Collaboration aimed to transform PHAs into book-rich environments by providing diverse, high quality books and other literacy tools to children and families living in HUD-assisted housing.

Nature of Program: The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, the National Book Foundation, the Urban Libraries Council, the U.S. Department of Education, and HUD together are distributing free books to children living in HUD-assisted housing and establishing partnerships with PHAs, libraries, and other partners to deliver ongoing programming to improve educational outcomes of PHA residents. Thirty-six PHAs are in the initial cohort.

The initiative distributes books through partnerships with local public libraries. Participating communities engage local residents and establish and maintain partnerships among the staffs of the local library, the PHA, local and national non-profits and foundations working on literacy, and the children and families living in HUD-assisted housing. Local libraries engage kids and families in ongoing visits and opportunities, encouraging attendance of the book distribution event and the use of the library in general.

Applicant Eligibility: All public housing agencies

Legal Authority: Section 501 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 ( U.S.C. 1701z-1)12.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/bre

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/BRE_SUMMARY_032017.PDF

Current Status: Active.

Competitive grant program to transform neighborhoods of poverty into vibrant, mixed-income neighborhoods.

Nature of Program: The Choice Neighborhoods program provides competitive Planning Grants and Implementation Grants to enable communities to revitalize struggling neighborhoods with distressed public housing or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Local leaders, residents, and stakeholders, such as public housing authorities, cities, schools, police, business owners, nonprofits, and private developers, create a plan that revitalizes distressed HUD housing and addresses the challenges in the surrounding neighborhood. The program is designed to catalyze critical improvements in neighborhood assets, including vacant property, housing, services and schools.

The program is focused on three core goals: replacing distressed public and assisted housing with high-quality, mixed-income housing; improving outcomes of households living in the target housing related to employment and income, health, and children’s education; and creating the conditions necessary for public and private re-investment in distressed neighborhoods to offer basic neighborhood assets, such as safety, good schools, and commercial activity.

Planning Grants enable local leaders to undertake a comprehensive planning process, working closely with housing residents, broader community members, businesses, and a range of local stakeholders. Implementation Grants support communities that have undergone a comprehensive planning process and are ready to implement their plans.

Applicant Eligibility: Local governments, tribal entities, public housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations may apply. For-profit developers may apply jointly with a public entity. A unit of local government must be either the Lead Applicant or the Co-Applicant.

Legal Authority: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141, approved March 23, 2018); Section 24 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. 1437v.

Information Source: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/cn

Current Status: Active.

Platform for public-private collaboration to improve educational, employment and health outcomes of HUD-assisted households by narrowing the digital divide.

Nature of Program: HUD launched the ConnectHome demonstration program in July of 2015, in partnership with the nonprofit EveryoneOn, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission it is to narrow the digital divide. The early focus of ConnectHome was to close the "homework gap" in the 28 communities selected for participation. These communities span the entire country, including metropolitan areas, cities, counties, and a tribal nation.

ConnectHome will be expanding to an additional 100 communities by 2020, with the potential impact of connecting 350,000 residents. The expansion of ConnectHome will continue to focus on closing the homework gap but will also emphasize connecting all residents to the Internet, regardless of age, race, geography, income, or education level. This is accomplished by working to make high-speed, low-cost Internet service and computers, and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans.

Applicant Eligibility: All public housing agencies and multifamily property owners housing HUD-assisted residents. Enrollment is currently closed, but will reopen to an additional 30 eligible communities in 2019.

Legal Authority: Section 501 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970; Notice published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2015, at 80 FR 18248.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://connecthomeusa.org/

Current Status: Active

Promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate public and private resources that help housing choice voucher program participants, public housing tenants, and tenants in the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance program obtain employment that will enable participating families to achieve economic independence and reduce dependence on welfare assistance and rental subsidies.

