LHHTS_NOFO_FR-6500-N-15.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies (LHHTS) Grant Program Pre- and Full Application

FR-6500-N-15

06/21/2021

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. Obtaining an Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number

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. Statutory and Administrative, National and Department Requirements for HUD Recipients

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Funding Opportunity Title:

Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies (LHHTS) Grant Program Pre- and Full Application Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6500-N-15

Primary CFDA Number:

14.906,14.902 Due Date for Applications:

06/21/2021 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. Prospective applicants 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.

During the selection process HUD is prohibited from disclosing 1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing, 2) the amount of assistance requested by an 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: Please direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to the office contact identified in Section VII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information collection requirements in this notice have been approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 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. Each NOFO will identify 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

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION.

A. Program Description.

1. Purpose HUD is funding studies to improve HUD's and the public's knowledge of housing-related health and safety hazards and to improve or develop new hazard assessment and control methods, with a focus on lead and other key residential health and safety hazards. HUD is especially interested in applications that will advance our knowledge on priority healthy homes issues by addressing important gaps in the science related to the accurate and efficient identification of hazards and the implementation of cost-effective hazard mitigation. This includes studies using implementation sciences in identifying specific conditions under which residential environmental hazard interventions that have been shown to be effective in specific housing types and residential settings can be assessed in other contexts. Key hazards are discussed in Appendix A, Key Residential Health and Safety Hazards, of this NOFO. A list of references that serves as the basis for the information provided in this NOFO is provided as Appendix B, Relevant Publications, Guidelines and Other Resources. Priority research topics of particular interest to HUD are identified in section III.F.1.

Both the Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies (LHHTS) Programs are important for the achievement of research goals identified in HUD's Healthy Homes Strategic Plan (available at:

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_13701.PDF),the federal healthy homes strategic plan, Advancing Healthy Housing : A Strategy for Action (available at:

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/advhh ), and the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/fedactionplan_lead_final.pdf).

a. General Goals (1). Lead Technical Studies (LTS) The overall goal of the LTS grant program is to gain knowledge to improve the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of methods for evaluation and control of residential lead-based paint hazards.

Through this Program, HUD is working to fulfill the requirements of sections 1051 and 1052 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X) (42 U.S.C. §§ 4854 and 4854a) which directs HUD to conduct research on topics which include the development of improved methods for evaluating and reducing lead-based paint hazards in housing, among others.

Brief descriptions of active and previously funded LTS projects can be found on HUD's website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes.

Where appropriate, you are encouraged to build your proposed study upon HUD-sponsored work that has been previously completed, in addition to other relevant research (i.e., reported in the published literature). The results of the applicable aspects of LTS will be used in part to update HUD's Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (Guidelines) and other HUD policy guidance. For supporting references, including where to find the Guidelines, see Appendix B.

(2). Healthy Homes Technical Studies (HHTS) The overall goal of the HHTS Program is to advance the recognition and control of priority residential health and safety hazards and more closely examine the link between housing and health. The overall objectives of the Program include but are not limited to:

(a). Development and evaluation of cost-effective test methods and protocols for the identification and assessment of housing-related hazards.

(b). Development and assessment of cost-effective methods for reducing or eliminating housing-related hazards.

(c). Evaluation of the effectiveness of housing interventions and barriers and incentives affecting future use of the most cost-effective strategies.

(d). Supporting translational and implementation research studies which involve the adaptation https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_13701.PDF https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/advhh https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/fedactionplan_lead_final.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes and use of effective healthy homes intervention strategies in different housing types, residential settings, and populations.

(e). Investigation of the epidemiology of housing-related hazards and illness and injuries associated with these hazards, with an emphasis on low income, vulnerable populations (e.g., children, senior citizens, etc.).

(f). Analysis of existing data or generation of new data to improve knowledge regarding the prevalence and severity of specific hazards in various types of housing and by demographic characteristics of residents, with a focus on low-income housing.

(g). Improved understanding of the relationship between a residential exposure and illness or injury of children or other vulnerable populations. (Note: Applicants that propose this type of study should discuss how the knowledge that is gained from the study could be used in a program to reduce these hazards in target communities).

HUD anticipates that the results of program-supported studies will help to develop evidence-based approaches that are cost-effective and efficient and will result in the reduction of health threats for the maximum number of residents and, in particular, children and other vulnerable populations (e.g., the elderly) in low-income households. Study results are also expected to improve our understanding of how specific aspects of the indoor environment can affect the health of residents.

