FR-6800-N-25_NOFO-Modified.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Community Planning and Development

FY 2024 and FY 2025 Continuum of Care Competition and Renewal or Replacement of Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants

FR-6800-N-25

08/29/2025

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

B. Definitions and CoC Program Concepts

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funds

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Rules and Regulations Applicable to HUD NOFOs

C. Rules that Affect How HUD Evaluates Applications

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Application Package

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

C. Other Guidance and Notifications

D. Application Verification

E. Content and Form of Application Submission

F. CoC Consolidated Application

G. Submission Dates and Times

H. Intergovernmental Review

I. Funding Restrictions

J. Other Submission Requirements

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Criteria

B. CoC Application Scoring

C. Project Review and Selection Process

D. Adjustments to Projects

E. Corrections to Deficient Applications

F. Other Federal Statutes

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD’s Financial Assistance Programs

C. Environmental Review

D. Lead-Based Paint Requirements

E. Remedies for Noncompliance

F. Reporting

G. Debriefing

H. Administrative and Other Program Requirements

I. Timeliness Standards

VII. APPEALS

A. Description

B. Types of Appeals

C. Solo Applicant

D. Denied or Decreased Funding

E. Consolidated Plan Certification

F. Appeals Submission

VIII. AGENCY CONTACT

C. General Clarification

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

Appendix

Community Planning and Development FY 2024 and FY 2025 Continuum of Care Competition and Renewal or Replacement of Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6800-N-25

Assistance Listing Number (formerly CFDA Number):

14.267 Due Date for Applications:

08/29/2025 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 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-4/subpart-B contained in the application. Prior to the application deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants who 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 VIII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information collection requirements in this notice were approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501- 3520) (PRA). In accordance with the PRA, 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 the applicable OMB control number, unless the collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR part 1320.

OMB Control Number(s):

2506-0112

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, States, Indian Tribes or Tribally Designated Housing Entities [as defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103) (TDHEs)], and local governments to quickly rehouse individuals and families experiencing homelessness, persons experiencing trauma or a lack of safety related to fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and youth experiencing homelessness while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families, and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.

The goal of the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is to support the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness and sharing that experience with and mobilizing communities around the country toward the same end. The population to be served by the demonstration program is youth ages 24 and younger who are experiencing homelessness, including unaccompanied and pregnant or parenting youth.

1. Authority

The CoC Program is authorized by subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, (42 U.S.C. 11381–11389) (the Act), and the CoC Program rule found in 24 CFR part 578 (the Rule).

The FY 2024 funds are authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42, approved March 9, 2024). Available funds also include amounts made available pursuant to Section 231 of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116- 94, division H, title II, section 231; 42 USC 11364a). The noncompetitive or competitive renewal or replacement of YHDP grants under the CoC program, and HUD’s authority to issue a https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/44/3501 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

2-year NOFO are authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 and any FY 2025 funding will be authorized by a FY 2025 Congressional Appropriation.

2. Deadline.

This NOFO establishes two deadlines for submitting applications to HUD for the FY 2024 - FY 2025 CoC Program Competition and the Renewal and Replacement of YHDP grants. The deadline to submit CoC Consolidated applications and project applications for FY 2024 funds is 8:00 PM EDT on October 30, 2024. Applicants must complete and submit their applications in e-snaps at https://esnaps.hud.gov/. See Sections IV.F and G of this NOFO for application submission and timely receipt requirements.

CoC and YHDP Renewal grants that do not meet the renewal eligibility requirements for FY 2024 funding but are eligible for renewal when FY 2025 Congressional Appropriations are made available, must submit applications for FY 2025 funding by the application submission deadline of 8:00 PM EDT on August 29, 2025. Applicants with CoC projects that wish to reallocate eligible renewal projects and create new projects in the FY 2025 funding process must also submit those applications for reallocation by the application submission deadline of 8:00 PM EDT on August 29, 2025. Applicants with YHDP Projects that expire in CY 2025 may non-competitively renew or replace those projects and must submit an application by 8:00 PM EDT on August 29, 2025.

HUD may also amend this NOFO if necessary to make additional funds available.