Nature of Program: The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program is administered by public housing agencies (PHAs) or tribes/tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs) that administer FSS programs with the help of program coordinating committees (PCCs). Owners of a multifamily property with a Section 8 assistance contract may voluntarily have an FSS program and may pay for FSS coordinators using residual receipt accounts. The PHA and the head of each participating family executes a Contract of Participation, generally for 5 years with a possible 2-year extension for good cause, incorporating the specific training and services plan for the family. Participating families are provided with an interest-bearing escrow account made up of the difference of the rent the family pays when entering the program and the increased rent that would be charged as the family’s earned income increased. On completion of the FSS contract, a family may claim its escrow account, if no family member is receiving welfare assistance.

FSS Coordinators in each local program build partnerships with employers and service providers in the community to help participants obtain jobs and services. These services may include child care, transportation, basic adult education, job training, employment counseling, substance/alcohol abuse treatment, financial empowerment coaching, asset-building strategies, household skill training, homeownership counseling, and more.

Each PHA that received FSS bonus funding in the early 1990s or funding for additional public housing rental units or Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) between October 1, 1992, and October 20, 1998, was required to establish an FSS program. PHAs may also establish voluntary FSS programs. Other than annual funding, by NOFA, for FSS program coordinators' salaries, no specific funding is provided by HUD.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies, tribes/TDHEs, and qualifying private owners or sponsors of multifamily properties.

Legal Authority: Section 23 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 984.

Information Source: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/fss

Current Status: Active.

Rental subsidies for tenants to rent units in the private market

Nature of Program: The housing choice voucher (HCV) program (also call the tenant-based voucher program) is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments, provided that the unit meets the minimum standards of health and safety of the program. A housing subsidy is paid directly to the landlord by the public housing agency (PHA) on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home. HCVs are administered locally by PHAs. The PHAs receive federal funds from HUD to administer the voucher program.

Payment Standards. The PHA determines a payment standard that is the amount generally needed to rent a moderately-priced dwelling unit in the local housing market and that is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family will receive. Tenant Rent. The housing voucher family generally must pay 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and if the unit rent is greater than the payment standard the family is required to pay the additional amount. By law, whenever a family moves to a new unit where the rent exceeds the payment standard, the family may not pay more than 40 percent of its adjusted monthly income for rent.

There are several special categories of vouchers offered in addition to typical housing choice vouchers:

• Homeownership Vouchers. A PHA may choose to use tenant-based housing choice voucher assistance to help eligible low income, first-time homeowners with their monthly homeownership expenses.
• Enhanced Vouchers. Enhanced Vouchers (EVs) are a special type of tenant protection voucher that are generally issued to provide continued assistance for a family at the expiration and non-renewal of a project-based rental assistance contract or in the case of certain mortgage prepayments. If the family stays in the same project, the voucher payment standard covers the full market rent. EVs have several special requirements, but in all other respects are subject to rules of the tenant-based voucher program. If the family moves, all normal voucher rules apply.
  
  Low-income residents of units in multifamily projects (5+ units) covered in whole or in part by a contract of project-based assistance are, in certain situations, eligible for EV assistance. These situations include owner opt-outs from specified programs. In the case of qualifying mortgage prepayments, moderate income families that are elderly, include household members with disabilities, or reside in low-vacancy areas may also receive enhanced vouchers.
• HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Vouchers. Housing choice voucher rental assistance is combined with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for very low-income homeless veterans and their families. HUD-VASH vouchers are awarded based on geographic need and PHA administrative performance.
• Tenant Protection Vouchers. Tenant protection vouchers (TPVs) provide assistance to certain families who may lose housing through no fault of their own. TPVs assist PHAs with relocation or replacement housing needs that result from the demolition, disposition, or mandatory conversion of public housing units. Also, TPVs include assistance to families with landlords opting out of an existing HAP contract; families with landlords against whom HUD is taking enforcement action which may end project-based assistance; and the owner prepayment of certain mortgages.
• Mainstream Vouchers.
  
  Mainstream vouchers provide funding to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional or other segregated settings, at serious risk of institutionalization, homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.
  