Applicants should consider the ability of their proposed study to generate definitive results. Since the size of the awards under this NOFO may limit the ability of applicants to design and implement research on health outcomes using the strongest methodology (i.e., a randomized controlled trial), applicants should consider focusing on important indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measures instead of health outcomes in studies where this is appropriate, such as when existing research has demonstrated a significant association between the IEQ measures and health outcomes. A focus on environmental outcomes is generally expected to produce more definitive results as opposed to a health outcome focus, and the impact of improvements to IEQ on health outcomes can be inferred where the evidence base is sufficient. HUD is especially interested in funding practical, applied research, including studies using implementation science, that can directly inform policies and practices to reduce the prevalence and severity of residential health and safety hazards and improve the health and well-being of residents. You should be aware of where your proposed study fits within a translational research framework (i.e., Pettibone et al, 2018: https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3657).

Implementation research (IR) helps identify the context (real world environmental and social setting) that impacts the adoption of the interventions within a community to address persistent residential environmental health hazards (Bauer, 2020; Smith, 2020). Identifying and understanding the specifications of the context within which the study is being conducted helps provide a better understanding of how the interventions work, under what conditions, for whom and the expected outcomes (Smith, 2020). To use IR studies effectively first the researcher needs to identify the interventions of interest, then determine whether the interventions have shown both effectiveness and efficacy, and if they have, finally use mixed methods designs (Lane-Fall, 2019). HUD is particularly interested in IR proposals that involve the identification and study of the context and conditions under which different interventions are effective, thus making these interventions more acceptable and easily implementable in low-income and affordable housing https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3657 environments.

The HHTS Program is a component of HUD’s Healthy Homes Program. A description of the Healthy Homes Program is available on the HUD website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi. In addition to deficiencies in basic housing conditions that may impact health (e.g., structural problems, lack of adequate heating and cooling, pest infestation, excess moisture), other subtler health hazards may exist in the residential environment (e.g., asthma triggers, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds including pesticide residues, injury hazards, etc.). While some hazards will be found disproportionately in housing that is substandard, housing-related environmental hazards may also exist in housing that is otherwise of acceptable quality. Appendix A of this NOFO briefly describes the key housing-associated health and safety hazards HUD considers targets for intervention. The hazards and conditions identified in Appendix A are not considered exhaustive, applicants may submit applications that focus on topics that are not included in Appendix A.

HUD has also developed resource papers on several topics of importance under the Healthy Homes Program, including mold, environmental aspects of asthma, carbon monoxide, pesticides, residential assessment and unintentional injuries. These resource papers can be downloaded from https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes.

b. Community Participation HUD believes that it is important for researchers to incorporate meaningful community participation in the development and implementation of studies that are conducted in communities and/or involve significant interaction with community residents. Community participation can improve study effectiveness in various ways, including the development of more appropriate research objectives, improving recruitment and retention of study participants, improving participants' involvement in and understanding of a study, improving ongoing communication between researchers and the affected community, and improving dissemination of study findings. Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) offers researchers the opportunity to use translational science to improve sustainability/long-term success and efficacy of effective scientific interventions to address residential environmental health issues in diverse communities. It also helps identify specific conditions and structures within the communities needed for these effective interventions to work best. HUD encourages applicants to consider using elements of a CBPR approach, where applicable, in study design and implementation.

(See, e.g., The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences report titled "Successful Models of Community-Based Participatory Research" at https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_12485.PDF and the Wallerstein and Duran (2010) paper titled "Community-based participatory research contributions to intervention research: The intersection of science and practice to improve health equity"). CBPR is characterized by substantial community input in all phases of a study (i.e., design, implementation, data interpretation, conclusions, and communication of results).

2. Changes from Previous NOFO.

The following is a summary of the major changes in this NOFO relative to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 LHHTS NOFO. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, so applicants should be sure to read the entire NOFO.

a. HUD has modified the list of priority research topics under the HHTS Grant Program for FY 2021 (see section III.F.1).

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_12485.PDF

b. Organizations that received an award under the FY 2019 or FY 2020 Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program cycle are ineligible unless applying with a different Principal Investigator (PI).

c. HUD has revised and condensed the rating factors for the full applications.

