US Launches Guide to Protect Households from Extreme Heat

The guide includes 16 specific strategies, along with examples, to address soaring temperatures

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (Hud) announced key actions to protect more households across the nation from the damaging impacts of extreme heat and ensure all communities are protected from environmental and health hazards that may have long-term health implications.

Hud’s Extreme Heat playbook aims to support communities by providing best practices for building community resilience, mitigating the impacts of extreme heat, and lowering cooling costs for public housing residents.

Focus on Climate Resilience

Hud has also launched an updated Environmental Justice site that connects communities to other Hud initiatives on climate resilient housing, community management, planning and development, lead and other harmful contaminants, and essential programmes that promote fair housing.

The Extreme Heat playbook is an actionable guide for planning and implementing measures, emphasising evaluating existing community strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities; updating policies and protocols to address current and future conditions; lowering cooling costs; and highlighting the critical importance of resilience amid climate change, given the increase of severe extreme heat events.

Inclusive Housing

• HUD's new guide helps communities reduce extreme heat impacts and lower cooling costs for public housing residents
• The updated site links communities to HUD initiatives on climate resilience, harmful contaminants, and the Justice 40 initiative
• The playbook emphasizes strategies to protect seniors and other vulnerable groups from the adverse effects of extreme heat

The guide includes 16 specific strategies, along with examples, to address soaring temperatures while also identifying Hud and federal agency funding sources and guiding grantees to plan for and address extreme heat events.

“Far too many Americans are being impacted by the harmful effects of extreme heat,” said Adrianne Todman, Hud’s Acting Secretary. “The best practices we are sharing today, advances the Biden- Harris Administration’s national heat strategy and will move us closer towards safer housing, particularly for seniors.”

The playbook aligns with the National Heat Strategy introduced by the Biden-Harris Administration to coordinate a “whole-of-government” approach to extreme heat from 2024 through 2030, as well as the newly-launched Extreme Heat Call to Action and the White House Climate Resilience Framework. It builds on the foundation of Hud’s Extreme Heat Quick Guide released last April and equips communities with tools and strategies to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat, and ensure safety, health, and resilience – particularly for vulnerable residents.

In addition, Hud has launched its updated Environmental Justice webpage equipped with information on what the department is doing under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice 40 initiative, information on Hud’s programme partnerships, and other resources and tools related to environmental justice. The newly updated webpage also highlights examples of the impactful work Hud is doing to expand environmental justice across Hud programmes.

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