  Mainstream vouchers help further the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by helping persons with disabilities live in the most integrated setting. Mainstream vouchers encourage partnerships with health and human service agencies with a demonstrated capacity to coordinate voluntary services and supports to enable individuals to live independently in the community.
• Vouchers for Persons with Disabilities. Also referred to as Certain Developments Vouchers, these vouchers enable non-elderly families with a household member with disabilities, who do not currently receive housing assistance in certain developments where owners establish preferences for, or restrict occupancy to, elderly families, to obtain affordable housing.
• Family Unification Program. The Family Unification Program (FUP) provides HCVs to two different populations: families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family's child or children in out-of-home care, or the delay in the discharge of the child or children to the family from out-of-home care; and youth at least 18 years old and not more than 24 years old who left foster care or will leave foster care within 90 days, and is homeless or at risk of homelessness by age 16 or older. FUP funding is allocated through a competitive process; therefore, not all PHAs administer the program.
• Witness Relocation Vouchers. These vouchers provide rental assistance for the relocation of witnesses in connection with efforts to combat violent crimes that occur in and around public , Indian , and other HUD-assisted housing.

Applicant Eligibility: PHAs. At least 75 percent of the families admitted to a PHA's HCV program from its waiting list during the PHA’s fiscal year must have income at or below 30 percent of the area median income. At the time a family initially receives voucher assistance, the families must be:

• Very low-income families;
• Low-income families previously assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937;
• Low-income families that meet eligibility criteria specified by the PHA;
• Families that qualify to receive a voucher in connection with a homeownership program approved under title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act; or
• Families that qualify to receive a voucher under section 223 or 226 of the Low-Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeownership Act of 1990.

Legal Authority: Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f); section 8(o) for vouchers (tenant-based and project-based); and section 8(t) for enhanced vouchers. Regulations are at 24 CFR part 5 (certain cross-cutting requirements); 24 CFR part 982 (Tenantbased Housing Choice Voucher Program); 24 CFR part 983 (Project-Based Voucher Program); 24 CFR part 984 (Section 8 Family Self-Sufficiency Program); and 24 CFR part 985 (Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP)).

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Local public housing agencies or HUD field offices.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/about/

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/about/list

Current Status: Active.

Place-based program to assist public housing residents to either obtain a first job or further their career.

Nature of Program: The purpose of the Jobs Plus Initiative program is to develop locally-based, job-driven approaches to increase earnings and advance employment outcomes through work readiness, employer linkages, job placement, educational advancement, technology skills, and financial literacy for residents of public housing. The place-based Jobs Plus Initiative program addresses poverty among public housing residents by incentivizing and enabling employment through earned income disregards for working families, and a set of services designed to support work including employer linkages, job placement and counseling, educational advancement, and financial counseling. Ideally, these incentives will saturate the target developments, building a culture of work and making working families the norm.

The Jobs Plus Initiative program consists of three core components:

• Employment-related services to residents, including work-readiness training, employer linkages, financial counseling, educational advancement, job placement, and employment counseling.
• Financial incentives for Jobs Plus participants, in the form of a 100 percent disregard of earned income above the baseline earned income established upon enrollment, for up to 48 months.
• Community support to create a "culture of work," including marketing Jobs Plus services and financial incentives to all residents in a development.

Jobs Plus enables a public housing agency to choose a single public housing development and assist all the residents in that development. Jobs Plus services are tailored to residents' individual needs and are drawn from a menu of on-site and referral services. For unemployed residents, case managers will help identify short and long-term employment goals and create plans to accomplish them. Employed individuals can work with case managers to take the necessary steps to advance in the labor market.

Grant applicants must provide a match of not less than 25 percent of the grant amount.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies.

Legal Authority: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141, approved March 23, 2018).

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/jpi

Current Status: Active

Grants supporting successful transition to the community and economic mobility by reducing barriers to housing, employment, and/or educational opportunities for youth.

