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 the City of South Bend $203,933 under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (CFDA 14.231) on September 17, 2025, for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing services.

ESG funds support five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) operations, plus eligible administrative activities. The city may use these funds to engage homeless individuals and families living on the street, improve emergency shelters, operate shelters, provide essential services to shelter residents, rapidly rehouse homeless individuals and families, and prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

The award obligates $203,933, with performance through September 16, 2027, in South Bend, Indiana. This is a formula grant to a metropolitan city, allocated according to statutory criteria under 24 CFR 576.2. The City of South Bend, as a local government entity, receives ESG as direct funding; the city does not pass funds through to sub-recipients under this award. Eligible activities are defined in 24 CFR 576.101 through 576.107. Records must be retained for the greater of five years or the period specified under 24 CFR 576.500(y).

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.