3. Changes from Previous NOFO

a. Changes to Tiering. Tier 1 is set at 90 percent of the CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand (ARD).

b. 2-Year NOFO. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 authorizes HUD to issue a single 2-year NOFO for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

The application and selection process for the FY 2024 funds awarded through this NOFO (the FY 2024 CoC Program and YHDP funds) will proceed much like it has in prior-year competitions. However, CoCs are only required to submit one CoC application that will be applicable to the FY 2024 and FY 2025 funds. HUD reserves the right to award available FY 2025 funds (the FY 2025 CoC program and YHDP funds) based on this NOFO competition.

Projects that are awarded FY 2024 funds may be eligible for award of FY 2025 funds using their FY 2024 application submission and are not required to apply for renewal for FY 2025 funds.

CoC and YHDP renewal projects expiring in CY 2025 (January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025) are eligible to be renewed with FY 2024 CoC and YHDP funds. Projects that will be eligible for renewal with FY 2025 CoC Program and YHDP funds must have an expiration date in CY 2026 (January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2026). Should there not be sufficient appropriated amounts to fully fund all FY 2025 renewal grants, grant amounts may be reduced proportionately. If new competitive funding becomes available for FY 2025, this NOFO may be amended and the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Application and score may be used for the FY 2025 application selection process. Applications for FY 2025 eligible CoC and/or YHDP renewal projects and new projects created through CoC and/or DV reallocation or YHDP replacement, must be submitted in e-snaps by the application submission deadline for FY 2025 CoC and YHDP funds on August 29, 2025. HUD also reserves the right to modify this NOFO or issue a https://esnaps.hud.gov/ supplemental FY 2025 CoC and YHDP NOFO if necessary (e.g., to accommodate a new CoC or YHDP priority or new funding source).

c. Funding for Specific Subpopulations. The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations expressed that for projects awarded for specific subpopulations (e.g., homeless youth or survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking), before funding for such projects may be reallocated to other populations, HUD must consult with relevant stakeholders. For the FY 2024 funds, HUD requires funding reallocated from projects previously funded with YHDP or DV Bonus funding to be used for projects serving the same subpopulation.

Therefore, prior to executing the reallocation of any project, HUD strongly recommends reviewing the Grant Inventory Worksheets (GIWs) published on the CoC Program Competitions page on the HUD.gov website to determine the type of new projects that can be created with reallocated funding intended for the specific subpopulations.

d. DV Reallocation and YHDP Replacement. In this NOFO, HUD has expanded reallocation to include DV Reallocation and has expanded the definition of YHDP Replacement to include YHDP Reallocation. HUD establishes these terms to distinguish between funding sources that must continue to serve the same populations of the projects being reallocated or, in the case of YHDP, replaced.

(1) DV Reallocation Applications. HUD is establishing a definition of DV reallocation to implement a congressional directive that requires projects previously funded using DV Bonus funds to continue to serve the same population, even when projects are reallocated.

CoCs may reallocate eligible Renewal projects that were previously funded, in whole or in part, with DV Bonus funding to create DV Reallocation projects that are dedicated to serving the same population. New DV Reallocation projects must be 100 percent dedicated to serving individuals and families of persons experiencing trauma or a lack of safety related to fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who qualify under paragraphs (1) or (4) of the definition of homeless at 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act [see sections I.B.2.b.(24) and III.B.4.a.(4) of this NOFO for more information].

(2)YHDP Replacement definition changes. Language allowing HUD to competitively or noncompetitively renew or replace YHDP projects allows for reallocation of YHDP projects.

HUD is allowing YHDP recipients to reallocate YHDP grants to increase the flexibility of the YHDP program. In this NOFO, CoCs may now submit applications for YHDP Replacement projects by:

(a) reallocating a YHDP Renewal project with a new YHDP Replacement project that has the same recipient (in this NOFO this is referred to as a YHDP Replacement project);

(b) reallocating YHDP Renewal project(s) to create one or more YHDP Reallocation projects with a new recipient, so long as the YHDP renewal project(s) being reallocated have already renewed in a prior CoC Program competition. In this NOFO, this is referred to as YHDP Reallocation projects [See sections I.B.2.b.(32), and III.B.4.a.(5) of this NOFO for more information]; and

(c) reallocating YHDP Renewal project(s) to create YHDP Expansion applications through the YHDP Replacement process.

