[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 249 (Friday, December 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79030-79033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32760]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Notice of Timeframe for Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Loans and 
Section 516 Farm Labor Housing Grants for Off-Farm Housing for Fiscal 
Year 2003

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the timeframe to submit applications for 
section 514 Farm Labor Housing loan funds and section 516 Farm Labor 
Housing grant funds for new construction and acquisition and 
rehabilitation of off-farm units for farmworker households.
    Applications may also include requests for section 521 rental 
assistance (RA) and operating assistance for migrant units. This 
document describes the method used to distribute funds, the application 
process, and submission requirements. We are publishing this Notice 
prior to passage of a final appropriations act to give applicants the 
maximum amount of time possible to complete their applications, and to 
provide the Agency sufficient time to process the selected applications 
within the current fiscal year. Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 
will only be accepted through the date and time listed in this notice. 
A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) announcing the level of funding 
for the program will be published upon passage of a final 
appropriations act in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1490p and 7 CFR 
1944.170. Because the Agency's appropriations act has not been passed, 
the Agency cannot make funding commitments. Expenses incurred in 
developing applications will be at the applicant's risk.

DATES: The closing deadline for receipt of all applications in response 
to this Notice is 5 p.m., local time for each Rural Development State 
Office on March 27, 2003. The application closing deadline is firm as 
to date and hour. RHS will not consider any application that is 
received after the closing deadline. Applicants intending to mail 
applications must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or 
before the closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by a post office 
or private mailer does not constitute delivery.

[[Page 79031]]

 Facsimile (FAX) and postage due applications will not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Applicants wishing to apply for assistance must contact the 
Rural Development State Office serving the place in which they desire 
to locate off-farm labor housing to receive further information and 
copies of the application package. Rural Development will date and time 
stamp incoming applications to evidence timely receipt, and, upon 
request, will provide the applicant with a written acknowledgment of 
receipt. A listing of Rural Development State Offices, their addresses, 
telephone numbers, and person to contact follows:

    Note: Telephone numbers listed are not toll-free.


