FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS (HOPWA) PROGRAM Program Overview Purpose of the Program. To provide States and localities with the resources and incentives to devise long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing and related supportive service needs of persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. Available funds. Approximately $25,542,000 (and under a related part of this SuperNOFA, up to $2,580,000 for technical assistance for the HOPWA program). As required by statute, the renewal of existing grants that will be expiring in 2001 or 2002, will be given priority in selection for funding as provided in Part A of the HOPWA section of this notice; if funds remain, new proposals will be selected under Part B. Eligible Applicants. (1) States, units of general local government, and nonprofit organizations for grants for Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) grants. (2) States and units of general local government may apply for projects under the Long-Term category of grants, if activities will serve areas that were not eligible for HOPWA formula allocations in Fiscal Year 2001. Appendix C in this program section of the SuperNOFA identifies the formula areas. Application Deadline. April 24, 2001 for renewal requests under Part A; and June 13, 2001 for new proposal under Part B. Match. None. Additional Information If you are interested in applying for funding under this program, please review carefully the General Section of this SuperNOFA and the following additional information. Part A. Renewal of Existing Grants that are Expiring I. General Policies on Renewals--Purpose Under the provisions of the HUD Appropriation Act for FY2001, the Secretary is required to renew all expiring grants that were funded under prior HOPWA competitions, if the grant meets all program requirements, before awarding funds for new grants and activities under the HOPWA competition. II. Eligibility of Applicants and Activities To implement this new requirement, HUD provides the following guidance to existing HOPWA competitive grantees: (A) Eligible Applicant for Renewals. To be eligible, the applicant must be the same entity, State, local government or nonprofit organization that was selected for funding in the prior competition. The project should also continue with the same project sponsors, although HUD will consider the merits for changing a project sponsor if the new sponsor evidences the capacity to enhance the project operations or improve responsiveness to clients. Such examples for changing a project sponsor may be that a new project sponsor has greater capacity to conduct program activities, a prior project sponsor is no longer in operation or has merged with another entity, or HUD approved such a sponsor change through a grant amendment. (B) Definition of Expiring Grant. The HOPWA grant must be expiring in the Federal Fiscal Year 2001 or 2002 and the project will not have sufficient funds to continue activities in 2002, if not awarded additional Federal funds. All funds awarded in an existing HOPWA competitive grant must be expended during the Federal Fiscal Year 2001 or 2002 (as measured by reimbursements filed with HUD under the financial system, PAS). In addition, if the grant expired in the Federal Fiscal Year 2000 or earlier, i.e. all funds were expended (as measured by PAS) by September 30, 2000, or only a residual amount that is less than one percent of the amount of the prior grant remains, you are not eligible to apply for renewal funding under this notice. (C) Eligible Renewal Activities. The activities to be renewed must be on-going forms of support for HOPWA-eligible persons, such as rental assistance, short-term rent, mortgage and utility payments, operating costs for housing facilities, such as community residences and SRO dwellings, leasing, maintenance costs, supportive service costs, housing information services, and resource identification/technical assistance for community residences activities. If a prior grant was awarded funds for the acquisition of a site or building, for new construction or for rehabilitation costs, these capital development activities are not on-going or available for additional sites and funding for these cannot be renewed under Part A. Projects that seek to undertake additional capital development activities or to add funding for new HOPWA activities, such as operating costs and services, must apply under Part B as a new project. (D) Amount of Renewals. Renewal projects may only request renewal funds for continuing a previously approved project at the same level of housing and/or services provided in the previous grant. Proposals to expand or significantly alter a funded-project must apply under Part B for new projects for the new activities or the expanded part of the project. The level of renewal funding must not exceed an amount that is comparable (i.e. not more than 120% of an activity) or may be less than the amount originally awarded by HUD for the HOPWA activity, including any amendments affecting this amount that were approved by HUD prior to FY2001. As an applicant for renewal funding, you must specify the annual amount needed to continue each activity and specify the number of years, up to three, for your request by completing the HOPWA Renewal Budget Form (Appendix A). You should describe your plan for continued operations in the Executive Summary section of your application, including any significant reduction to your prior award level. HUD will allow you to request up to the same amount as previously awarded per activity, with the allowance that projects may add up to 20 percent more by activity, except that activity costs may not exceed $1,200,000 in total. The limits on administrative costs, three percent for grantees and seven percent for project sponsors, continue to apply. In addition, renewal grantees may add, or HUD may add, up to $50,000 to the renewal award for the purpose of the collection of data on program outcomes. (E) Ineligible Prior Grants. Grants awarded under the 1992-1995 HOPWA competitions are not eligible to seek renewals as these projects were required to operate and complete activities under the requirement that funds be used within three years of the grant agreement. Grants selected in 1996 were required to operate and complete activities before the end of Fiscal Year 2000. Similarly, these 1996 grants are not eligible for renewal, unless the grantee documents that HUD approved a grant extension of the project that would allow for its continued operations in the Federal Fiscal Year 2001 or 2002. It is HUD's expectation that Part A renewals will be awarded to HOPWA grants that were awarded funds in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Such projects should be in operation and expect to complete activities in the Federal Fiscal Year 2001 or 2002 to qualify for renewal. [[Page 12226]] (F) Failing or Weak Performance. Grantees that were subject to deobligation or other sanctions by HUD or that evidence weak performance in carrying out activities will not be eligible for renewal grants. HUD will consider that weak performance is evidenced if there are unresolved monitoring findings during the active competitive period, from the date of this notice until the selection of grants, or other HUD knowledge of unresolved problems, for example, that planned activities remain delayed in their implementation, a significant number of units are vacant, or annual progress reports were not filed with HUD at the time of the due date for renewals, or significant citizen complaints are unresolved or not responded to with justified reasons. HUD will also consider that weak performance is evident if more than 50 percent of grant funds remain unexpended at that beginning of the month for the due date for renewals (as measured by reimbursements filed with HUD's financial system, PAS). III. Selection Criteria and Process (A) Selection Process. The Department will select for funding all renewal requests from applicants that meet program requirements and pass a threshold review for a need for renewal to the degree that funds are available. In the case that the amount requested for renewal is less than the amount available under this notice, HUD will apply the remaining funds to new projects that will be selected under Part B. If the amount of the request for renewal activities is greater than the amount made available by this notice, HUD will select all of the approvable applications and allocate awards to each based on a prorata reduction to the amount available under this notice to ensure that all eligible and performing renewal projects receive funding that allows their continued operation. (B) Selection Criteria and Application Contents. Renewal applicants must comply with the requirements noted above in Part A, Section II, for example in establishing the amount of their request to continue approved activities for one to three additional years, and meet the due date requirement. Applicants must also use the Need for Renewal narrative to demonstrate program performance in carrying out activities in a timely manner, in response to client needs, in meeting program requirements, such as filing annual progress reports, and in meeting benchmarks that were established by the notice for their original grant. Further, the applicant must provide the documentation of any amendment or other program adjustment that was approved by HUD prior to 2001, in carrying out the previously approved activities. HUD will review all renewal applications based on the following criteria: (1) Eligibility: HUD will review your eligibility to apply for renewal funding under this program as described above under Part A, Section II, Eligibility of Applicants and Activities. (2) Organizational Capacity: If a new project sponsor is added, HUD will review the project sponsor's capacity to conduct program activities as described under Rating Factor 1: Capacity of Applicant and Project Sponsors and Relevant Organizational Experience (Part B, Section V). (3) Need for Renewal: HUD will conduct a threshold review on your need for renewal, as described below in Part A, Section III(D), and how this project has operated with measurable progress. A project will pass this threshold if it demonstrates measurable progress. Measurable progress is defined as not failing or not evidencing weak performance in (i) meeting performance benchmarks, as