FONSI_OAHMP_16July2026_FNC-2600-DC-0069.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

WASHINGTON, DC 20410-3000

OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL

AND HEALTHY HOMES

www.hud.gov

MEMORANDUM FOR: Yolanda A. Brown, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Lead

Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, L

FROM: Larry Byrd, Acting Lead and Healthy Homes Programs

Division Director, Office of Lead Hazard Control and

Healthy Homes, L

SUBJECT: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact under the National Environmental Policy Act – Notice of Funding

Opportunity for Fiscal Year 2026: Older Adult Home

Modification Program LHC-2600-DC-0069

It is the finding of this Office that the publication of the attached Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO) for the Older Adult Home Modification Grant Program described by the attached funding notice LHC-2600-DC-0069 does not constitute a major federal action having an individual or cumulative significant effect on the human environment, and therefore does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

The notice sets out the guidance to govern the Older Adult Home Modification Program

(OAHMP) which is authorized under Sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban

Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §§ 1701z-1 and 1701z-2). Funding for this program is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42, approved March 9, 2024), the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4, approved March 15, 2025), and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 11975, approved February 3, 2026).

Approximately thirty-two OAHMP awards will be made as cooperative agreements with recipients in one or more of the following categories:

• State governments

• County governments

• City or township governments

• Special district governments

• Public housing authorities

• Nonprofits having 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

The FY 2026 OAHMP NOFO provides competitive awards to eligible applicants to support comprehensive programs that make safety and functional home modifications, repairs and renovations to enable low-income seniors to age in place. The goal of the home modification program is to enable low-income seniors to remain in their homes through low-cost, low barrier, FONSI: NOFO for Older Adult Home Modification Grant Program (LHC-2600-DC-0069) page 2 high impact home modifications to reduce older adults’ risk of falling, improve general safety, increase accessibility, and improve their functional abilities in their home. This will help enable older adults to “age in place” rather than move to nursing homes or other assisted care facilities.

Eligible beneficiaries are low-income homeowners who are at least 62 years old and reside in their privately owned primary residence. Additionally, Congress specified that at least one third of funding under this NOFO must be made available to grantees that serve communities with substantially rural populations.

Eligible activities for the program include installation of adaptive equipment, such as grab bars, railings, lever-handled doorknobs and faucets, tub/shower transfer benches, handheld shower heads, raised toilet seats, risers for chairs and sofas, and non-slip strips for tub/shower or stairs. Examples of eligible renovations include accessibility ramps, and bathroom modifications including the installation of walk-in showers.

Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, all eligible activities in the

OAHMP, except those that would alter the existing footprint of a structure or improvement in a floodplain or wetland, are exempt from environmental review and not subject to the Federal laws and authorities cited in 24 CFR 58.5.

However, all eligible activities are subject to applicable Federal laws and authorities cited in 24 CFR 58.6 (including activities listed in 24 CFR §§ 58.34, 58.35(b), or 58.22(f), such as activities that appear in the Maintenance column of the Table of Home Modifications/Repairs in Appendix B). Requirements at 24 CFR 58.6 include the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, which prohibits HUD assistance for most activities proposed in the Coastal Barrier Resources System, and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 4001-4128), which requires that flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program is obtained and maintained for projects located in an area designated by FEMA as having special flood hazards.

Home buyer notification requirements of airport runway clear zone(s) at 24 CFR 58.6 are not applicable because the purchase or sale of an existing property is not an allowable OAHMP grant expenditure.

For projects that do not qualify for the environmental review exemption included in the

Consolidated Appropriateions Act, 2026, recipients and other participants in the project are prohibited from undertaking or committing or expending HUD or non-HUD funds (including leveraged funds) on a project or activities under this NOFO (other than activities listed at

24 CFR §§ 58.34, 58.35(b) or 58.22(f), e.g., lead-based paint inspections, radon sampling and analysis, health hazard assessments) until HUD approves the Responsible Entity’s Request for

Release of Funds and Certification under 24 CFR Part 58 and the Responsible Entity completes the second, site-specific tier of a tiered environmental review, or HUD completes the environmental review under Part 50 and notifies the grantee of its approval. The results of the environmental reviews may require that proposed activities be modified, or proposed projects rejected.

The Office has considered the potential environmental impacts of the eligible activities of the notice listed above, and determines that they generally fall into one of three categories, either exempt from environmental review per the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026; categorically excluded from review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. § 4321)

FONSI: NOFO for Older Adult Home Modification Grant Program (LHC-2600-DC-0069) page 3 and subject to the related federal laws at 24 CFR §§ 50.4, and 58.5, per §§ 50.20 and 58.35(a); or exempt/categorically excluded and not subject to the related federal laws, per 24 CFR §§

50.19(b)(1), (3), (5), (7), (8) and (9) or 58.34(a)(1), (3), (5), (7), (8), and (9). The NOFO does not permit new construction, substantial rehabilitation, changes in (land) use or unit density, demolition of housing units or detached buildings; thus, justifying the determination of categorical exclusion at §§ 50.20(a)(2)(i)-(ii) and 58.35(a)(3)(i)-(ii).

Additionally, the Office included in its analysis provisions for compliance with the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (e.g., 29 CFR Parts 1910 and/or

1926, as applicable) or the state or local occupational safety and health regulations, whichever are more stringent.

Publication of the notice does not provide approval of a major Federal action having a significant impact on the human environment, sets forth the Environmental Requirements under applicable HUD environmental review regulations for individual projects, and provides particular methods and standards by which evaluation and hazard reduction work is to be performed. Before actions that could have a physical impact or limit the choice of alternatives may be taken, there will be an environmental review done under 24 CFR Part 50 (by HUD) or

24 CFR Part 58 (by a responsible entity), or compliance will be documented for requirements in 24 CFR 58.6 (by HUD or the responsible entity), to assess the potential environmental impacts in a local setting. Accordingly, it is the determination of this Office that a Finding of

No Significant Impact may be made.

Attachment

Concurrences:

David E. Robbins

OLHCHH Program Environmental Clearance Officer

Christopher H. Hartenau

Environmental Clearance Officer

Office of General Counsel

Approval:

Yolanda A. Brown

Acting Deputy Director

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes