[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66724-66738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21894]



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Part V





Department of Housing and Urban Development





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Notice of Funding Availability for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Mainstream 
Housing Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities Program (Mainstream 
Program); Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 211 / Wednesday, November 2, 2005 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR 5002-N-01]


Notice of Funding Availability for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 
Mainstream Housing Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities Program 
(Mainstream Program)

AGENCY: Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).

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Overview Information

    A. Federal Agency Name: Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Office of Public 
Housing and Voucher Programs.
    B. Funding Opportunity Title: Mainstream Housing Opportunities for 
Persons With Disabilities Program (Mainstream Program).
    C. Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
    D. Funding Opportunity Number: The Federal Register number for this 
NOFA is FR-5002-N-01. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
paperwork approval number is 2577-0169.
    E. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 14.871, 
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.
    F. Application Deadline: The application submission date is January 
3, 2006. Applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov and must 
be received by grants.gov no later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern time on 
the application submission date. Applicants receiving a waiver of the 
electronic submission requirement must send their application via the 
United States Postal Service (USPS) no later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 
time on the application submission date. Please see the General Section 
of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575) published March 21, 2005, for further 
information about application submission, delivery, and timely receipt 
requirements.
    G. Optional, Additional Overview Content Information: The purpose 
of the Mainstream Program is to provide vouchers under the Housing 
Choice Voucher Program to enable persons with disabilities (elderly and 
non-elderly) to access affordable private housing. Public housing 
agencies (PHAs) and nonprofit organizations that provide services to 
the disabled are eligible to apply. Those PHAs and nonprofit 
organizations interested in applying for the approximately $10.2 
million in five-year budget authority (anticipated to fund 
approximately 250 vouchers) under this funding announcement should 
carefully review the General Section of the SuperNOFA published March 
21, 2005 (70 FR 13575); the additional guidance and other helpful 
information located at www.hud.gov (click on ``Grants'' and then click 
on ``Funds Available''); and the detailed information contained in this 
Mainstream Program funding announcement. The available funding is 
derived from Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Section 811 funding, and previously 
unobligated Mainstream funding from FY 2000 and FY 2003.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authority and Purpose

    Authority for this program is found in the Cranston-Gonzalez 
National Affordable Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 8013 (Pub. L. 101-625), the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447, approved 
December 8, 2004), and in chapters of the Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Tsunami 
Relief, 2005 (Pub. L. 109-13, approved May 11, 2005). The Secretary has 
established a Mainstream Housing Opportunities for Persons With 
Disabilities Program (Mainstream Program) to provide vouchers to enable 
persons with disabilities to access affordable private housing of their 
choice. The Mainstream Program will assist PHAs and nonprofit 
organizations in providing housing choice vouchers to a segment of the 
population recognized by HUD's housing research as having one of the 
worst housing needs of any group in the United States, i.e., very low-
income households with adults with disabilities. In addition, the 
Mainstream Program will assist persons with disabilities who often face 
difficulties in locating suitable and accessible housing on the private 
market. The vouchers that HUD will provide under this announcement must 
be made available to eligible disabled families regardless of their 
type of disability. (See the definition of disabled family in section 
I. B. 1. of this announcement.) The Mainstream Program vouchers must 
not be issued by the administering agency on the basis of any 
preference system favoring any particular type of disability over 
another, nor shall the vouchers be issued solely on the basis of an 
administering agency's waiting list which, in turn, is based on that 
agency having heretofore served only certain types of disabled persons. 
The Housing Choice Voucher Program regulations provide at 24 CFR 
982.207(b)(3) that a PHA may give preference for admission of families 
that include a person with disabilities; however, the PHA may not give 
preference for admission of persons with a specific disability. This 
regulatory requirement is also applicable to nonprofit organizations 
that receive funding under this announcement, as such organizations 
must comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to the Housing 
Choice Voucher Program. Because Mainstream vouchers are targeted for 
use by disabled persons, each successful applicant will need to revise 
the administrative plan for its voucher program to clearly indicate 
that Mainstream vouchers will be issued only to disabled persons. 
Preferences within the disability category; e.g., disabled veterans, 
etc., may be used as long as the result is not to give a preference to 
the admission of persons with any specific type of disability.

B. Definitions

    The following definitions apply to the approximately $10.2 million 
in five-year budget authority available under this funding 
announcement.
    1. Disabled Family. Disabled family means a family whose head, 
spouse, or sole member is a person with disabilities. It may include 
two or more persons with disabilities living together, or one or more 
persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides.
    2. Person With Disabilities. a. Means a person who:
    (1) Has a disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. 423;
    (2) Is determined, pursuant to HUD regulations, to have a physical, 
mental, or emotional impairment that:
    (a) Is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration;
    (b) Substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently; 
and
    (c) Is of such a nature that the ability to live independently 
could be improved by more suitable housing conditions; or
    (3) Has a developmental disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. 6001;
    b. Does not exclude persons who have the disease of acquired 
immunodeficiency syndrome or any conditions arising from the etiologic 
agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome;
    c. For purposes of qualifying for low-income housing, does not 
include a person whose disability is based solely on any drug or 
alcohol dependence.


    Note: HUD is exercising its waiver authority under the ``Housing 
for Persons With Disabilities'' section of the

[[Page 66725]]

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, to use the definition of 
``person with disabilities'' found at section 3 (b)(3)(E) of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) (``the 
Act''), as implemented in the HUD regulations for the Housing Choice 
Voucher Program at 24 CFR 5.403, in lieu of the definition of 
``person with disabilities'' found at 42 U.S.C. 8013 (k)(2).


    3. Housing Choice Voucher Search Assistance. Assistance to increase 
access by program participants to housing units in a variety of 
neighborhoods (including areas with low poverty concentrations) and to 
locate and obtain units suited to their needs.

II. Award Information

A. Available Funds

    Approximately $10.2 million in five-year funding is available for 
approximately 250 vouchers for supportive housing for persons with 
disabilities. This allocation is consistent with the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, FY 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447, approved December 8, 
2004), and the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, 
the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Pub. L. 109-13, 
approved May 11, 2005). Congressional rescission of a portion of HUD's 
appropriated funding resulted in the $10 million in appropriations 
being reduced to $9,920,000. This amount was supplemented by prior year 
unobligated Mainstream funding from FY 2000 and FY 2003 (also derived 
from section 811 funding) totaling approximately $318,000, for a grand 
total for Mainstream funding of approximately $10.2 million. All future 
references in this funding announcement to five-year budget authority 
are based upon these funding sources. All of the approximately $10.2 
million in Mainstream funding is for use in housing persons with 
disabilities.

B. Housing Choice Voucher Funding

    1. Determination of Funding Amount for the Applicant's Requested 
Number of Vouchers. HUD's Housing Voucher Financial Management Division 
will determine the amount of funding that an applicant will be awarded 
under this announcement based upon actual annual per unit costs.
    2. Determination Process. a. HUD will extract from the Voucher 
Management System (VMS) the actual housing assistance payments (HAP) 
costs for five-year Mainstream units, divided by the total units 
leased, both as reported by the PHA in VMS and verifiable, for the most 
recently reported quarter. HUD will multiply the monthly per unit cost 
by 12 to determine the annual per unit cost and may adjust that total 
by the applicable Annual Adjustment Factor, to arrive at a funding 
amount for HAP costs. The HAP dollar amount, approved by HUD for an 
awardee for five-year Mainstream vouchers, will not be increased by HUD 
during the five-year term.
    b. If a PHA does not currently administer a five-year Mainstream 
Program, the per unit funding amount will be that amount used to 
calculate the PHA's Calendar Year 2005 renewal funding for the regular 
voucher program.
    c. Administrative fees will be calculated on the basis of the per 
unit month rate determined for the PHA from its Calendar Year 2005 
renewal fee allocation.

C. Unfunded Approvable Applications

    PHAs or nonprofit organizations with approvable applications that 
are not funded in whole or in part, due to insufficient funds available 
under this funding announcement, shall be funded first in FY 2006, 
provided HUD receives additional appropriations for the Mainstream 
Program for FY 2006.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    PHAs and nonprofit organizations that provide services to the 
disabled (as defined in section I. B. 1. of this announcement) are 
eligible applicants for the five-year budget authority funding 
available under this funding announcement. PHAs with less than 300 
vouchers under an annual contributions contract (ACC), nonprofit 
organizations not previously funded under the Mainstream Program, as 
well as PHAs or nonprofit organizations that fall into any of the 
categories in section III. C. 1. of this announcement, are ineligible 
to have an application funded under this announcement. Indian Housing 
Authorities (IHAs), Indian tribes, and their tribally designated 
housing entities are not eligible to apply for new increments of 
housing choice voucher funding because the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.), 
does not allow HUD to enter into new housing choice voucher ACCs with 
IHAs after September 30, 1997.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    None required.

C. Other

    1. Program Related Threshold Requirements. An applicant must be 
eligible under the following threshold requirements at the time of the 
application due date, as well as at such subsequent time of HUD's 
selection of awardees. The Grants Management Center (GMC) will use 
information available within HUD's information systems, as well as 
coordinate with HUD's local HUD field offices, in assessing whether 
applicants fall into any of the threshold categories. Applications from 
PHAs or nonprofit organizations that fall into any of the following 
threshold categories will not be processed:
    a. PHAs or nonprofit organizations that do not meet the fair 
housing and civil rights compliance threshold requirements of Sections 
III. C. 2. c. and III. C. 4. a. and b. of the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575) published March 21, 2005.
    b. The applicant is designated as troubled by HUD under the Section 
8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP), or has major program 
management findings in an Inspector General audit for its voucher 
program that are unresolved, or has other significant program 
compliance problems that are not resolved. Major program management 
findings, or significant program compliance problems, are those that 
would cast doubt on the capacity of the applicant to effectively 
administer any new housing choice voucher funding in accordance with 
applicable HUD regulatory and statutory requirements. The only 
exception to this category is if the applicant has been identified 
under the policy established in section III. C. 2. c. of this 
announcement and the applicant makes application with a designated 
contract administrator.
    c. The PHA or nonprofit organization has failed to expend 97 
percent of its allocated budget authority (ABA) for its voucher 
program. The percent of allocated budget authority expended (PABAE) for 
a PHA's or nonprofit organization's voucher program will be calculated 
by HUD Headquarters' Housing Voucher Financial Management Division 
based upon the expenditure information submitted electronically to 
HUD's voucher management system (VMS) on a quarterly basis for the most 
recent 12-month period (prior to the Mainstream application due date). 
The PABAE will be determined by HUD dividing the amount of housing 
assistance payments (HAP) by the ABA. If data in the VMS is not 
available or cannot be relied upon, HUD will use other sources of 
available information, such as the HUD Central Accounting Processing 
System (HUDCAPS), up to December 31, 2004, or financial statement 
information

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submitted to the Real Estate Assessment Center through the Financial 
Assessment Sub-System. (Note: If the PABAE is 96.5 percent but less 
than 97 percent, the PABAE shall be rounded up to 97 percent.) See 
section IV. B. 1. g. of this funding announcement, which addresses the 
certification to be submitted by Moving to Work (MTW) agencies in 
connection with the 97 percent expenditure requirement referenced 
above.
    d. The PHA or nonprofit organization is involved in litigation and 
HUD determines that the litigation may seriously impede the ability of 
the applicant to administer the vouchers.
    e. An application that does not comply with the requirements of 24 
CFR 982.103 and this program section after the expiration of the 7-
calendar day technical deficiency correction period.
    f. The application was submitted after the application due date.
    g. The application was not submitted to the official place of 
receipt as indicated in section F. under Overview Information at the 
beginning of this funding announcement, or as indicated in section IV. 
F. of this funding announcement, as appropriate.
    h. The applicant has been debarred or otherwise disqualified from 
providing assistance under the program.
    i. The PHA did not have its PHA plans approved by HUD for the FY 
2004 plan cycle on the application due date for this funding 
announcement. (This category of ineligibility does not apply to 
nonprofit organizations whose Housing Choice Voucher Program is based 
solely upon previously approved housing choice vouchers under the 
Mainstream Program.)
    j. The applicant does not have a financial management system that 
meets federal standards. See Section III. C. 2. f. of the General 
Section of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575) published March 21, 2005, 
regarding those applicants that may be subject to HUD's arranging for a 
pre-award survey of an applicant's financial management system.
    k. The PHA does not have a HUD-approved designated housing plan as 
of the application due date under this funding announcement (this does 
not apply to nonprofit applicants).
    l. The applicant is not in compliance with the Uniform Financial 
Reporting Standards (UFRS) at the time of the application due date.
    m. The applicant submits an electronic application with a virus. 
(The applicant may resubmit a virus-free electronic application, but it 
must be resubmitted at least 24 hours prior to the due date.)
    n. The applicant is not registered at www.grants.gov as the 
authorized organization representative.
    o. The applicant submits an application using a Dun and Bradstreet 
Number System (DUNS) number under which it is not registered to submit 
an electronic application to www.grants.gov.
    2. PHA Program Requirements.
     a. A PHA may submit only one application under this announcement. 
This one-application-per-PHA limit applies regardless of whether or not 
the PHA is a state or regional PHA, except in those instances where 
such a PHA has more than one PHA code number due to its operating under 
the jurisdiction of more than one HUD field office. In such an 
instance, a separate application under each code shall be considered 
for funding, with the cumulative total of vouchers applied for under 
the applications not to exceed the maximum of 20 vouchers the PHA is 
eligible to apply for under section IV. E. of this announcement, i.e., 
no more than the number of vouchers the same PHA would be eligible to 
apply for if it only had one PHA code number.
    b. PHAs are encouraged to involve nonprofit organizations that 
provide services to disabled families, as defined in section III. C. 3. 
of this announcement, in the administration of the Mainstream Program's 
vouchers. In the past, such organizations have frequently demonstrated 
a capacity to assist disabled families and have demonstrated an in-
depth knowledge of the disability community.
    (1) A nonprofit organization could function as either a contract 
administrator for the PHA's Mainstream vouchers, or as a subcontractor 
responsible for providing case management services or assisting 
disabled families to locate suitable housing, gaining access to 
supportive services, or identifying private funding sources to cover 
the costs of unit modifications needed as a reasonable accommodation.
    (2) Such contractual arrangements must, however, ensure equal 
opportunity among the wide variety of disabled populations in the PHA's 
service area.
    c. In some cases, an applicant currently administering the Housing 
Choice Voucher Program has, at the time of publication of the 
SuperNOFA, been designated by HUD as troubled under the SEMAP, has 
major program management findings from Inspector General audits that 
are unresolved, or has other significant program compliance problems. 
HUD will reject an application from such an applicant as a contract 
administrator if, on the application due date, the troubled designation 
under SEMAP has not been removed by HUD, and the findings or other 
significant program compliance problems are not resolved. If the 
applicant wants to apply for funding under this announcement, it must 
submit an application that designates another contractor that is 
acceptable to HUD. The application must include an agreement by the 
other contractor to administer the new funding increment on behalf of 
the applicant, and (in the instance of an applicant with unresolved 
major program management findings or other significant program 
compliance problems) a statement that outlines the steps the applicant 
is taking to resolve the program findings or compliance problems.
    Immediately after the publication of this funding announcement, the 
Office of Public Housing in the local HUD field office will notify, in 
writing, those PHAs and nonprofit organizations that have been 
designated by HUD as troubled under SEMAP, and those PHAs and nonprofit 
organizations with unresolved major program management findings or 
other significant program compliance problems that are not eligible to 
apply without such an agreement. Concurrently, the local HUD field 
office will provide a copy of each such written notification to the 
Director of the Grants Management Center (GMC). The applicant may 
appeal the decision, in writing, if HUD has mistakenly classified the 
applicant as having unresolved major program findings or other 
significant program compliance problems. The applicant may not appeal 
its designation as troubled under SEMAP. Any appeal with respect to 
unresolved major program management findings or other significant 
program compliance problems must be accompanied by conclusive evidence 
of HUD's error (i.e., documentation showing that the finding has been 
cleared or the program compliance problem has been resolved) and must 
be received prior to the application deadline. The appeal should be 
submitted to the local HUD field office where a final determination 
shall be made. Concurrently, the local HUD field office shall provide 
the GMC with a copy of the applicant's written appeal and the field 
office's written response to the appeal. Copies of all letters of 
ineligibility and matters that relate to PHA appeals referenced in this 
paragraph must be submitted to the GMC by the field office so as to be 
received by the GMC no later than 10 days after the application 
deadline date.