appropriate, in program development and operation, (ii) meeting project goals and objectives, such as, that the number of persons assisted is comparable to the number that was planned at the time of the application, (iii) submitting timely performance reports, and; (iv) expending over 50% of prior funding at the beginning of the month for the due date for renewals (as measured by reimbursements filed with HUD's financial system, PAS.). (4) Threshold Requirements: HUD will also review your application to ensure that your project meets the standard eligibility threshold requirements as described in Part B, Section V(A) of this program NOFA. Such as, completing the Consolidated Plan Certification. Applicants are requested to submit the following information: (1) The renewal application should include the items A (SF-424) and F (Statutory Certifications) as described under Part B, Section VI, Application Submission Requirements. (2) Executive Summary and Synopsis: On no more than five (5) double spaced pages, please provide an Executive Summary of the renewal project. In the Executive Summary, please provide the name of the grantee and any project sponsors. Include at the beginning of the Executive Summary a two to three sentence synopsis of the renewal project. (3) Narrative Statements. Your application must include the following narrative statements: (a) Organizational Capacity Narrative: If a new project sponsor(s) is added to the proposal, please describe the capacity of the project sponsor(s) to conduct program activities as described under Rating Factor 1: Capacity of Applicant and Project Sponsors and Relevant Organizational Experience (Part B, Section V). Please provide this information on no more than three double-spaced typed pages. If you are adding more than one Project Sponsor, you may add two (2) additional pages per Project Sponsor. (b) Need for Renewal Narrative: Please address the following on no more than five (5) double-spaced pages. Please demonstrate the need for renewal funding and how this project has operated with measurable progress. Measurable progress is defined as not failing or not evidencing weak performance in (i) meeting performance benchmarks, as appropriate, in program development and operation, (ii) meeting project goals and objectives, such as, that the number of persons assisted is comparable to the number that was planned at the time of the application, (iii) submitting timely performance reports; (iv) expending over 50% of prior funding at the beginning of the month for the due date for renewals (as measured by reimbursements filed with HUD's financial system, PAS.). Additionally, you should complete the HOPWA Need for Renewal Chart, as described below in Part A, Section III(C) and found in Appendix A. (4) HOPWA Renewal Budget: Please complete the HOPWA Renewal Budget Form (Appendix A). See Part A, Section II(D), Amount of Renewals, for details on renewal funding. (5) HOPWA Renewal Project Form (Appendix A). Complete the form including the following: (a) Project Sponsor: You must identify any organization that will receive HOPWA funds as a project sponsor and the amount of funds to be received. (b) Non-profit Status: If not previously submitted to HUD through the prior HOPWA application or if a change occurred in non-profit status, non-profit grantees or project sponsors must submit documentation verifying your non-profit status, as outlined under Part B, Section III, Eligible Applicants and Project Sponsors, in this program section of the SuperNOFA. (c) Service Areas. Your application must identify the area(s) in which you are proposing to offer housing and other assistance. [[Page 12227]] After your entire application is assembled, please mark each exhibit with an appropriately numbered tab and number every page of the application sequentially. Complete the HOPWA Renewal Application Checklist found in Appendix A to this program section of the SuperNOFA. Attached the HOPWA Renewal Application Checklist to the front of your application. (C) Need for Renewal. The application must demonstrate that prior grant funds will expire in the Federal Fiscal year 2001 or 2002. You must complete the HOPWA Need for Renewal Chart (Appendix A), as described below: Line 1. Indicate the amount of the prior HOPWA award: ________ Line 2. Indicate the amount expended as of 9-30-00: ________ Line 3. Subtotal: subtract line 2 from line 1: ________ Line 4. Indicate the amount to be expended in FY2001: ________ Line 5. Indicate the amount to be expended in FY2002: ________ Line 6. Subtotal: subtract lines 4 and 5 from line 3: ________ Notes: If the subtotal on Line 6 is greater than zero, you are not eligible to apply for renewal funding under this notice. Also note that continued use of prior funds may require that you file an extension request with the area CPD Field Office. Further if the subtotal on Line 3 is zero or a residual amount that is less than one percent of the amount on Line 1, you are not eligible to apply for renewal funding under this notice. In reviewing the information that you provide in this chart, HUD will determine your eligibility for renewal funding based on financial records for reimbursement of expenditures that are filed under HUD's financial system (PAS). (D) Example of potential renewal request, XYZ Nonprofit. In this case, a 1998 grant to the XYZ nonprofit involved the award of HOPWA competitive funds for a community residence for persons living with AIDS (PLWAs), with $300,000 for acquisition of the residence, $200,000 for facility operations, $250,000 for supportive services and $100,000 planned for rental assistance for clients who transition out of the facility, and grant administration $25,500 (total of $875,500). Under this notice, the following is eligible for renewal funding for XYZ: Facility operations, supportive services, rental assistance, grant administration, data collection on project outcomes (added). Funds for additional acquisition are not eligible for renewal. Also, if the site now needs rehabilitation, the grantee must apply under Part B for a new project for that activity or seek other public or private funding. To calculate the amount for this renewal request, XYZ could ask for these maximum amounts or less to continue for three more years: Facility Operations--base of $200,000 + 20% for renewal grant = $240,000 Supportive Services--$250,000 + 20% = 300,000 Rental assistance--$100,000 + 20% = 120,000 Subtotal for renewal funding: 660,000 Grantee administrative costs (3%) based on subtotal: 19,800 Data collection on outcomes--(added): 50,000 Total potential amount for renewal request for XYZ: $729,800 Notes: Alternatively, XYZ may have found that clients did not leave and the rental assistance component is too large, based on actual utilization. XYZ should have requested HUD approval to reassign the excess rental assistance amount to some other eligible activity, such as maintenance and repair costs, prior to FY2001 and provide a copy of this documentation in its application. If in this alternative example, only $20,000 is needed, than the amendment to move $80,000 to repair costs could have been filed with the area HUD office. In this alternative example, the XYZ request must be adjusted downward based on the actual experience of this grant and the subtotal, administrative cost, and total would be decreased, accordingly. The reassigned $80,000 in repair costs would not be eligible for a renewal request. IV. Additional Renewal Information (A) Application Kits, Further Information, and Technical Assistance. You must send your renewal application on or before 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, consistent with the specific due date for renewal applications as stated in the Program Overview section of this program NOFA, to HUD Headquarters. See the General Section of this SuperNOFA for specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g., mailed applications, express mail, overnight delivery, or hand carried). In addition, please see Part B, Section I for the following information: address and instructions for submitting renewal applications, application kits, technical assistance, and technical assistance broadcasts. Please note HOPWA renewal information will be provided along with HOPWA competitive program information in the HOPWA Application Kit. (B) Award Modifications. See Part B, Section II(B) for a description of the process for award modifications. (C) Availability of Other Funds and Use of Technical Assistance. Applicants seeking renewal are encouraged to read Part B, Section IV(D) on the availability of formula funding. In addition, the paragraphs addressing (E) the availability of HOPWA technical assistance and (F) the prohibition on the use of TA funds to draft applications apply to renewal applications. (D) Applicable Provisions of Part B. The following sections of Part B of this program NOFA apply to applicants of renewal funding: Part B, Section VII (Corrections to Deficient Applications), Section VIII (Other Requirements), and Section IX (Authority). Part B. New Projects If funds remain after the selection of renewal grants under Part A, HUD will consider applications under this part. I. Application Kits, Further Information, and Technical Assistance Where to Send Your Application. You must send your application on or before 12:00 midnight, Eastern time, consistent with the specific due date for new projects as stated in the Program Overview of this program NOFA, to HUD Headquarters. See the General Section of this SuperNOFA for specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g., mailed applications, express mail, overnight delivery, or hand carried). Address for Submitting Applications. Your completed application consists of an original signed application and three copies. Submit the original application and one copy to: Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Room 7251, Washington, DC 20410. The original application submitted to HUD headquarters is considered the official application. Submit the additional two (2) copies of your application to the area CPD Field Office or Offices that serve the area in which activities are proposed. For multi-state efforts you must submit two copies of your application to the Field Office that serves your main office. The list of addresses for area CPD Field Offices is provided as Appendix B of this program section of this SuperNOFA. If you propose nationwide activities, you must send all copies to the HUD headquarters office. When submitting your applications, please refer to HOPWA, and include your name, mailing address (including zip code), facsimile, email , and telephone number (including area code). For Application Kits. Although you may begin working on your application with the materials provided in this program section of the SuperNOFA and its appendixes, for an application kit, please call the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-8929 (1-800-483-8929). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the [[Page 12228]] Center's TTY number at 1-800-HUD-2209 (1-800-483-2209). The application kit also will be available on the Internet through the HUD web site at http://www.hud.gov/grants. For Further Information and Technical Assistance. You may call the HUD Field Office serving your area, at the telephone number shown in the application kit for this program, or you may contact the Office of HIV/AIDS Housing, HUD at (202) 708-1934. HUD staff may assist with program questions, but may not assist in preparing your application. Satellite Broadcast. HUD will hold an information broadcast via satellite for potential applicants to learn more about the program and preparation of the application. For more information about the date and time of the broadcast, you should consult the HUD web site at http:// www.hud.gov/grants. II. Amount Allocated Approximately $ 25,542,000 is being made available for funding under this program section of the SuperNOFA. Additional funds may be awarded if funds are recaptured, deobligated, appropriated or otherwise made available during the fiscal year. (A) Maximum Grant Amounts. The maximum amount that you may receive is $1,200,000 for program activities (e.g., activities that directly benefit low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families), irrespective of the number of applications that you submit. You may also add-on up to 3 percent of this program activities amount for grantee administrative costs and, if your program involves project sponsors, add-on up to 7 percent of the amount that they receive for their administrative costs. In addition, up to $50,000 may be requested to collect data on project outcomes. HUD reserves the right to reduce the amount requested for data collection on project outcomes in relation the amount requested for program activities. Additionally, after rating each application HUD reserves the right to add up to $50,000 to a HOPWA application for the purposes of the collection of data on program outcomes, if an applicant fails to request this level of funding for this activity. (B) Award Modifications. See the General Section of this SuperNOFA for information with regard to adjustments to funding. HUD also reserves the right to ensure that activities funded under the FY 2001 Continuum of Care will not duplicate activities funded under this competition. III. Program Description; Eligible Applicants; Eligible Activities (A) Program Description. Funds under this program are to be used to support the Department's national goal of increasing the availability of decent, safe, and affordable housing in American communities. The statutory purpose of the HOPWA program is ``for meeting the housing needs of persons'' with HIV/AIDS and their families and planned activities must address this purpose. HOPWA funds projects to provide housing and related supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families under two categories of assistance: (1) Grants for Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) that, due to their innovative nature or their potential for replication, are likely to serve as effective models in addressing the housing and related supportive service needs of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. Under this program section of the SuperNOFA, HUD will set-aside up to 40% of the funds allocated to SPNS to projects targeting underserved populations as defined in Section (D); and (2) Grants for projects that are part of Long-Term Comprehensive Strategies (Long-Term) which provide housing and related supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families in areas that are not eligible for HOPWA FY 2001 formula allocations found in Appendix C of this program section of this SuperNOFA. (B) Eligible Applicants and Project Sponsors. (1) States, units of general local government, and nonprofit organizations may apply for grants for Special Projects of National Significance; (2) States and units of general local government may apply for grants for projects under the Long-Term category of grants, if proposed activities will serve areas that were not eligible to receive HOPWA formula allocations in Fiscal Year 2001. A list of the formula areas and a list of the areas not eligible to receive HOPWA Formula funds, can be found in Appendix C of this program section of this SuperNOFA. Nonprofit organizations are not eligible to apply directly for the Long-Term grants but may serve as a project sponsor for an eligible State or local government grantee. You must identify your project sponsors in your application. Project Sponsors can not be identified at a later date through such processes as an RFP or other selection process. (3) Nonprofit organizations must have appropriate credentials, in accordance with HOPWA regulations at 24 CFR 574.3. If you are a nonprofit organization, to be an eligible applicant or project sponsor, you must either: --Have, by the application due date, an IRS ruling that grants you tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or --Provide documentation that shows that your organization satisfies the criteria in the statutory definition of nonprofit organization in 42 U.S.C. 12902(13). The statutory definition reads: The term ``nonprofit organization'' means any nonprofit organization (including a State or locally chartered, nonprofit organization) that-- (i) is organized under State or local laws; (ii) has no part of its net earnings inuring to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual; (iii) complies with standards of financial accountability acceptable to the Secretary; and (iv) has among its purposes significant activities related to providing services or housing to persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or related diseases. HUD interprets the use of the term ``related diseases'' in this definition to include HIV infection. Adequate documentation of nonprofit status includes the following: (a) In lieu of an IRS exemption for nonprofits in Puerto Rico, a ruling from the Treasury Department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico granting income tax exemption under section 101 of the Income Tax Act of 1954, as amended (13 LPRA 3101); (b) In lieu of documentation under section 501(c)(3), documentation of an IRS ruling of tax exempt status under section 501(c)(4), (6), (7), (9), or (19); (c) Documentation of satisfying the statutory criteria by submitting the following four items: (i) Certification by an appropriate official of the jurisdiction under whose laws the nonprofit organization was organized that your organization was so organized and is in good standing; (ii) Documentation that your organization is a certified United Way member agency or other documentation that shows that no inurement of benefits to the managers of your organization occurs; (iii) Documentation from a CPA or Public Accountant that your organization has a functioning accounting system that is operated in accordance with generally acceptable accounting principles or that a qualifying entity is designated for that activity, or the United Way member agency certification noted in item (ii); and [[Page 12229]] (iv) A certified copy of your nonprofit organization's articles of incorporation, by-laws, statement of purposes, board of director's resolution or a similar document that includes a provision demonstrating its purpose regarding significant activities for persons living with HIV/AIDS. If your organization does not provide the requested documentation, you are not eligible to receive funds and serve as the grantee or as a project sponsor. However, you may collaborate with eligible nonprofit organizations or with a government agency that applies for the grant and assist them, for example, in planning for the proposed activities, identifying needs in your community and identifying clients who will be assisted. In addition, you may do work under contract with a grantee for services funded by this grant. (C) Eligible Activities. (1) The following eligible activities are subject to standards and limitations found in 24 CFR part 574. (a) Housing information services (including fair housing counseling). (b) Project-based or tenant-based rental assistance. (c) New construction of a community residence or SRO dwelling. (d) Acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease or repair of facilities to provide housing and services. (e) Operating costs for housing. (f) Short-term rent, mortgage and utility payments to prevent homelessness. (g) Supportive services. Many of the clients who will be served by the HUD program covered by this NOFA may need services in addition to housing. It is important that you design programs which enhance access to those needed services, including access to health-care, AIDS drug assistance, and other services funded through the Ryan White CARE Act or other Federal, State, local or private funds. While HUD recognizes that there are many ways to ensure that clients receive the services they need, to the extent possible, the Department encourages you to develop housing programs which do not require participation in services as a part of your or your project sponsor's tenancy requirements. (h) Administrative expenses (see limits for grantees and sponsors). (i) Resource identification to establish, coordinate and develop housing assistance resources and technical assistance in establishing and operating a community residence. HUD will not select under this notice an application that is primarily directed at providing these activities, since national HOPWA technical assistance funds are being made available under the Community Development Technical Assistance (CDTA) part of this notice for this purpose. You may propose a resource identification or technical assistance component in your application, if the amount of funds designated for these activities are less than 20 percent