[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 48 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12559-12564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4774]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for Section 514 Farm Labor 
Housing Loans and Section 516 Farm Labor Housing Grants for Off-Farm 
Housing for Fiscal Year 2005

    Announcement Type: Initial Notice inviting applications from 
qualified applicants for Fiscal Year 2005.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA): 10.405 and 
10.427.

SUMMARY: This NOFA announces the timeframe to submit applications for 
section 514 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) loans and section 516 FLH grants 
for the construction of new off-farm FLH units and related facilities 
for domestic farm laborers. The intended purpose of these loans and 
grants is to increase the number of available housing units for 
domestic farm laborers. 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.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of all applications in response to this 
NOFA is 5 p.m., local time for each Rural Development State Office on 
May 13, 2005. The application closing deadline is firm as to date and 
hour. The Agency 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. Acceptance by a post office or private mailer does 
not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), COD, and postage due 
applications will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas H. MacDowell or Henry Searcy, 
Senior Loan Specialists, Multi-Family Housing Processing Division--STOP 
0781 (Room 1263-S), U.S. Department of Agriculture--Rural Housing 
Service, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-0781 or by 
telephone at (202) 720-1627 or (202) 720-1753, respectively. (This is 
not a toll free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The reporting requirements contained in this Notice have been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0575-0045.

Overview

    The FLH 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 (RA) are available through section 521 (42 
U.S.C. 1490a). Sections 514 and 516 provide Rural Housing Service (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

[[Page 12560]]

government. In addition, loans may be made to limited partnerships in 
which the general partner is a nonprofit entity.

Program Administration

I. Funding Opportunities Description

    The Agency's FLH program is authorized by Title V of 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 (RA and operating assistance) 
are available through section 521 (42 U.S.C. 1490a). Agency regulations 
for the FLH program are published at 7 CFR part 3560, subpart L. 
Eligibility for section 516 off-farm FLH grants is limited to broad-
based nonprofit organizations, nonprofit organizations of farmworkers, 
federally recognized Indian tribes, agencies or political subdivisions 
of State or local government, and public agencies (such as housing 
authorities). Eligibility for section 514 off-farm FLH loans includes 
each of the aforementioned entities and also includes limited 
partnerships which have a nonprofit entity as their sole general 
partner.
    Housing that is constructed with these loans and grants must meet 
the Agency design and construction standards contained in 7 CFR part 
1924, subparts A and C. Once constructed, off-farm FLH must be managed 
in accordance with the program's management regulation, 7 CFR part 
3560. Tenant eligibility is limited to persons who meet the definition 
of a ``domestic farm laborer'', a ``retired domestic farm laborer'', or 
a ``disabled domestic farm laborer'', as these terms are defined in 7 
CFR 3560.11 A domestic farm laborer is defined as ``[a] person who, * * 
*, receives a substantial portion of his or her income from farm labor 
employment (not self-employed) in the United States, Puerto Rico, or 
the Virgin Islands and either is a citizen of the United States or 
resides in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands after 
being legally admitted for permanent residence. This definition may 
include the immediate family members residing with such a person.'' 
Farmworkers who are admitted to this country on a temporary basis under 
the Temporary Agricultural Workers (H-2A Visa) program are not eligible 
to occupy section 514/516 off-farm FLH.
    The term ``farm labor,'' as used in the definition of domestic farm 
laborer, includes ``[s]ervices 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 the unprocessed stage, * * *, any agriculture 
or aquaculture commodity; or delivering to storage, market, or a 
carrier for transportation to market or to processing any agricultural 
or aquacultural commodity in its unprocessed stage.'' In addition, off-
farm FLH must be operated on a non-profit basis and tenancy must be 
open to all qualified domestic farm laborers, regardless at which farm 
they work.
    Operating assistance may be used in lieu of tenant-specific rental 
assistance in off-farm labor housing projects financed under section 
514 or section 516(i) of the Housing Act of 1949 (U.S.C. 1486(i)) that 
serve migrant farmworkers. To be eligible for the operating assistance, 
projects must be off-farm FLH projects financed under section 514 or 
section 516 with units that are for migrant farmworkers (housing units 
for year-round farmworker households are ineligible) and must otherwise 
meet the requirements of 7 CFR 3560.574. Migrants or migrant 
agricultural laborer is defined in 7 CFR 3560.11 as ``[a] person (and 
the family of such person) who receives a substantial portion of his or 
her income from farm labor employment and who establishes a residence 
in a location on a seasonal or temporary basis, in an attempt to 
receive farm labor employment at one or more locations away from their 
home base state, excluding day-haul agricultural workers whose travels 
are limited to work areas within one day of their residence.'' Owners 
of eligible projects may choose tenant-specific RA or operating 
assistance, or a combination of both; however, any tenant or unit 
assisted with operating assistance may not also receive RA.