[[Page 66727]]

Major program management findings, or significant program compliance 
problems, are those that would cast doubt on the capacity of the 
applicant to effectively administer any new housing choice voucher 
funding in accordance with applicable HUD regulatory and statutory 
requirements.

    (Note: If any additional PHAs or nonprofit organizations fall 
into the above category prior to HUD's announcement of awards under 
this NOFA, but subsequent to the local HUD field office's 
notification of the GMC addressed above, the field office shall 
immediately notify the GMC of the applicant's name and the category 
into which the applicant falls, i.e., designated as troubled under 
SEMAP, major unresolved Office of Inspector General (OIG) management 
findings, or other significant program compliance problems. As 
indicated in section III. C. 1. of this NOFA, an applicant must be 
eligible for funding at the time of the application due date, as 
well as at such subsequent time of HUD's selection of awardees. No 
PHA appeals, based upon field office letters of ineligibility issued 
after the application deadline date, shall be considered for 
purposes of eligibility for funding under this funding 
announcement.)

    3. Nonprofit Organization Program Requirements. A nonprofit 
organization may submit only one application under this announcement. 
For purposes of the Mainstream Program, a nonprofit organization shall 
be defined as an organization, no part of the net earnings of which 
inures to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or 
individual, that provides services to persons with disabilities and has 
received a federal tax-exempt designation, under section 501(c) (3) of 
the Internal Revenue Code, from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
    a. The nonprofit entity must:
    (1) Have a voluntary board;
    (2) Be authorized by its charter or state law to enter into a 
contract with the Federal Government to provide housing assistance to 
persons with disabilities;
    (3) Have a functioning accounting system that is operated in 
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or designate 
an entity that will maintain a functioning accounting system for the 
organization in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles;
    (4) Practice nondiscrimination in the provision of assistance; and
    (5) Provide services to the disabled as part of its ongoing 
activities and responsibilities.
    b. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to seek out PHAs in their 
geographic area to develop cooperative contractual relationships under 
the Mainstream Program and to enhance services to disabled families. In 
addition to contacting local PHAs, nonprofit organizations may also 
wish to contact regional (multi-county) or statewide PHAs.
    4. Eligible Participants. Only a disabled family that is income-
eligible under 24 CFR 982.201(b)(1), as well as otherwise eligible 
under the regulations at 24 CFR 982.201, may receive a voucher awarded 
under the Mainstream Program. Applicants with disabilities must be 
selected from the PHA's or nonprofit organization's housing choice 
voucher waiting list. Additional information on those families and 
individuals eligible to receive a voucher is located at the following 
HUD Web site: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Website Addresses To Request Application Package

    This section describes how you may obtain application forms, 
additional information about the Mainstream Program NOFA, and technical 
assistance. Copies of the published Mainstream NOFA and related 
application forms for this NOFA may be downloaded from the grants.gov 
Web site at www.grants.gov/Apply. (Be sure to download both the 
instructions package and the application package. Information from both 
packages will be necessary to have a successful submission.) You may 
choose from links provided under the topic ``Search Grant 
Opportunities,'' which allows you to do a basic search or to browse by 
category or agency. The NOFA may also be found by using the search 
function at www.grants.gov. If you have difficulty accessing the 
information, you may receive customer support from Grants.gov by 
calling its help line at (800) 518-GRANTS or sending an e-mail to 
grants.gov">support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov help desk is open from 7 a.m. to 9 
p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. The 
operators will assist you in accessing the information. If you do not 
have Internet access and you need to obtain a copy of this NOFA, you 
may contact HUD's NOFA Information Center toll-free at (800) HUD-2209 
and immediately submit a request for a waiver of the electronic 
requirement. A copy of this funding announcement for the Mainstream 
Program, the forms to be submitted with the application, and reference 
materials for use in preparing an application may be downloaded from 
the following Web site: www.grants.gov/Apply, by clicking on Apply Step 
1.
    1. Application Kit. There is no application kit for this program. 
This announcement contains all the information necessary for the 
submission of your application for voucher funding for the Mainstream 
Program. The materials needed to apply are found in the instruction 
download and application download found at www.grants.gov/Apply. HUD 
has made an effort to improve the readability of this NOFA and publish 
all required forms for application submission in the Federal Register. 
Please pay attention to the registration and submission requirements, 
including the format for submission, for the Mainstream NOFA to ensure 
that you have submitted all required elements of your application. The 
published Federal Register document is the official document that HUD 
uses to solicit applications. Therefore, if there is a discrepancy 
between any materials published by HUD in its Federal Register 
publications and other information provided in paper copy, electronic 
copy, or at www.grants.gov, the Federal Register publication prevails. 
Please be sure to review your application submission against the 
requirements in the Federal Register for this program NOFA.
    2. Further Information. A guidebook to HUD programs entitled, 
``Connecting with Communities: A User's Guide to HUD Programs and the 
FY 2005 NOFA Process,'' is available from the HUD NOFA Information 
Center and the HUD Web site at: www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm. The guidebook provides a brief description of all HUD 
programs, identifies eligible applicants for the programs, and provides 
examples of how programs can work in combination to serve local 
community needs. The telephone numbers for the NOFA Information Center 
are (800) HUD-8929, or for the hearing impaired, (800) HUD-2209 (TTY) 
(these are toll-free numbers). The NOFA Information Center is open 
between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, Monday 
through Friday, except federal holidays.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

    You must meet all the registration, application, and submission 
requirements described in Section IV. B. of the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA (70 FR 13581).
    1. Content of Application. Applicants are requested to read this 
section very carefully, as it addresses the specific information that 
must be in the applications submitted to HUD under this NOFA. 
Applications failing to

