Author: Tushar Gurjal

HUD Updates Guidance for CY 2020 HAP Set-aside Applications

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ 3 Comments

The following email updating HAP set-aside application instructions was sent to PHA Executive Directors earlier today.

The deadline date for the following list of calendar year (CY) 2020 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Set-aside categories is being extended to no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday, July 15, 2020:

  • Category 2a: Unforeseen Circumstances
  • Category 2b: Portability
  • Category 3: Project-Based Voucher
  • Category 5: Lower-than-average Leasing
  • Category 6: Disaster


Please refer to PIH Notice 2020-04 for details on the information and documentation required for eligibility consideration under each applicable category of the CY 2020 HAP Set-aside prior to submitting requests.

Additionally, for health and safety reasons during the pandemic, HUD will not accept regular mail or faxes for these applications; therefore, PHAs are required to submit their applications electronically to the 2020Set-AsideApplications@hud.gov email address. Electronic signatures will be accepted on Appendix F and respective supporting documentation.

Finally, this extension does not impact the deadline dates communicated through PIH Notice 2020-04 for Category 1: Shortfall as it remains open throughout the year, or Category 4: HUD-VASH as the deadline for applications is October 1, 2020.

Should you have any questions about this message, please do not hesitate to contact your FMC Financial Analyst, or the FMD staff at 2020Set-AsideApplications@hud.gov.

FY 2020 HCV Funding Implementation Notice Published

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Earlier today, HUD published a notice titled “Implementation of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2020 Funding Provisions for the Housing Choice Voucher Program” (PIH Notice 2020-04). The notice implements the funding provisions from the FY 2020 appropriations bill for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

The notice discusses the following:

  • Calculation of calendar year (CY) 2020 HAP Renewal Funding;
  • Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Set-aside categories;
  • Tenant Protection Vouchers;
  • Funding for Administrative costs;
  • HUD-VASH funding;
  • Tribal HUD-VASH funding;
  • Mainstream Program;
  • Family Unification Program (FUP);
  • Mobility Demonstration funding;
  • Instructions for applying for HAP set-aside funding;
  • Moving to Work Agencies;
  • Excluded Programs (i.e., Mod. Rehab. and Single Room Occupancy);
  • HCV Financial Management;
  • HAP Disbursements and Frontloading;
  • Use of HAP and HAP RNP/HUD-Held Program Reserves;
  • Use of Administrative Fees;
  • VMS/FASS Reporting and Data Integrity;
  • Prohibition on Over-leasing; and
  • Use of Outside Sources of Funds.

We will have additional details as NAHRO staff read through the notice.

The notice can be found here.

HUD PIH to Host COVID-19 Webinar on 4/3/2020 at 3:30 pm ET

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HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) is hosting a conference call at 3:30 pm ET on Friday, April 3rd for its stakeholders. The goal of the call is for HUD staff to discuss how PHAs can best serve their residents. In attendance will be Assistant Secretary Kurtz, PIH Deputy Assistant Secretaries, and representatives from NAHRO, CLPHA, and PHADA. The call will be limited to 3,000 participants.

Call-in information:
Step 1: Dial into the conference.
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633
Access Code: 0861651##
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: 0912198#
Step 2: Join the conference on your computer.
Entry Link: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/823901

A Microsoft Outlook calendar invitation can be found here.

HUD to hold Landlord Participation Webinar titled “Education and Outreach Strategies for Landlord Participation” on 4/22/2020 at 1 pm ET

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Earlier today, the Department sent an email indicating that they would hold the second webinar in their Landlord Participation webinar series titled “Education and Outreach Strategies for Landlord Participation.” The webinar is scheduled for April 22 at 1 pm to 2:30 pm ET.

The webinar will touch on he first published chapter of the HCV [Housing Choice Voucher] Landlord Strategy Guidebook and will feature PHAs that are implementing some of those strategies.

When published, the HCV Landlord Strategy Guidebook will be found here.

Registration for the webinar can be found here.

Key Points from Updated PIH FAQ

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Here are some key points from HUD PIH’s updated FAQ. This blog post only highlights certain key points in the FAQ; the complete FAQ should be read.