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/coc/competition/giws https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/coc/competition

e. Special YHDP Activities. In the FY 2024 – 2025 CoC NOFO, YHDP Renewal projects and YHDP Replacement projects (including YHDP Reallocation) may include requests to include special YHDP activities, subject to the requirements in section III.B.4.b.(5) of this NOFO.

f. Cost of Living Adjustments for Conditionally Selected Grants. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 authorizes HUD to make reasonable cost of living adjustments to renewal amounts to help afford increasing cost of operations due to inflation. See section V.D below.

4. HUD's Strategic Planning Goals and Homelessness Policy Priorities

a. HUD Strategic and Other Goals

HUD’s Strategic Plan sets the direction and focus of our programs and staff to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality, affordable homes for all. 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 includes what HUD hopes to accomplish, the strategies to accomplish those objectives, and the indicators of success.

HUD will pursue two overarching priorities focused on increasing equity and improving customer experience across all HUD programs. Five strategic goals and several objectives undergird the Plan; however, the following goals are applicable to this NOFO:

Applicable Goals and Objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan Strategic Goal 1: Support Underserved Communities Fortify support for underserved communities and support equitable community development for all people.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

b. HUD Homeless Policy Priorities

This section provides additional context regarding the selection criteria found in section V.B. of this NOFO and is included here to help applicants better understand how the selection criteria support the goal of ending homelessness:

(1) Ending homelessness for all persons. In 2023, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) presented All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness to the President and Congress. The plan is built around six pillars: three foundations — equity, data and evidence, and collaboration — and three solutions — housing and supports, crisis response, and prevention. The work funded through this NOFO will support the actions and strategies proposed within the pillars. To end homelessness, CoCs should identify, engage, and effectively serve all persons experiencing homelessness.

CoCs should measure their performance based on local data that consider the challenges faced by all subpopulations experiencing homelessness in the geographic area (e.g., veterans, youth, families, older adults, those experiencing chronic homelessness, and people with disabilities, including those living with HIV/AIDS). CoCs should partner with housing, health care, and supportive services providers and agencies to expand housing options, such as permanent supportive housing, housing subsidies, and rapid rehousing. Additionally, CoCs should use local data to determine the characteristics of individuals and families with the highest needs and longest periods experiencing homelessness to develop housing and supportive services tailored to their needs.

(2) Use a Housing First approach. Housing First prioritizes rapid placement and stabilization in permanent housing and utilizes housing as a platform for providing supportive services that improve a person’s health and well-being. CoC Program funded projects should help individuals and families move quickly into permanent housing without preconditions and ensure that participants can choose the services they need to improve their health and well-being and remain in their housing. Additionally, CoCs should engage landlords and property owners to identify housing units available for rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing participants, remove barriers to entry, and adopt client-centered service practices. HUD encourages CoCs to assess how well Housing First approaches are being implemented in their communities.

(3) Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness. In recent years, the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness has risen significantly, including a rising number of encampments in many communities across the country. People living unsheltered have high rates of physical and mental health challenges, including substance use disorders. CoCs should explore all available resources, including CoC and ESG funded assistance, housing subsidies, health care programs, and other supportive services to help improve unsheltered people’s well-being and help them move as quickly as possible to permanent housing. CoCs should work with law enforcement and their state and local governments to enlist their support for housing people residing in encampments, and to avoid practices that criminalize homelessness. Criminalization of homelessness risks the health of people living unsheltered and makes it more difficult for them to move into permanent housing. Additionally, CoCs should use their Coordinated Entry process to promote participant choice, coordinate homeless assistance and mainstream housing and services, and ensure people experiencing homelessness receive assistance quickly.

(4) Improving System Performance. CoCs should be assessing the performance of all homelessness projects using system performance measures (e.g., average length of homeless episodes, rates of return to homelessness, rates of exit to permanent housing destinations).