[[Page 66728]]

provide this information will be determined either ineligible for 
processing, or in the instance of an application having a curable 
(correctable) technical deficiency (see the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575) published March 21, 2005), the applicant will 
be requested to submit additional information. Those application 
submission items identified below in this section IV. B. 1. as ``not 
curable'' shall mean that any item; e.g., Mainstream Program Operating 
Plan, for which the applicant does not provide all the requested 
information shall result in the application being determined ineligible 
for processing. The turnaround times established by HUD in the instance 
of curable technical deficiencies are relatively brief, so the initial 
submission of a carefully prepared and complete application is 
extremely important. Applicants should also carefully review sections 
III. C. 1. (b) and (c) of this funding announcement to determine if 
their SEMAP designation, OIG status, existence of significant program 
compliance problems, or percentage expended of allocated budget 
authority will require the submission of additional information with 
their application.
    a. Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. All applicants 
must complete and submit the SF-424, Application for Federal 
Assistance. The SF-424 requires each applicant to enter basic 
information; e.g., applicant's name, address, Dun and Bradstreet 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, CFDA number for the type of 
funding being requested, etc. In the box titled ``Federal Identifier'' 
(on the top right hand side of the form), the applicant should enter 
the housing authority code number (for example, CT00). In part a. 
(Federal), of section 15 (Estimated Funding), the applicant should 
enter a zero dollar amount, as HUD will determine (as per section II. 
B. of this funding announcement) the amount of funding needed to fund 
the number of vouchers an applicant may be awarded. (Electronic 
Application Submission Tip: When entering the zero for the dollar 
amount, do not use any decimal points.) The SF-424 is located in the 
General Section of the SuperNOFA and is also available at the following 
HUD Web site: http://www.hud.gov/Apply. Applicants are placed on notice 
that by electronically signing the SF-424, the applicant is certifying 
to the accuracy of (1) All data/information on the Form SF-424, (2) all 
information described in Section IV. B. 2. (``Certifications and 
Assurances'') in the General Section (70 FR 13575), published March 21, 
2005, and (3) all data and information provided on all other forms and 
components (including certifications related to rating criteria) in its 
application. If you are granted a waiver to the electronic submission 
requirements, the Form SF-424 must be submitted and signed/dated by the 
applicant. An electronic or handwritten signature on the form certifies 
the accuracy of the application.
    b. Form HUD-52515. All applicants must complete and submit Form 
HUD-52515, Funding Application, for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. 
Section C of the form should be left blank. The standard Assurances and 
Certifications required to be submitted by each applicant are on the 
Form HUD-52515, which includes the Equal Opportunity Certification, and 
the Certification Regarding Lobbying. A copy of the Form HUD-52515, 
which is not included among the forms in the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA, is attached to this funding announcement.
    c. Letter of Intent and Narrative. In the letter of intent and 
narrative, the applicant must indicate the number of vouchers being 
requested, whether it will accept a reduction in the number of 
vouchers, and the minimum number of vouchers the applicant will accept, 
since the funding is limited and HUD may only have enough funds to 
approve an amount smaller than the number of vouchers requested. The 
maximum number of vouchers that an applicant may apply for under this 
announcement is limited to 20, and the minimum number of vouchers an 
applicant may apply for is 10.
    The letter of intent and narrative should also include information 
addressing how the applicant meets the selection criteria in section 
V.A. of this NOFA. Failure of the applicant to provide information in 
connection with selection criterion 1 shall result in the GMC scoring 
the applicant solely on the basis of information HUD already has on-
hand. An applicant (with the exception of a Block Grant MTW PHA) is not 
required to submit any information with its application relative to 
selection criterion 2, as HUD will determine the applicant's percentage 
of allocated budget authority that has been expended for its voucher 
program based upon information already available within HUD's data 
systems. Failure of the applicant to provide the information called for 
under selection criterion 3, selection criterion 4, or selection 
criterion 5 shall be considered not curable, but shall not make the 
application ineligible for processing. Failure to provide the 
information shall simply mean that the applicant is ineligible for the 
points under the categories for which it failed to provide the 
information requested in this funding announcement. An applicant must 
submit the monitoring and evaluation plan required under selection 
criterion 6 if the applicant sought to be rated under selection 
criteria 3, 4, or 5. Failure to provide the monitoring and evaluation 
plan shall be considered not curable and shall make the application 
ineligible for processing.
    d. Description of Need for Mainstream Program Vouchers. The PHA's 
and nonprofit organization's application must demonstrate a need for 
Mainstream Program vouchers by providing information documenting that 
the demand for housing for non-elderly and elderly persons with 
disabilities would equal or exceed the requested number of vouchers. 
The applicant must assess and document the housing need for elderly and 
non-elderly persons with disabilities using a range of sources 
including, but not limited to: Census data, information from the 
applicant's waiting list (both public housing and housing choice 
voucher), statistics on recent public housing admissions and housing 
choice voucher use, data from local advocacy groups and local public 
and private service agencies familiar with the housing needs of elderly 
and non-elderly persons with disabilities, and pertinent information 
from the Consolidated Plan [including the Analysis of Impediments to 
Fair Housing Choice (AI)] applicable to the applicant's jurisdiction. 
(See 24 CFR 91.205(d).) Failure of the applicant to provide the 
information required under this section (d) shall be determined not 
curable and the application deemed ineligible for processing.
    e. Mainstream Program Operating Plan. The application must include 
a plan for operating a program to serve eligible disabled families. 
This Mainstream Program Operating Plan must, at a minimum, address the 
following:
    (1) How the applicant will carry out its responsibilities under 24 
CFR 8.28 to assist recipients in locating units with needed 
accessibility features;
    (2) How the applicant will identify private or public funding 
sources to help participants cover the costs of modifications that need 
to be made to their units as reasonable accommodations to their 
disabilities; and
    (3) How the applicant will use a nonprofit organization or PHA 
under a contract to administer the Mainstream Program vouchers or to 
otherwise provide services. (This area needs to be

[[Page 66729]]

