Environmental Review

Environmental review of HCD projects is typically required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and various other Federal, State, and/or local environmental laws and permitting requirements.

The information below should be used by grant recipients and subrecipients, including California Tribes, local governments, nonprofits, developers, and public housing authorities.

As a project is being proposed, caution should be taken to avoid Choice Limiting Actions (PDF). Projects being submitted for environmental review must be reviewed in entirety, rather than in phases.

Review for CDBG, ESG, HOME and NHTF Projects

All projects and related activities funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) including Disaster Recovery, Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG), and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME includes HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) and HOME-Owner Occupied Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (OOR)) must comply with 24 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 58.

National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) projects and related activities must comply with Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Environmental Provisions under the Property Standards at 24 CFR Section 93.301(f)(1) and (2).

Additional information on project aggregation, dealing with multiple grant programs and choice limiting actions can be found under Environmental Review Resources.

Environmental Review Steps and Resources

Detailed instructions for completing environmental review under either 24 CFR Part 58 or HTF Environmental Provisions are below. If you have any questions related to the environmental review process, contact the HCD Environmental Services Team.