CoCs should review all projects eligible for renewal under this FY 2024 – 2025 CoC NOFO to determine their effectiveness in serving people experiencing homelessness, including their cost-effectiveness. The CoC Competition includes several options to help CoCs improve their effectiveness, including reallocation, expansion, and transition grants, and CoC’s should take advantage of these options to improve their overall performance. CoCs should also look for opportunities to implement continuous quality improvement and other process improvement strategies.

(5) Partnering with Housing, Health, and Service Agencies. Using cost performance and outcome data, CoCs should improve how all available resources are utilized to end homelessness. HUD encourages CoCs to maximize the use of mainstream and other community-based resources when serving persons experiencing homelessness and should:

(a) Work closely with health care systems and agencies and assist program participants to obtain health care and supportive services, including behavioral health services, including those covered and financed by Medicaid. In addition, CoCs should develop close partnerships with public health agencies to analyze data and design approaches that reduce homelessness, improve the health of people experiencing homelessness, and prevent and address disease outbreaks, including HIV/AIDS.

(b) Partner closely with PHAs and state and local housing organizations to utilize coordinated entry, develop housing units, and provide housing assistance to people experiencing homelessness. These partnerships can also help CoC Program participants exit permanent supportive housing through Housing Choice Vouchers and other available housing options. CoCs and PHAs should especially work together to implement targeted programs such as HUD-VASH, Mainstream Vouchers, Family Unification Program (FUP) Vouchers, Fostering Youth Independence (FYI) Vouchers, and other housing voucher programs targeted to people experiencing homelessness. CoCs should coordinate with their state and local housing agencies on the utilization of new program resources provided through the Homelessness Assistance and Supportive Services Program (HOME-ARP) that was created through the American Rescue Plan. CoCs should also work with organizations administering other housing assistance, such as assistance provided through HUD’s Section 202 and 811 programs, HUD’s Project Based Rental Assistance, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s housing assistance programs.

(c) Partner with local workforce development centers to improve employment opportunities.

(d) Work with Tribal organizations to ensure that Tribal members can access CoC-funded assistance when a CoC’s geographic area borders a Tribal area.

(6) Racial Equity. In nearly every community, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color are substantially over-represented in the homeless population. In this NOFO, HUD is emphasizing system and program changes to address racial equity within CoCs and projects.

Responses to preventing and ending homelessness should address racial inequities to ensure successful outcomes for all persons experiencing homelessness using proven approaches, such as: partnering with a racially diverse set of community partners and people experiencing homelessness and partnering with organizations with experience serving underserved populations. CoCs should review local data, policies, procedures, and processes to identify barriers that result in racial disparities and take steps to eliminate barriers to improve racial equity and to address disparities.

(7) Improving Assistance to LGBTQ+ Individuals. Discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation manifests differently for different individuals and often overlaps with other forms of prohibited discrimination. CoCs should address the needs of LGBTQ+, transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals and families in their planning processes. Additionally, when considering which projects to select in their local competition to be included in their application to HUD, CoCs should ensure that all projects provide privacy, respect, safety, and access regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. CoCs should also partner with organizations with expertise in serving LGBTQ+ populations.

(8) Persons with Lived Experience/Expertise. The people who know best what solutions will effectively end homelessness are those who are experiencing homelessness. HUD expects CoCs to include people with lived homeless expertise and experience in their local planning and decision-making processes. People with lived experience/expertise should determine how local policies may need to be revised and updated to improve the effectiveness of homelessness assistance programs, including participating in planning and oversight activities, developing local competition processes, monitoring and evaluation. CoC leaders and community partners should prioritize hiring people who have experienced homelessness in areas where their expertise is needed.

(9) Building an Effective Workforce. Homeless assistance providers need effective, well-supported staff to provide high quality assistance. Unfortunately, recruiting and retaining qualified staff for programs to assist persons experiencing homelessness has proven difficult due to low pay and the challenging nature of the work. To address this issue, HUD is applying cost of living adjustments to supportive service activities and other staffing-focused budget lines to allow CoC budgets to better keep up with rising costs. HUD also encourages CoCs to work with their funders and other community stakeholders to improve pay and support for people who work in the homelessness sector.

