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 Buffalo $1,160,317 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding on September 22, 2025, under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (CFDA 14.231), a formula grant program supporting rapid housing stability for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing crises.

ESG funds support five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter operations, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) activities. The city may also use funds for administrative expenses. Activities funded under this award include engagement of homeless individuals and families living on the street; rehabilitation or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelter; payment of expenses related to operating emergency shelters; provision of essential services to shelter residents; and rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention assistance through housing relocation, stabilization services, and rental assistance.

The award period runs through September 21, 2027, with place of performance in Buffalo, New York. This is one of multiple ESG awards Buffalo has received; the city has drawn over $2.3 million in ESG formula grants since 2023 to address homelessness across the same program components.

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.