  • Questions can be sent to PIH-COVID@hud.gov;
  • Coronavirus eligible activities –
    • Eligible uses of Operating and Capital Funds (until Dec. 31, 2020):
      • Staff labor hours for emergency planning and response;
      • Personal protective equipment (PPE);
      • Cleaning supplies such as disinfectants and sanitizers;
      • Contracted services for cleaning;
      • Transportation of staff to perform essential functions and assist residents;
      • Capital expenditures designed to improve the safety of residents such as improved ventilation systems and high-grade filters, portable air filtration equipment, and portable humidifiers;
      • Necessary equipment to protect people engaged in modernization activities;
      • Public health training;
      • IT equipment and upgrades; and
      • Sanitation equipment for common areas;
    • Eligible uses for administrative fees and administrative fee reserves:
      • HCV and PBV staff labor hours for planning and response;
      • Personal protective equipment (PPE);
      • Cleaning supplies for the office such as disinfectants, sanitizers, etc.;
      • Costs to transport staff to perform essential functions;
      • Costs to upgrade equipment or technology to facilitate electronic communication and reduce reliance on in-person meetings and transactions;
  • Eviction moratorium –
    • New COVID-19 legislation includes a 120 day moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent (including fees and penalties);
    • HUD will issue additional guidance;
  • Inspections –
    • REAC is postponing property inspections for PIH and Multifamily properties, unless there is an exigent circumstance or reasonable belief of a threat to life or property;
    • HQS –
      • HUD is considering alternative guidance or waivers based on flexibilities in recent COVID-19 legislation;
      • Currently, PHAs may utilize the following flexibilities:
        • Move to biennial inspections (PIH 2016-05);
        • Move to triennial inspections if a small, rural PHA (Notice FR-6115-N-02);
        • Accept alternative inspections for periodic inspections (PIH 2016-05) and accept alternative methods for validating the correction of a deficiency (e.g., photo or owner certification);
        • Allow families to move into units that fail HQS, if failure was non-life threatening (PIH 2017-20);
        • Adopt Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Alternative Inspection provision allowing families to move in before an HQS provision as been completed, if the unit has passed an acceptable alternative inspection;
  • Amending Admin. plan requirements
    • HUD is considering waiving the requirements to amend a PHA’s Admin plan;
  • Portability –
    • PHAs should continue to process incoming and outgoing ports similarly to how they are processing other operational issues;
    • HUD is not considering a portability waiver;
  • Waiver Requests –
    • PHAs should not submit waiver requests until new guidance is issued;
  • Stimulus Payments –
    • Stimulus payments directly to individuals and families are to be excluded from income “as they are temporary, non-recurring payments”;
  • Required public meetings must still be held, but if there’s an active emergency may be held remotely or online provided PHAs can accept questions and post answers;
  • Shelter-in-place orders –
    • PHAs should use alternate methods to collect information for new admissions and interim reexaminations for reduced wages or hardship exemptions. Alternate methods include email, mail, and phone.

HUD PIH Posts Updated FAQ for PHAs

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The Department’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) has posted an updated Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ) for PHAs on PIH’s COVID-19 Resources page. It is also linked to in NAHRO’s coronavirus page.

The updated FAQ (dated 3/30/2020) can be found here.

HUD Updates VMS Reference Definitions

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Earlier today, HUD sent a letter to Executive Directors of PHAs updating the Voucher Management System (VMS) reference definitions. The complete letter can be found below.

Dear Executive Director:

This email is to inform you of recent updates to the Voucher Management System (VMS) Quick Reference Guide and User’s Manual.  These changes provide further clarification about specific reporting requirements related to the RAD and Mainstream programs. These updates are to the definitions only, these are *not* changes to VMS reporting.  Additionally, you will find that changes to the definition of the following VMS fields have been made:

  • PHA Owned Units Leased
  • Portable Units Administered
  • RAD 1 HAP Expenses Incurred After the 1st of the Month
  • Rental Assistance Component 1 (HAP)
  • All Voucher HAP Expenses for Contracts Effective After the First of the Month
  • Number of PBVs Under HAP and Not Leased with Vacancy Payment and Associated Vacancy HAP Expense
  • HAP Expenses – Number of PBVs Under HAP and Not Leased with Vacancy Payment and Associated Vacancy HAP Expense

Please note:  The updates, along with prior updates from August 28, 2019, are highlighted in green within the documents to make them easier to locate.

The updated Quick Reference Guide and User’s Manual can be found in VMS on the left side under “Resources”.  The links for each are found below.

Quick Reference Guide:
https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/QUICKREFERENCE.PDF

User’s Manual:
https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/INSTRUCTIONS.PDF

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact your assigned FMC Financial Analyst.

 

HCV Two-Year Tool Updated

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A HUD official emailed me to let me know that the Housing Choice Voucher Two-Year Tool has been updated. For 2020, the HAP proration is 99.4% and the admin. fee is prorated at approximately 81%. The tool now begins with a dialogue box titled “Pandemic Considerations” which urges PHAs to think about program attrition; ability to issue vouchers and lease-up vouchers; and the effect on unit cost. It also gives information on household earned income to keep in mind.

Other changes include the following:

  • Utilization Report
    • When you open the Utilization Report, you will no longer see all of the data populate. All the data is still there, but you will just see the “Input PHA” section.
    • In the coming weeks, there will be a small button in the utilization report for a Continuum of Care template.
  • Two-Year Tool
    • There’s a mainstream specific two-year tool now.
    • The tool can now handle scenarios where newly leased vouchers would be at a significantly different per unit cost (press Ctrl + n).
    • More detail on the potential offset and various assorted categories has been provided (press Ctrl + o).

The Two-Year Tool can be found here.

HUD to Host Additional COVID-19 Planning and Response Webinars for Homeless Assistance Providers – Fridays at 2:30 pm ET

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The Department’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) will host regular “office hours” webinars for homeless assistance providers to discuss COVID-19 planning and response on Fridays from 2:30 pm to 4 pm ET. The next session will be this Friday, March 27, 2020.

Federal agencies in attendance will include the following:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD);
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA);
  • National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (HCH); and
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Potential participants should join the webinar 15 minutes before it begins. The webinar can be joined here.

USICH/HUD Webinar on Isolation and Quarantine Recording and Slides Available

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The USICH/HUD webinar titled “COVID-19 Planning and Response: Isolation and Quarantine: Lessons Learned from King County” can be found below.

Slides from the webinar can be found here.

Both the slides and the video can be found here.