(10) Increasing Affordable Housing Supply. The lack of affordable housing is the main driver of homelessness. CoCs play a critical role in educating local leaders and stakeholders about the importance of increasing the supply of affordable housing and the specific consequences of the continued lack of affordable housing. CoCs should be communicating with jurisdiction leaders, including for the development of Consolidated Plans, about the harmful effects of the lack of affordable housing, and they should engage local leaders about steps such as zoning and land use reform that would increase the supply of affordable housing. This NOFO awards points to CoCs that take steps to engage local leaders about increasing affordable and accessible housing supply.

B. Definitions and CoC Program Concepts

1. 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. See 24 CFR 578.93(c) for specific Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requirements that apply to the CoC program.

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.

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.

(1) 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.

(2) 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 deficiency may otherwise adversely affect the application’s score and final funding determination.

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 environmental laws and policies in a manner that advances 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 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 indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR 200.101; or 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 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

(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.

(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. Although the CoC Program NOFO is officially posted on Grants.gov, registration on Grants.gov is not required for submission of applications for this NOFO. This program only accepts applications submitted in e-snaps, an electronic application system.

Primary Point of Contact (PPOC) is the person who has the authority to submit the CoC Registration and the CoC’s Consolidated Application on behalf of the CoC.

Racial Equity is the elimination of racial disparities, and is achieved when race can no longer predict opportunities, distribution of resources, or outcomes – particularly for Black and Brown persons, which includes Black, Latino, Indigenous, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other persons of color.

System for Award Management (SAM) is the Federal Repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Registration with SAM is required for submission of applications via e-snaps. You can access the website at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are eligibility and quality requirements that must be met for an application to be reviewed, rated, and ranked. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility and are listed in Section III.C.4. Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.A.

Underserved Communities has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 13985 and refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the definition of “equity” above.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) means the identifier assigned by SAM to uniquely identify business entities. As of April 4, 2022, the Federal government has transitioned from the use of the DUNS Number to the use of UEI, as the primary means of entity identification for Federal awards government-wide.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

2. Program-Specific Definitions and Concepts

Regulatory citations are provided below so applicants can refer to specific areas of the Rule.

Projects awarded CoC Program funds are subject to the program regulations as they may be amended from time to time. However, YHDP Renewal and YHDP Replacement projects and awards are subject to CoC Program regulations except as otherwise provided in this NOFO [see section I.B.3.e].

The definitions and concepts contained in this section include terms that are important for all applicants to understand in order to complete all parts of the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Consolidated Application in e-snaps on behalf of the CoC.

a. Definitions from 24 CFR 578.3. The following terms are defined in 24 CFR 578.3.

Applicants must refer to the Rule for the definitions contained in this section.

(1) Annual Renewal Amount (ARA)

(2) Applicant

(3) Centralized or Coordinated Assessment System

(4) Chronically Homeless

(5) Collaborative Applicant

(6) Continuum of Care

(7) Consolidated Plan

(8) High Performing Community (HPC)

(9) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

(10) HMIS Lead

(11) Homeless. - Although not reflected in the regulation, section 605 of Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 amended Section 103(b) of the Act and requires HUD to consider certain individuals and families as homeless. This amendment took effect on October 1, 2022. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this NOFO, where 578.3 paragraph (4) is referenced, applicants may apply to serve the population as defined in Section 103(b) of the Act.

(12) Permanent Housing

(13) Permanent Supportive Housing

(14) Private Nonprofit Organization

(15) Program Participant

(16) Project

(17) Recipient

(18) Subrecipient

(19) Transitional Housing

(20) Unified Funding Agency

(21) Victim Service Provider

b. CoC Program NOFO Concepts. The following terms are not found in 24 CFR 578.3 but are used in other areas of the Rule or are used in this NOFO to define concepts that pertain specifically to the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Consolidated Application.