of the proposed program activity costs; and (j) As authorized by the statute, you may propose other activities in your application, if approved by HUD, including data collection on project outcomes, as described below in paragraph (2). HUD will not approve proposals that depend on future decisions on how funds are to be used, for example, a proposal to establish a local request-for- proposal process to select activities or project sponsors. You must identify your project sponsors at the time of the application. (2) You may request up to $50,000 to collect information and report to HUD, or a third party designated by HUD, on project outcomes. If you requested these funds, you must propose data collection activities in your application. The persons who will conduct these activities may include an expert third-party. Project outcome activities include: (a) Defining monitoring questions that will be addressed and examined during the project period; (b) Specifying outcome measures; (c) Developing instruments to assess project outcomes and systems outcomes; (d) Training project staff in the collection of data; (e) Monitoring data collection activities to assure that submissions are complete and accurate, including data coding and entry; (f) Summarizing data collected; and (g) Preparing reports summarizing findings, including the standard HOPWA Annual Progress Report. (D) Targeting Resources to Underserved Populations. The Department has been advised by persons living with HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS housing providers, and national organizations, of the continuing disparity in accessing health-care and HIV/AIDS treatment among underserved populations, such as, racial and ethnic minority populations, women, persons living in rural areas, youth and post-incarcerated populations. One example of this disparity is found in our experience in assisting HIV-infected young people. A report from the Office of National AIDS Policy, Youth and HIV/AIDS 2000: A New American Agenda, released on October 2, 2000, notes that: Beyond medical care, stable housing is one of the most important parts of the safety net for persons living with HIV and AIDS and their families. Youth who are homeless or who run away from home are at greater behavioral risk of HIV infection. Youth who are infected with HIV are more likely to be able to follow complex treatment regimens if they have a reliable address where they can be reached by care providers, a safe place to keep medications, refrigeration for drugs that require it, and other necessities that many of us take for granted. * * * [T]wo tragic realities have not changed. Some 20,000 young people are still becoming infected every year, and most of them are not receiving the medical care they need. The programs that provide HIV prevention, care and support services to youth must be broader in vision, larger in scope, and better coordinated. The report also recommended that ``Federal agencies should use existing resources to expand youth-specific initiatives.'' The Department encourages you to develop an initiative on youth under this notice. In an effort to meet this need to reach and serve persons who are part of populations that have been underserved by past efforts and to diversify the number and type of organizations that have traditionally received HOPWA funding, the Department is encouraging collaborations among community-based organizations for providing housing assistance and/or technical assistance to better serve underserved populations on a national, regional, or local level. Collaborations pair grantees and a project sponsor(s) that are experienced in developing or operating housing facilities and housing assistance programs with community-based organizations, serving as project sponsors, that provide services or use culturally-sensitive efforts to reach persons in underserved communities, but may have little or no experience in meeting the housing needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS. This team approach is expected to: (1) strengthen the organization--improve capacity to develop, operate, manage, and evaluate housing assistance programs for persons living with HIV/AIDS; (2) serve underserved populations--help reach underserved populations in areas that lack housing and health care infrastructure; and (3) increase planning--develop holistic community approaches to better coordinate housing and related services in communities impacted by HIV and AIDS. Note: All assistance provided to targeted underserved communities must be in accordance with the requirements of the Fair Housing Act. In order to support these collaborations and to encourage [[Page 12230]] new collaborations to receive HOPWA funding, up to 40% of the funds targeted toward SPNS applications will be awarded to applications with these collaborations to serve underserved populations and HUD reserves the right to include in these awards at least one application that targets unmet needs in an underserved youth population. To be considered as a collaboration, in your application you must: (1) Identify and evidence the experience of all collaborating organizations, either as grantee or project sponsor(s), as detailed under Rating Factor 1 of this program section of the SuperNOFA in the Capacity of the Applicant and Project Sponsors and Relevant Organizational Experience section of your application; (2) Identify the underserved population and evidence in the Description of Unmet Need section of your application as detailed under Rating Factor 2 that substantial housing and related service needs of the identified underserved population living with HIV/AIDS and their families are not being met in the area. For the purposes of this program NOFA, the Department has defined underserved populations as low-income populations living with HIV/AIDS and their families, such as racial or ethnic minority groups, women, persons living in rural areas, youth, post-incarcerated populations, or other underserved groups as determined by your service area, whose housing and related service needs are not currently being met in the service area. To meet the program definition of underserved group, you must show the unmet need in the provision of housing and related supportive services for the identified underserved population in your service area by presenting reliable statistics and data sources (i.e. Census, health department statistics, research, scientific studies, and Needs Analysis of Consolidated Plan and/or Continuum of Care documentation). HUD will consider your presentation of statistics and data sources based on soundness and reliability and the specificity of information to the underserved population and the area to be served; and (3) Evidence the method, by which your plans will, as defined above, strengthen the organization, serve underserved populations, increase planning, and support fair housing in the Soundness of Approach section of your application as detailed under Rating Factor 3 of this program section of the SuperNOFA. If HUD determines that the application fails to meet the above considerations, the application will not be considered for funding under the 40 percent of SPNS funds allocated for collaborative projects targeting underserved populations. HUD will consider the application under the remaining SPNS category. IV. Program Requirements (A) Performance Measures and Project Goals and Objectives. You must use HUD's required performance measures that will show your accomplishments in using HOPWA funds to expand the housing options that benefit low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. You may also establish individual goals and objectives for your proposal. They should be specific, achievable and measured within set time periods. Your individual goals and objectives should result in possible findings on the successes and lessons learned in undertaking your activities that would be shared with other communities. In designing your proposal, please use the following: (1) Required HOPWA national performance goal. Your proposed activities must increase the amount of housing assistance and related supportive services to low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families to enable them to achieve housing stability and access to health-care and related supportive services. (2) Measure your performance. After each year of operation, you must report on the number of short-term and permanent housing units that were provided with HOPWA funding, and number of additional persons served with related supportive services. HUD will measure your progress and achievements in evaluating your performance on your HOPWA grant. Examples of reporting performance measures are: (a) In your community over the last year, a transitional housing facility providing 5 units of housing was operated with HOPWA funds. Residents also received drug and/or alcohol abuse treatment and counseling by qualified staff. During that year, ten persons resided in the facility and benefited from the intense on-site assistance, which also included helping them develop and follow a plan to find permanent housing and continue treatment after leaving the facility, including monthly phone contacts or visits by staff; and (b) Over the last 12 months, a nonprofit organization distributed tenant-based rental assistance vouchers to 15 households within your three-county metropolitan area. The vouchers provided for on-going housing assistance (up to three years) and the program advised the clients on tenant-landlord issues and arranged for housing quality standard inspections of the apartments selected. A case manager who is funded under the Ryan White CARE Act program, advised the tenants and helped them access health-care and other services from providers in this community. During this year, 22 persons received permanent housing assistance with HOPWA funds and for three of these families who were unable to find housing within 30 days, additional efforts were made and an appropriate apartment was located and used. (B) Performance Benchmarks. Funds received under this competition are expected to be expended within 3 years following the effective date of a grant agreement. You will be expected to meet the following performance benchmarks: (1) If you acquire or lease a site, you are required to gain site control within one year of your selection (i.e, one year from the date of the signing of your selection letter