Alabama State Office, Suite 601, Sterling Center, 4121 Carmichael Road, 
Montgomery, AL 36106-3683 (334) 279-3455, TDD (334) 279-3495, James B. 
Harris
Alaska State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK 99645, 
(907) 761-7740, TDD (1-907-786-7786 Deborah Davis
Arizona State Office, Phoenix Corporate Center, 3003 N. Central Ave., 
Suite 900, Phoenix, AZ 85012-2906, (602) 280-8706, TDD (602) 280-8770, 
Johnna Vargas
Arkansas State Office, 700 W. Capitol Ave., Rm. 3416, Little Rock, AR 
72201-3225, (501) 301-3250, TDD (501) 301-3063, Clinton King
California State Office, 430 G Street, 4169, Davis, CA 95616-
4169, (530) 792-5830, TDD (530) 792-5848, Jeff Deiss
Colorado State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E100, Lakewood, CO 
80215, (720) 544-2923, TDD (720) 544-2976, Mary Summerfield
Connecticut: Served by Massachusetts State Office
Delaware & Maryland State Office, 4607 South Dupont Highway, PO Box 
400, Camden, DE 19934-9998, (302) 697-4353, TDD (302) 697-4303, Pat 
Baker
Florida & Virgin Islands State Office, 4440 NW., 25th Place, 
Gainesville, FL 32606-6563, (352) 338-3465, TDD (352) 338-3499, Joseph 
P. Fritz
Georgia State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock Avenue, 
Athens, GA 30601-2768, (706) 546-2164, TDD (706) 546-2034, Wayne Rogers
Guam: Served by Hawaii State Office
Hawaii State Office, (Services all Hawaii, American Samoa and Western 
Pacific), Room 311, Federal Building, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 
96720, (808) 933-8309, TDD (808) 933-8321, Thao Khamoui
Idaho State Office, Suite A1, 9173 West Barnes Dr., Boise, ID 83709, 
(208) 378-5628, TDD (208) 378-5644, LaDonn McElligott
Illinois State Office, 2118 W. Park Court. Suite A, Champaign, IL 
61821-2986, (217) 403-6222, TDD (217) 403-6240, Barry L. Ramsey
Indiana State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46278, 
(317) 290-3100 (ext. 423), TDD (317) 290-3343, John Young
Iowa State Office, 210 Walnut Street Room 873, Des Moines, IA 50309, 
(515) 284-4666, TDD (515) 284-4858, Julie Sleeper
Kansas State Office, 1303 SW First American Place, Suite 100, Topeka, 
KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2721, TDD (785) 271-2767, Virginia M. 
Hammersmith
Kentucky State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY 
40503, (859) 224-7325, TDD (859) 224-7422, Paul Higgins
Louisiana State Office, 3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302, 
(318) 473-7962, TDD (318) 473-7655, Yvonne R. Emerson
Maine State Office, 967 Illinois Ave., Suite 4, PO Box 405, Bangor, ME 
04402-0405, (207) 990-9110, TDD (207) 942-7331, Michael Grondin
Maryland: Served by Delaware State Office
Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Rhode Island State Office, 451 West 
Street, Amherst, MA 01002, (413) 253-4333, TDD (413) 253-4590, Donald 
Colburn
Michigan State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, MI 
48823, (517) 324-5192, TDD (517) 337-6795, Philip Wolak
Minnesota State Office, 375 Jackson Street Building, Suite 410, St. 
Paul, MN 55101, (651) 602-7804, TDD (651) 602-7830, Joyce Vondal
Mississippi State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W. Capitol 
Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4325, TDD (601) 965-5850, Darnella 
Smith-Murray
Missouri State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center, Suite 
235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0990, TDD (573) 876-9480, Becky 
Eftink
Montana State Office, Unit 1, Suite B, 900 Technology Blvd., Bozeman, 
MT 59715, (406) 585-2552, TDD (406) 585-2562, Al Lazarewicz
Nebraska State Office, Federal Building, room 152, 100 Centennial Mall 
N, Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5594, TDD (402) 437-5093, Phil Willnerd
Nevada State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson City, NV 89703-
9910, (775) 887-1222 (ext. 25), TDD (775) 885-0633, Angilla Denton
New Hampshire State Office, Concord Center, Suite 218, Box 317, 10 
Ferry Street, Concord, NH 03301-5004, (603) 223-6046, TDD (603) 229-
0536, Jim Fowler
New Jersey State Office, Tarnsfield Plaza, Suite 22, 790 Woodland Road, 
Mt. Holly, NJ 08060, (856) 787-7740, TDD (856) 787-7784, George Hyatt, 
Jr.
New Mexico State Office, 6200 Jefferson St., NE., Room 255, 
Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4944, TDD (505) 761-4938, Carmen N. 
Lopez
New York State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S. Salina Street, 
Suite 357 5th Floor, Syracuse, NY 13202, (315) 477-6419, TDD (315) 477-
6447, George N. Von Pless
North Carolina State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 2120, Raleigh, NC 
271209, (919) 873-2066, TDD (919) 873-2003, Terry Strole
North Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East Rosser, 
PO Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502, (701) 530-2049, TDD (701) 530-2113, 
Kathy Lake
Ohio State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High Street, 
Columbus, OH 43215-2477, (614) 255-2418, TDD (614) 255-2554, Melodie 
Taylor-Ward
Oklahoma State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, 
(405) 742-1070, TDD (405) 742-1007, Phil Reimers
Oregon State Office, 101 SW Main, Suite 1410, Portland, OR 97204-3222, 
(503) 414-3325, TDD (503) 414-3387, Margo Donelin
Pennsylvania State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite 330, 
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2281, TDD (717) 237-2261, Gary 
Rothrock
Puerto Rico State Office, New San Juan Office Bldg., Room 501, 159 
Carlos E. Chardon Street, Hato Rey, PR 00918-5481, (787) 766-5095 (ext. 
254), TDD 1-800-274-1572, Lourdes Colon
Rhode Island: Served by Massachusetts State Office
South Carolina State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835 
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 253-3432, TDD 
(803) 765-5697, Larry D. Floyd
South Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth 
Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1135, TDD (605) 352-1147, Roger 
Hazuka
Tennessee State Office, Suite 300, 3322 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 
37203-1084, (615) 783-1300, TDD (615) 783-1397, Larry Kennedy
Texas State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South Main, 
Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9758, TDD (254) 742-9712, Julie Hayes