(1) Annual Renewal Demand (ARD) (24 CFR 578.17(b)(2)). The total amount of all the CoC’s projects that will be eligible for renewal in the CoC Program Competition, before any required adjustments to funding for leasing, rental assistance, and operating Budget Line

Items (BLIs) based on FMR changes. HUD will calculate the ARD by combining the total amount of funds requested by eligible renewal projects in each FY funding opportunity, including:

(a) renewal projects approved and ranked on the Renewal Project Listing;

(b) renewal project amount(s) that were reallocated as recorded on the reduced or eliminated reallocation forms of the CoC Priority Listing;

(c) YHDP renewal projects on the YHDP Renewal Project Listing; and

(d) YHDP Replacement projects, including YHDP Reallocation projects, on the YHDP Reallocation and Replacement Project Listing. YHDP Replacement projects are eligible for funding through the replacement of YHDP Renewal projects. The YHDP Replacement application must request the same amount of funding that is eligible for YHDP Renewal.

(2) Beds Dedicated to Chronically Homeless Individuals and Families. A permanent supportive housing bed that is dedicated specifically for use by individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness [see 24 CFR 578.3 definition of Chronically Homeless] within a CoC’s geographic area, as reported in the CoC’s housing inventory count (HIC) and permanent housing (PH) project applications. When a program participant exits the project, the bed must be filled by another participant who is experiencing chronic homelessness unless there are no persons experiencing chronic homelessness within the CoC’s geographic area. This concept only applies to PSH projects.

(3) CoC Bonus Project. The CoC Bonus allows CoCs to use up to 12 percent of their Final Pro Rata Need (FPRN) to create one or more new project applications. New projects created through the CoC Bonus must meet the project eligibility and project quality threshold requirements established by HUD in sections III.C.4.a. and b. of this NOFO. To be eligible to receive a CoC Bonus project, the Collaborative Applicant must demonstrate its CoC evaluates and ranks projects based on how they improve system performance as outlined in section V.B.2.b of this NOFO.

(4) CoC Merger. The CoC merger is a process where two or more CoCs voluntarily agree to merge the entire geographic areas of all CoCs into one larger CoC. HUD strongly encourages CoCs that struggle with capacity to merge with a neighboring CoC or Balance of State CoC during each fiscal year’s CoC Program Registration process. To encourage CoC mergers and mitigate the potential adverse scoring implications that may occur when a high performing CoC merges with one or more lower-performing CoC(s), HUD will award up to 25 bonus points to the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Application Score for CoCs that registered as a merged CoC during the FY 2024 CoC Program Registration process. The minimum number of points awarded will be 5 with the maximum points awarded up to 25.

To be eligible for these points, the merged CoC must include all the geographic areas previously included in two or more CoCs that received funding in the FY 2023 CoC Program Competition. Points will be awarded as follows:

(a) 5 bonus points to CoCs that merged;

(b) 10 bonus points to CoCs where one or more of the merging CoCs had a CoC Application score of 140 points or lower in either the FY 2022 or FY 2023 CoC Program Competitions; and

(c) 10 bonus points to CoCs that demonstrate that the results of their Point-in-Time counts were affected by the changes in methodology that resulted from the merger in a way that would affect their CoC score.

(5) DedicatedPLUS Project. A PSH project where 100 percent of the beds are dedicated to serve individuals, households with children, and unaccompanied youth (including pregnant and parenting youth) that at intake meet one of the following categories:

(a) experiencing chronic homelessness, meaning they qualify as “chronically homeless” as defined in 24 CFR 578.3;

(b) residing in a TH project that will be eliminated and meets the definition of chronically homeless in effect at the time in which the individual or family entered the TH project;

(c) residing in a place not meant for human habitation, emergency shelter, or Safe Haven and had been admitted and enrolled in a PH project within the last year but were unable to maintain a housing placement and met the definition of chronically homeless as defined by 24 CFR 578.3 prior to entering the project;

(d) residing in transitional housing funded by a Joint TH/PH-RRH component project and who were experiencing chronic homelessness as defined by 24 CFR 578.3;

(e) residing and has resided in a place not meant for human habitation, Safe Haven, or emergency shelter for at least 12 months in the last three years, but has not done so on four separate occasions and the individual or head of household meet the definition of 'homeless individual with a disability; or

(f) receiving assistance through a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-funded homeless assistance program and met one of the above criteria at initial intake to the VA's homeless assistance system.

