By Ed Somers
January 16, 2006

On January 3, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the list of cities eligible to apply for $765 million in Fiscal Year 2006 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants. The FY 2006 funding level for UASI represents a $120 million cut from last year.

A total of 46 areas have been made eligible to apply for funding, representing 95 cities with populations of 100,000 or more. This year, DHS has decided to combine several existing UASI cities into larger areas. In addition, new risk-based criteria are being used by DHS in selecting eligible areas, as previously reported in U.S.MAYOR.

As a result, only 35 areas made the list based on risk, and an additional 11 were “carried forward” for one year because they received funding in FY 2005. However, DHS notes that these 11 areas may not receive funding next year unless their risk status changes.

Commenting on this in his press conference, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, “Once you get a UASI designation, it doesn’t mean that a city has it for the rest of the decade, or the next 20 years. Each year we have to look afresh at what the risks are. We have to consider changes in consequence, changes in vulnerability, and changes in threat.” 

When asked how it was decided to limit the number of core UASI areas to 35, key DHS staff responded to the Conference of Mayors that, “This was a risk-driven decision. Based on the risk analysis, 35 is where the Secretary decided to draw the cut line.”

Unlike previous years, the areas are not provided a specific level of funding to apply for. Rather, “all eligible areas must submit an investment justification, which identifies needs and outlines the intended security enhancement plan to be addressed with funding, to meet the target capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.”

As in past years, this money still flows through the states, as do the applications for the funding. The application deadline for this funding is March 2, the same deadline that is in place for state block grant funding.

DHS staff has said that additional guidance on this process will be made available soon. In the meantime, greater detail on this and other FY 2006 DHS funding is available at the website usmayors.org under the Federal Grants section on the right-hand column of the front page.