II. Award Information

    Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 will only be accepted 
through the date and time listed in this NOFA.
    Because RHS has the ability to adjust loan and grant levels, final 
loan and grant levels will fluctuate. The estimated funds available for 
FY 2005 for off-farm housing are: section 514, $32,000,000 and section 
516, $12,000,000.
    Individual requests may not exceed $3 million (total loan and 
grant). If RA is available, it will be held in the National Office and 
will be awarded based on each project's financial structure and need. 
Section 516 off-farm FLH grants may not exceed 90 percent of the total 
development cost of the housing. Applications that require leveraged 
funding must have firm commitments in place for all of the leveraged 
funding within 1 year of the issuance of a ``Notice of Preapplication 
Review Action,'' Form AD-622. In order to be eligible for leveraged 
funding selection points, the commitment for leveraged funds must be 
submitted with the initial preapplication.

III. Eligibility Information

Applicant Eligibility
    (1) To be eligible to receive a section 516 grant for off-farm FLH, 
the applicant must be a broad-based nonprofit organization, a nonprofit 
organization of farmworkers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, or an 
agency or political subdivision of a State or local government, or a 
public agency (such as a housing authority).
    (2) To be eligible to receive a section 514 loan for off-farm FLH, 
the applicant must be a broad-based nonprofit organization, a nonprofit 
organization of farmworkers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, or an 
agency or political subdivision of a State or local government, a 
public agency (such as a housing authority) or a limited partnership 
which has a nonprofit entity as its sole general partner and:
    (a) Be unable to provide the necessary housing from its own 
resources; and
    (b) Except for State or local public agencies and Indian tribes, be 
unable to obtain the necessary credit through a labor housing loan or 
from other sources upon terms and conditions the applicant could 
reasonably be expected to fulfill.
    (3) Broad-based nonprofit organizations must have a membership that 
reflects a variety of interests in the area where the housing will be 
located.
Cost Sharing or Matching
    Section 516 grants for off-farm FLH may not exceed the lesser of 90 
percent of the total development cost or the amount provided in 7 CFR 
3560.562(c)(2).
Other Administrative Requirements
    The following policies and regulations apply to loans and grants 
made in response to this NOFA:
    (1) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 1901, 
subpart E regarding equal opportunity requirements;
    (2) The requirements of 7 CFR part 3015, and 7 CFR part 3016 or 7 
CFR part 3019 (as applicable), which establish the uniform 
administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements to 
state and local governments and to non-profit organizations;
    (3) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 1901, 
subpart F regarding historical and archaeological properties;

[[Page 12561]]

