10/25/2019 edit – correct application due date added.

The Department has released the 2019 Family Unification Program Notice of Funding Availability (i.e., the 2019 FUP NOFA). The NOFA makes available $20 million in funding. Applications are due by December 17, 2019. The Department expects to make approximately 40 awards from this NOFA.

The Family Unification Program serves two categories of people. The first is families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child in out-of-home care or the delay in the discharge of the child to the family in out-of-home care. The second category is composed of youth at least 18 years and not more than 24 years of age who left foster care (or will leave foster care within 90 days) and are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older.

In addition to meeting certain threshold criteria, HUD will be using rating factors in deciding how to allocate FUP funding. In making its decisions, HUD will also look at a PHA’s past performance in managing funds and assess a PHA’s risk (e.g., financial stability, quality of management, history of performance, etc.). Additionally, the Department will look at the following seven rating factors:

1. Housing search assistance in low-poverty census tracts (16 points) – Points awarded if the PHA, Public Child Welfare Agency (PWCA), or Continuum of Care (CoC) provides, funds, or makes available housing search assistance in low-poverty census tracts;
2. Financial Assistance (18 points) – Points awarded if the PHA, PCWA, or CoC provide, fund, or otherwise makes available financial assistance to assist FUP-eligible families and youths;
3. Previous Coordination (6 points) – Points awarded if the PHA or the PCWA can demonstrate recent cross-program coordination with a local CoC;
4. Post-move counseling (14 points) – Points awarded if the PHA, PCWA, or CoC provides funds, or otherwise makes available post-move counseling to FUP-eligible families or FUP-eligible youth;
5. Case management to FUP families (16 points) – Points awarded if case management to FUP families will be made available after they have been issued a voucher. These families may not be forced to participate in these services;
6. Self-sufficiency Programs (12 points) – Points awarded if the PHA administers the HUD Family Self-Sufficiency program, or similar program promoting self-sufficiency, that is active at the time of application; and
7. Supportive Assistance for Youth to 36 months (18 points) – Points awarded if the services required to be provided to FUP-eligible youth as identified in the Memorandum of Understanding will be provided beyond 18 months.

The Frequently Asked Questions document on the NOFA can be found here.

The 2019 FUP NOFA can be found here.