(a) The Department can administer funding provided under the Stafford Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or other emergency supplemental assistance appropriated by Congress under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Funding from a special allocation is separate from the annual CDBG NOFA process but still subject to applicable federal statutes and regulations as well as state statutes and regulations. Any federal regulations imposed on disaster assistance or other emergency supplemental assistance will supersede any state CDBG statute or regulation, if a conflict between the two occurs. The Department may waive current state CDBG regulations that conflict with or impair the use of disaster or emergency supplemental assistance. The Department may release a special disaster or emergency supplemental NOFA, separate from the annual NOFA process.

(b) Given a presidential declaration of disaster and the enactment of the Stafford Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or the appropriation of emergency supplemental assistance, in order to address the most serious and emergent health, safety, and general welfare needs, the Department reserves the right to invoke any and all means of expediency and funding program design, where not in conflict with any federal statute or regulations, as set forth in Section 7065.5.