Regulations, Notices and NOFAs

Summary:  On April 29, 2011 HUD implemented with a new version of the Voucher Management System, while conducting a webcast on the same day.  There are no new data reporting fields or data entry requirements for HUD’s April 2011 VMS release, but rather a new tabular format for entering data fields.  Among the noteworthy new features in VMS are:

• Pre-populated data shown for prior month, average of the last 12 months, and average of the calendar year-to-date data are all provided for user validation and reduction in keying errors;
• Integrates PHAs' HUDCAPS data with VMS for the first time;
• Requirement for individual tab saving to prevent data loss prior to monthly submission; and
• Executive Summary – detailing allocation and balances, recap worksheet, utilization graphs, and projection worksheets to provide the financial status and unit months available that the PHA can support in CY 2011.  HUD’s report is a work in progress and all calculations in the projection worksheet are not presently accurate.  HUD advised PHAs to wait until the Department notifies them that the programming is complete before using this Executive Summary report

With respect to Net Restricted HAP Assets (NRA), Unrestricted Net Assets (UNA) and Cash/Investment fields, PHAs are encouraged to review PIH Notice 2010-16  to ensure that the information reported to HUD is consistent with the Department’s reporting guidance.   PHAs’ NRA balances as of December 31, 2010 are not pre-populated at this time.  In the near future, HUD plans to pre-populate agencies’ NRA amounts.  In the meantime, NRA figures shown for all PHAs will be $0. 

HUD has almost completed the reconstruction of PHAs' NRA, UNA and Cash/Investments which is critically important to agencies' operations. Furthermore, NAHRO believes that completion of this exercise will reveal the depth and breadth of under-payment and exorbitant offsets PHAs have experienced over the last two years.  Last year, NAHRO and Casterline Associates, Inc. made available information that PHAs may still find helpful in the reconstruction and ongoing reporting of their NRA and UNA. To review this information, please see NAHRO's June 4 Direct News at /guidance-phas-reconstructing-their-nra-and-una.

HUD’s webcast materials include: 

• VMS Release Broadcast April 2011 Posting;
• VMS April 2011 Release Screens - Copies of the new VMS input and report screens; users are advised to print these screens and refer to them when viewing the webcast; and
• VMS April 2011 Output Screens  - Copies of the output PHAs will receive when they print each of the new input and report screens

HUD’s webcast is available at:  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/multimedia/videos.   PHAs with questions are encouraged to contact HUD via e-mail at:  PIH.Financial.Management@hud.gov

Summary: Extension of notice regarding PHA requests for exception payment standards for persons with disabilities as a reasonable accommodation.

Date of Publication: April 22, 2011

View the Notice here.

Summary: HUD’s notice makes available $59.88 million in FY2011 funding for the Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency (HCV FSS) Program. This Notice is comprised of the Notice of HUD’s FY2011 NOFA, Policy Requirements and General Section (General Section) to HUD’s FY2011 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs, posted on www.Grants.gov on April 4, 2011, and this program section to the NOFA.

PHAs that administer HCV FSS programs enter into five-year contracts with new families on an ongoing basis, but HUD funding for coordinator salaries is awarded on an annual basis. To ensure continuity of services to those families currently enrolled in HCV FSS, the Department will first fund PHA applicants that are currently administering HCV FSS programs that meet performance standards/threshold that are established in this NOFA. If funding remains, the Department will fund additional applicants that wish to establish new HCV FSS programs. Priority will be given to both existing and new programs that adopt HUD policy priorities. Those priorities are intended to enhance education, training and job opportunities available to HCV FSS program participants.

Date of Publication:  April 21, 2011

Application Date: HUD’s application deadline date is 11:59:59 p.m. eastern time on June 8, 2011 submitted through http://www.grants.gov.

View the Notice here.

Resource Materials:  A copy of HUD's HCV FSS program slides is available here.  A copy of each PHA's PIC data on the number of FSS participants served from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010 is available here.  PHAs interested in applying under this NOFA are encouraged to review their PIC data.  In FY 2010 some PHAs were either under-funded or not funded at all, because their PIC data did not accurately reflect the number of their FSS participants and was not corrected in time.

Summary:  HUD’s NOFA announces the availability of approximately $114 million to create approximately 899 new units of supportive housing for non-elderly people with disabilities under the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program.

This program provides funding for the development and operation of supportive housing for very low-income persons with disabilities who are at least 18 years old. Capital advance funds cover the cost of developing the housing. PRAC funds cover the difference between the HUD-approved operating costs of the project and the tenants’ contributions toward rent.

Because these funds were appropriated in HUD’s FY 2010 budget, the NOFA does not implement the new approaches to creating Section 811 units authorized by the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act.

Publication Date:  April 8, 2011

Application DueDate:  The application deadline date is June 23, 2011 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications submitted through http://www.grants.gov

To view the NOFA click here.