Nature of the Program: The Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program (JRAP) seeks to alleviate collateral consequences associated with a juvenile or criminal record by assisting youth up to age 24 residing in public or Section 8-assisted housing, or who would be residing in public or Section 8-assisted housing but for their record. Juvenile and criminal records have a significant impact on an individual's ability to obtain academic degrees, find work, and secure affordable housing. JRAP provides funding for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to partner with an experienced nonprofit legal aid organizations, university legal centers, public defender's offices, or other legal service organizations to provide legal services to youth, including expungement and/or sealing juvenile and/or adult criminal records, reinstating driver's licenses, obtaining occupational licenses, modifying conflicting financial obligations, readmission to school, employment counseling, and family law matters, among other services.

The Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention transferred through Interagency Agreement approximately $2.05 million to HUD for the specific purpose of helping youth to improve chances for reentry, reduce recidivism and address the challenges youth face while trying to reintegrate into their communities.

Grant applicants must provide a match of not less than 25 percent of the grant amount.

Applicant Eligibility: PHAs with an established partnership with a nonprofit legal services provider.

Legal Authority: Section 2976(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10631(b)).

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail/nofa2015/jrap

Current Status: Active

Allows PHAs to design and test ways to promote self-sufficiency among assisted families, achieve programmatic efficiency and reduce costs, and increase housing choice for low-income households.

Nature of Program: MTW is a demonstration program providing participating PHAs the opportunity to design and test innovative, locally designed strategies that use Federal dollars more efficiently, help residents find employment and become self-sufficient, and increase housing choices for low-income families. MTW gives PHAs exemptions from many existing public housing and voucher rules and more flexibility with how they use their Federal funds. MTW PHAs are expected to use the opportunities presented by MTW to inform HUD about ways to better address local community needs.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies.

Legal Authority: Section 204 of the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-134, approved April 26, 1996). Additional MTW agencies authorized by Section 599H of the FY1999 Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Act (Public Law 105-276, approved October 21, 1998); Section 230 of the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, (Public Law 110-161, approved December 26, 2007); Section 232 of Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 111-117, approved December 16, 2009); Section 1101 of Fiscal Year 2011 Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act (Public Law 112-10, approved April 15, 2011); and section 239 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113, approved December 18, 2015).

Information Source: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/mtw

Current Status: Active.

Grants to establish, expand and/or update community technology centers.

Nature of Program: Under the NN program, a public housing agency (PHA) may use its Capital and Operating Funds for the purposes of providing computer and Internet access, and computer training to public housing residents. Neighborhood Networks centers can also provide a wide range of services to help residents achieve long-term self-sufficiency. Capital Funds may be used for the establishment and initial operation of a NN computer center for such things as:

• Equipment and equipment upgrades;
• Internet connection and utilities;
• Space renovation/remodeling;
• Routers for individual units;
• Staff salary; and
• Insurance costs.

Operating Funds may be used for the ongoing operation of an NN computer center, including:

• Ongoing maintenance of in-unit routers;
• Insurance;
• Other expenses related to the computer center;
• Staff salaries; and
• Internet connection fees and utilities for the NN center.

Applicant Eligibility: PHAs only.

Legal Authority: Sections 9(d)(1)(E), 9(e)(1)(K), and 9(h)(8) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(d)(1)(E), 1437g(e)(1)(K), and 1437g(h)(8)).

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/ross/aboutnn

Current Status: Active. This program is no longer a line item in the federal budget, but it is an eligible use of a public housing agency’s Capital and Operating Funds.

Rental assistance for eligible families who live in specific housing developments or units.

Nature of Program: A public housing agency (PHA) may project-base up to 20 percent of its authorized number of housing choice vouchers, with some exceptions. Under the project-based voucher (PBV) program, a PHA enters into an assistance contract with an owner of a rental property for specified units and a specified term. The PHA refers families from its waiting list to the project owner to fill vacancies. Because the assistance is tied to the unit, a family who moves from the project-based unit does not have any right to continued housing assistance. A PHA may provide project-based assistance for existing housing that does not need rehabilitation, as well as for newly constructed or rehabilitated housing. Additionally, HUDVASH and FUP vouchers may also, under certain circumstances, be project-based. Generally, with some exceptions, the greater of 25 units or 25 percent of units in a multifamily project may receive PBV assistance. The initial term of each tenant lease must be at least one year; the family may terminate the assisted lease at any time after the first year of occupancy. The family may switch to the PHA's tenant-based voucher program when the next voucher is available or to another comparable program if such a program is offered.

