Disaster

Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources Webinar – Wed, May 27 at 2pm ET

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

On Wednesday, May 27. 2020, NAHRO is hosting a complimentary webinar – Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources.

Join Nan Roman, President and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and leaders from NAHRO member agencies for a discussion of available homelessness resources and best practices for their use. Bring your questions and comments and join your fellow PHAs for this interactive webinar!

Register for NAHRO’s Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources Webinar here!

Admin Fee Set-aside Application Deadline Extended

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

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

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

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. 

Webinar Tomorrow: Managing During COIVD-19: Community Development: CDBG, HOME, ESG

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

Join NAHRO and Acting HUD Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development (CPD) John Gibbs from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. eastern tomorrow, May 13, 2020, for a discussion on CPD’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. With a focus on CDBG, HOME, and ESG, Acting Assistant Secretary Gibbs will provide an update on CPD’s efforts to provide communities with access to waivers and supplemental funding and provide insights into CPD’s actions to address the COVID-19 crisis. Following the update, Acting Assistant Secretary Gibbs and his staff will join us for a moderated question and answer session.

Register for the complimentary webinar here!

HUD Conference Call on CARES Act Funding

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

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.

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

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

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

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

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 Eviction Moratorium Guidance for PHAs

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD published guidance on implementing the eviction moratorium found in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The guidance is titled “Eviction Moratorium COVID-19 FAQs for Public Housing Agencies” and is 5 page document answering commonly asked questions about how PHAs should be implementing the eviction moratorium. The guidance notes that the temporary eviction moratorium applies to the public housing program, the housing choice voucher program (including the project-based voucher program), and the moderate rehabilitation programs administered by HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH). The moratorium is in effect for a 120-day period beginning on March 27, 2020.

The guidance document can be found here.

HUD’s Distressed Cities Technical Assistance Program

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

The Distressed Cities Technical Assistance (DCTA) program supports small units of general local government (UGLGs) that are distressed and have recently been impacted by a natural disaster. Specifically, the Distressed Cities Technical Assistance program is designed to improve the fiscal health and administrative capacity of small units of general local government.

The DCTA program page can be found here.

The DCTA resources page can be found here.

HUD PIH to Host Conference Call on Recently Published COVID-19 Waivers

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) will host a conference call at 3:30 pm ET on Friday, April 17th, 2020, to provide an overview of their recent notice of COVID-19 waivers. The call will be limited to 2,500 participants. It will be recorded and shared.

Call in information can be found below.


Step 1: Dial into the conference.
Dial-in: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633
Access Code: 0551998##
If the automated recording indicates the conference is full, please use overflow information:
US Toll Free: 1-877-369-5243 or US Toll: 1-617-668-3633 Access Code: 0626917#
Step 2: Join the conference on your computer.
Entry Link: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/824736

An Outlook invitation can be found here.

The COVID-19 waiver notice can be found here.

NAHRO’s analysis can be found here.