Foa_Content_of_FR-6700-N-62_Extended.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

HUD FY2023 Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration

FR-6700-N-62

11/06/2023

Table of Contents

OVERVIEW

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

B. Authority

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funds

B. Number of Awards

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

D. Period of Performance

E. Type of Funding Instrument

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Ineligible Applicants

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility

F. Program-Specific Requirements

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Obtain an Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

D. Application Submission Dates and Times

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

G. Other Submission Requirements

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. AGENCY CONTACT(S)

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Funding Opportunity Title:

HUD FY2023 Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6700-N-62

Assistance Listing Number (formerly CFDA Number):

14.901 Due Date for Applications:

11/06/2023

OVERVIEW

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose described within this NOFO. You, as a prospective applicant, should carefully read all instructions in all sections to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible application. HUD funding is highly competitive. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result in an incomplete or noncompetitive proposal.

In accordance with Title 24 part 4, subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), during the selection process (which includes HUD’s NOFO development and publication and concludes with the award of assistance), HUD is prohibited from disclosing covered selection information.

Examples of impermissible disclosures include: 1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing; 2) the amount of assistance requested by any applicant; and 3) any information contained in the application. Prior to the application deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants that have applied for assistance.

For further information regarding this NOFO, direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this NOFO to the agency contact identified in section VII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520) (PRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the information collection requirements in this NOFO. HUD may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless the collection displays a valid OMB control number. This NOFO identifies its applicable OMB control number, unless its collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR part 1320.

OMB Approval Number(s):

2539-0015; 2501-0017; 2501-0033, 2535-0113

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

1. Purpose

HUD, through this Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration (HHWCD) NOFO, is interested in supporting demonstrations in up to 5 communities that provide housing interventions in lower-income households that are conducted jointly through the coordination of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH)-funded Healthy Homes Production (HHP) program and programs funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-4/subpart-B https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-1320?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-1320?toc=1

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). A critical goal of this demonstration is to determine whether this coordinated delivery of services achieves cost-effectiveness and better outcomes in improving the safety and quality of homes, including health and energy efficiency. The coordinated assessments and interventions are expected to provide additional benefits to households through the combined mitigation of health and safety hazards and improvements in energy efficiency and comfort. These grants are intended to facilitate the leveraging of assets from both programs and support the exploration of different models of service delivery (e.g., recruitment strategies and partnerships). HUD-funded programs identify and mitigate key residential health and safety hazards such as lead-based paint hazards, mold and moisture, pest infestation, poor indoor air quality, radon, and injury hazards as described in Chapter 1 of the Healthy Homes Program Guidance Manual (https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/HHPGM_FINAL_CH1.PDF). DOE-funded programs conduct energy audits and implement energy conservation measures, while also conducting interventions that improve health and safety (e.g., improved ventilation, installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors).

a. Goals and Objectives The following are the major goals and objectives of this NOFO:

(1) Demonstrate effective strategies for coordination between HUD’s HHP and DOE’s WAP programs that maximize program efficiencies and benefits to occupants.

(2) Reduce WAP deferrals through coordination with HHP programs.

(3) Demonstrate sustainable models of inter-program cooperation, including data sharing, reporting, and targeting/recruiting clients.

(4) Demonstrate effective models for the sustainable financing of coordinated healthy homes/weatherization interventions.

(5) Support the collection of data to evaluate the housing interventions conducted through inter-program coordination (e.g., program cost efficiencies that can be achieved, improvements in indoor environmental quality, improved health outcomes, and additional safety benefits to households).

During the implementation of the HHWCD grant, OLHCHH expects a high level of coordination between the WAP activities and HHP activities, based on the understanding that this program intends to improve coordination between the DOE- and HUD-funded programs. There should be immediate outcomes from the HHWCD activities in terms of home improvements for energy efficiency, cost savings, and health and safety. However, a critical longer-term goal of this program is the development of models for future coordination and cooperation between the WAP and HHP programs. This increased coordination is expected to improve cost savings and the safety and quality of homes, such as energy efficiency, and health beyond the immediate recipients of the HHWCD program.

b. Additional Program Information

HUD’s OLHCHH is making available grant funds to up to 5 communities that are served by both a HUD-funded HHP program and a DOE-funded WAP to demonstrate the potential advantages of the coordination of home intervention services. These two programs are natural allies in that while having distinctly different missions, they both target the housing of families with relatively low incomes for improving both housing quality and the safety and/or comfort of occupants.

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/HHPGM_FINAL_CH1.PDF

Leveraging the assets and staff expertise of each program is expected to significantly increase the benefits to the occupants of target homes.

A cooperative program model between HUD’s Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Programs with the Healthy Homes Supplement (LHR/HHP) and DOE’s WAP programs has been implemented by programs in multiple states. For example, One-Touch is a program model that facilitates the creation of healthy and energy-efficient homes by improving coordination between home visiting programs through the use of a common home intake tool and an electronic referral system (https://onetouchhousing.com/). Several weatherization providers have also implemented weatherization plus health initiatives; for example, Washington State’s Weatherization Plus Health program provides state support for joint weatherization- healthy housing interventions (https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/weatherization-and-energy-efficiency/matchmaker/weatherization-plus-health-wxh/). This current NOFO focuses on coordination between HUD’s HHP and DOE’s WAP programs. The HHP takes a comprehensive approach to addressing multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time.

The program builds upon HUD’s successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand the Department’s efforts to address a variety of high-priority environmental health and safety hazards.

Energy conservation measures (ECMs) implemented by WAPs improve the comfort and safety of homes by keeping indoor temperatures within a healthy range helping to achieve the healthy homes principle of “thermal control” (see: Principles of Heating and Cooling | Department of Energy). Weatherization programs also use grant funds to address some health and safety issues that are related to weatherization work. There is evidence that energy efficiency interventions, in addition to lowering utility consumption, can also improve the health of occupants, likely through better temperature control and improved ventilation (see Weatherization Program Notice 22-7: Weatherization Health and Safety | Department of Energy). A DOE-sponsored literature review of the health benefits of energy efficiency upgrades and green construction published in 2016 summarized similar findings from published scientific literature (see: Wilson, J. et al.

Home Rx: The health benefits of home performance: A review of the current evidence.

December 2016. DOE/EE-1505.Charting a Course to Healthier, High-Performance Homes |

ENERGY STAR.

The concept of the voluntary integration of weatherization and healthy homes interventions through program coordination was promoted by DOE using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Through this effort, program guidance was developed, and in-person regional trainings were held throughout the U.S. https://nchh.org/information-and-evidence/healthy-housing-policy/national/keystone-federal-policy/wx-plus-health/.

HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes administers this HHWCD program, which is aligned with HUD’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CFO/documents/FY2022-2026HUDStrategicPlan.pdf), as discussed in the Summary below in I.A.2, and HUD’s 2016-2020 draft Environmental Justice Strategy. The Strategic Plan includes a Strategic Objective 4B to “Strengthen Environmental Justice,” and, specifically, to reduce exposure to health risks, environmental hazards, and https://onetouchhousing.com/ https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/weatherization-and-energy-efficiency/matchmaker/weatherization-plus-health-wxh/ https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/weatherization-and-energy-efficiency/matchmaker/weatherization-plus-health-wxh/ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/principles-heating-and-cooling https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/principles-heating-and-cooling https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-7-weatherization-health-and-safety https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-7-weatherization-health-and-safety https://www.energystar.gov/campaign/improvements/professionals/resources_library/health_and_home_performance https://www.energystar.gov/campaign/improvements/professionals/resources_library/health_and_home_performance https://nchh.org/information-and-evidence/healthy-housing-policy/national/keystone-federal-policy/wx-plus-health https://nchh.org/information-and-evidence/healthy-housing-policy/national/keystone-federal-policy/wx-plus-health https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CFO/documents/FY2022-2026HUDStrategicPlan.pdf substandard housing, especially for low-income households and communities of color.

This program supports environmental justice, fair treatment, and meaningful involvement of all people within the target communities regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, familial status, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), religion, or income regarding the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, or policies.