A renewal project where 100 percent of the beds were dedicated to individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness, as described in section I.B.2.b.(2), under the grant that is being renewed may either be reallocated as a DedicatedPLUS project or may continue as a renewal dedicating 100 percent of its beds to individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness. If the project is reallocated as a DedicatedPLUS project, the project must adhere to all fair housing requirements at 24 CFR 578.93.

Projects HUD awarded as DedicatedPLUS in a previous CoC Program Competition must continue to include households with children to qualify as a DedicatedPLUS project in the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Program Competition.

(6) Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Bonus (DV Bonus).

A new project that is dedicated to individuals and families of persons experiencing trauma or a lack of safety related to fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who qualify under the paragraphs (1) or (4) of definition of homeless at 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance

Act. As described in paragraph (13) below, survivors of human trafficking may qualify as homeless under paragraph (4) of the homeless definition at 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act because they are often also victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, however, a DV Bonus project may not exclusively serve people fleeing or attempting to flee human trafficking. New DV Bonus projects are subject to the limitation on new projects in section I.B.3.a.(1) of this NOFO. CoCs may apply for DV Bonus projects where the total amount for one year of funding for all DV Bonus applications is up to 15 percent of its Preliminary Pro Rata Need (PPRN); however, this amount is limited to:

(a) a minimum of $50,000 if 15 percent of the CoC’s PPRN is less than $50,000; or

(b) a maximum of $5 million if 15 percent of the CoC’s PPRN is more than $5 million.

See sections I.B.3.j and I.B.2.b.(6) of this NOFO for project application requirements and how DV Bonus projects will be reviewed and selected.

(see definition of PPRN in section I.B.3.u. below)

(7) Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Renewal Projects (DV Renewal Projects). Are eligible renewal projects that were originally funded with DV Bonus funding or were at some point expanded using DV Bonus funding and continue to serve the same population.

(8) Eligible Renewal Project. Consists of YHDP, CoC and DV projects eligible to renew under this NOFO. An eligible FY 2024 renewal project must have an expiration date in CY 2025 (between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025) and eligible FY 2025 renewal projects must have an expiration date in CY 2026 (between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026). Renewal project applications must be submitted by the same recipient operating the project. See section III.B.4.c for more information on renewal projects.

In cases where an expiring grant agreement is amended to have a new recipient after a renewal application is submitted, the new recipient will be eligible to receive the renewal award (Section VI.A.4).

(9) Expansion. The process used by eligible renewal project applicants to add funds to an existing CoC Renewal, DV Renewal or YHDP Renewal project to expand its current operations either through reallocation, DV Bonus or a CoC Bonus project application.

Project applicants may expand their current project by adding units, beds, persons served, services provided to existing program participants, or in the case of HMIS, increase the current HMIS activities within the CoC's geographic area. Applications to expand YHDP Renewal projects through the YHDP Replacement process can only be funded with funding reallocated from another YHDP Renewal project. For more information on expansion applications see section III.B.4.a(6) of this NOFO.

(10) Final Pro Rata Need (FPRN) (24 CFR 578.17(b)(3)). The higher of PPRN or ARD for the Continuum of Care is the FPRN, which is the base for the maximum award amount for projects within the CoC.

(11) Formula Area. Defined in the Indian Housing Block Grant Program at 24 CFR 1000.302.

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(12) Grant Consolidation. The process by which two or more projects eligible for renewal under this NOFO apply for funding and are combined into a single renewal project upon award. See sections I.B.3.d and III.B.4.a.(7) of this NOFO for additional information.

(13) Homelessness and Human Trafficking. HUD is clarifying that persons who are fleeing or attempting to flee human trafficking may qualify as homeless under paragraph (4) of the homeless definition at 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and may be eligible for certain forms of homeless assistance under the CoC Program, subject to other restrictions that may apply. HUD considers human trafficking, including sex trafficking, to be “other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or family member” under paragraphs (1) and (4) of the definition of homeless at 24 CFR 578.3 and “other dangerous, traumatic, or life-threatening conditions related to the violence against the individual or a family member in the individual's or family's current housing situation” under section 103(b) of the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

(14) Host Home and Kinship Care. Host Home and Kinship Care is…