by HUD); (2) If you propose to use HOPWA funds to undertake rehabilitation or new construction activities, you are required to begin the rehabilitation or construction within 18 months of your selection and to complete that activity within 3 years from the date of your selection letter by HUD; and (3) You are requested to provide an initial report to the Field Office and the Headquarters on the startup of the planned activities within six months of your selection. Please outline any accomplishments in implementing the funds along with identifying any barriers or issues for which the Department may provide assistance. Except as noted in paragraph (2) for rehabilitation or construction activities, you must begin to operate your program within one year from your selection. If a selected project does not meet the appropriate performance benchmark, HUD reserves the right to cancel or withdraw the grant funds. (C) Descriptive Budget. You must provide a description of each of your requested budget items and how the funds will be used, including each amount of requested funding for you and your project sponsors, and a description of how each line item will relate to eligible HOPWA activities as defined in Section III(C), of this program section of the SuperNOFA. You are expected to match requested funds to specific goals and objectives in your project. See Appendix D of this program section of the SuperNOFA. (D) Availability of FY 2001 Formula Allocations. You are also encouraged to consider seeking funds for your [[Page 12231]] proposed activities under the formula component of the HOPWA program and from other resources that are made available in communities. Ninety (90) percent of the HOPWA program is allocated by formula and recipient States and cities are required to consult with the public on designing the use of these funds. In FY2001, a total of $229.372 million was allocated by formula to the qualifying cities for 71 eligible metropolitan statistical areas (EMSAs) and to 34 eligible States for areas outside of EMSAs. All HOPWA formula grants are available as part of the jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan, which also includes the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships program, and Emergency Shelter Grants. Plans are developed through a public process that assesses area needs, creates a multiple-year strategy and proposes an action plan for use of Federal funds and other community resources in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. Information on consolidated planning, including HOPWA formula programs and descriptions of previously awarded competitive grants, is available on the HUD HOME Page at www.hud.gov. (E) Availability of National HOPWA Technical Assistance. If you are interested in providing technical assistance activities with HOPWA funds, submit an application for funds under the Community Development Technical Assistance (CDTA) part of this notice, which is published elsewhere in this SuperNOFA. The CDTA notice provides up to $2,580,000 in HOPWA funds to organizations for technical assistance support on a national or regional basis. (F) Seeking Technical Assistance in Developing a HOPWA Application. HOPWA TA providers may not provide technical assistance in the drafting of responses to HUD's NOFA due to the unfair advantage such assistance gives to one organization over another. If HUD determines that HOPWA technical assistance has been used to draft a HOPWA application, HUD reserves that right to reject the application for funding. V. Application Selection Process (A) HOPWA Application Reviews. HUD will review your HOPWA application to ensure that: (1) Your application meets the threshold requirements found in the General Section of the SuperNOFA; (2) A Certification of Consistency with Consolidated Plans is provided as an appendix to the General Section of the SuperNOFA. Under the HOPWA program, proposed activities that are located in a jurisdiction are required to be consistent with the jurisdiction's current, approved Consolidated Plan, including the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing choice and the Action Plan to address these impediments, except that this certification is not required for projects that propose to undertake activities on a national basis; and (3) You are currently in compliance with the Federal requirements contained in 24 CFR part 574, subpart G, ``Other Federal Requirements.'' (B) The HOPWA Competition. This national competition will involve the review, rating, and selection of HOPWA applications under each of the two categories of assistance Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) and Long-Term Comprehensive Strategies (Long-Term) in areas that do not qualify for HOPWA formula allocations. (C) Procedures for the Rating of Applications. HUD will rate all HOPWA applications based on the criteria listed below. (D) Factors For Award Used to Evaluate and Rate Applications. The factors for rating and ranking your application, and the maximum points for each factor, are provided below. The points awarded for the factors total 100. In addition, bonus points for projects in EZ/EC areas and by the City of Dallas may be available under Section III(C)(2) of the General Section of this SuperNOFA apply to this competition. After rating, all applications will be placed in the rank order of their final score for selection within the appropriate category of assistance. Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Project Sponsors and Relevant Organizational Experience (20 Points) Please address the following factor on not more than five (5) double-spaced, typed pages. For each project sponsor, you may add two additional pages under this section. This factor addresses the extent to which you and any project sponsor has the organizational resources necessary to successfully implement your proposed activities in a timely manner. If you will be using project sponsor(s) in your project, you must identify each project sponsor in your application. HUD will award up to 20 points based on your and any project sponsor's ability to develop and operate your proposed program, such as housing development, management of housing facilities or units, and service delivery, in relation to which entity is carrying out an activity. (1) With regard to both you and any project sponsor(s), HUD will consider: (a) Past experience and knowledge in serving persons with HIV/AIDS and their families; (b) Past experience and knowledge in programs similar to those proposed in your application; (c) Experience and knowledge in monitoring and evaluating program performance and disseminating information on project outcomes; and (d) Past experience as measured by expenditures and measurable progress in achieving the purpose for which funds were provided. (2) In reviewing the elements of paragraph (1), HUD will consider the extent to which your proposal demonstrates: (a) The knowledge and experience of the proposed project director and staff, including the day-to-day program manager, consultants and contractors in planning and managing the kind of activities for which you are requesting funds. You and any project sponsor will be judged in terms of recent, relevant and successful experience of staff to undertake eligible program activities, including experience and knowledge in serving persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. (b) Your and/or the sponsor's experience in managing complex interdisciplinary programs, especially those involving housing and community development programs directly relevant to the work activities proposed and carrying out grant management responsibilities. (c) If you and/or the sponsor received funding in previous years in the program area for which you are currently seeking funding, you and your sponsor's past experience will be evaluated in terms of the ability to attain demonstrated measurable progress in the implementation of your grant awards. Measurable progress is defined as: (i) Meeting performance benchmarks, as applicable, in program development and operation; (ii) Meeting project goals and objectives, such as, that the number of persons assisted was comparable to the number that was planned at the time of application; (iii) Submitting timely performance reports; and (iv) Expending prior funding as outlined in the prior proposal with no outstanding audit or monitoring issues. Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem (20 Points) Please address the following factor on not more than five (5) double-spaced, typed pages. This factor addresses the extent to which there is a need for [[Page 12232]] funding the proposed program activities and an indication of the urgency of meeting the need in the target area. Up to 20 points will be awarded for this factor. (1) (5 Points) AIDS Cases. Up to five of these points will be determined by the relative numbers of AIDS cases and per capita AIDS incidence within your service area, in metropolitan areas of over 500,000 population and in areas of a State outside of these metropolitan areas, in the State for proposals involving state-wide activities, and in the nation for proposals involving nation-wide activities. Your application must define a planned service area. To determine these points, HUD will obtain AIDS surveillance information from the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2) (5 Points) Description of Unmet Need. Up to five of these points will be determined by the extent to which there is a need for funding eligible activities in the area to be served. To receive the highest ratings in this factor, you must demonstrate that substantial housing and related service needs of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families are not being met in the area and that reliable statistics and data sources (i.e. Census, health department statistics, research, scientific studies, and Needs Analysis of Consolidated Plan and/or Continuum of Care documentation) show this unmet need. To receive the highest number of points, you also must show that your jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance plans (if homeless persons are to be served), and comprehensive HIV/AIDS housing plans are applicable and identify the level of the problem and the urgency of the need. Urgent and unmet needs may be demonstrated, as follows: (a) If you apply for a proposed Special Project of National Significance, you must describe a