addressed only if the applicant intends to partner with a PHA or 
nonprofit organization as part of its efforts to serve eligible 
disabled families receiving Mainstream vouchers.)
    Failure of the applicant to provide the information required under 
this section (e) shall be determined not curable and the application 
deemed ineligible for processing.
    f. Statement Regarding the Steps the PHA and Nonprofit Organization 
Will Take to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. The statement must 
include specific steps to address the categories outlined in Section 
III. C. 4. b. in the General Section of the HUD SuperNOFA.
    g. Block Grant Moving to Work (MTW) PHA Certification. Block Grant 
MTW agencies must submit a certification with their application 
certifying to HUD that their voucher program funds have been used to 
meet the commitments of their MTW Agreement. Block Grant MTW PHAs that 
cannot rightfully submit such a certification shall submit a statement 
with their application explaining specifically why such a certification 
would not be accurate. (MTW PHAs in this latter category will have the 
number of Mainstream vouchers they are requesting evaluated by HUD on a 
case-by-case basis.) Failure of a Block Grant MTW PHA to provide the 
certification or statement required under this section g. shall be 
determined not curable and the application deemed ineligible for 
processing.
    h. Form HUD-2993. Applicants that have received a waiver of the 
requirement to submit an electronic application are required to 
complete and submit Form HUD-2993, Acknowledgment of Application 
Receipt. In addition to the applicant's entering its name and address 
on the form, the full title of the program under which the applicant is 
seeking funding must also be entered. This form is located in the 
General Section of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575), published March 21, 
2005, and is also available at the following Web site: www.grants.gov/Apply.
    i. Identification of Primary Market Area. Each applicant must 
specify in the application its primary market area, i.e., the 
geographic area in which it is legally authorized to operate and where 
the vouchers will be issued. This information may be different from 
that entered by such an applicant on the Form HUD-52515, as the form 
calls for the applicant to identify its ``legal area of operation,'' 
which may be far more geographically expansive than the specific city, 
county, or area within a state where a PHA (particularly a regional or 
state PHA) or nonprofit organization intends to issue the vouchers. 
This information is critical because, as indicated in section V. A. 2. 
a. of this funding announcement, the geographic area in which the 
vouchers are intended to be issued and in which the applicant is 
legally authorized to operate a Housing Choice Voucher Program will be 
used by the applicant (and subsequently by the GMC during the review of 
applications) to determine the percentage of the nation's housing needs 
for disabled persons at or below the poverty level that are within the 
applicant's primary market area. For example, although an applicant may 
be legally authorized to operate throughout the entire county in which 
it is located, if the vouchers will be issued only in two cities within 
that county then the primary market area is those two cities and not 
the entire county. Conversely, if the applicant is planning to issue 
vouchers to all cities within a county, then the applicant must list 
the county only and not list the individual cities within that county 
(the county is the sum of all housing needs for cities within a 
county). If, in addition to the county, there are individual cities 
outside the county where the applicant also will be issuing vouchers, 
the PHA then also must list these cities. A state PHA or nonprofit 
organization legally authorized to operate throughout the entire state, 
but which intends to issue the Mainstream vouchers in only one county, 
must list solely that county as its primary market area. In addition, 
the primary market area shall not include a geographic area in which 
the applicant is issuing vouchers, outside its normal, legally 
authorized area of operation, based upon an agreement with another 
agency/PHA to issue vouchers in the other agency's/PHA's jurisdiction.
    2. SF-424 Supplement, Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for 
Applicants. Non-profit applicants are invited to respond to a survey 
questionnaire. This survey is designed to help HUD assess the interest 
in its funding opportunities to grassroots community-based 
organizations, including faith-based organizations. A copy of the 
survey form can be found in the General Section of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 
13575), published March 21, 2005, and is also available as part of the 
application package at www.grants.gov/Apply.

C. Submission Date and Time

    Applications submitted through www.grants.gov/Apply must be 
received by no later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 3, 
2006. Applicants receiving a waiver of the electronic submission 
requirement must submit their application to the United States Postal 
Service no later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 3, 2006. 
This application submission date is firm. In the interest of fairness 
to all competing PHAs and nonprofit organizations, HUD will not 
consider any application that is submitted after the application 
submission date. Applicants should take this practice into account and 
submit their materials early to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility 
brought about by submission problems, unanticipated delays, weather 
conditions, or other delivery-related problems. See paragraph IV. 
titled ``Application and Submission Information'' in the General 
Section of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575), published March 21, 2005, 
regarding HUD's procedures pertinent to the submission of your 
application. Applicants applying electronically will receive a 
confirmation of receipt, and then 24 to 48 hours later will receive a 
validation receipt that indicates the application was accepted for 
processing by www.grants.gov for transfer to the offering agency (HUD). 
Applicants are advised to submit electronically at least 72 hours prior 
to the due date and time to allow themselves time to correct any 
deficiencies noted in the electronic application during the Grants.gov 
validation process. The validation process does not check for content. 
It only accepts applications where the applicant is registered and 
authorized to submit an application on behalf of the organization, if 
the electronic file is free from viruses, and if all mandatory forms 
and mandatory data elements in the forms have been completed. With 
early submission, if an application is rejected for using the wrong 
DUNS, the applicant will be able to correct the problem prior to the 
due date and time.

D. Intergovernmental Review

    Applicants submitting an application under this funding 
announcement are not subject to intergovernmental review; i.e., 
Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.

E. Funding Restrictions

    There is a limit on the minimum and maximum number of vouchers that 
may be requested. An eligible applicant may apply for not less than 10 
vouchers and no more than a maximum of 20 vouchers. No less than 10 
vouchers and no more than 20 vouchers will be awarded to any applicant 
under the FY 2005 Mainstream Program. Any application incorrectly 
requesting more than 20 vouchers shall have its voucher

[[Page 66730]]

request reduced by HUD to 20 vouchers. Likewise, because an applicant 
is not to request less than 10 vouchers under this NOFA, any applicant 
requesting less than 10 vouchers shall have that voucher request 
increased by HUD to 10 vouchers.

F. Waivers of the Electronic Submission Requirement; Other Submission 
Requirements

    HUD regulations at 24 CFR 5.110 permit waivers of regulatory 
requirements to be granted for cause. If you are unable to submit your 
application electronically, you may request a waiver from this 
requirement. Your waiver request must be in writing and state the basis 
for the request and explain why electronic submission is not possible. 
The waiver request should also include an e-mail and/or name and 
mailing address where responses can be directed. Applicants must submit 
waiver requests to the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public 
and Indian Housing, Attn: Paula O. Blunt, General Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4100, 
Washington, DC 20410, with a facsimile copy to the Housing Voucher 
Management and Operations Division at (202) 401-7974. Waiver requests 
will be accepted beginning on the date of publication of this NOFA and 
no later than 30 days prior to the application submission date. HUD 
will not consider a waiver request that does not conform to the above 
requirement. If a waiver to the electronic application submission 
requirements is granted, HUD requires one original and two copies of a 
paper application to be sent to the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Central Processing Unit, Room 7152, 451 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20410, Attn: Mainstream Program (Mainstream). A 
copy of the application is not required to be submitted to the local 
HUD field office. For ease of reference, the term ``local HUD field 
office'' will be used in this announcement to mean the local HUD field 
office Hub or the local HUD field office program center. A listing of 
HUD field offices is attached to the General Section of the SuperNOFA.