3. Definitions.

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that 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 opportunity, 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 of a program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listings means a unique number assigned to identify a Federal Assistance Listing, formerly known as the CFDA Number.

Federal Financial Assistance means assistance that entities received or administer in the form of:

1) Grant;

2. Cooperative agreements (which does not include a cooperative research and development agreement pursuant to the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, as amended (15 U.S.C. 3710a));

3. Loans;

4. Loan guarantees;

5. Subsidies;

6. Insurance;

7. Food commodities;

8. Direct appropriations;

9. Assessed or voluntary contributions; or

10. Any other financial assistance transaction that authorizes the non-Federal entity's expenditure of Federal funds.

b. Federal Financial Assistancedoes not include:

1. Technical assistance, which provides services in lieu of money; and

2. A transfer of title to federally owned property provided in lieu of money, even if the award is called a grant.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is the person authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Biz point of contact in the System for Award Management. The AOR is listed in item 21 on the SF- 424.

Consolidated Plan is a document developed by states and local jurisdictions. 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 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 in 2 CFR 200.1.

Deficiency is information missing or omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement (e.g., an unsigned form, unchecked box.). Depending on specific criteria, deficiencies may be either curable or non-curable.

Curable Deficiencies 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.

Non-Curable Deficiencies cannot be corrected by an applicant after the submission deadline.

Non-curable deficiencies are deficiencies that, if corrected, would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. Non-curable deficiencies may result in an application being marked ineligible, or otherwise adversely affect an application’s score and final determination.

DUNS Number is the nine-digit Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Number

System identification number assigned to a business or organization by Dun & Bradstreet and provides a means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. OMB removed duplicate recipients based on recipient Data Universal Number System (DUNS) numbers, from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). At this time all Federal financial assistance recipients are required to register for DUNS numbers.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) A user registered as 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 Standard AOR and Expanded AOR). There can only be one E-Biz POC per DUNS Number.)

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

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

(1)(i) 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

ii. 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, 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.

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.

Non-Federal Entity (NFE) means a state, local government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education (IHE), or non-profit organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

Point of Contact (POC) is the person who may be contacted with questions about the application submitted by the AOR. The POC is listed in item 8F on the SF-424.

Recipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a Federal award directly from HUD. The term recipient does not include subrecipients or individuals that are beneficiaries of the award.

Small business is defined as a privately-owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than a corporation or regular-sized business.

The definition of "small"—in terms of being able to apply for government support and qualify for preferential tax policy—varies by country and industry. The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business according to a set of standards based on specific industries.{e-CFR Title 13-Chapter I – Part 121}

Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=0ff5f0839abff4eec707b4478ed733c6&mc=true&node=pt13.1.121&rgn=div5&se13.1.121_1101 agreement that pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal award but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such award. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly for a Federal awarding agency.

System for Award Management (SAM) means 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 Grants.gov. You can access the website athttps://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are an eligibility requirement that must be met for an application to be reviewed. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility and are listed in Section III.D Threshold Eligibility Requirements. Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.E, Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Unique Entity Identifier means the identifier required for SAM registration to uniquely identify business entities.

4. Program Definitions None

B. Authority.

The Lead Technical Studies program is authorized under sections 1051 and 1052 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4854 and 4854a). The Healthy Homes Technical Studies program 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 is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, approved December 27, 2020) and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94, approved December 20, 2019).

II. Award Information.

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $ 7,000,000 is available through this NOFO.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFO, because of HUD's efforts to recapture funds, use carryover funds, or because of the availability of additional appropriated funds. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the funding restrictions contained in this NOFO.

Of the $7,000,000 available through this NOFO, up to $2,000,000 is available for the LTS grant program and $5,000,000 is available for the HHTS grant program.

B. Number of Awards.

HUD expects to make approximately 13 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

For each of the grant programs funded under this announcement, HUD expects to make the following awards: approximately 3 to 5 awards for the LTS Grant Program and approximately 5 to 8 awards for the HHTS Grant Program. However, the estimated awards will depend on the number of eligible applicants for each grant program, their requested amounts, and other factors.

For information on the methodology used to make award determinations under this NOFO, please see Section V.B Review and Selection Process below.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

1. Awards will range from $300,000 to a maximum of $700,000 for the LTS Grant Program and $300,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000 for the HHTS Grant Program.

