Author: Tushar Gurjal

Admin Fee Set-aside Application Deadline Extended

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Yesterday, HUD sent an email extending the deadline for certain requests related to the administrative fee for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. The Department will not accept regular mail or faxes for these applications. so PHAs must submit their applications electronically. The extended deadline of 5 pm ET on Wed., July 15, 2020 applies to the following administrative fee requests:

  • Blended administrative fee rate requests (questions may be sent to PIHFinancialManagementDivision@hud.gov);
  • Higher administrative fee rate requests (questions may be sent to FinancialManagementCenter@hud.gov);
  • Special fees (questions may be sent to 2020SpecialFees@hud.gov), including:
    • Category 1: HUD-VASH special fees;
    • Category 2: Family Unification Program special fees;
    • Category 3: Disaster Related Special Fees; and
    • Category 4: Application for other Special Fees under the Secretary’s Discretion.

PIH Notice 2020-04 (a notice implementing the HCV program in calendar year 2020) provides additional details on the eligibility and documentation requirements.

HUD PIH Clarifies CARES Act Funding Timeframe Eligibility and Reporting Requirements

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Earlier today, HUD PIH sent an email to PHA Executive Directors clarifying the timeframe around the use of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding and clarifying CARES Act reporting requirements. Additional questions regarding the CARES Act may be sent to PIH-COVID@hud.gov.

The text below is taken directly from the email sent by HUD.

Q: What is the start date for use of new public housing funds under the CARES Act? Is it the date of the implementation notice (April 28, 2020), the date they were awarded (May 1, 2020), or the date the CARES Act was passed (March 27, 2020)?

A: 2020 Public housing funds were disbursed for public housing starting May 1, 2020. These funds can cover expenses, including expanded COVID-19 related expenses included in Notice PIH 2020-07, that were incurred starting March 27, 2020. CARES Act obligations should not relate back to a period any earlier than March 27, 2020. 

Q: What is the start date for the use of new HCV Program Administrative Fees awarded under the CARES Act?

A: 2020 HCV Program Administrative Fee funds were disbursed starting May 7, 2020. HCV Administrative Fees can cover expenses, including expanded COVID-19 related expenses included in Notice PIH 2020-08, that were incurred starting March 27, 2020. CARES Act obligations should not relate back to a period any earlier than March 27, 2020. 

Q: My PHA incurred a number of expenses related to COVID-19 prior to the arrival of the CARES Act funds, as our local outbreak started in February. Can these funds cover those expenses? What if we used other funds to cover these expenses– can those accounts be reimbursed?

A: For the public housing program, expenses incurred beginning on March 27, 2020 can be paid for with CARES Act supplemental operating funds, public housing operating funds or public housing capital funds. For the housing choice voucher program, expenses incurred beginning on March 27, 2020 can be paid for with CARES Act funding or FY 2020 administrative fees. If the PHA used other accounts to pay expenses incurred on March 27th or later, they can be reimbursed by the CARES Act funding.

Q: Can you clarify the CARES Act reporting requirements?

A: As described in PIH Notice 2020-07 and PIH Notice 2020-08, the CARES Act requires that recipients of $150,000 or more of CARES Act funding submit certain information regarding the use of CARES Act funds.

This reporting is required for “covered recipients,” defined as any entity that receives covered funds that amount to more than $150,000.  PHAs that receive CARES Act funds that amount to more than $150,000 will be subject to this additional reporting requirement based on the total amounts awarded, not each individual grant award. As outlined in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum, M-20-21, existing reporting requirements are anticipated to meet the requirements of Section 15011, but the content and format for this reporting is still under development and will need to be reviewed against current program practices.  The Department will work in coordination with OMB to ensure that this requirement can be fulfilled by recipients of CARES Act funding in a manner that utilizes to the greatest extent possible existing reporting streams, providing the necessary transparency and accountability with minimal additional burden.  If additional reporting is necessary, further guidance will be released by the Department in the near future. 