V. Application Review Information

A. Criteria

    1. Rating and Ranking. After the Grants Management Center has 
screened and disapproved any applications found unacceptable for 
further processing, it will review all acceptable applications to 
ensure they are technically adequate and responsive to the requirements 
of this announcement. HUD Headquarters will fund all applications from 
PHAs and nonprofit organizations that are recommended for funding by 
the Grants Management Center unless HUD receives approvable 
applications for more funds than are available. HUD will select 
applicants to be funded based upon the methodology indicated in section 
V. B. 1. of this NOFA. Applications meeting all the application 
submission requirements of section IV. B. of this NOFA will be rated 
and ranked on the basis of their score under the selection criteria in 
section V. A. of this NOFA. The maximum score under the selection 
criteria is 100 points.
    2. Selection Criteria. a. Selection Criterion 1, Disabled Persons 
at or Below the Poverty Level (40 points).
    (1) Description: This criterion assesses the number of disabled 
persons at or below the poverty level in the primary market area served 
by the applicant, as a percentage of such disabled persons on a 
national basis using 2000 census data. The primary market area is 
defined as the geographic area in which the applicant is legally 
authorized to operate and where the vouchers will be issued. (See 
section IV. B. 1. i. of this NOFA regarding the description of the 
primary market area required to be included in each PHA's/nonprofit 
organization's application.) A table listing all the cities and 
counties with a population of 10,000 or more persons within the nation 
states and territories) will be listed with this funding announcement 
on HUD's Web site at: www.grants.gov/Apply. Also indicated on the table 
will be the number of disabled persons/percentage of such disabled 
persons at or below the poverty level within each city or county, as a 
percentage of the number of disabled persons at or below the poverty 
level within the nation. An applicant (and the GMC during the review of 
applications) will use the table to determine the percentage of 
disabled persons at or below the poverty level that is in the 
applicant's primary market area. The percentage will determine the 
number of points that the applicant is eligible for under Selection 
Criterion 1.
    (2) Rating and Assessment: Points will be assigned based on the 
number of disabled persons at or below the poverty level in the 
applicant's primary market area, as a percentage of such persons within 
the nation. For each tenth of one percent (.001) within the applicant's 
primary market area, the applicant will receive 5 points. Percentages 
of .0015, .0025, etc. or higher but less than the next whole tenth of 
one percent, i.e., .002, .003, etc. shall be rounded to the next whole 
tenth of a percentage point. An applicant having a primary market area 
with less than one-tenth of one percent for disabled persons, or a 
population of 10,000 or fewer, or for which disability percentages are 
not listed on the table, will receive 5 points under Selection 
Criterion 1. Likewise, an applicant having a primary market area 
comprised of more than one community with a population of 10,000 or 
fewer shall receive a total of 5 points for all such communities 
combined. In addition, an applicant with a primary market area 
comprised of one or more cities and/or counties, for which the total 
combined percentage is equal to or less than .00149, shall receive 5 
points. A maximum of 40 points is available under Selection Criterion 1 
regardless of how high a percentage of disabled persons at or below the 
poverty level is located within the applicant's primary market area.
    b. Selection Criterion 2, Percentage of Allocated Budget Authority 
Expended (PABAE) (20 points).
    (1) Description: This criterion focuses on PABAE; i.e., the 
percentage of allocated budget authority (ABA) that a PHA or nonprofit 
organization has expended for its housing choice voucher program. While 
a PHA or nonprofit organization must have an expenditure rate of at 
least 97 percent under section III. C. 1. c. of this NOFA in order to 
have an acceptable application, Selection Criterion 2 provides for the 
award of selection points to those PHAs and nonprofit organizations 
having a PABAE of 99 percent or higher. The PABAE for a PHA's or 
nonprofit organization's voucher program will be calculated by HUD 
Headquarters' Housing Voucher Financial Management Division based upon 
the ABA expenditure information submitted electronically to HUD's 
voucher management system (VMS) on a quarterly basis for the most 
recent 12-month period (prior to the Mainstream application due date). 
The PABAE will be determined by HUD dividing the amount of housing 
assistance payments (HAP) by the ABA. If data in the VMS is not 
available or cannot be relied upon, HUD will use other sources of 
available information such as the HUD Central Accounting System 
(HUDCAPS), up to December 31, 2004, or financial statement information 
submitted to the Real Estate Assessment Center through the Financial 
Assessment Sub-System. (Note: A PABAE of a half or more of one 
percentage point will be rounded to the next highest percentage point 
for purposes of qualifying for the points available under Selection 
Criterion 2

[[Page 66731]]

(for example, 98.5 percent will be rounded up to 99 percent).
    See section IV. B. 1. g. of this NOFA regarding the certification 
requirement applicable to Block Grant MTW PHAs in connection with 
qualifying for the points available under Selection Criterion 2.
    (2) Rating and Assessment: The GMC will assign point values as 
follows:
    * 20 points: The PHA or nonprofit organization has a PABAE of 99 
percent for its voucher program.
    c. Selection Criterion 3, Homeownership Option Under Housing Choice 
Voucher Program (10 points). (Note: Selection Criterion 3 addresses 
HUD's homeownership policy priority.)
    (1) Description: Applicants are encouraged, consistent with 24 CFR 
982.625-982.643, to establish a homeownership component or to expand 
upon an existing component within their housing choice voucher program. 
Points will be awarded under this NOFA to applicants that are able to 
meet the rating and assessment criteria listed below.
    (2) Rating and Assessment: The GMC will assign points under 
Selection Criterion 3 as follows:
    * 3 points: The applicant has established a housing choice voucher 
homeownership program as evidenced by its submission with its 
application of a copy of the Board resolution approving changes to its 
administrative plan for the implementation of the homeownership option 
under its housing choice voucher program.
    * 7 points: The applicant qualifies for the three points under the 
paragraph immediately above and has had one or more closings under its 
homeownership program, as evidenced by the applicant's submission of 
information to HUD's Public and Indian Housing Information Center (PIC) 
on Form HUD-50058, Family Report, indicating at least one homeownership 
unit has completed the closing process; i.e., has qualified the PHA for 
the $1,000 administrative fee associated with each homeownership 
voucher closing, as described in Notice PIH 2005-14 (HA) and the 
predecessor to this Notice issued ``To All Section 8 Housing 
Authorities'' on October 27, 2004. (Note: The applicant can only 
qualify for the seven points under this paragraph if it has first 
qualified for the three points under the paragraph immediately above.)
    d. Selection Criterion 4, Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Slots 
Filled (10 points).
    (1) Description: PHAs are encouraged, consistent with 24 CFR Part 
984, to fill the slots required under a mandatory FSS program, and to 
establish a voluntary FSS program and fill slots under that program 
where a mandatory FSS program is not required. Points will be awarded 
under this NOFA to PHAs submitting a certification with their 
application certifying that they have filled one or more of their slots 
with persons with disabilities, and that these slots have been reported 
to HUD's PIC on the Form HUD-50058. (Note: Nonprofit organizations may 
also qualify for points under this selection criterion, but the basis 
upon which they may do so is different than for PHAs, as indicated 
below.)
    (2) Rating and Assessment for PHAs: The GMC will assign rating 
points under Selection Criterion 4 as follows:
    * 10 points: 20 or more of the applicant's FSS slots have been 
filled by persons with disabilities.
    * 5 points: 10 to 19 of the applicant's FSS slots have been filled 
by persons with disabilities.
    * 3 points: 1 to 9 of the applicant's FSS slots have been filled by 
persons with disabilities.
    * 0 points: None of the applicant's FSS slots have been filled by 
persons with disabilities.
    (3) Rating and Assessment for Nonprofit Organizations: In order to 
receive any points under this criterion, a nonprofit must submit a 
certification statement indicating that it currently assists persons 
with disabilities either directly, or indirectly through referrals to 
other agencies, with such needs as child care, transportation, 
educational and job training opportunities, employment, money 
management, and such other similar needs as are necessary to assist 
these families in achieving economic independence and self-sufficiency. 
The GMC will assign rating points under Selection Criterion 4 when the 
application is accompanied by the certification statement indicated 
immediately above and also accompanied by one of the certifications 
indicated below, as follows:
    * 10 points: A certification is submitted with the application 
certifying that the nonprofit organization will assist 80 percent or 
more of its Mainstream voucher families either directly, or indirectly 
through referrals to other agencies, with such needs as child care, 
transportation, educational and job training opportunities, employment, 
money management, and such other similar needs as are necessary to 
assist these families in achieving economic independence and self-
sufficiency.
    * 5 points: A certification is submitted with the application 
certifying that the nonprofit organization will assist 50 to 79 percent 
of its Mainstream voucher families either directly, or indirectly 
through referrals to other agencies, with such needs as child care, 
transportation, educational and job training opportunities, employment, 
money management, and such other similar needs as are necessary to 
assist these families in achieving economic independence and self-
sufficiency.
    * 3 points: A certification is submitted with the application 
certifying that the nonprofit organization will assist 25 to 49 percent 
of its Mainstream voucher families either directly, or indirectly 
through referrals to other agencies, with such needs as child care, 
transportation, educational and job training opportunities, employment, 
money management, and such other similar needs as are necessary to 
assist these families in achieving economic independence and self-
sufficiency.
    * 0 points: The nonprofit organization does not submit any of the 
certification statements indicated immediately above.
    e. Selection Criterion 5, Commitments from Outside Agencies (15 
points).
    (Note: Selection Criterion 5's category for 15 points addresses 
HUD's grassroots faith-based and other community-based organizations 
policy priority.)
    (1) Description: The applicant provides documentation that it has 
entered into agreements with one or more organizations to assist 
disabled families with moving costs, security deposits, utility hook-up 
fees, utility deposits, medical care, transportation, educational 
opportunities, employment, and child care.
    (2) Rating and Assessment: The GMC will assign points as follows:
    * 15 points: The applicant provides copies of the agreements that 
it has entered into with three or more organizations to assist disabled 
families with any one or more of the following: moving costs, security 
deposits, utility hook-up fees, utility deposits, medical care, 
transportation, educational opportunities, employment, and child care. 
The applicant must also provide information indicating it has 
undertaken one or more of the activities to promote the participation 
of grass roots faith-based and other community-based organizations 
indicated in section V. b. 1. f. of the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA, as relates to the aforementioned agreements. The applicant's 
provision of the former, but not the latter information, shall result 
in the application receiving no more than 9 points under this Selection 
Criterion 5, as indicated below.