The PHA may enter into a HAP contract with an owner for an initial term of up to 20 years and extensions of the initial term of up to 20 years. A PHA may agree to an extension at the time of initial HAP contract execution or any time before the expiration of the contract. In order to extend the initial contract term, the PHA must determine whether such an extension is appropriate to continue providing affordable housing for low-income families. Both the initial contract term and any contract extension are subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Applicant Eligibility: PHAs. Tenant eligibility is the same as in the housing choice voucher program.

Legal Authority: Section 8(o)(13) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1473f(o)(13)). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 983. Statutory changes made by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (Pub. L. 114-201) were implemented by notice, published in the Federal Register at 82 FR 32461.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Local public housing agencies or HUD field offices.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/project

Current Status: Active

Funding for capital improvements to public housing units.

Nature of Program: The Capital Fund is available by formula distribution for capital and management activities, including development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and for management improvements.

A limited amount of a public housing agency's (PHA) capital funds may be transferred to operations if the PHA's PHA plan provides for such use. However, non-troubled PHAs that own or operate fewer than 250 public housing units and that have also maintained their inventory in good condition have full flexibility in how they use Capital and Operating Funds for eligible activities under sections 9(d)(1) and 9(e)(1) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. In addition, PHAs may set aside funds from both the Capital and Operating Funds into a replacement reserve fund to fund activities authorized under the Capital Fund.

PHAs may request HUD approval to borrow funds from the private market to make improvements to and/or develop additional public housing through the Capital Fund Financing Program, by pledging a portion of their future annual Capital Fund grants to make debt service payments.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies.

Legal Authority: Section 9(d) and section 30 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(d) and 1437z-2). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 905.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Local public housing agencies or HUD field offices.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/capfund

Current Status: Active.

Sale of public housing units to low-income families.

Nature of Program: The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act (QHWRA) permits public housing agencies (PHAs), through section 32 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, to make public housing dwelling units available for purchase by low-income families as their principal residence.

Under section 32, a PHA may:

• Sell all or a portion of a public housing development to eligible public or non-public housing residents;
• Provide Capital Fund assistance to public housing families to purchase homes; or,
• Provide Capital Fund assistance to acquire homes that will be sold to low-income families.

Section 32 generates an exception, allowing the Public Housing Capital Fund to be used to acquire units for sale that will not be put under public housing Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). Section 32 does not permit the PHA to build or substantially rehabilitate units that are not public housing for sale under section 32. Although public housing units that are newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated may be sold under section 32, such construction and rehabilitation by the PHA is governed by the public housing development and modernization regulations. Section 32 replaced the old public housing ownership program authorized by section 5(h) of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies.

Legal Authority: Section 32 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437z-4). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 906.

Administering Office: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Information Sources: Administering office. Office of Public Housing Investments.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/centers/sac/homeownership/

Current Status: Active. Section 32 public housing homeownership is now current and an active public housing homeownership program. Section 5(h) remains active for previously approved public housing home purchases.

Annual subsidy to public housing agencies (PHAs) for operations and management.

Nature of Program: The Operating Fund is available by formula distribution to PHAs to cover operating and management costs. Funding eligibility is offset by the amount of expected tenant rental revenue. A PHA can use operating funds for operating and management costs, including administration, routine maintenance, anti-crime and anti-drug activities, resident participation in management, insurance costs, energy costs, and costs, as appropriate, related to the operation and management of mixed finance projects and repayment of debt service to finance rehabilitation and development of public housing units.

