September 29, 2015

Notice of Funding Availability for Homeless Housing

Each year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) makes resources available to communities through a national competition for its Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs. As per the CoC program rule issued by HUD, July 2012, the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless will serve as the collaborative applicant for the El Paso Continuum of Care (CoC).

As a member of the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless or as a non-profit organization that may have similar interests, you are invited to submit an application for possible inclusion of a new housing project in El Paso’s 2015 Consolidated Application to HUD for Continuum of Care funding. HUD funding for new projects is competitive nationwide and El Paso may or may not win funding for new projects.

Available Funds

Approximately $1.89 billion is available in this FY 2015 CoC Program NOFA. HUD may add to this amount any available funds that have been carried over or recaptured from previous fiscal years. All of the requirements in the FY 2015 application process, including requirements for the entire CoC Consolidated Application and the total amount of funding available are contained in the NOFA. The Notice can be found at www.hudexchange.info/e-snaps/fy-2015-coc-program-nofa-coc-program-competition/.

New Projects

Permanent Supportive Housing Bonus

The Permanent Housing Bonus is available to all CoCs to apply for funding to create new permanent supportive housing projects that will exclusively serve chronically homeless individuals and families or rapid re-housing projects that will serve individuals, families or unaccompanied youth who come directly from the streets, emergency shelters, or are fleeing domestic violence or other persons who meet the criteria of paragraph (4) of the definition of homeless. A CoC is eligible to apply for up to 15 percent of its Final Pro Rata Need (FPRN) and may apply for more than one permanent housing bonus project. New projects created through a permanent housing bonus must meet the project eligibility and threshold requirements established by HUD in Sections V.F.2.d and V.F.2.e. of the NOFA. The maximum amount that the CoC may request for the Permanent Supportive Housing Bonus project is 15% of the CoCs FPRN. El Paso CoCs FPRN is $4,970,623, 15% is $745,593.45.

Reallocation

Reallocation is when a CoC shifts funds in whole or part from existing eligible renewal projects to create one or more new projects without decreasing the CoC’s Annual Renewal Amount (ARA). New projects created through reallocation must meet the requirements set forth in Section II.B.2. of the NOFA and the project eligibility and project quality thresholds established by HUD in Sections V.F.2.d. and V.F.2.e. of the NOFA. In the FY 2015 CoC Program Competition, CoCs may use reallocation to create new permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families, rapid re-housing to serve homeless individuals, families and unaccompanied youth coming directly from the streets or emergency shelters or persons that meet the criteria of paragraph (4) of the definition of homeless, dedicated HMIS, and SSO for a centralized or coordinated assessment system.

Through the reallocation process, CoCs may create the following type of new projects:

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  1. CoCs may create new permanent supportive housing projects where all beds will be dedicated for use by chronically homeless individuals and families, as defined in 24 CFR 578.3.
  2. CoCs may create new rapid re-housing projects for homeless individuals and families who enter directly from the streets or emergency shelters, youth up to age 24, and persons who meet the criteria of paragraph (4) of the definition of homeless.
  3. CoCs may create a new Supportive Services Only (SSO) project specifically for a centralized or coordinated assessment system.
  4. CoCs may create a new dedicated Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) project for the costs at 24 CFR 578.37 that must be carried out by the HMIS Lead.

 

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements. To be eligible for funding under this NOFA, project applicants must meet all statutory and regulatory requirements in the Act and 24 CFR part 578. Project applicants can obtain a copy of the Act and 24 CFR part 578 on the HUD Exchange.

Overview of Selection Process and Key Deadlines

September 18, 2015 NOFA issued by HUD

October 5, 2015, 10 am Informational meeting on process and application requirements (Coalition Office)

October 12, 2015, by 5pm Deadline for submission of Letter of Intent

Coalition works with new project applicants to refine proposals and complete documentation as part of El Paso’s consolidated application to HUD.

November 20, 2015 Application submitted to HUD

Letter of Intent

Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by the deadline. The LOI must include the information and attachments described on Exhibit 1 hereto. The Letter of Intent must be signed by the applicant’s Executive Director or Board President. The original signed LOI must be delivered to the Coalition. A pdf document of the LOI with such original signature is acceptable and may be emailed to the Coalition. No faxes will be accepted. Failure to timely submit a complete LOI will disqualify an applicant from further consideration.

The LOI template is included in this notice as Exhibit 1. Please complete and submit with the attachments noted. If an organization is requesting funding for two separate programs or projects, the organization must complete a LOI for each project and/or program that they are requesting funding for.

The following information must be submitted for each applicant and/or sponsor:

  1. Copies of bylaws and articles of incorporation.
  2. Proof of 501(c)3 status (non-governmental only).
  3. List of current directors, which must include a brief statement of each director’s experience, qualifications, and tenure on the board.
  4. Financial statements prepared by a licensed Certified Public Accountant in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for the most recently available two years. All statements submitted must include any management letters or other correspondence issued by the auditors in connection with the financial statements.

 

  1. For new applicants, provide a list of past homeless projects or other projects that demonstrate your capacity to develop and/or operate the proposed program.
  2. A statement from the agency/program verifying that they will utilize the El Paso HMIS (Clarity Human Services) according to the El Paso HMIS Standards of Participation.

Full Proposal and Evaluation

 

Full proposals must be delivered in hard copy or by email by the deadline. Following submission of a full proposal, and if necessary, applicants must attend a session with the Evaluation Panel to answer questions about the Project. Applicants will be notified by email and scheduled for a 30 minute session with the Panel. Failure to attend the session will disqualify the application. Applicants will then be advised by email of the Panel’s recommendation.

Coalition Membership Approval

The Evaluation Panel’s recommendation will be presented to the Coalition Membership for approval on November 12, 2015. An applicant may challenge the Panel’s recommendation to Membership by emailing to the Coalition a Notice of Appeal by the deadline of 48 hours prior to the Meeting. The Coalition will copy all other applicants with the appeal email. The appellant must attend the Coalition Membership Meeting in November 12, 2015. The appellant will be allowed to make a 10 minute presentation to the Membership. Any other applicant may make a 5 minute presentation to the Membership. The Membership’s decision on the slate is final.

Location of Meetings and for Delivery of all documents and notices

Unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in other written email communication to all applicants, all meetings will be held at the offices of the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless and all documents must be delivered by the stated deadline to Camille Castillo at such offices. The address of such offices is: 6044 Gateway East, Suite 211, El Paso, Texas 79905. For notices delivered by email, the address is [email protected].

CoC Participation Fees

For those projects that are actually included in the Consolidated Application, a fee will be assessed to share some of the Coalition’s cost in performing its duties as Lead Entity for the Continuum of Care. The 2015 fee for new projects will be invoiced and will be due no later than November 9, 2015.

HMIS Participation

All projects receiving HUD Continuum of Care funding are mandated by federal regulations to participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) which is operated in El Paso by the Coalition. The Letter of Intent includes a statement that if awarded funding by HUD, the agency will participate in HMIS during the project and will share with other projects in providing matching funds for operation of the HMIS project, if applicable.

For Further Information

For questions on this application process, contact Camille Castillo, [email protected]. Phone 915-843-2158. For information about the 2015 NOFA and HUD funding of homeless projects, visit https://www.hudexchange.info/.