[[Page 66732]]

    * 9 points: The applicant provides copies of the agreements that it 
has entered into with three or more organizations to assist disabled 
families with any one or more of the following: moving costs, security 
deposits, utility hook-up fees, utility deposits, medical care, 
transportation, educational opportunities, employment, and child care.
    * 6 points: The applicant provides copies of the agreements it has 
entered into with two organizations to assist disabled families with 
any one or more of the following: moving costs, security deposits, 
utility hook-up fees, utility deposits, medical care, transportation, 
educational opportunities, employment, and child care.
    * 3 points: The applicant provides copies of the agreements it has 
entered into with one organization to assist disabled families with any 
one or more of the following: moving costs, security deposits, utility 
hook-up fees, utility deposits, medical care, transportation, 
educational opportunities, employment, and child care.
    f. Selection Criterion 6, Achieving Results and Program Evaluation 
(5 points). (Note: Selection Criterion 6 addresses HUD's Achieving 
Results and Program Evaluation policy priority. This rating criterion 
is mandatory; i.e., applicants must provide information in their 
application responding to this rating criterion.)
    (1) Description: This criterion emphasizes HUD's determination to 
ensure that applicants meet commitments made in their applications and 
assess their performance in meeting performance goals. HUD requires 
Mainstream Program applicants to develop an effective, quantifiable, 
outcome-oriented monitoring and evaluation plan for measuring 
performance and determining that goals have been met. This monitoring 
and evaluation plan requirement is applicable to Selection Criterion 3 
(Homeownership Option Under Housing Choice Voucher Program), Selection 
Criterion 4 (FSS Slots Filled), and Selection Criterion 5 (Commitments 
from Outside Agencies). The plan is to be set forth on the Form HUD-
96010, Logic Model, and shall address solely those selection criteria 
(3, 4, and 5) under which the applicant sought to be rated in its 
application. The Form HUD-96010 must be submitted with the applicant's 
application. See section VI. C., Reporting, of this NOFA regarding the 
reporting requirements pertaining to the goals identified by the 
applicant on the Form HUD-96010.
    (2) Rating and Assessment: The GMC will assign points as follows:
    * 5 points: The applicant submits a monitoring and evaluation plan 
meeting the descriptive requirements outlined immediately above.

B. Reviews and Selection Process

    1. Selection for Funding. HUD will select applications for funding 
that meet all of the application submission requirements in section IV. 
B. of this NOFA and that score a sufficient number of points under the 
selection criteria listed in section V. A. of this NOFA. Applications 
will be ranked from highest to lowest score in descending order, with 
the highest ranked application selected first for funding, and so 
forth. Where two or more applicants have exactly the same score under 
the selection criteria in section V. A. of this NOFA and insufficient 
funding remains to fund all of them, applicants will be funded in the 
order of the exact percentage of disabled persons at or below the 
poverty level that is in each applicant's primary market area. The 
applicant with the highest percentage will be funded first, etc. HUD 
will limit the number of applications selected for funding from any 
state to 10 percent of the budget authority available for the 
Mainstream Program. If establishing this geographic limit would result, 
however, in unreserved budget authority, HUD may modify this limit to 
assure that all available funds are used. When remaining budget 
authority is insufficient to fund the last selected application in 
full, the application will be funded to the extent of the funding 
available, unless the applicant indicates that it will only accept a 
higher number of units. In that event, the next selected application 
shall be the one indicating a willingness to accept the lesser amount 
of funding for the units available.
    2. Deficient Applications. The application must include all of the 
information specified in section IV. B. 1., Content of Application, of 
this announcement. Examples of curable (correctible) technical 
deficiencies include inconsistencies in the funding request, a failure 
to submit the proper certifications, or, in the instance where a waiver 
to the submission of an electronic application has been granted, 
failure to submit an application that contains an original signature by 
an authorized official. In each case, HUD will notify you in writing by 
describing the clarification or technical deficiency. Applicants will 
be notified by facsimile or by United States Postal Service (USPS), 
return receipt requested. Clarifications or corrections to technical 
deficiencies in accordance with the information provided by HUD must be 
submitted within 7 calendar days of the date of receipt of the HUD 
notification--not 14 days as is indicated in the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal 
holiday, your correction must be received by HUD on the next day that 
is not a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday. If the deficiency is not 
corrected within this time period, HUD will reject your application as 
incomplete and it will not be considered for funding.
    3. Unacceptable Applications; Applicant Debriefing. After the 7 
calendar day technical deficiency correction period, the Office of 
Public and Indian Housing's Grants Management Center will disapprove 
all applications from PHAs and nonprofit organizations that the GMC 
determines are not acceptable for processing. The GMC's notification of 
rejection letter must state the basis for the decision. Applicants may 
request an applicant debriefing related to its application. Beginning 
30 days after the awards for assistance are publicly announced in the 
Federal Register, and for at least 120 days thereafter, HUD will, upon 
receiving a written or email request from the applicant, provide a 
debriefing to the requesting applicant. (See the General Section of the 
SuperNOFA for additional information regarding a debriefing.) 
Applicants requesting to be debriefed must send a written request to 
Iredia Hutchinson, Director, Grants Management Center, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 501 School Street, SW, Suite 800, 
Washington, DC 20024. An e-mail request may also be sent to Ms. 
Hutchinson at the following e-mail address: [email protected]. 
Information provided during a debriefing will include, at a minimum, 
the final score you received for each rating factor, final evaluation 
comments for each rating factor, and the final assessment indicating 
the basis upon which assistance was provided or denied.

