[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34769-34770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14167]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5596-N-02]


Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers: Revised Implementation of the 
HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program Technical Correction

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On March 23, 2012, HUD published a notice, effective as of 
March 23, 2012, that established the policies and procedures for the 
administration of tenant-based Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) 
rental assistance under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing 
(HUD-VASH) program. The March 23, 2012, notice was an update of a HUD-
VASH program notice first published by HUD on May 6, 2008. It was 
recently brought to HUD's intention that one of the HUD regulations 
that requires waiver in order to allow HUD-VASH families to live on the 
grounds of a VA facility in units developed to house homeless veterans 
was not referenced in either the May 6, 2008, notice or the March 23, 
2012, notice. Although HUD has waived the requirement since the 
issuance of the May 6, 2008, notice, the regulatory requirement was 
inadvertently omitted from the notice. This notice corrects that 
omission.

DATES: Effective date: May 6, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael S. Dennis, Director, Office of 
Housing Voucher Programs, Office of Public Housing and Vouchers 
Programs,

[[Page 34770]]

Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4216, Washington, DC 20410-8000, 
telephone number 202-708-0477 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Individuals with speech or hearing impairments may access this number 
through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-
8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The HUD-VASH program was authorized pursuant to Division K, Title 
II, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-161, 
approved December 26, 2007) under the heading ``Tenant-Based Rental 
Assistance'' (FY 2008 Appropriations). The HUD-VASH program combines 
HCV rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and 
clinical services provided by the VA through its community medical 
centers. The program is administered by PHAs that partner with local VA 
medical facilities. Since implementation of the program, ongoing VA 
case management, health, and other supportive services have been made 
available to homeless veterans at more than 300 VA Medical Center 
(VAMC) supportive services sites and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics 
(CBOCs) across the nation. The HUD-VASH program is a key component of 
reducing homelessness among veterans as outlined in the 
Administration's Federal Strategy to Prevent and End Homelessness.
    Following enactment of the FY 2008 Appropriations, HUD published a 
notice on May 6, 2008, at 73 FR 25026, which established the policies 
and procedures for the administration of tenant-based Section 8 HCV 
rental assistance under the HUD-VASH program. The appropriations acts 
following the FY 2008 Appropriations Act continued to fund the HUD-VASH 
program.
    By notice published on March 23, 2012, at 77 FR 17086, HUD updated 
the policies and procedures for the administration of the HUD-VASH 
program, republishing these policies and procedures in their entirety. 
In addition to updating the 2008 policies and procedures, the March 23, 
2012, notice was also issued to provide new and clarifying guidance 
regarding several aspects of the program such as those pertaining to 
certain types of verification documentation, addition of family members 
after the veteran is a participant in the HCV program, termination of 
assistance, portability moves within the same catchment area where both 
PHAs have received HUD-VASH vouchers, portability moves when case 
management is no longer required, reallocation of HUD-VASH vouchers, 
and Housing Quality Standards (HQS) initial inspections.
    It was recently brought to HUD's attention that one of the HUD 
regulations that requires waiver in order to allow HUD-VASH families to 
live on the grounds of a VA facility in units developed to house 
homeless veterans was not referenced in either the May 6, 2008, notice 
or the March 23, 2012, notice. Section II.e. of the May 6, 2008, 
notice, and Section II.f. of the March 23, 2012, notice, which each 
address ineligible housing, reference waiver of HUDs regulation at 24 
CFR 982.352(a)(5) (which covers section 8 housing choice voucher 
tenant-based assistance) but inadvertently omitted reference to a 
corresponding provision covering section 8 project-based voucher 
assistance, specifically, 24 CFR 983.53(a)(2). The latter provision 
also must be waived to fulfill HUD's intent of allowing VASH families 
(whether receiving tenant-based or project-based assistance) to live on 
the grounds of a VA facility. Although Sec.  983.53(a)(2) was 
inadvertently omitted in each of these notices, the waiver of Sec.  
983.53(a)(2) has been applied by HUD as if the regulatory section had 
been included in the initial May 6, 2008, notice.
    This notice published today corrects the paragraph on ineligible 
housing in the March 23, 2012, notice to include reference to 24 CFR 
983.53(a)(2). Since the March 23, 2012, notice was an update of the May 
6, 2008, notice there is no need to make the technical correction to 
the May 6, 2008, notice.

II. Technical Correction

    HUD's notice published on March 23, 2012, at 77 FR 17086, 
specifically subsection II.f. entitled ``Ineligible Housing,'' and 
found at 77 FR 17089 (middle column) is corrected to read as follows:
f. Ineligible Housing
    HUD-VASH families will be permitted to live on the grounds of a VA 
facility in units developed to house homeless veterans. Therefore, 24 
CFR 982.352(a)(5) and 983.53(a)(2), which prohibit units on the 
physical grounds of a medical, mental, or similar public or private 
institution, are waived for that purpose only.

    Date: June 12, 2014.
Sandra B. Henriquez,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 2014-14167 Filed 6-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P