On December 8, 2021, the DOE issued the Weatherization Program Notice 22-5: Expansion of Client Eligibility in the Weatherization Assistance Program. (see Section I.A.1.c. below for ways in which income eligibility may be determined.)

c. HUD Healthy Homes Production Grant Program The Healthy Homes Production (HHP) program is part of HUD’s overall Healthy Homes Initiative launched in 1999. The program takes a comprehensive approach to addressing multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. The program builds upon HUD’s successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand the Department’s efforts to address a variety of high-priority environmental health and safety hazards, including household allergens, lead, carbon monoxide, radon, and/or other housing-related health and safety hazards.

The HHP program focuses on identifying and remediating housing-related health and safety hazards in privately owned, low-income rental, and/or owner-occupied housing, especially in units and/or buildings where families with children, older adults 62 years and older, or families with persons with disabilities reside. HHP is available for housing of all construction ages.

There are income eligibility requirements for housing assisted under HHP. For all housing, all units assisted with grants must be the residence of families with income at or below eighty percent (80%) of the area median income level, or at income levels defined in the income guidelines in OLHCHH's policy guidance on determining income. Refer to PG-2014-01 Eligibility of Units for Assistance (https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/2014- 01_UNIT_ELIGIBILITY.PDF) for determining income. WAP also has income eligibility requirements of 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (for 2023, the guidelines are posted at https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1c92a9207f3ed5915ca020d58fe77696/detailed -guidelines-2023.pdf; in future grant years, the link will be updated). For this HHWCD NOFO, the higher income level of the two programs may be used. In addition, if WAP has accepted the income eligibility determination of the family under one of the programs described in DOE’s Weatherization Program Notice 22-5 (https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-5-expansion-client-eligibility-weatherization), that eligibility determination may be used for this program.

d. DOE Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP):

DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of the homes while improving their health and safety, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children. DOE provides core program funding through formula grants to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and, as of this writing, one Native American Tribe. These grantees usually contract with local agencies (often Community Action Agencies) to provide services; over 700 local organizations provide Weatherization services in every U.S. County https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/weatherization-assistance-program.WAP programs analyze a building’s energy use by conducting an energy audit to help identify cost-effective Energy https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/2014-01_UNIT_ELIGIBILITY.PDF https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/2014-01_UNIT_ELIGIBILITY.PDF https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/4b515876c4674466423975826ac57583/Guidelines-2022.pdf https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/4b515876c4674466423975826ac57583/Guidelines-2022.pdf https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-5-expansion-client-eligibility-weatherization https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-5-expansion-client-eligibility-weatherization https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/weatherization-assistance-program

Conservation Measures (ECMs) (e.g., air sealing of cracks and holes in the building envelope, insulation of attics, heating, or cooling system repairs). ECMs must meet DOE’s savings to investment ratio (SIR) requirement for the cost of an ECM to be allowable (i.e., the SIR must be

1.0 or greater).

The WAP can also implement health and safety measures as long as they address conditions that are necessary to effectively perform weatherization work or which are necessary as a result of weatherization work (e.g., repair/install vent systems, install smoke and or CO detectors, install mechanical ventilation) (see: Weatherization Program Notice 22-7: Weatherization Health and Safety | Department of Energy). The WAP can also make incidental repairs that are necessary for the effective performance of ECMs (e.g., repairing roof leaks, repair of windows and doors) (see:

https://www.energy.gov/eere/wipo/downloads/wpn-19-5-incidental-repair-measure-guidance).

Windows and doors can only be replaced if they meet the SIR requirement as an ECM or as an incidental repair when they meet the definition of an Incidental Repair Measure (IRM) combined with related weatherization measures. WAP programs must sometimes defer work in a dwelling if the condition of the home renders delivering weatherization services either unsafe or ineffective. Examples of such conditions include, but are not limited to, significant problems with the structure (e.g., roof) or mechanical systems (e.g., plumbing, electrical), severe moisture or mold problems, and significant lead-based paint hazards.

There are income eligibility requirements for housing assisted under WAP. The households that are assisted must be at or below 200% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2023 poverty guidelines, (for 2023, the guidelines are posted at https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1c92a9207f3ed5915ca020d58fe77696/detailed -guidelines-2023.pdf; in future grant years, the link will be updated). See Section I.A.1.c. above for ways in which income eligibility may be determined.

WAP Providers generally encounter three types of multifamily properties assisted by HUD:

• - Housing owned and operated by PHAs: WAP providers shall consider all such buildings managed by the PHAs referenced PHA Contact Information (https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts) to be 100 percent income eligible.

• Privately owned multifamily buildings receiving project-based assistance: WAP providers should refer to Weatherization Assistance Program Assisted Multifamily Properties (https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-assistance-program-assisted-multifamily-properties) to determine the percentage of the units in each building that are income eligible.

• Privately-owned multifamily buildings that house residents receiving tenant-based assistance: WAP providers will determine the percentage of income-eligible residences by either contacting the building owner/manager to obtain such Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher records (from HUD’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program [TBRA]) or by individually verifying which residents hold such vouchers.

e. Considerations and opportunities for inter-program interventions: Program differences such as income and other eligibility requirements may be challenges to WAP and HHP programs interested in conducting combined interventions. However, despite program differences, both HHP and WAP programs target many of the same housing units and resident populations for home improvements. Grants awarded through this NOFO will test whether efficiently https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-7-weatherization-health-and-safety https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-program-notice-22-7-weatherization-health-and-safety https://www.energy.gov/eere/wipo/downloads/wpn-19-5-incidental-repair-measure-guidance https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1c92a9207f3ed5915ca020d58fe77696/detailed-guidelines-2023.pdf https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1c92a9207f3ed5915ca020d58fe77696/detailed-guidelines-2023.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-assistance-program-assisted-multifamily-properties https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/articles/weatherization-assistance-program-assisted-multifamily-properties coordinated HHP and WAP program activities create economies overall, such as reduced costs from efficient scheduling of work conducted by the two programs.

Inter-program coordination must be conducted in an efficient manner that limits disruption to residents and does not significantly extend the relocation period. This will require ongoing communication between WAP and HHP programs and may present the opportunity to develop innovative strategies for alignment of planning and scheduling between the programs.

If conditions in a WAP recipient’s home are not favorable for the WAP interventions (e.g., the presence of a severe mold problem that will normally cause the home to be deferred), then under the WAP program requirements, the WAP interventions are deferred. Partnering with HHP grantees has the potential to reduce deferrals for WAP recipients. If a home meets HUD's HHP eligibility requirements, HHP funding could potentially be used to mitigate conditions that cause deferrals.

Window and door repairs or replacement offer opportunities for inter-program collaboration.

Windows and doors coated with lead-based paint can create lead-contaminated dust through friction or impact and can also, independent of their paint, be a source of moisture intrusion into the home. Windows and door repairs or replacement can also be an allowable ECM if program requirements are met. When funds awarded through this NOFO are used for a home intervention, grantees will be allowed greater flexibility for the replacement of windows and/or doors than under the WAP program, as long as the replacement will improve safety and/or energy conservation, even if the Savings to Investment Ratio (SIR) is less than 1.0. The grantee will be required to justify why the windows and/or doors are being replaced; adequate justification would be improved energy conservation and/or mitigation of a health and safety hazard (e.g., water leaks, presence of lead-based paint hazards).

If ECMs are implemented following the completion of HHP interventions, a final dust-lead clearance of the home shall be conducted after the ECM intervention unless it is known that no paint was disturbed by the ECMs (24 CFR 35.115(a)). All the clearance examinations must be conducted in accordance with the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule at 24 CFR 35.1340 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-35/subpart-R/section-35.1340).

Identification and mitigation of elevated radon levels offer another opportunity for inter-program collaboration. Radon mitigation is not an allowable health and safety cost for a WAP grantee, and clients must sign an informed consent form regarding radon before receiving weatherization services. However, HUD Healthy Homes Production funds can be used for radon testing and mitigation, as can funds awarded through this NOFO.

If HHP and WAP grantees use their funding on any home that is recruited for joint interventions, they must meet all the requirements of their HUD and DOE funding. However, funds awarded under this HHWCD NOFO would be granted additional flexibility. For example, assuming sufficient capacity, if WAP grant funds can’t be used in a home, the HHWCD grantee could use its funds to cover WAP program costs to complement the home intervention.

In addition to DOE funding for weatherization, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also awards formula grants to states, territories, and tribal governments through https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-35/subpart-R/section-35.1340 the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The purpose of LIHEAP is to assist low-income households in meeting their energy needs. LIHEAP funds used for weatherization are limited to 15% of the available funding (or up to 25% with a waiver from HHS); this was estimated at approximately $374 million in the Fiscal Year 2017 (see:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/resource/liheap-fact-sheet-0). There is greater flexibility in how LIHEAP funds are spent for energy conservation as compared to DOE WAP funding. Many WAP grantees routinely supplement their DOE WAP funding with LIHEAP funds targeted to support weatherization activities. A recipient under this NOFO and their partners could potentially coordinate the use of HUD, DOE, and LIHEAP funds in a home.

A summary of the major requirements and allowances that apply to the use of funds awarded under this NOFO is provided in Appendix A of this NOFO. This summary is not exhaustive; the intent is to highlight requirements that are unique to this NOFO. Applicants should read the entire NOFO to be aware of all program requirements.

f. Community Partnerships:

HUD encourages applicants to this NOFO to form partnerships with medical care providers and insurers and other public health entities in the community to leverage funding awarded through this NOFO. Partnering with organizations in the medical sector (e.g., hospitals, federally qualified health centers, Medicaid managed care organizations) can be particularly helpful for identifying clients who could benefit the most from interventions to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ). For example, the health of children and adults with poorly controlled asthma or adults with COPD can potentially benefit quickly from home interventions that mitigate asthma triggers and respiratory irritants and improve ventilation. Such partnerships may offer an opportunity to identify sources of sustainable funding for future interventions to improve IEQ in housing for low-income families that meet certain conditions.

g. Community Involvement. Applicants who incorporate meaningful community involvement into the grant that requires a significant level of interaction with a community during implementation (e.g., projects being conducted within occupied dwellings, or which involve surveys of community residents) will receive a higher score in rating factor 3, Soundness of Approach. The term community refers to a variety of populations comprised of persons who have commonalities that can be identified (e.g., based on geographic location, ethnicity, health condition, age, disability, limited English proficiency (LEP), etc.). Applicants should identify the community that is most relevant to their particular project.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.§ 794) and HUD’s implementing regulations at 24 CFR Part 8, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12134) and the implementing regulation at 28 CFR Part 35, the programs services, and activities funded through this NOFO must be accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. All meetings must be held in facilities that are physically accessible to persons with disabilities. Recipients and subrecipients must also provide effective communication for individuals with disabilities (see 24 CFR § 8.6). Auxiliary aids or services and reasonable accommodations must be provided to ensure equal participation by individuals with disabilities.

Recipients and subrecipients must take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful language access for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 13166. For assistance in ensuring meaningful access for individuals https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/resource/liheap-fact-sheet-0 with limited English proficiency, recipients and subrecipients should consult HUD’s Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons (HUD’s LEP Guidance) published in the Federal Register on January 22, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg. 2732).

There are many different approaches to involving the community in the conception, design, and implementation of a grant program. Examples include but are not limited to: establishing a structured approach to obtain community input and feedback (e.g., through a community advisory board); including one or more community-based organizations as partners; employing community residents to recruit participants and collect data; and enlisting the community in the dissemination of findings and translation of results into improved policies and/or practices. A discussion of community involvement in the grant program involving housing-related health hazards can be found in Chapter 5 of the Institute of Medicine publication titled “Ethical Considerations for Research on Housing-Related Health Hazards Involving Children