Non-troubled PHAs that own or operate fewer than 250 public housing units have full discretion in how they allocate these grants between the Capital and Operating funds. PHAs may leverage Operating Funds to make capital improvements through the Operating Fund Financing Program by pledging a portion of their operating reserves to make future debt service payments. PHAs may also leverage Operating Funds to enter into Energy Performance Contracts, by pledging, in accordance with section 30 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 and, with HUD's approval, to use energy savings for debt service payments.

Applicant Eligibility: Public housing agencies.

Legal Authority: Section 9(e) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(e)). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 990.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Local public housing agencies or HUD field offices.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/am

Current Status: Active.

Grants for supportive services and resident empowerment activities.

Nature of Program: The ROSS Service Coordinator program provides funding to hire and maintain Service Coordinators who will assess the needs of residents of conventional Public Housing or Indian Housing and coordinate available resources in the community to meet those needs. This program promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance under the public housing program with public and private resources, for supportive services and resident empowerment activities. These services should enable participating families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency, or help improve living conditions and enable residents to age-in-place.

The services coordinated by ROSS Service Coordinators may include activities such as:

• Life skills (financial literacy, literacy, adult basic education, or mentoring).
• High School/GED Program.
• Job training and job search assistance.
• Career advancement support (setting career goals, working with employers).
• Financial self-sufficiency help (housing counseling, savings and tax information).
• Parenting or nutrition courses, or Child Care Services.
• Health Care Coordination.
• Assistance with activities of daily living for elderly/disabled.
• Transportation.
• Expunging, sealing, or correcting criminal records or securing certificates of rehabilitation, dependent on state jurisdiction.
• Substance abuse treatment for drug and alcohol dependents.
• Civil legal assistance.
• Linkages to other social service programs.
• Other activities aimed at increasing the self-sufficiency of residents.

Grant applicants must provide a match of not less than 25 percent of the grant amount.

Applicant Eligibility: PHAs, tribes/tribally designated housing entities, Resident Associations (such as: resident management corporations, resident councils, resident organizations with nonprofit status) and nonprofit organizations.

Legal Authority: Section 34 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437z-6). Implementing regulations at 24 CFR Part 964.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/ross/about

Current Status: Active

Grants to develop viable American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities.

Nature of Program: The ICDBG Program provides eligible grantees with grants to develop viable AIAN communities, including decent housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities, primarily for low- and moderate- income persons. The program provides funding for:

• Housing: Housing rehabilitation, land acquisition to support new housing construction, and under limited circumstances, new housing construction.
• Community Facilities: Infrastructure construction, e.g., roads, water and sewer facilities; and, single or multipurpose community buildings.
• Economic Development: Wide variety of commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects.

Applicant Eligibility: American Indian tribes, bands, groups, or nations, including Alaskan Natives, Aleuts, and Eskimos and Alaska Native Villages, that are eligible for assistance under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act or were eligible under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972.

Legal Authority: Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1003.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; HUD Area ONAP offices in Chicago, Denver, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Seattle, and Anchorage.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/grants/icdbg

Current Status: Active.

Housing assistance to American Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs).

Nature of Program: The IHBG program authorizes housing assistance under a single block grant to eligible American Indian tribes or their TDHEs. Eligible tribes include both federally recognized and those State-recognized Indian tribes formerly eligible under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. The allocation is made under a needs-based formula. The tribe must submit, for HUD's review, an annual Indian Housing Plan describing the various programs the grantee will operate and the funds allocated to each program during the applicable program year to address the housing needs of the Indian families they serve.

The six categories of eligible activities for providing affordable housing (or related housing services) are:

• Indian housing assistance (modernization or operating assistance for housing previously developed or operated pursuant to a contract between HUD and an Indian housing authority);
• Development of additional affordable housing;
• Housing-related services for affordable housing;
• Management services for affordable housing;
• Safety, security, and law enforcement measures and activities appropriate to protect residents of affordable housing from crime; and
• Housing activities under model programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA), if specifically approved by HUD, as appropriate.