need that is not currently addressed by other projects or programs in the area. Also describe any unresolved or emerging issues and the need to provide new or alternative forms of assistance that, if provided, would enhance your area's programs for housing and related care for persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families; or (b) If you apply for a project that is part of a Long-Term Comprehensive Strategy in an area that does not receive a HOPWA formula allocation, you must describe the need that is not currently addressed by other projects or programs in the area. You must also describe any unresolved or emerging issues and/or the need to provide forms of assistance that enhance the community's strategy for providing housing and related services to eligible persons. HUD will consider your presentation of statistics and data sources based on soundness, reliability and the specificity of information to the target population and the area to be served. If you propose to serve a subpopulation of eligible persons on the basis that these persons have been traditionally and are currently underserved (e.g., persons with multiple disabilities including AIDS), your application must document the need for this targeted effort through statistics and data sources that support the need of this population in your service area. (3) (5 Points) Need in Non-Formula Areas. Within the points available under this criterion, HUD will award five points, if your SPNS application proposes to serve clients in an area that does not qualify for HOPWA formula allocation. (4) (5 Points) Highest Rated in a State or the Nation (for nationwide activities). After the other rating factors have been determined, HUD will award five of the points to help achieve greater geographic diversity in funding activities within a variety of States. Under this criterion, five points will be awarded to the highest rated SPNS and Long-term applications in each State and to the highest rated SPNS application among the applications that propose nationwide activities. Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach: Responsiveness and Model Qualities (40 Points) Please address the following factor on not more than fifteen (15) double-spaced, typed pages and include the HOPWA Budget Forms following this section. This factor addresses the method by which your plan meets your identified needs. HUD will award up to 40 points based on the extent to which your plan evidences a sound approach in its responsiveness to the persons that you will be assisting and how it offers model qualities in providing supportive housing opportunities for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families, when compared to other applications and projects funded under previous HOPWA competitions. The points will be awarded as follows: (1) Responsiveness (20 Points). HUD will award up to 20 points based on how well your project plan responds to the unmet needs of the target population including the specific needs that you identified under the Need Criterion with specific goals and objectives for providing housing and related supportive services for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. To receive the highest ratings in this element, you must offer a plan that evidences the following: (a) Your project's goals and objectives. You must describe your project's goals and objectives and how you will measure how the project is performing under the required HOPWA performance goal, i.e. increasing the amount of housing assistance and related supportive services to low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families to enable them to achieve housing stability and access to health-care and supportive services. You are encouraged to review Part B, Section IV(A), Performance Measures and Project Goals and Objectives of this Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) when developing your goals and objectives. To receive the highest rating your goals should address: (i) The projected numbers of persons to be served through each activity for each year of your program; (ii) The projected number of housing units to be provided through your project, (unless you are proposing supportive service only activities) and; (iii) The specific organizations that will provide housing either through an agreement with your organization or through funding from your project. (b) Your plans for accomplishing these goals and objectives. You must demonstrate your methodology for achieving these goals and objectives by describing the service delivery model that you intend to implement and explain how you will integrate the following items: (i) Housing. You must demonstrate how the housing needs of clients will be addressed by including: (A) the type and number of units of housing to be provided and/or made more appropriate if currently available in the community; (B) the names of the project sponsors and/ or organizations providing housing including their roles and responsibilities; (C) the connection of any emergency or transitional housing in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing; (D) any appropriate site features, including accessibility, visitability, and access to other community amenities; (E) ensuring clients and their families have access to health care and other supportive services; (F) demonstrating how tenants' rights will be observed and addressed by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing through such activities as the delivery of maintenance services, security services, and consistency with local and national fair housing laws; (G) demonstrating clients [[Page 12233]] participation in decision making in project operation and management. (ii) Supportive Services. You must describe how the supportive service needs of clients will be addressed from HOPWA or other sources by including: (A) the type of supportive services that will be offered and/or how services will be accessed and coordinated; (B) the names of the organizations providing the supportive services; (C) the connection of these services in helping clients obtain and/or maintain housing; (D) the roles and responsibilities of project sponsors and other organizations in undertaking these activities. If you propose to use more than 10% of your HOPWA funds for supportive services, emergency or transitional housing activities, to receive the highest number of rating points, you must address how you will meet your clients' permanent housing needs with HOPWA funds or funds from other sources. You can fulfill this commitment by allocating funds for housing vouchers for HOPWA clients or developing permanent housing with this grant or other sources. (2) Model Qualities (20 Points). HUD will award up to 20 points based on your service delivery model plan and how well it addresses the ongoing housing and supportive service needs within a replicable operational framework. To receive the highest ratings in this factor, you must offer a plan that evidences a permanent housing arrangement and the following: (a) Operational Procedures. You must describe your program's outreach, intake, and assessment procedures, as well as how clients will link to services and (if necessary) housing funded from other sources and how your project provides for consistent monitoring of all clients. You must include within this description how a client moves through the program from intake, assessment, service delivery, and finally to termination or linkage to other services. (b) Project Management and Oversight. You must describe your method for coordinating the project sponsors' services whether for housing or related supportive services with your staff and volunteers, and any other organizations in order to benefit the clients; identify staff members who are responsible for described housing and supportive service tasks; and the ability of your operations to be self-sustaining beyond the life of this grant. (c) Evaluation. Evaluation is defined as your method for collecting data on HUD program goals related to housing and related supportive services, as well as, your project's unique goals and objectives. HUD will assess your method for reviewing this data and other information on the program's operations and your basis for making relative adjustments based on outcomes and lessons learned from operation of your activities. HUD will provide a greater number of points for programs which will serve as a national model and which provide for the dissemination of information from the lessons learned from your proposed activities. (d) Innovative Qualities. If you propose a new program, or an alternative method of meeting the needs of your clients, you should describe the innovative qualities of your activities. HUD will rate your applications higher if your justification for these innovations provide strong evidence that they will yield qualities that will benefit or expand our knowledge in offering assistance to persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families, when compared to other applications and HOPWA projects funded in the past. In order to learn about innovative qualities of previously funded and on-going HOPWA projects, please review the HOPWA Executive Summaries for all HOPWA formula and competitive grantees at http://www.hud.gov/cpd/ hopwahom.html. (e) Descriptive Budget. HUD will rate your budget in describing (i) how each amount of requested funding for you and your project sponsors will be used; (ii) how each line item will relate to eligible HOPWA activities as defined in Part B, Section III(C), of this program section of the SuperNOFA; and (iii) how specific line items match with the goals and objectives in your project. You must complete the HOPWA Project Budget Form as described in Part B, Section VI(E). Please note that only the forms are required and an additional narrative under the Model Qualities Section is not required. Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (10 Points) This factor addresses your ability to secure community resources which can be combined with HUD's program resources to achieve program purposes. HUD will award up to 10 points based on the extent to which resources from other public or private sources have been committed at the time of application, to support your project. To achieve the highest ratings for this factor, you must evidence commitments of leveraged resources that match or exceed the amount of HOPWA funds that are requested, but not including funds designated for data collection. In establishing leveraging, HUD will not consider other HOPWA- funded activities, entitlement benefits inuring to eligible persons, or conditioned commitments that depend on future fund-raising or actions. In assessing the use of acceptable leveraged resources, HUD will consider the likelihood that State and local resources will be available and continue during the operating period of your grant. In evaluating this factor HUD will also consider: (1) The extent to which you document leveraged resources, such as funding and/or in-kind services from governmental entities, private organizations, resident management organizations, educational institutions, or other entities to achieve the purposes of the project for which you are requesting HOPWA funds. (2) The extent to which the documented resources evidence that you have partnered with other entities to make more effective use of available public or private resources. Partnership arrangements may include funding or in-kind services from local governments or government agencies, nonprofit or for-profit entities, private organizations, educational institutions, or other entities that are willing to partner with you on proposed activities, or partnering with other program funding recipients to make more effective use of resources within the geographic area covered by your award. To receive highest leveraging points, you must document the cash value of leveraged resources pledged to your project(s). Appropriate language is described below: (i) Applicant or Third Party Cash Resources. If this proposal is funded, (applicant name or third party name) commits $(amount) (of its own funds, if applicant, or to applicant name, if third party) for (type of activity) to be made available to the HOPWA program. These funds will be available from (date) to (date). (Signature and Title of authorized representative and date) (ii) Non-Cash Resources. If this proposal is funded, (organization's name) commits to make available (type of resource) valued at $(amount) to the HOPWA program proposed by (applicant name). These resources will be made available to the HOPWA program from (date) to (date). (Signature and Title of authorized representative and date) The donation of a third party professional service should be valued at the professional's customary charge. The value of materials to be contributed to the project by a third party or by the applicant may also be counted as leveraging. (iii) Volunteer Time. If this proposal is funded, (name of the organization or of self), commits to provide (number of [[Page 12234]] hours) of volunteer time from (date) to (date) to provide (type of activity) to the HOPWA program proposed by (applicant name). The total value of these services, based on $10.00 per hour, is $(amount). (Signature and Title, and date) Time to be contributed to the project by volunteers should be valued at $10.00 per hour. In the case of individuals volunteering their time directly to the applicant, the applicant should list itself as the organization. (iv) Contribution of a Building. If this proposal is funded, (applicant name) pledges the building at (site address) to the HOPWA program. The building has a fair market value of $(amount). A licensed independent real estate appraiser made this assessment which is based on comparable properties in the area. (Signature of applicants authorized representative and date) Ownership of a building or portion of a building to be used in the project may be counted as leveraging. The fair market value of the building or portion of the building being contributed may be counted. Do not send an appraisal to HUD, but keep documentation of fair market value on file. The contribution of land (as a leveraged resource for new construction) should be treated the same as contribution of a building. You will need to keep documentation of the fair market value on file, particularly if it is improved land and you wish to include the value of the improvements in the contribution. (v) Contribution of a Building to be Acquired with HOPWA Funds. If this proposal is funded, (applicant name) commits the building at (site address) for the HOPWA program. The building has a fair market value of $(amount). A licensed independent real estate appraiser made this assessment which is based on comparable properties in the area. The HOPWA request for the building is $(amount). Therefore, the contribution is the difference between the fair market value and the HOPWA request, or $(amount). (Signature of applicants authorized representative and date) The difference between the documented fair market value and the portion paid for with HOPWA funds may be counted as leveraging. Maintain documentation of fair rental value on file. (vi) Contribution of Leasehold Interest. If this proposal is funded, (applicant name) commits the leasehold interest at (site address) for the HOPWA program. The fair rental value of this site is $(amount) annually, and at constant value will amount to $(amount) over (term of the lease, up to three years). An appropriate independent third party made this assessment which is based on comparable properties in the area. The total leasing cost over the term of the lease to be paid with HOPWA funds is $(amount). Therefore, the contribution is the difference between the HOPWA leasing cost and the fair rental value, or $(amount). (Signature of applicants authorized representative and date) The difference between the fair rental value (for a term up to three years) and the cost of the lease to be paid for with HOPWA funds may be counted as leveraging. Rating Factor 5: Comprehensiveness and Coordination (10 Points) Please address the following factor on not more than five (5) double-spaced, typed pages. This factor addresses the extent to which you coordinated the specific proposal with other known organizations, consulted prospective clients or persons with HIV/AIDS in designing your proposal, participates or promotes participation in the jurisdiction's Consolidated Planning process, and in a community's Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance planning process (if homeless persons are to be served by proposed activities), and is working towards addressing a need in a holistic and comprehensive manner through linkages with other activities in the community. HUD will award up to 10 points based on your proposal's comprehensiveness and coordination. In order to ensure that resources are used to their maximum effect within the community, it is important that you be involved in HUD's planning processes for community development and homeless assistance resources. If you, your sponsors, or others partnering with you have been involved in these processes, you should describe that involvement under this factor. HUD will consider the extent to which your activities were planned with community involvement in a larger community or regional plans which links the provision of health care, supportive services, and housing. Also, how planned activities are proposed to be carried out with HOPWA funds and other resources in order to provide a comprehensive and responsive range of housing and related supportive services to meet the changing needs of persons with HIV/AIDS. Your proposal should demonstrate that housing is provided in conjunction with the client's access to health-care and other supportive services in the area to be served, including assistance provided under the Ryan White CARE Act programs. In evaluating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to which you demonstrate you have: (1) Coordinated your proposed activities with those of other groups or organizations prior to submission, to best complement, support, and coordinate all known activities; and if funded, the specific steps you will take to share information on solutions and outcomes with others. You should describe any written agreements, memoranda of understanding in place, or that will be in place after award. (2) Been actively involved in your community's Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance planning process (if homeless persons are to be served by proposed activities), and/or the jurisdiction's Consolidated Planning process established to identify and address a need/problem that is related to the activities you propose to undertake. In the case of technical assistance providers, you will be evaluated on the specific steps you will take to work with recipients of technical assistance services to inform them of, and get them involved in, the community's Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance planning process and/or the jurisdiction's Consolidated Planning process, as applicable. HUD will review more favorably your application if you can demonstrate you are active or are working with recipients of technical assistance to get them involved in local and State planning processes. (3) Developed linkages, or specific steps you will take to develop linkages with other activities, programs or projects through meetings, information networks, planning processes, or other mechanisms, to coordinate your activities so solutions are holistic and comprehensive, including linkages with: (a) Other HUD-funded projects/activities outside the scope of those covered by the Consolidated Plan; and (b) Other activities funded by the Federal, State, or local government, including those proposed or on-going in the community. (E) Selection of HOPWA Awards. Whether your HOPWA application is conditionally selected will depend on your overall ranking compared to other applications within each of the two categories of assistance. HUD will select applications in rank order in each category of assistance to the extent that funds are available, except as noted below. In allocating amounts to the categories of assistance, HUD reserves the right to ensure that sufficient funds are available for the selection of at least one application with the highest ranking [[Page 12235]] under each category of assistance. In selecting projects that target resources to underserved populations as outlined in Part B, Section III(D) in this program section of the SuperNOFA, HUD will ensure that up to (40) percent of the funds awarded for Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) grants are awarded to applications with collaborations to serve underserved populations and HUD reserves the right to include