    (4) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 1940, 
subpart G regarding environmental assessments;
    (5) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 3560, 
subpart L regarding the loan and grant authorities of the FLH program;
    (6) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 1924, 
subpart A regarding planning and construction;
    (7) The policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 1924, 
subpart C regarding the planning and performing of site development 
work; and
    (8) All other policies and regulations contained in 7 CFR part 3560 
regarding the section 514/516 off-farm FLH program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    The application process will be in two phases: the initial 
preapplication (or proposal) and the submission of a formal 
application. Only those proposals that are selected for funding will be 
invited to submit formal applications. In the event that a proposal is 
selected for further processing and the applicant declines, the next 
highest ranked unfunded preapplication may be selected.
    All preapplications for sections 514 and 516 funds must be filed 
with the appropriate Rural Development State Office and must meet the 
requirements of this Notice. Incomplete preapplications will not be 
reviewed and will be returned to the applicant. No preapplication will 
be accepted after 5 p.m., local time for each Rural Development State 
Office on May 13, 2005, unless date and time is extended by another 
Notice published in the Federal Register.
    If a preapplication is accepted for further processing, the 
applicant will be expected to submit a complete, formal application 
prior to the obligation of Agency funds.
Preapplication Requirements
    The preapplication must contain the following:
    (1) A summary page listing the following items. This information 
should be double-spaced between items and not be in narrative form.
    (a) Applicant's name.
    (b) Applicant's Taxpayer Identification Number.
    (c) Applicant's address.
    (d) Applicant's telephone number.
    (e) Name of applicant's contact person, telephone number, and 
address.
    (f) Amount of loan and grant requested.
    (g) For grants, the applicant's Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number. As required by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB), all grant applicants must provide a DUNS number when 
applying for Federal grants, on or after October 1, 2003. Organizations 
can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free 
DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711. Additional information 
concerning this requirement is provided in a policy directive issued by 
OMB and published in the Federal Register on June 27, 2003 (68 FR 
38402-38405).
    (2) A narrative describing the applicant's ability to meet the 
eligibility requirements stated in this Notice.
    (3) Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) which 
can be found online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/sf424.pdf.
    (4) A current, dated, and signed financial statement showing assets 
and liabilities with information on the repayment schedule and status 
of all debts.
    (5) Evidence that the applicant is unable to obtain credit from 
other sources. Letters from credit institutions who normally provide 
real estate loans in the area should be obtained and these letters 
should indicate the rates and terms upon which a loan might be 
provided.

    (Note: Not required from State or local public agencies or 
Indian tribes.)

    (6) A statement concerning the need for a labor housing grant. The 
statement should include preliminary estimates of the rents required 
with and without a grant.
    (7) A statement of the applicant's experience in operating labor 
housing or other rental housing. If the applicant's experience is 
limited, additional information should be provided to indicate how the 
applicant plans to compensate for this limited experience (i.e., 
obtaining assistance and advice of a management firm, non-profit group, 
public agency, or other organization which is experienced in rental 
management and will be available on a continuous basis).
    (8) A brief statement explaining the applicant's proposed method of 
operation and management (i.e., on-site manager, contracting for 
management services, etc.). As stated in this Notice:
    (a) The housing must be managed in accordance with the program's 
management regulation, 7 CFR part 3560 and
    (b) Tenancy is limited to ``domestic farm laborers,'' as defined in 
this Notice.
    (9) Applicants must provide:
    (a) A copy of, or an accurate citation to, the special provisions 
of State law under which they are organized, a copy of the applicant's 
charter, their Articles of Incorporation, and their By-laws;
    (b) The names, occupations, and addresses of the applicant's 
members, directors, and officers; and
    (c) If a member or subsidiary of another organization, the 
organization's name, address, and nature of business.
    (10) A preliminary survey to identify the supply and demand for 
labor housing in the market area. The market area must be clearly 
identified and may include only the area from which tenants can 
reasonably be drawn for the proposed project.
    Documentation must be provided to justify a need within the 
intended market area for housing for ``domestic farm laborers'', as 
defined in this Notice. The preliminary survey should address or 
include the following items:
    (a) The annual income level of farmworker families in the area and 
the probable income of the farmworkers who are apt to occupy the 
proposed housing;
    (b) A realistic estimate of the number of farmworkers who are home-
based in the area and the number of farmworkers who normally migrate 
into the area. Information on migratory workers should indicate the 
average number of months the migrants reside in the area and an 
indication of what type of family groups are represented by the 
migrants (i.e., single individuals as opposed to families);
    (c) General information concerning the type of labor intensive 
crops grown in the area and prospects for continued demand for farm 
laborers (i.e., prospects for mechanization, etc.);
    (d) The overall occupancy rate for comparable rental units in the 
area and the rents charged and customary rental practices for these 
units (i.e., will they rent to large families, do they require annual 
leases, etc.);
    (e) The number, condition, adequacy, rental rates and ownership of 
units currently used or available to farmworkers;
    (f) A description of the units proposed, including the number, 
type, size, rental rates, amenities such as carpets and drapes, related 
facilities such as a laundry room or community room and other 
facilities providing supportive services in connection with the housing 
and the needs of the prospective tenants such as a health clinic or day 
care facility, estimated development timeline, estimated total 
development cost, and applicant contribution; and
    (g) The applicant must also identify all other sources of funds, 
including the

[[Page 12562]]

dollar amount, source, and commitment status.

