The Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program (VHPD) is to explore ways for the Federal Government to offer early intervention homelessness prevention, primarily to veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The authorizing statutory language for the VHPD acknowledges the

credit: Bureau of Labor Statistics

increasing number of female veterans, veterans with families especially with a single head of household, as well as those from the National Guard and Reserve who are being discharged from the military and whose unique needs should be more closely examined.

It is anticipated that this demonstration program will provide an opportunity to understand the unique needs of this new cohort of veterans, and will support efforts to identify, reach, and assist them to regain and maintain housing stability.

Fiscal Year 2009: The demonstration program will provide an opportunity to understand the unique needs of this new cohort of veterans, and will support efforts to identify, reach, and assist them to regain and maintain housing stability. Fiscal Year 2010: The demonstration program will provide an opportunity to understand the unique needs of this new cohort of veterans, and will support efforts to identify, reach, and assist them to regain and maintain housing stability. Fiscal Year 2011: The demonstration program will provide an opportunity to understand the unique needs of this new cohort of veterans, and will support efforts to identify, reach, and assist them to regain and maintain housing stability.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funding may be used for short-term housing assistance, including security deposits, up to 18 months of rent assistance, rental and/or utility arrearages, or related housing assistance.

Grantees may also use funding for appropriate services for veterans and their families, including, but not limited to, child care, family services and case management.

The grantee may stop the VHPD assistance to a program participant who violates program requirements.

Grantees may resume assistance to a program participant whose assistance was previously suspended.

In terminating assistance to a program participant, the grantee must provide a formal process that recognizes the rights of individuals receiving assistance to due process.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

HUD allows grantees signficant discretion in program design and operations while targeting those who are most in need of homelessness prevention housing assistance.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Veterans and veterans with families at risk of homelessness or experiencing short-term (less than 90 days) homelessness.

Credentials/Documentation

The CoC selected for the demonstration must accept or decline the invitation to participate. Upon acceptance the CoC must submit a plan which describes the process used to select the grantee to carry out the demonstration project. Selected grantees must be part of the CoC. A HUD form SF-424 signed by the grantee must be submitted with the CoC plan. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Grantees will be collaborating with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor representatives on the local level to identify program participants and provide services and financial housing assistance.

HUD was authorized by Congress to design the VHPD Program and to select the sites.

A competition was not required.

The selected CoCs are responsible for identifying grantees that have the requisite VA/DOL experience to carry out the demonstration.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedures

The grant will be made by means of a grant agreement executed by HUD Headquarters staff and the selected entity. The selected entity will receive three copies of the grant agreement that must be signed and returned to HUD Headquarters within 15 days of the date postmarked. Within 90 days of the date that the grant agreement is signed for each selected grantee, HUD Headquarters will conduct a series of conference calls to assist grantees in fully developing their plans for carrying out the demonstration, and to discuss the proposed program evaluation design with grantees.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Authorization

Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Not Applicable.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

While most funds should be expended prior to the expiration of the grant, all funds must be drawn down within 90 days of the expiration of the grant term. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Grantees are required to report client -level data in a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or a comparable database.

Each grantee must also submit quarterly performance reports - the first of which must cover the period between the grant agreement execution date and 3 months following that date.

Finally, grantees must participate in an evaluation of the demonstration and submit reports as requested by HUD.

To the extent possible, the evaluation will measure the effectiveness of the prevention assistance delivered through this demonstration program, including outcomes related to housing stability, earnings/employment, and access to needed health services.

Cash reports are not applicable.

Progress reports are not applicable.

Expenditure reports are not applicable.

Monitoring.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Each grantee must keep any records and make any reports (including those pertaining to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status data) that HUD may require within the time frame required.

Financial Information

Account Identification

86-0192-0-1-604.

Obigations

(Project Grants) FY 09 $10,750,000; FY 10 est $0; FY 11 est $0 - In addition to the $10 million for HUD to carry out this demonstration, a minimum of $750,000 has been designated for evaluation of the project.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

For fiscal year 2009, the mean average allocation was $2,000,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

The Act allocates $10 million to HUD for the purpose of conducting a demonstration program that addresses and researches homelessness prevention among veterans and their families, and specifies the actions that HUD should take in implementing and administering this demonstration program. HUD is directed to coordinate with VA and DOL to test the effectiveness of strategies to prevent veterans from becoming homeless.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices.

Headquarters Office

Robyn Raysor, Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 7262, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20410 Email: Robyn.S.Raysor@hud.gov Phone: (202) 708-4300.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

HUD will review applications and approve grantee proposals based on criteria established in the forthcoming notice.