter residents and street-outreach clients, rapid re-housing assistance with housing relocation and stabilization services, and rental assistance to move homeless individuals and families into permanent housing. The recipient may also use funds for administrative activities and an HMIS operated in accordance with 24 CFR 576.101–576.107.

Performance takes place in Hilo, Hawaii with a period of performance through September 18, 2027. County of Hawaii acts as the prime recipient and administers ESG formula allocations for Hawaii Island's homeless services and housing-stability programs. ESG is a formula-based allocation program; formula awards may not be appealed, though disapproved plans may be resubmitted under 24 CFR 91.500.

Activities

ESG funds may be used for five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid RE-housing assistance, and homeless management information system (hmis). Funds can also be used for administrative activities. The five program components and the eligible activities that may be funded under each are set forth in 24 code of federal regulations (CFR) 576.101 through 576.107.

Expected outcomes

With ESG program funding, communities can engage homeless individuals and families living on the street, improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals/families, support the operation of emergency shelters, provide essential services to shelter residents, rapidly work to rehouse homeless individuals and families and prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

Intended beneficiaries

Eligible recipients of the ESG funds generally consist of metropolitan cities, urban counties, territories, and states, as defined in 24 CFR 576.2. The minimum eligibility criteria for ESG beneficiaries are as follows: for essential services related to street outreach, beneficiaries must meet the criteria under paragraph (1) (i) of the "homeless" definition under 576.2. For emergency shelter, beneficiaries must meet the "homeless" definition in 24 CFR 576.2. For essential services related to emergency shelter, beneficiaries must be "homeless" and staying in an emergency shelter (which could include a day shelter). For homelessness prevention assistance, beneficiaries must meet the requirements described in 24 CFR 576.103PAR. For rapid RE-housing assistance, beneficiaries must meet requirements described in 24 CFR 576.104. Further eligibility criteria may be established at the local level in accordance with 24 CFR 576.400(e).

Subrecipient activities

The subrecipient activities are unknown at the time of award.