    (Note: A section 516 grant may not exceed 90 percent of the 
total development cost of the housing.)

    (11) A completed Form RD 1940-20, ``Request for Environmental 
Information,'' and a description of anticipated environmental issues or 
concerns. The form can be found online at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/forms/1940-20.pdf.
    (12) A prepared HUD 935.2, ``Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing 
Plan.'' The plan will reflect that occupancy is open to all qualified 
``domestic farm laborers,'' regardless of which farming operation they 
work at and that they will not discriminate on the basis of race, 
color, sex, age, disability, marital or familial status or National 
origin in regard to the occupancy or use of the units. The form can be 
found online at http://www.hudclips.org/sub_nonhud/html/pdfforms/935-2.pdf.
    (13) Evidence of site control such as an option or sales contract. 
In addition, a map and description of the proposed site, including the 
availability of water, sewer, and utilities and the proximity to 
community facilities and services such as shopping, schools, 
transportation, doctors, dentists, and hospitals.
    (14) Preliminary plans and specifications, including plot plans, 
building layouts, and type of construction and materials. The housing 
must meet the Agency's design and construction standards contained in 7 
CFR part 1924, subparts A and C and must also meet all applicable 
Federal, State, and local accessibility standards.
    (15) A Supportive Services Plan describing services that will be 
provided on-site or made available to tenants through cooperative 
agreements with service providers in the community, such as a health 
clinic or day care facility. Off-site services must be accessible and 
affordable to farmworkers and their families. Letters of intent from 
service providers are acceptable documentation at the preapplication 
stage.
    (16) A proposed operating budget utilizing Form RD 3560-7, ``Multi 
Family Housing Project Budget/Utility Allowance.'' The form can be 
found online at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs.
    (17) An estimate of development cost utilizing Form RD 1924-13, 
``Estimate and Certificate of Actual Cost.'' The form can be found 
online at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/forms/1924-13.pdf.
    (18) Form RD 3560-30, ``Certification of No Identity Of Interest 
(IOI)'' and Form RD 3560-31, ``Identity of Interest Disclosure/
Qualification Certification.'' These forms can be found online at 
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs.
    (19) Form HUD 2530, ``Previous Participation Certification.'' The 
form can be found online at http://www.hudclips.org/sub_nonhud/html/pdfforms/2530.pdf.
    (20) If requesting RA or Operating Assistance, Form RD 3560-25, 
``Initial Request for Rental Assistance or Operating Assistance.'' The 
form can be found online at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs.
    (21) A Sources and Uses Statement showing all sources of funding 
included in the proposed project. The terms and schedules of all 
sources included in the project should be included in the Sources and 
Uses Statement.
    (22) A separate one-page information sheet listing each of the 
``Application Scoring Criteria'' contained in this Notice, followed by 
the page numbers of all relevant material and documentation that is 
contained in the proposal that supports the criteria.
    (23) Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to include a 
checklist of all of the application requirements and to have their 
application indexed and tabbed to facilitate the review process.
Funding Restrictions
    Individual requests may not exceed $3 million (total loan and 
grant). Grants may not exceed 90 percent of the total development cost 
of the housing.
Intergovernmental Review
    The construction of new section 516 off-farm FLH is subject to the 
Intergovernmental Review provisions of 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V which 
requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials.
Submission Address
    Applicants wishing to apply for assistance must contact the Rural 
Development State Office serving the place in which they desire to 
submit an application for 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 (907) 761-8905
Debbie Andrys