h. Program Evaluation HUD entered in a contract with an organization to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the HHWCD programs funded through the FY2020 through FY2023 NOFOs. The evaluation will assess outcomes such as improvements in indoor environmental quality (e.g., reductions in the presence of hazards/unhealthy conditions), improvements in energy efficiency, cost savings from the program model, and improved health outcomes. To evaluate the potential benefits of inter-program coordination under normal conditions, grantees will be required to conduct coordinated interventions in 15 units without using funds from this NOFO except for costs related to program evaluation activities. Grantees will also be required to conduct coordinated HHP/WAP interventions in 15 units that house no occupant with known physician-diagnosed asthma cases and 15 units that house an occupant with asthma that is not well controlled. In order to assess the potential health benefits of the interventions, HUD will facilitate post-award discussions with the contractor and grantees to help standardize the collection of data needed for the evaluation. Grantees will be asked to participate in structured interviews with the contractor and to respond to survey questions.

i. Addressing Multiple Hazards:

Applicants should expect to address multiple significant housing and indoor environmental quality issues identified following a thorough home assessment (e.g., cockroach or rodent infestation, sources of respirable particles and gases such as poor venting of cooking or heating appliances, injury hazards, radon, lead-based paint hazards, etc.). The National Center for Healthy Housing provides a list of links to multiple home Inspections and Assessments: Reports and Guides | NCHH. The CDC has recently led the development of a home assessment tool specifically for asthma triggers which is based on the best available scientific evidence (see:

www.cdc.gov/asthma/public_health.html, www.cdc.gov/asthma/pdfs/home_assess_checklist_P.pdf)

2. HUD and Program-Specific Goals and Objectives

This NOFO supports HUD’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2026 to accomplish HUD’s mission and vision. Each of the five goals in the Strategic Plan include what HUD hopes to accomplish, the strategies to accomplish those objectives, and the indicators of success.

However, of the five goals only those applicable to this NOFO are identified below.

https://nchh.org/resources/standards-and-assessments/inspections-and-assessments-reports-and-guides/ https://nchh.org/resources/standards-and-assessments/inspections-and-assessments-reports-and-guides/ http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/public_health.html http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/pdfs/home_assess_checklist_P.pdf https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas

You are expected to align your application to the applicable strategic goals and objectives below.

Use the information in this section to describe in your application the specific goals, objectives, and measures that your project is expected to help accomplish. If your project is selected for funding, you are also expected to establish a plan to track progress related to those goals, objectives, and measures. HUD will monitor compliance with the goals, objectives, and measures in your project.

Applicable Goals and Objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan

1. Strategic Goal 1: Support Underserved Communities Fortify support for underserved communities and support equitable community development for all people.

2. 1A: Advance Housing Justice Fortify support for vulnerable populations, underserved communities, and Fair Housing enforcement.

3. 1B: Reduce Homelessness Strengthen Federal, State, Tribal, and community implementation of the Housing First approach to reducing the prevalence of homelessness, with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness.

4. 1C: Invest in the Success of Communities Promote equitable community development that generates wealth-building for underserved communities, particularly for communities of color.

5. Strategic Goal 2: Ensure Access to and Increase the Production of Affordable Housing Ensure housing demand is matched by adequate production of new homes and equitable access to housing opportunities for all people.

6. 2A: Increase the Supply of Housing Enhance HUD's programs that increase the production and supply of housing across the country.

7. 2B: Improve Rental Assistance Improve rental assistance to address the need for affordable housing.

8. Strategic Goal 3: Promote Homeownership Promote homeownership opportunities, equitable access to credit for purchase and improvements, and wealth-building in underserved communities.

9. 3A: Advance Sustainable Homeownership Advance the deployment of tools and capital that put sustainable homeownership within reach.

10. 3A � Major Initiative: Expand Homeownership Opportunities Promote financing for innovative ownership models to increase the availability of affordable housing.

11. 3B: Create a More Accessible and Inclusive Housing Finance System Advance new policy, programs, and modernization initiatives that support a more equitable housing finance system. Promote the preservation and creation of affordable housing stock.

12. Strategic Goal 4: Advance Sustainable Communities Advance sustainable communities by strengthening climate resilience and energy efficiency, promoting environmental justice, and recognizing housing's role as essential to health.