2. Note for New Applicants. If supported by the majority of the Application Review Panel, HUD will make an award of up to $700,000 under the LTS Grant Program or up to $1,000,000 under the HHTS Grant Program for the highest scoring full application from a qualified new applicant, as defined here, on the condition that the application receives a score of at least 82 points. A new applicant is an organization that has not been previously funded by the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) under the Technical Studies Grant Program to which they are applying as the primary grantee. A new applicant may have previously been a sub-grantee under an award to another organization. If there is not a qualified new applicant for funding, any remaining funds will be made available to the general pool of qualified LHHTS Grant Program applicants based on the final overall ranking.

Estimated Total Funding:

$ 7,000,000 Minimum Award Amount:

$ 300,000 Per Project Period

Maximum Award Amount:

$ 1,000,000 Per Project Period

D. Period of Performance The start date will be determined during the period of negotiations with successful applicants.

The period of performance cannot exceed 36 months from the time of award. The proposed performance period should include adequate time for such project components as the Institutional Review Board process (if required), the hiring of new staff, the recruitment of study participants, and the development of methods (e.g., analytical methods), all of which have been found to delay projects in the past.

Period of performance extensions for delays due to exceptional conditions beyond the grantee's control will be considered for approval by HUD in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.308(e)(2), as applicable, and the OLHCHH Program Guide (https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/PGI_2013- 03.PDF) . If requested, determined to be appropriate, and subsequently approved by OLHCHH, grantees will be eligible to receive a single extension of up to 12 months in length.

Estimated Project Start Date:

11/01/2021 https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/PGI_2013-03.PDF https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/PGI_2013-03.PDF

Estimated Project End Date:

10/31/2024 Length of Project Periods:

36-month project period and budget period

Length of Periods Explanation of Other:

N/A

E. Type of Funding Instrument.

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Awards will be made as cooperative agreements. Anticipated substantial involvement by HUD staff for cooperative agreements may include, but will not be limited to:

1. Review and suggestion of amendments to the study design, including study objectives;

field sampling plan; data collection methods; sample handling and preparation; and sample and data analysis.

2. Review and provision of technical recommendations in response to quarterly progress reports (e.g., amendments to study design based on preliminary results).

3. Review and provision of technical recommendations on the journal article(s) and final study report.

III. Eligibility Information.

A. Eligible Applicants.

00 (State governments)

01 (County governments)

02 (City or township governments)

04 (Special district governments)

06 (Public and State controlled institutions of higher education)

05 (Independent school districts)

07 (Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized))

08 (Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities)

11 (Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments))

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

13 (Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education)

20 (Private institutions of higher education)

22 (For profit organizations other than small businesses)

23 (Small businesses)

Additional Information on Eligibility Applications to supplement existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new awards.

B. Ineligible Applicants.

1. Individuals

2. Federal agencies

3. Organization that received an award under the FY 2019 or FY 2020 Lead and Healthy

Homes Technical Studies Grant Program cycle except for those applying with a different Principal Investigator (PI).

C. Cost Sharing or Matching.

This Program does not require cost sharing or matching, but provides points based on leverage as describe below.

However, under the full application rating factor 3, applicants that provide evidence of significant resource leveraging will receive points (see Leveraging Resources under Section V.A.1.b.(3).(e)).

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements.

Applicants who fail to meet any of the following threshold eligibility requirements will be deemed ineligible. Applications from ineligible applicants will not be evaluated.

1. Resolution of Civil Rights Matters. Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved before the application deadline. Applicants, who after review are confirmed to have civil rights matters unresolved at the application deadline, will be deemed ineligible. Their applications will receive no further review, will not be rated and ranked, and they will not receive funding.

a. Applicants having any of the charges, cause determinations, lawsuits, or letters of findings referenced in subparagraphs (1) – (5) that have not been resolved to HUD’s satisfaction before or on the application deadline date are ineligible for funding. Such matters include:

1. Charges from HUD concerning a systemic violation of the Fair Housing Act or receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing law proscribing discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status;

2. Status as a defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice alleging a pattern or practice of discrimination or denial of rights to a group of persons raising an issue of general public importance under 42 U.S.C. 3614(a);

3. Status as a defendant in any other lawsuit filed or joined by the Department of Justice, or in which the Department of Justice has intervened, or filed an amicus brief or statement of interest, alleging a pattern or practice or systemic violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act or a claim under the False Claims Act related to fair housing, non-discrimination, or civil rights generally including an alleged failure to affirmatively further fair housing;

4. Receipt of a letter of findings identifying systemic non-compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; or the Americans with Disabilities Act; or

5. Receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of provisions of a state or local law prohibiting discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or lawful source of income.

b. HUD will determine if actions to resolve the charge, cause determination, lawsuit, or letter of findings taken before the application deadline date will resolve the matter.