Arizona State Office
Phoenix Courthouse and Federal Building
230 North First Ave., Suite 206
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706
(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 (800) 659-2656
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 N.W. 25th Place
Gainesville, FL 32606-6563
(352) 338-3465
TDD (352) 338-3499
Elizabeth M. Whitaker

Georgia State Office
Stephens Federal Building
355 E. Hancock Avenue
Athens, GA 30601-2768
(706) 546-2164
TDD (706) 546-2034
Wayne Rogers

Hawaii State Office
    (Services all Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Western Pacific)
Room 311, Federal Building
154 Waianuenue Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 933-8305
TDD (808) 933-8321
Jack Mahan

Idaho State Office
Suite A1
9173 West Barnes Dr.
Boise, ID 83709
(208) 378-5628
TDD (208) 378-5644

[[Page 12563]]

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
Sue Wilhite

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
Bob Nadeau

Maryland
    Served by Delaware State Office

Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Rhode Island State Office
451 West Street
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 253-4315
TDD (413) 253-4590
Paul Geoffroy

Michigan State Office
3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 324-5192
TDD (517) 337-6795
Ghulam R. Sumbal

Minnesota State Office
375 Jackson Street Building, Suite 410
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 602-7782
TDD (651) 602-7826
Peter Lundquist

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) 876-9305
TDD (573) 876-9480
Colleen James

Montana State Office
900 Technology Blvd. Suite B
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 585-2565
TDD (406) 585-2562
Deborah Chorlton

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
5th Floor North Suite 500
8000 Midlantic Dr.
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
(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
Bill Hobbs

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
Ivan Graves
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) 237-2282
TDD (717) 237-2261
Martha E. Hanson

Puerto Rico State Office
IBM Building, Suite 601
Munoz Rivera Ave. 654Street
San Juan, PR 00918
(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) 352-1132
TDD (605) 352-1147
Roger Hazuka or Pam Reilly

Tennessee State Office
Suite 300
3322 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203-1084
(615) 783-1375
TDD (615) 783-1397
G. Benson Lasater

Texas State Office
Federal Building, Suite 102
101 South Main
Temple, TX 76501
(254) 742-9758
TDD (254) 742-9712
Julie Hayes

Utah State Office
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building
125 S. State Street, Room 4311
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
(801) 524-4325
TDD (801) 524-3309
Janice Kocher

Vermont State Office
City Center, 3rd Floor
89 Main Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 828-6021
TDD (802) 223-6365
Heidi Setien

Virgin Islands
    Served by Florida State Office

Virginia State Office
Culpeper Building, Suite 238
1606 Santa Rosa Road

[[Page 12564]]

Richmond, VA 23229
(804) 287-1596
TDD (804) 287-1753
CJ Michels

Washington State Office
1835 Black Lake Blvd., Suite B
Olympia, WA 98512
(360) 704-7730
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) 345-7608 (ext. 7145)
TDD (715) 345-7614
Peter Kohnen

Wyoming State Office
PO Box 11005
Casper, WY 82602-5006
(307) 233-6715
TDD (307) 233-6733
Jack Hyde

V. Application Review Information

    All applications for sections 514 and 516 funds must be filed with 
the appropriate Rural Development State Office and must meet the 
requirements 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 for each Rural Development State 
Office on May 13, 2005, unless date and time is extended by another 
Notice published in the Federal Register. 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.
Selection Criteria
    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 the Notice. The scoring factors are:
    (a) The presence and extent of leveraged assistance, including 
donated land, for the units that will serve program-eligible 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. To count 
as leveraged funds for purposes of the selection criteria, a commitment 
of funds must be provided with the preapplication. 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 
leveraged Assistance: 2
    (b) Percent of units for 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 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 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 the preliminary eligibility review, score 
the applications, and forward them 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. 
A lottery in accordance with 7 CFR 3560.56(c)(2) will be used for 
applications with tied point scores when they all cannot be funded. If 
insufficient funds or RA remain for the next ranked proposal, that 
applicant will be given a chance to modify their application to bring 
it within remaining funding levels. This will be repeated for each next 
ranked eligible proposal until an award can be made or the list is 
exhausted.

    Dated: March 3, 2005.
Russell T. Davis,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4774 Filed 3-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P