in these awards at least one application that targets unmet needs in an underserved youth population. If there is an insufficient request by applicants for funds targeting underserved populations, HUD will use remaining funds for the next highest ranked SPNS Applications in rank order. HUD reserves the right to achieve greater diversity in the selection of applications by selecting the highest rated application in a State where no applicant has been the recipient of any prior HOPWA competitive grant or formula allocation over a higher rated application in a State that has received prior HOPWA funding. In selecting a lower rated application, HUD will not select an application that is rated below 50 points. In the event of a tie between applications in a category of assistance, HUD reserves the right to break the tie: by selecting the proposal that increases geographic diversity as defined in the prior paragraph; and, if greater geographic diversity is not achievable, by selecting the proposal that was scored higher on a rating criterion in the following order: Soundness of Approach: Responsiveness and Model Qualities (Rating Factor 3); Comprehensiveness and Coordination (Rating Factor 5); the Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience (Rating Factor 1); the Need/Extent of the Problem (Rating Factor 2); and Leveraging Resources (Rating Factor 4). HUD will notify you in writing if you are conditionally selected. You may be notified subsequently of any modification made by HUD, the additional project information necessary for grant award, and the date of deadline for submission of the required information. In the event that a conditionally-selected applicant is unable to meet any conditions for fund award within the specified, HUD reserves the right not to award funds to the applicant, but use those funds to make awards to the next highest rated applications in this competition; to restore amounts to a funding request that had been reduced in this competition; or to add amounts to funds available for the next competition. VI. Application Submission Requirements Your HOPWA application must contain the following items in the order shown below. The standard forms can be found in Appendix B to the General Section of the SuperNOFA. The remaining application items that are forms (i.e., excluding such items as narratives, letters), referred to as the ``non-standard forms'' can be found as Appendix D to this program section of the SuperNOFA: The items are as follows: (A) Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF-424). You should complete Items 1 through 18 with the following additions: Item 5--Add e-mail address of the contact person; Item 7--The applicable letters are ``A'' for State; ``B, C, or D'' for a unit of local government; or ``N'' for Nonprofit; Item 9--Enter U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD if not preprinted Item 10--Enter 14--21 and the title ``Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program'' or ``HOPWA'' for the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance; Item 15--You must complete the budget on HUD-SF-424M and the HOPWA Project Budget Form. Please make sure that both the Total Amount on HUD-SF-424M and the ``Total Budget'' section on the HOPWA Project Budget Form are the same. In the event that the total budgets are in conflict, HUD will refer to the HOPWA Project Budget form. Item 16--Check ``No''. (B) Executive Summary and Synopsis. Please provide a two to three sentence synopsis of the proposed program, followed by an Executive Summary of the proposed project on no more than two double-spaced, typed pages. HUD will use this as a summary if your project is chosen for funding. In your abstract, include your organization's name and the name of any project sponsor. (C) Narrative Statements. Your application must include narrative statements that address each of the Factors for Award found at Part B, Section V(D) of this program section of the SuperNOFA. Respond to each factor within the stated page limits and do not use a font size smaller than 12 point. Applications failing to submit any of the narrative statements will be rated as zero during the rating process. (D) Proposed HOPWA Project Information Form. See Appendix D in program section of SuperNOFA. Complete the form including the following: (1) Project Sponsors. You must identify any organization that will receive HOPWA funds as a project sponsor and the amount of funds to be received. (2) Non-profit Status. Non-profit grantees or project sponsors must submit documentation verifying your non-profit status, as outlined under Part B, Section III, Eligible Applicants and Project Sponsors, in this program section of the SuperNOFA. (3) Service Areas. Your application must identify the area(s) in which you are proposing to offer housing and other assistance. (E) Budget. You must complete the HOPWA Project Budget Form found in Appendix D of this program section of the SuperNOFA which lists the amount of requested HOPWA funds designated for each type of HOPWA- eligible activity. For more information, please see Part B, Section IV(C), Program Requirements, and Paragraph (2)(e) of Rating Factor 3, Soundness of Approach. (F) Statutory Certifications. HOPWA applicants are not required to provide the forms, certifications, and assurances listed in the General Section of the SuperNOFA unless stated below. Additionally, the requirement to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing does not apply to the HOPWA program. The following certifications are required by law for funding and should be included with your application. All certifications and forms, except those found in the General Section of the SuperNOFA, are included in the appendixes to the program section of this SuperNOFA. (1) Consolidated Plan Certification. Except as stated below, you must include a Consolidated Plan (hereafter called the plan) certification from the applicable State or local government official responsible for submitting the appropriate plan. If your project will be carried out on a national basis or will be located on a reservation of an Indian tribe, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands you are not required to include a Consolidated Plan certification with your application. This certification must be signed by the authorizing official from the State or local government. (See the General Section of the SuperNOFA.) (2) Certifications. The following certifications are required as stated in Section II(G) of the General Section of the SuperNOFA: HUD- 50070, Certification of Drug-Free Workplace; [[Page 12236]] and SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable). (3) HOPWA Applicant Certifications. The required HOPWA certifications cover the following items: (i) fair housing and non- discrimination; (ii) uniform relocation assistance; (iii) environmental law and authorities; (iv) continued use periods for structures assisted; and (v) debarred, suspended and ineligible principals requirements. (See Appendix D to this program section of the SuperNOFA.) (4) Certification of Consistency with EZ/EC Strategic Plan. This may be submitted as directed in the General Section of the SuperNOFA. (5) HUD-2880, Applicant/Recipient Disclosure Update Report. This must be signed by you the applicant. After your entire application is assembled, please mark each exhibit with an appropriately numbered tab and number every page of the application sequentially. Complete the HOPWA Application Checklist found in Appendix D to this program section of the SuperNOFA. Attach the HOPWA Application Checklist to the front of your application. VII. Corrections to Deficient Applications The General Section of the SuperNOFA provides the procedures for corrections to deficient applications. VIII. Other Requirements (A) Environmental Requirements. All HOPWA assistance is subject to the National Environmental Policy Act and applicable related Federal environmental authorities. In accordance with Section 856(h) of the AIDS Housing Opportunities Act, as added by Section 203 (c) of Public Law 106-377 (114 Stat. 1441, approved October 27, 2000), environmental reviews for HOPWA activities are to be completed by responsible entities (including units of general local government, States, Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages) in accordance with 24 CFR Part 58. Applicants or grantees that are not States or units of general local government must request, the unit of general local government to perform the environmental review. This statutory provision supersedes the environmental provisions in the HOPWA regulation at 24 CFR 57.510. HOPWA grantees and project sponsors may not commit or expend any grant of nonfederal funds on project activities (other than those listed in 24 CFR 58.34 or 58.35 (b)) until HUD has approved a Request for Release of Funds and environmental certification from the responsible entity. The expenditure or commitment of HOPWA or nonfederal funds for such activities prior to this HUD approval may result in the denial of assistance for the project under consideration. (B) Local Resident Employment (Section 3 Requirements). For grants in excess of $200,000, to the extent that any housing assistance funded through this program section of the SuperNOFA is used for housing rehabilitation (including reduction and abatement of lead-based paint hazards, but excluding routine maintenance, repair, and replacement) or housing construction, then it is subject to section 3 of the Housing and Urban Rehabilitation Act of 1968,as amended, and the implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 135. Section 3 requires that economic opportunities generated by certain HUD financial assistance for housing and community development programs shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be given to low-and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing, and to businesses that provide economic opportunities for these persons. (C) Lead-Based Paint Requirement. The grantee and program sponsor must comply with the existing requirements of the Lead Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 4821-4846) and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 35, as applicable. IX. Authority This program is authorized under the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act (42 U.S.C. 12901). The regulations for HOPWA are found at 24 CFR part 574. BILLING CODE 4210-32-P