Applicant Eligibility: Federally recognized Indian tribes or their TDHEs, and a limited number of State-recognized tribes who were funded under the Indian Housing Program authorized by the U. S. Housing Act of 1937. With the enactment of NAHASDA, Indian tribes are no longer eligible for assistance under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937.

Legal Authority: Titles I through V of NAHASDA (Public Law 104-330, approved October 26, 1996) (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1000.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/grants/ihbg

Current Status: Active.

Home loan guarantees for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) families, Indian housing authorities, and Indian tribes.

Nature of Program: Section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 established a loan guarantee program for AIAN families, Alaska villages, tribes, or tribally designated housing entities to facilitate homeownership and increase access to capital in Native American communities. The loans guaranteed under the program are used to construct, acquire, refinance, or rehabilitate single family housing located on and off native lands.

The program operates under its own guarantee fund. HUD may enter commitments to guarantee loans for any fiscal year only to the extent amounts have been provided in appropriations acts.

Applicant Eligibility: American Indians or Alaska Natives; Indian tribes; Indian housing authorities.

Legal Authority: Section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1005.

Information Sources: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/homeownership/184

Current Status: Active

Home loan guarantees for Native Hawaiians.

Nature of Program: The purpose of the Loan Guarantee program is to provide access to sources of private mortgage financing to Native Hawaiian families who could not otherwise acquire housing financing because of the unique legal status of the Hawaiian Home Lands or as a result of a lack of access to private financial markets. Loans are to be used to construct, acquire, or rehabilitate housing located on the Hawaiian Home Lands.

The program operates under its own guarantee fund. HUD may enter commitments to guarantee loans for any fiscal year only to the extent amounts have been provided in appropriations acts. HUD is only authorized to guarantee a limited amount of Section 184A refinance loan transactions.

Applicant Eligibility: Native Hawaiian families, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and private nonprofit organizations experienced in the planning and development of affordable housing for Native Hawaiians.

Legal Authority: Section 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13b). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1007.

Information Source: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Honolulu Field Office.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/codetalk/onap/program184a

Current Status: Active

Grants for affordable housing activities for Native Hawaiians.

Nature of Program: The NHHBG program is patterned after the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program, but contains changes to address the housing needs and circumstances of Native Hawaiians. The NHHBG program authorizes HUD to make grants to the State of Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) to carry out affordable housing activities for lowincome Native Hawaiian families who are eligible to reside on the Hawaiian Home Lands.

Eligible activities include new construction, rehabilitation, acquisition, infrastructure, and various support services. Housing can be either rental or homeownership. NHHBG funds can also be used for certain types of community facilities if the facilities serve eligible residents of affordable housing.

Applicant Eligibility: Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Legal Authority: Title VIII of NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4221 et seq.). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1006.

Information Source: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing; Honolulu Field Office.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/codetalk/onap/nhhbgprogram

Current Status: Active.

Loan guarantees for financing eligible affordable housing activities and affordable housingrelated community development activities.

Nature of Program: The Title VI loan guarantee program assists Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) recipients in financing additional construction or development, including new housing, rehabilitation, infrastructure, community facilities, land acquisition, architectural and engineering plans, and financing costs. Tribes may use a variety of funding sources in combination with Title VI financing, such as low-income housing tax credits. Title VI loans may also be used to pay development costs.

The applicant pledges the need portion of its current and future Indian Housing Block Grant funds as the primary security for the loan guarantee. HUD will guarantee the lender's loan for 95 percent of the outstanding principal and interest. Tribes may structure their loans to meet the requirements of their project and negotiate a variety of repayment terms with the lender. Loan terms can range up to 20 years, and payments may be made monthly, quarterly, or annually. Additionally, interest rates can be fixed, adjustable, or floating, and are based on an index.

Applicant Eligibility: Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities that are IHBG recipients.

Legal Authority: Title VI of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) (25 U.S.C. 4191 et seq.). Regulations are at 24 CFR part 1000, Subpart E.

Administering Office: Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Information Sources: Administering office.

On the Web: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/homeownership/titlevi

Current Status: Active.