[[Page 79032]]

Utah State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 S. State 
Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0350, (801) 524-4324, TDD 
(801) 524-3309, Robert L. Milianta
Vermont State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, 
Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6028, TDD (802) 223-6365, Sandra 
Mercier
Virgin Islands: Served by Florida State Office
Virginia State Office, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa 
Road, Richmond, VA 23229, (804) 287-1596, TDD (804) 287-1753, CJ 
Michels
Washington State Office, 1011 East Main St., Suite 306, Puyallup, WA 
98372-6771, (253) 845-9272 X114, TDD (360) 704-7760, Robert Lund
Western Pacific Territories: Served by Hawaii State Office
West Virginia State Office, Federal Building, 75 High Street, Room 320, 
Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, (304) 284-4889, TDD (304) 284-4836, Craig 
St. Clair
Wisconsin State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481, 
(715) 345-7620 (ext. 7145), TDD (715) 345-7614, Sherry Engel
Wyoming State Office, 100 East B, Federal Building, Room 1005, PO Box 
820, Casper, WY 82602, (307) 261-6315, TDD (307) 261-6333, Jack Hyde

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, applicants 
may contact Mary Fox, Senior Loan Specialist or David Layfield, Senior 
Loan Specialist, of the Multi-Family Housing Processing Division, Rural 
Housing Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Stop 0781, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20250-0781, telephone 
(202) 720-1624 or (202) 690-0759 (voice) (this is not a toll free 
number) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD-Federal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Programs Affected

    The Farm Labor Housing Program is listed in the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance under Number 10.405, Farm Labor Housing Loans and 
Grants. Rental Assistance is listed in the Catalog under Number 10.427, 
Rural Rental Assistance Payments.

Definitions

    Farm Labor. Farm labor includes services in connection with 
cultivating the soil, raising or harvesting any agriculture or 
aquaculture commodity; or in catching, netting, handling, planting, 
drying, packing, grading, storing, or preserving in its unmanufactured 
state any agriculture or aquaculture commodity; or delivering to 
storage, market, or a carrier for transportation to market or to 
process any agricultural or aquacultural commodity.
    Migrant Agricultural Laborers. Agricultural laborers and family 
dependents who establish a temporary residence while performing 
agriculture work at one or more locations away from the place they call 
home or home base. (This does not include day-haul agricultural workers 
whose travels are limited to work areas within one day of their work 
locations.)
    Off-Farm Labor Housing. Housing for farm laborers regardless of the 
farm where they work.
    Operating Assistance. Assistance toward the cost of operating off-
farm migrant farmworker projects financed under sections 514 or 516 of 
the Housing Act of 1949. Projects that receive operating assistance may 
not receive tenant-specific rental assistance (RA).

