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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 2 augusT 2022

Harris to announce $1B to states for floods, extreme heat

By MATTHEW DALY ris said Monday that disas- Florida International Univer-
Associated Press ters such as the Kentucky sity, where she is expected
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice flood and California wild- to announce grants to
President Kamala Harris fires show "how immediate, defend against extreme
called climate change an how current and how ur- weather events across the
"immediate" and "urgent" gent the issue is of address- country.
crisis Monday as she de- ing the extreme weather President Joe Biden an-
tailed Biden administration that we've been experi- nounced last month that
efforts to respond to disas- encing around the country the administration will
ters such as deadly flood- and the world.'' spend $2.3 billion to help
ing in Kentucky and wild- In 2021, the United States communities cope with
fires ravaging her home experienced 20 climate- soaring temperatures
state of California. related disasters that each through programs admin-
Harris was set to announce caused over $1 billion in istered by FEMA, the De-
more than $1 billion in damage, Harris said, citing partment of Health and
grants available to states a report by the National Human Services and other
to address flooding and ex- Oceanic and Atmospheric agencies. The move dou-
treme heat exacerbated Administration. There were bles spending on the Build-
by climate change. The about six such disasters per Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the National Hurricane ing Resilient Infrastructure
competitive grants will help year in the 1990s."The fre- Center, Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, in Miami. and Communities, or BRIC,
communities across the quency has accelerated Associated Press program, which supports
nation prepare for and re- in a relatively short period states, local communities,
spond to climate-related of time," Harris said. "The The White House is lead- our ability to do something tribes and territories on proj-
disasters. science is clear. Extreme ing a government-wide about it," she said. ects to reduce climate-re-
Visiting the National Hur- weather will only get worse, response to climate disas- The vice president was at lated hazards and prepare
ricane Center before the and the climate crisis will ters that "recognizes the ur- the hurricane center for for natural disasters such as
grant announcement, Har- only accelerate.'' gency of this moment and a briefing before visiting floods and wildfires.q

HUD announces $2.8 billion in grants for homeless services

By ASHRAF KHALIL ing are due to HUD bySept. LGTBQ+ individuals. Ac-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 29. cess to the Continuum of
Department of Housing A HUD statement announc- Care funding will also be
and Urban Development is ing the funding said that expanded to welcome
providing $2.8 billion in fresh existing Continuum of Care applicants from Native
funding for homeless servic- participants can "renew American tribes and inter-
es organizations across the existing projects, apply for nal tribal housing support
country. new projects and to reallo- programs.
The funding, announced cate resources from lower HUD Secretary Marcia
Monday, will be allocat- performing projects to bet- Fudge said in a statement
ed via competitive bids ter serve people experienc- that the new funding "will
through HUD's Continuum ing homelessness." help more Americans ex-
of Care Program, the larg- The announcement speci- periencing homelessness
est source of federal grant fies that the new funding will move into homes and ac-
support to housing and ser- prioritize services for home- cess critical supportive ser-
vices programs for people less youth and for "survivors vices like health care, edu-
experiencing homeless- of domestic violence, dat- cation, and job training."
ness. ing violence, sexual assault, Fudge added that the People try to keep cool at the Justa Center, a resource center
catering to the older homeless population, as temperatures hit
HUD funds approximately and stalking." Biden administration seeks 110-degrees, July 19, 2022, in Phoenix.
7,000 homeless services Other priorities in the fund- to "prioritize equity in home- Associated Press
projects annually through ing include an emphasis lessness efforts and the hu-
the program. Applications on racial equity and anti- mane treatment of people homelessness, and the will help communities do
for the new round of fund- discrimination polices for experiencing unsheltered funding announced today just that."q