C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    The announcement of Mainstream awards is anticipated to occur 
during the month of February 2006.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    Successful applicants will receive a letter from HUD Headquarters' 
Office of Public and Indian Housing (OPIH) advising of their having 
been selected to receive an award of Mainstream

[[Page 66733]]

vouchers. Shortly thereafter, the awardee will receive award documents 
from OPIH's Financial Management Center (FMC) providing the awardee 
with notification of its Mainstream voucher award, contract documents, 
and a funding exhibit.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    1. Housing Choice Voucher Program Regulations. Applicants must 
administer the Mainstream Program in accordance with HUD regulations 
and requirements governing the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The only 
exception to this requirement shall be for nonprofit organizations 
which shall not be required to comply with the requirements of 24 CFR 
Part 903, subpart B concerning the requirement for a PHA Plan.
    2. Housing Choice Voucher Program Admission Requirements. Housing 
choice voucher assistance must be provided to eligible disabled 
families in conformity with regulations and requirements governing the 
Housing Choice Voucher Program and the PHA's administrative plan.
    3. Turnover. When a voucher under this announcement becomes 
available for reissue (e.g., the family initially selected for the 
program drops out of the program or is unsuccessful in the search for a 
unit), the voucher may be used only for another family eligible for 
assistance under this announcement for five years from the date the 
rental assistance is placed under an annual contributions contract 
(ACC). In addition, any renewal by HUD of the five-year voucher funding 
shall require the continued reissuance of the vouchers to disabled 
families.
    If there is ever an insufficient pool of disabled families on the 
PHA's or nonprofit organization's housing choice voucher waiting list, 
the PHA or nonprofit organization shall conduct outreach to encourage 
eligible persons to apply for this special allocation of vouchers. 
Outreach may include contacting independent living centers, advocacy 
organizations for persons with disabilities, and medical, mental 
health, and social service providers for referrals of persons receiving 
such services who would benefit from housing choice voucher assistance. 
If the PHA's or nonprofit organization's housing choice voucher waiting 
list is closed, and if the PHA or nonprofit organization has 
insufficient applicants on its housing choice voucher waiting list to 
use all awarded vouchers under this announcement, the PHA or nonprofit 
disability organization should open the waiting list for applications 
from disabled families. PHAs and nonprofit organizations must take care 
to keep track of the number of disabled vouchers they have been awarded 
under this funding announcement versus the number of such vouchers they 
have actually issued to disabled families.
    4. PHA and Nonprofit Organization Responsibilities. In addition to 
the responsibilities under the Housing Choice Voucher Program and HUD 
regulations concerning nondiscrimination based on disability (24 CFR 
8.28) and to affirmatively further fair housing, PHAs and nonprofit 
organizations that receive voucher funding shall:
    a. Where requested by an individual, assist program participants to 
gain access to supportive services available within the community, but 
not require eligible applicants or participants to accept supportive 
services as a condition of participation or continued occupancy in the 
program.
    b. Identify public and private funding sources to assist 
participants in covering the costs of modifications that need to be 
made to their units as a reasonable accommodation for their 
disabilities.
    c. Not deny other housing opportunities to persons who qualify for 
rental assistance under this program, or otherwise restrict access to 
PHA or nonprofit organization programs to eligible applicants who 
choose not to participate.
    d. Provide housing choice voucher search assistance.
    e. In accordance with regulatory guidance, provide higher rents to 
owners necessary for the provision of accessible units and structural 
modifications for persons with disabilities.
    f. Provide technical assistance to owners for making reasonable 
accommodations or making units accessible to persons with disabilities.
    5. Conducting Business in Accordance With Core Values and Ethical 
Standards. To reflect core values, all PHAs shall develop and maintain 
a written code of conduct in the PHA administrative plan that (1) 
requires compliance with the conflict of interest requirements of the 
Housing Choice Voucher Program at 24 CFR 982.161, and (2) prohibits the 
solicitation or acceptance of gifts or gratuities, in excess of a 
nominal value, by any officer or employee of the PHA, or any 
contractor, subcontractor, or agent of the PHA. The PHA's 
administrative plan shall state PHA policies concerning PHA 
administrative and disciplinary remedies for violation of the PHA code 
of conduct. The PHA shall inform all officers, employees, and agents of 
its organization of the PHA's code of conduct.
    6. Environmental Review. In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(11) and 
58.35(b)(1) of the HUD regulations, tenant-based rental activities 
under this program are categorically excluded from the requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and are not 
subject to environmental review under the related laws and authorities. 
Activities under the homeownership option of this program are 
categorically excluded from NEPA requirements and excluded from other 
environmental requirements under 24 CFR 58.5 in accordance with 24 CFR 
58.35(b)(5), but PHAs and nonprofit organizations are responsible for 
the environmental requirements in 24 CFR 982.626(c).
    7. Procurement of Recovered Materials. See section III. C. 4. i. of 
the General Section of the SuperNOFA.

C. Reporting

    Reporting requirements are the same as for regular vouchers under 
the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Awardee performance on goals 
included on the Form HUD-96010, Logic Model, shall be monitored by HUD 
utilizing the current HUD reporting systems for the Housing Choice 
Voucher Program for tracking PHA progress on homeownership, the FSS 
program, and commitments from outside agencies. Applicants should 
internally track their performance in meeting the strategic goals in 
the Logic Model using the information required by the format of that 
form.
    In addition, HUD requires that funded recipients collect racial and 
ethnic beneficiary data. It has adopted the Office of Management and 
Budget's (OMB's) Standards for the Collection of Racial and Ethnic 
Data. In view of these requirements, funded recipients should use Form 
HUD-27061, Racial and Ethnic Data Reporting Form (found on 
www.grants.gov/Apply), a comparable program form, or a comparable 
electronic data system for this purpose.

VII. Agency Contacts

A. Technical Assistance

    Before the application due date, HUD staff is available to provide 
general guidance and technical assistance about this NOFA. However, 
staff is not permitted to assist in preparing your application. Also, 
following selection of applicants, but before awards are announced, 
staff may assist in clarifying or confirming information that is a 
prerequisite to the offer of an award. You may contact George C.

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Hendrickson, Housing Program Specialist, Room 4214, Office of Public 
Housing and Voucher Programs, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410; telephone 
(202) 708-0477, ext. 4064. Subsequent to application submission, you 
may contact the Grants Management Center at (202) 358-0221. (These are 
not toll-free numbers.) Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access these numbers via TTY (text telephone) by calling the Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 (this is a toll-free 
number). For technical support for registering to apply using 
www.grants.gov, downloading an application, or electronically 
submitting an application, please call Grants.gov Customer Support at 
800-518-GRANTS (This is a toll-free number) or e-mail 
grants.gov">support@grants.gov.

B. Satellite Broadcast

    HUD will not have a satellite broadcast on the Mainstream Program. 
Applicants seeking additional information or clarifications regarding 
the content of the Mainstream NOFA should contact George C. Hendrickson 
in HUD Headquarters (see paragraph A. immediately above).

VIII. Other Information

    A. Please review Section VIII. A., B., E., F., G., and H. (``Other 
Information'') of the General Section of the SuperNOFA (70 FR 13575), 
published March 21, 2005. Please note that these subsections are 
incorporated into this NOFA by reference.

B. Environmental Impact

    This NOFA provides funding under, and does not alter the 
environmental requirements of 24 CFR Part 982, as noted in section VI. 
B. 6. of this NOFA, and this NOFA concerns activities listed in 24 CFR 
50.19(b) as categorically excluded from environmental review under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321) (``NEPA''). 
Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19 (c) (5), this NOFA is categorically 
excluded from environmental review under NEPA.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this document 
have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and assigned 
OMB control number 2577-0169. In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, HUD may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless the 
collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public 
reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to 
average one hour per annum per respondent for the application and grant 
administration.
    This includes the time for collecting, reviewing, and reporting the 
data for the application, semi-annual reports and final report. The 
information will be used for grantee selection and monitoring the 
administration of funds. Response to this request for information is 
required in order to receive the benefits to be derived.

    Dated: October 25, 2005.
Paula O. Blunt,
General Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
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[FR Doc. 05-21894 Filed 11-1-05; 8:45 am]
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