Discussion of Notice

I. Authority and Distribution Methodology

A. Authority
    The Farm Labor Housing program is authorized by the Housing Act of 
1949: Section 514 (42 U.S.C. 1484) for loans and section 516 (42 U.S.C. 
1486) for grants. Tenant subsidies (rental assistance (RA)) and 
operating assistance for migrant projects are available through section 
521 (42 U.S.C. 1490a). Sections 514 and 516 provide RHS the authority 
to make loans and grants for financing off-farm housing to broad-based 
nonprofit organizations, nonprofit organizations of farmworkers, 
federally recognized Indian tribes, agencies or political subdivisions 
of State or local government, public agencies (such as local housing 
authorities) and with section 514 loans to nonprofit limited 
partnerships in which the presence and extent of leveraged assistance, 
including donated land, for the units that will serve program-eligible 
general partner is a nonprofit entity.
B. Distribution Methodology
    Because RHS has the ability to adjust loan and grant levels, final 
loan and grant levels will fluctuate. The actual funds available for 
fiscal year (FY) 2003 for off-farm housing will be published at a later 
date in a subsequent Notice.
C. Section 514 and Section 516 Funds
    Section 514 loan funds and section 516 grant funds will be 
distributed to States based on a national competition, as follows:
    1. States will accept, review, and score requests in accordance 
with 7 CFR part 1944, subpart D. The scoring factors are:
    (a) tenants, calculated as a percentage of the RHS total 
development cost (TDC). RHS TDC excludes non-RHS eligible costs such as 
a developer's fee. Leveraged assistance includes, but is not limited 
to, funds for hard construction costs, section 8 or other non-RHS 
tenant subsidies, and state or federal funds. A minimum of ten percent 
leveraged assistance is required to earn points; however, if the total 
percentage of leveraged assistance is less than ten percent and the 
proposal includes donated land, two points will be awarded for the 
donated land. Points will be awarded in accordance with the following 
table. (0 to 20 points)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Percentage                             Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
75 or more...................................................         20
60-74........................................................         18
50-59........................................................         16
40-49........................................................         12
30-39........................................................         10
20-29........................................................          8
10-19........................................................          5
0-9..........................................................          0
Donated land in proposals with less than ten percent total             2
 leveraged assistance........................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) Seasonal, temporary, migrant housing. (5 points for up to and 
including 50 percent of the units; 10 points for 51 percent or more.)
    (c) The selection criteria contained in 7 CFR 1944, subpart D 
includes one optional criteria set by the National Office. The National 
Office initiative will be used in the selection criteria as follows:
    Up to 10 Points will be awarded based on the presence of and extent 
to which a tenant services plan exists that clearly outlines services 
that will be provided to the residents of the proposed project. These 
services may include but are not limited to: transportation related 
services, on-site English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, move-in 
funds, emergency assistance funds, homeownership counseling, food 
pantries, after school tutoring, and computer learning centers. Two 
points will be awarded for each resident service included in the tenant 
services plan up to a maximum of 10 points. Plans must detail how the 
services are to be administered, who will administer them, and where 
they will be administered. All tenant service plans must include 
letters of intent that clearly state the service that will be

[[Page 79033]]

provided at the project for the benefit of the residents from any party 
administering each service, including the applicant. (0 to 10 points)
    2. States will conduct preliminary eligibility review, score 
applications, and forward to the National Office.
    3. The National Office will rank all requests nationwide and 
distribute funds to States in rank order, within funding and RA limits. 
If insufficient funds or RA remain for the next ranked proposal, the 
Agency will select the next ranked proposal that falls within the 
remaining levels. In the event there are multiple preapplications in 
either category, one preapplication from each State (the highest State-
ranked) will compete by computer-based random lottery. If necessary, 
the process will be completed until all same-pointed preapplications 
are selected or funds are exhausted.

II. Funding Limits

    A. Individual requests may not exceed $3 million (total loan and 
grant).
    B. No State may receive more than 30 percent of the total available 
funds unless an exception is granted from the Administrator.
    C. Rental Assistance and Operating Assistance will be held in the 
National office for use with section 514 loans and section 516 grants 
and will be awarded based on each project's financial structure and 
need.

III. Application Process

    All applications for sections 514 and 516 funds must be filed with 
the appropriate Rural Development State office and must meet the 
requirements of 7 CFR part 1944, subpart D, and section IV of this 
Notice. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and will be 
returned to the applicant. No application will be accepted after 5 
p.m., local time, on March 27, 2003 unless date and time is extended by 
another Notice published in the Federal Register.

IV. Application Submission Requirements

    A. Each application shall include all of the information, 
materials, forms and exhibits required by 7 CFR part 1944, subpart D, 
as well as comply with the provisions of this Notice. Applicants are 
encouraged, but not required, to include a check list and to have their 
applications indexed and tabbed to facilitate the review process. The 
Rural Development State Office will base its determination of 
completeness of the application and the eligibility of each applicant 
on the information provided in the application.
    B. Applicants are advised to contact the Rural Development State 
Office serving the place in which they desire to submit an application 
for application information.

    Dated: December 20, 2002.
James E. Selmon, III,
Associate Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 02-32760 Filed 12-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-U