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 awarded the City of Worcester $374,524 under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (CFDA 14.231) on September 25, 2025.

The ESG program authorizes funding for five components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and homeless management information system (HMIS) operations. Eligible activities include rehabilitation or conversion of buildings for emergency shelter, operating expenses for emergency shelters, essential services to shelter residents and unsheltered individuals, homelessness prevention assistance, and rapid re-housing support to help individuals and families quickly regain permanent housing stability after experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. Recipients may also use funds for administrative activities as set forth in 24 CFR 576.101–576.107.

The City of Worcester, operating through its City Manager's Office, serves as the recipient and will direct funds to support homeless services and housing stabilization activities within Worcester, Massachusetts. The award covers the period of performance from September 25, 2025, through September 24, 2027. This is a formula grant, with allocations determined according to regulatory criteria rather than competitive application.

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.