[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4937-4938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01640]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5630-N-06]


Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)--Updated Application Review 
and Commitments To Enter Into Housing Assistance Payment Contracts 
(CHAPs) Issuance Process for First Component RAD Transactions

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As a result of increased authority granted to HUD in the 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 
113-235, approved December 16, 2014) (FY 2015 Appropriations Act) to 
convert public housing and moderate rehabilitation (Mod Rehab) program 
assistance under the first component of RAD for a total of 185,000 
units, HUD will review all applications on the waitlist and begin 
issuing CHAPs in accordance with this notice to maximize the 
effectiveness of the proposed conversion of assistance. HUD welcomes 
comment on the update of the review process provided in this notice.

DATES: Comment Due Date: March 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this notice. Communications must refer to the above docket number and 
title. There are two methods for submitting public comments. All 
submissions must refer to the above docket number and title.
    1. Submission of Comments by Mail. Comments may be submitted by 
mail to the Regulations Division, Office of General Counsel, Department 
of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 10276, 
Washington, DC 20410-0500.
    2. Electronic Submission of Comments. Interested persons may submit 
comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
www.regulations.gov. HUD strongly encourages commenters to submit 
comments electronically. Electronic submission of comments allows the 
commenter maximum time to prepare and submit comments, ensures timely 
receipt by HUD, and enables HUD to make them immediately available to 
the public. Comments submitted electronically through the 
www.regulations.gov Web site can be viewed by other commenters and 
interested members of the public. Commenters should follow the 
instructions provided on that site to submit comments electronically.

    Note: To receive consideration as public comments, comments must 
be submitted through one of the two methods specified above. Again, 
all submissions must refer to the docket number and title of the 
notice.

    No Facsimile Comments. Facsimile (FAX) comments are not acceptable.
    Public Inspection of Public Comments. All properly submitted 
comments and communications submitted to HUD will be available for 
public inspection and copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time 
weekdays at the above address. Due to security measures at the HUD 
Headquarters building, an advance appointment to review the public 
comments must be scheduled by calling the Regulations Division at 202-
708-3055 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with speech or 
hearing impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the 
Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Copies of all comments submitted 
are available for inspection and downloading at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Golrick, Acting Director of the 
Office of Recapitalization, Office of Housing, Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410-7000; 
telephone number 202-708-0001 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Hearing- and speech-impaired persons may access these numbers through 
TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 (this is a 
toll-free number).

 I. Background and Explanation

    The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 
(Pub. L. 112-55, approved November 18, 2011) limited the conversion of 
60,000 public housing and Mod Rehab units under the first component of 
RAD.\1\ The applications for RAD conversions under the first component 
exceeded this unit cap and an applicant waiting list started in 
approximately

[[Page 4938]]

October 2013. HUD published this waiting list on the RAD Web site, 
www.hud.gov/rad.\2\
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    \1\ The first component of RAD allows projects funded under the 
public housing and Mod Rehab programs to convert to long-term 
Section 8 rental assistance contracts with their current subsidy 
levels under the RAD demonstration program.
    \2\ RAD Wait List for RAD's first component as of November 20, 
2014: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=PendingRADApps_103114.pdf
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    The FY 2015 Appropriations Act increased the RAD first component 
authorization to 185,000 units. For all applications that fall below 
the 185,000 unit cap, HUD will provide CHAPs to all eligible applicants 
whose applications meet the eligibility and selection criteria set 
forth in PIH Notice 2012-32, Rev. 1 (2012 RAD Notice).\3\ HUD 
understands that some applicants may need to amend or update 
information in their applications because of the delay incurred in 
awaiting further authorization. To the extent that an application is 
complete and meets the eligibility and selection criteria set forth in 
the 2012 RAD Notice, HUD will issue a CHAP for that application. To the 
extent that review of an application requires additional or updated 
information, that application will be held until the needed information 
is provided.
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    \3\ See link to 2012 RAD Notice: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=pih2012-32rev1.pdf.
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    HUD understands that some applicants have been waiting in excess of 
one year on the waiting list and may be approaching financing 
deadlines. HUD will review applications as expeditiously as possible 
and reserves the right to proceed with its review of applications in 
the manner it deems most expedient. HUD may consider deal-specific 
factors including program financing requirements in determining the 
order with which it processes applications. Applications that require a 
CHAP by a certain deadline in order to secure project financing may be 
reviewed prior to other applications in order to maximize resources and 
support the successful conversion of all transactions. Following CHAP 
issuance, HUD will assign a Transaction Manager to the transaction who 
will be able to address any questions or concerns regarding the 
conversion process.

II. Opportunity for Public Comment

    HUD welcomes comment on the update of the review process provided 
in this notice.

    Date: January 22, 2015.
Jemine A. Bryon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
Biniam T. Gebre,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2015-01640 Filed 1-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P