13. 4A: Guide Investment in Climate Resilience Invest in climate resilience, energy efficiency, and renewable energy across HUD programs.

14. 4B: Strengthen Environmental Justice Reduce exposure to health risks, environmental hazards, and substandard housing, especially for low-income households and communities of color.

15. 4C: Integrate Health and Housing Advance policies that recognize housing's role as essential to health.

Funding Opportunity Goalsa. Goals and Objectives The following are the major goals and objectives of this NOFO:

(1) Demonstrate effective strategies for coordination between HUD’s HHP and DOE’s WAP programs that maximize program efficiencies and benefits to occupants.

(2) Reduce WAP deferrals through coordination with HHP programs.

(3) Demonstrate sustainable models of inter-program cooperation, including data sharing, reporting, and targeting/recruiting clients.

(4) Demonstrate effective models for the sustainable financing of coordinated healthy homes/weatherization interventions.

(5) Support the collection of data to evaluate the housing interventions conducted through inter-program coordination (e.g., program cost efficiencies that can be achieved, improvements in indoor environmental quality, improved health outcomes, and additional safety benefits to households).

During the implementation of the HHWCD grant, OLHCHH expects a high level of coordination between the WAP activities and HHP activities, based on the understanding that this program intends to improve coordination between the DOE- and HUD-funded programs. There should be immediate outcomes from the HHWCD activities in terms of home improvements for energy efficiency, cost savings, and health and safety. However, a critical longer-term goal of this program is the development of models for future coordination and cooperation between the WAP and HHP programs. This increased coordination is expected to improve cost savings and the safety and quality of homes, such as energy efficiency, and health beyond the immediate recipients of the HHWCD program.

3. Changes from Previous NOFO

The following is a summary of the major changes in this NOFO relative to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 HHWCD NOFO. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, so applicants should be sure to read the entire NOFO.

a. Section I.A.4.a., Standard Definitions – These new definitions are added to this year’s NOFO:

Environmental Justice, Equity, Minority-Serving Institutions, Racial Equity, Resilience, and Underserved Communities. The following definition is removed: DUNS.

b. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) is a program requirement under section IV.G.

of the NOFO. The narrative response will be submitted in Appendix F.

c. Section. III., Eligibility Information. Organizations that received an award under the FY 2021 or FY 2022 Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration Grant Program cycle are ineligible.

d. Section III.E., Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility – This section in the NOFO is updated to include applicable eligibility requirements. The NOFO Template supplemental document is also updated and posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunity webpage.

e. Section IV.B.1., Content and Form of Application Submission – This section in the NOFO is updated to require form HUD 424-B (Applicant Assurances and Certifications) and Federal Assistance Assurances.

f. Section. V.B., Review and Selection Process – This section is updated to include a new requirement to ensure applicants have Experience Promoting Racial Equity.

g. Narratives. These narratives are required and must address the issues described in the corresponding sections:

• Advancing Racial Equity (Section III.F);

• Affirmative Marketing (Section III.F);

• Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (Section IV.G); and

• Experience Promoting Racial Equity (Section V.B).

Applicants will submit the four (4) equity narratives in Appendix F (2 pages maximum).

Each narrative will be evaluated for sufficiency and will not change the applicant’s score or rank as compared to other applicants. If a narrative is deemed insufficient, it will be a “Curable Deficiency” that will be communicated to the applicant for correction with a notice of deficiency.

h. Section VI.B., Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards – This section in the NOFO is updated to include compliance with: Secretary Fudge, April 12, 2022, memorandum; equity requirements; and waste, fraud, and abuse requirements. Additionally, this section clarifies requirements related to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. The related NOFO supplemental document is updated and posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunity webpage.

Furthermore, this section is updated to require program details related to its termination policy.

i. Federal Relay Service – The Federal Relay Service contract expired in February 2022. HUD no longer uses the service. The NOFO is updated to include the use of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relay services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as individuals who have speech or communication disabilities.

4. Definitions

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination to overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunities, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws.