Mainstream Voucher Allocation Notice Published

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Earlier today, HUD published Notice PIH 2020-09 titled “CARES Act Mainstream Funding for Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) Awarded Funding Allocations in the 2017 and 2019 Competitions.” This notice establishes the process for allocating new Mainstream vouchers according to the requirements of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Mainstream vouchers are vouchers that serve households that include a non-elderly person with disabilities.

Eligible PHAs are those that previously received a Mainstream voucher allocation through either:

A list of those PHAs can be found here (eligible PHAs are those PHAs with entries under the “2017/2018 Awards” column and the “2019 Awards” column).

Eligible PHAs will receive an increase in Mainstream voucher units of thirty percent. If an increase results in a fractional voucher, HUD will round up. Increased budget authority will be calculated based on per unit cost using the most recent data available to HUD for each PHA. A PHA may decline this increased allocation. Administrative funds will be provided in accordance with PIH 2020-04 (a notice implementing the Housing Choice Voucher program in calendar year 2020).

The Department will publish additional guidance on receiving and using extraordinary administrative fees (these fees are not provided in this allocation). Additionally, Mainstream voucher programs will also be eligible for additional CARES act supplemental HAP funding, the distribution of which will be detailed in forthcoming guidance.

The COVID-19-related waivers detailed in PIH Notice 2020-05 are applicable to Mainstream vouchers.

The complete notice can be found here.

HUD PIH to Hold Conference Call on Friday (5/15/2020 at 3:30 pm ET)

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HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing will hold a conference call on Friday (5/15/2020 at 3:30 pm ET). Planned topics for discussion include the following:

  • PHAS waivers including physical inspections;
  • Protection of personally identifiable information;
  • Remote video inspections best practices; and
  • Information on a quick guide created to assist housing authorities with strategies and planning related to the impact of the pandemic on communities and stakeholders.

Call in details may be found below.

Suggested Attendees: PHA Executive Directors or Operations Managers, PHA occupancy specialists, PHA staff performing both PH and HCV HQS inspections, and PHA accountants.
See below for call-in and login information:
Step 1: Dial into the conference.
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633
Access Code: 0339017##
Need an international dial-in number?
If the automated recording indicates the conference is full, please use overflow information:
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633 Access Code: 0154662#
Step 2: Join the conference on your computer.
Entry Link: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/826642

A calendar invitation may be found here.

1st Round of CARES Act Admin. Fees Released

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Earlier today, HUD released a press release announcing the first round of administrative fee funding for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The new funding will impact all PHAs, including Moving to Work (MTW) agencies. The funding covers two months worth of administrative fees and may be used for traditional purposes as well as for new costs related to protecting assisted families and employees impacted by the COVID-19 event.

Assistant Secretary Kurtz stated that “HUD is committed to assisting PHAs during this time so that assisted families can stay safe and healthy . . . [p]roviding these additional funds to PHAs will give them more tools to address local needs and respond to the Coronavirus pandemic as effectively as possible.”

Eligible uses of the administrative fees may be found in PIH 2020-08 here (NAHRO summary here).

HUD’s press release on the CARES Act administrative fee funding may be found here.

Allocations of the funding may be found here.

HUD Conference Call on CARES Act Funding

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On Friday, May 1 at 3:30 pm ET, HUD will hold a conference call to discuss recent notices on utilizing funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The notices detail funding information for the Public Housing Operating Fund and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Fee respectively. The notices and summaries of the notices may be found below:

On the call will be Assistant Secretary Kurtz, Deputy Assistant Secretary Bastarache, and “several HCV and Housing subject matter experts.”

[4/29/2020 2:46 pm edit to correct a name.]

Call in information for the call may be found below:

Step 1: Dial into the conference.
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633
Access Code: 0828701##
If the automated recording indicates the conference is full, please use overflow information:
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633 Access Code: 0908594#
Step 2: Join the conference on your computer.
Entry Link: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/825773

A calendar invitation may be found here.

