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As an elected or appointed local official, residents will look to you to guide them through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. Transparency and regular communication — from the unmet needs assessment to program closeout — are key in educating your citizens about program rules and regulations, and in demonstrating the tangible disaster recovery efforts being made to return the community to normalcy.

IBTS CDBG-DR program experts offer the following advice to local leaders on engaging and communicating effectively with the entire community.

At the start of program implementation, notify residents of where they can find information moving forward.

• The main source of public information will come from your CDBG-DR Program website.
• Email blasts and social media posts are great for letting residents know about the website and other sources of information available as the program progresses.

Send information out with water or utility bills.

• Consider partnering with your local utility company to send out information at the start of the program. This can include material on eligibility requirements, how to apply, and where to find additional information throughout the program.

Use existing social media accounts to issue notices and updates.

• Your locality’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other accounts likely already have a following and are known sources of information to the community.
• Use them to encourage residents to submit data about their unmet needs, comment on your Action Plan, and attend public informational meetings.

Hang flyers and distribute informational pamphlets.

• Distribute pamphlets and applications directly to residents or partner with local organizations, such as faith-based groups, who can distribute the information to their members.
• Consider setting up a table outside of a religious service or grocery store to distribute pamphlets. Have applications that can be completed on site, and a case manager on hand to answer questions.

Hold as many public meetings as you see fit.

• Although HUD typically requires grantees to hold a public hearing for comment on the Action Plan and any subsequent substantial amendments, consider also holding public meetings at program milestones to update the community on progress and answer questions.
• Be sure to accommodate the public by holding hearings and meetings in a centralized location outside of regular work hours.
• Check the Federal Register notice issued for your CDBG-DR allocation to find the public hearing requirements for your program.

Consider using consultants to assist in developing public-facing materials.

• Disaster recovery program consultants, such as IBTS, can help develop accurate and easy-to-understand informational material. Consultants can also attend public hearings and meetings to answer questions from community members.
• PR firms can help develop and distribute press releases and other public facing material. They can also ensure that the government is sending a consistent message about the CDBG-DR program and overall recovery efforts.

Be sure to offer options for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals and residents with disabilities.

• Not only is this a HUD requirement, but it helps define the unmet recovery needs of all community members, and how the CDBG-DR funding can help.