The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listing number refers to the unique number assigned to each Federal assistance program publicly available in the Assistance Listing, which is managed and administered by the General Services Administration. The Assistance Listing number was formerly known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is a person authorized to legally bind your organization and submit applications via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) in the System for Award Management (see E-Biz POC definition).

An AOR may include an Expanded AOR and/or a Standard AOR.

Expanded Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to perform the functions of a Standard AOR, initiate and submit applications on behalf of your organization, and is allowed to modify organization-level settings and certifications in Grants.gov.

Standard Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to initiate and submit applications in Grants.gov. A Grants.gov user with the Standard AOR role can only submit applications when they are a Participant for that workspace.

Consolidated Plan is the document submitted to HUD that serves as the comprehensive housing affordability strategy, community development plan, and submission for funding under any of the Community Planning and Development formula grant programs (e.g., CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA). This Plan is prepared in accordance with the process described in 24 CFR part 91.

This plan is completed by engaging in a participatory process to assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions with funding from formula grant programs. (See 24 CFR part 91 for HUD’s requirements regarding the Consolidated Plan and related Action Plan).

Contract means, for the purpose of Federal financial assistance, a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. For additional information on contractor and subrecipient determinations, see 2 CFR 200.331.

Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above and in 2 CFR 200.1.

Cooperative agreement has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

Deficiency, with respect to the making of an application for funding, is information missing or omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, missing or incomplete information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement. Depending on specific criteria, a deficiency may be either Curable or Non-Curable.

A Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete application information that may be corrected by the applicant with timely action. To be curable, the deficiency must:

• Not be a threshold requirement, except for documentation of applicant eligibility;

• Not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and

• Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

A Non-Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete application information that cannot be corrected by an applicant after the submission deadline. A non-curable deficiency is a deficiency that is a threshold requirement, or a deficiency that, if corrected, would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. If an application includes a non-curable deficiency, the application may receive an ineligible determination, or the non-curable https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 deficiency may otherwise adversely affect the application’s score and final funding determination.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) is an organization applicant who is responsible for the administration and management of grant activities for his or her organization. The E-Biz POC is likely to be an organization's chief financial officer or authorizing official. The E-Biz POC authorizes representatives of their organization to apply on behalf of the organization (see Authorized Organization Representative definition). There can only be one E-Biz POC per unique entity identifier (see definition of Unique Entity Identifier below).

Eligibility requirements are mandatory requirements for an application to be eligible for funding.

Environmental Justice means investing in environmental improvements, remedying past environmental inequities, and otherwise developing, implementing, and enforcing laws and policies in a manner that advances environmental equity and provides meaningful involvement for people and communities that have been environmentally underserved or overburdened, such as Black and Brown communities, indigenous groups, and individuals with disabilities. This definition does not alter the requirements under HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR 58.5(j) and 24 CFR 50.4(l) implementing Executive Order 12898. E.O. 12898 requires a consideration of how federally assisted projects may have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and/or low-income populations. For additional information on environmental review compliance, refer to:

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations.

Equity has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(a) of Executive Order 13985 and means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Federal Award, has the meaning, depending on the context, in either paragraphs (1) or (2) of this definition:

(1)

(a) The Federal financial assistance that a recipient receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or a subrecipient receives indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR 200.101; or

(b) The cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations that a non- Federal entity receives directly from a federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass- through entity, as described in 2 CFR 200.101.

(2) The instrument setting forth the terms and conditions. The instrument is the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, other agreement for assistance covered in paragraph (2) of the definitions of Federal financial assistance in 2 CFR 200.1, and this NOFO, or the cost-reimbursement contract awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-58/subpart-A/section-58.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.archives.gov/files/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12898.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

(3) Federal award does not include other contracts that a Federal agency uses to buy goods or services from a contractor or a contract to operate Federal Government owned, contractor operated facilities (GOCOs).

(4) See also definitions of Federal financial assistance, grant agreement, and cooperative agreement in 2 CFR 200.1.

Federal Financial Assistance has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

Grants.gov is the website serving as the Federal government’s central portal for searching and applying for Federal financial assistance throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this NOFO.

Historically Black Colleges and…