CY 2020 Admin. Fee Rates Posted

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Earlier today, HUD’s Financial Management Division sent an email stating that the calendar year (CY) 2020 administrative fee rates have been posted. According to the administrative fee rate description document, “[t]he estimated national proration factor, for June through October 2020 is 81%.”

All of these document as well as other information on the Housing Choice Voucher program can be found here.

HUD Publishes Notice on Accessing HCV Admin. Fee Funding in CARES Act

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Earlier today, HUD published PIH 2020-08 titled “CARES Act – HCV Program Administrative Fees.” This notice details how additional administrative fees allocated in the CARES Act will be distributed to PHAs. The CARES Act allocated $1.25 billion for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program ($850 million for administrative fees and $400 million for HAP). The Department will obligate administrative fees in several actions. This notice details the first action, while forthcoming notices will provide details on future distributions.

Initially HUD will provide approximately $380 million to all PHAs (including Moving to Work agencies). Each PHA will receive approximately 2 months worth of administrative fee at the beginning of May. The amount of funding will be the average of the PHA’s calendar year (CY) 2018 and CY 2019 monthly administrative fee eligibility (at 100% proration or full eligibility) multiplied by two.

  • Eligible Uses
    • Any currently eligible administrative costs during the period the program is impacted by the coronavirus;
      • includes necessary upgrades to IT or computer systems to enhance telework capacities and overtime pay for PHA staff to carry-out HCV Program responsibilities;
    • New coronavirus related-activities, including activities to support or maintain the health and safety of assisted individuals and families, and costs related to the retention and support of participating owners:
      • procuring cleaning supplies for HCV units and common areas of PHA-owned PBV units;
      • relocation of families to health units or other designated units for testing, hospitalization, or quarantine (may include transportation costs to these locations);
      • additional costs to supportive services vendors incurred due to coronavirus;
      • costs to retain or increase owner participation in the HCV program;
      • costs for providing childcare of PHA staff that would not otherwise be incurred;
      • costs associated with the delivery of goods, including food and medical supplies that comply with CDC requirements, to program participants;
      • public health security-costs to enforce shelter-in-place, stay-at-home, or visitor-restriction policies;
      • administration costs associated with the implementation of coronavirus-related activities that are not eligible HCV administrative costs;
      • other costs determined by HUD on a case-by-case basis.

Period of availability – the period of availability for these funds is the duration of the calendar year 2020, unless this period is extended by HUD.

Reporting – Unlike regular administrative fees, these funds must be tracked and accounted for separately. Funds not spent must be returned to HUD. Recipients of CARES Act funding in excess of $150,000 have quarterly reporting requirements, including a detailed list of project uses and activities (see notice for full details).

Ineligible expenses – funds may not be used to repay debts or amounts owed to HUD (including OIG, QAD or other monitoring review findings) or program participants. The funds used for salaries must comply with executive compensation requirements.

The full notice may be found here.

HUD PIH Flyer for Tenants on the Eviction Moratorium

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Earlier today, HUD PIH sent an email to PHA Executive Directors, which included a flyer (in PDF format) for tenants discussing the temporary eviction moratorium. This flyer applies to tenants in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, Public Housing program, and Section 8 Mod. Rehab. program.

The flyer may be found on HUD’s COVID-19 Resources and Fact Sheets page.

It can be accessed directly here.

HUD Publishes Multifamily Tenant Concerns COVID-19 Brochure

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The Department has published a COVID-19 brochure designed to inform and address concerns of tenants living at multifamily properties. The brochure’s content applies to programs within the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs, but does not apply to Public Housing, Section 8 Mod. Rehab. (unless insured by the Federal Housing Administration), or the Housing Choice Voucher program (unless the voucher is used in a multifamily property with an FHA-insured mortgage).

The brochure can be found here.