[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 4059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01374]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5922-N-01]


Alternative Requirements for the Family Unification Program (FUP)

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 
2015, authorizes the Secretary to carry out a demonstration testing the 
effectiveness of combining vouchers for homeless youth under Family 
Unification Program authorized under section 8(x) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (``the Act'') with assistance under the Family 
Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program authorized under section 23 of the Act. 
The Secretary was authorized to establish alternative requirements to 
those contained in section 8(x) of the Act to facilitate the 
demonstration. This notice provides an alternative requirement to 
facilitate the operation of this demonstration. Specifically, this 
notice extends the 18-month time limit to match the length of the FSS 
contract, typically five years. Implementation of this demonstration 
will be through a notice issued by the Office of Public and Indian 
Housing.

DATES: Effective date: January 25, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Jones, Office of Public Housing 
and Voucher Programs, Office of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20410-7000; telephone number 202-402-2677 
(this is not a toll-free number). Hearing and speech-impaired persons 
may access these numbers through TTY by call the Federal Relay Service 
as 800-877-8339 (this is a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The comprehensive document titled ``Opening Doors: Federal 
Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness'' sets the goal of 
ending homelessness for youth (along with families and children) by the 
year 2020. FUP is a vital tool in achieving this goal.
    In a HUD study of the FUP program, a major barrier to greater youth 
participation was the time limit on the rental subsidy.\1\ PHAs and 
public child welfare agencies (PCWAs) suggested the 18-month time limit 
is too short, noting that landlords generally prefer annual leases with 
full 12-month renewals. The limited time causes high turnover rates 
demanding greater staff resources and creating greater administrative 
costs. The 18-month restriction does not align with a standard academic 
term for youth enrolled in an education program. Finally, youth simply 
need more time to become self-sufficient and transition to independent 
living.
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    \1\ The Family Unification Program: A Housing Resources for 
Youth Aging Our of Foster Care, published May 2014. This study is 
available at http://www.huduser.gov/portal/youth_foster_care.html.
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    Implementation of this demonstration requires will be through a 
notice issued by the Office of Public and Indian Housing. Participation 
in the demonstration requires adherence to the requirements outlined in 
a Public and Indian Housing notice issued in supplement to this Federal 
Register notice and available at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=16-01pihn.pdf.

Applicable Alternative Requirements

    To facilitate the operation of a FUP demonstration, the 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, 
authorizes the Secretary by Federal Register notice to establish 
alternative requirements to those contained in Section 8(x) of the 1937 
Act. Under this authority, the Secretary hereby authorizes the 
following alternative requirement, which has the effect of modifying 
the FUP statute.
    Waiver allowing the extension of the 18-month time limit for FUP 
assistance to match the length of the FSS contract for youth 
participating in the demonstration.
    Participation in the demonstration requires adherence to the 
requirements outlined in a Public and Indian Housing notice issued in 
supplement to this Federal Register notice.

    Dated: January 15, 2016.
Lourdes Castro Ram[iacute]rez,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Indian 
Housing.
[FR Doc. 2016-01374 Filed 1-22-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P