Examples of actions that may be sufficient to resolve the matter include, but are not limited to:

1. Current compliance with a voluntary compliance agreement signed by all the parties;

2. Current compliance with a HUD-approved conciliation agreement signed by all the parties;

3. Current compliance with a conciliation agreement signed by all the parties and approved by the state governmental or local administrative agency with jurisdiction over the matter;

4. Current compliance with a consent order or consent decree;

5. Current compliance with a final judicial ruling or administrative ruling or decision; or

6. Dismissal of charges.

2. Timely Submission of Applications. Applications submitted after the deadline stated within this NOFO that do not meet the requirements of the grace period policy will be marked late. Late applications are ineligible and will not be considered for funding. See Section IV. D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD’s Grants Programs The following requirements affect applicant eligibility. Detailed information on each requirement is posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunities Page.

Active Prime and Sub Recipient registration with SAM.gov Outstanding Delinquent Federal Debts Debarments and/or Suspensions Pre-selection Review of Performance Sufficiency of Financial Management System False Statements Mandatory Disclosure Requirement Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations in HUD Programs and Activities

F. Program-Specific Requirements.

1. Priority Research Topics/Study Conducted in Properties Remediated with OLHCHH Grant Even though HUD will consider funding applications for technical studies on topics that are consistent with the overall goals and objectives of the LHHTS Grant Program as described https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/fundingopps above, HUD is particularly interested in the following research topic areas listed below.

Applications that focus on one of the following topics or form a partnership with at least one of HUD's Lead Hazard Control Program or Tribal Healthy Homes Production Program grantees (see grantee contact list at https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/HUD_OLHCHH_Lead_Hazard_Control_Gra ntees.pdf) and conduct a significant part of the proposed study in properties that are or were remediated with an OLHCHH grant, will receive 3 points under rating factor 2 of the full application (see section V.A.1.b.(2)). However, you are not limited to addressing only topic areas listed below in your application. If topics other than those identified under the priority topics are proposed, it is important that the applicant describe in sufficient detail how the proposed study is consistent with the overall LHHTS Grant Program goals and objectives.

Applications for additional work related to ongoing HUD-funded technical studies (i.e., for work outside of the scope of the original agreement) are eligible to compete with applications for awards on new subjects. These applications will be evaluated in the same manner as applications on new subjects. Brief descriptions of current and recently completed technical studies grant projects and grantee contact information can be found on the HUD website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi/hhts

a. LTS Grant Program

(1). Evaluation of the effectiveness of specific residential lead hazard control interventions. The effectiveness of lead hazard control interventions (i.e., interim controls or a combination of interim controls and abatement) over various time periods following implementation is a topic that has been primarily covered through HUD’s Evaluation of the HUD Lead Hazard Control Grant Program (referred to as the National Evaluation) (see, e.g., http://nchh.org/resource-library/Early_Overall_Findings.pdf) that assessed the impact of lead hazard control interventions conducted by 14 grantees that were among the first recipients of HUD lead hazard control grants.

Follow-up research on a subset of the original study participants demonstrated that dust-lead levels generally remained low (particularly on floors) six years following interventions (Wilson et al., 2006). Although this research has demonstrated that interim controls can be effective in reducing dust-lead levels over an extended period, there is still value in conducting research on the efficacy and durability of specific interventions or combinations of interventions. For example, HUD has supported research that focused on the benefits of window replacement in reducing window and floor dust-lead approximately 12 years post-intervention (Dixon et al., 2012). It is notable that these durability results were achieved even though the grant programs do not require ongoing lead-based paint maintenance after the interventions, in contrast to the requirement for such maintenance under most housing assistance programs covered by HUD’s Lead Safe Housing Rule and described in Chapter 6 of the HUD Guidelines (www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/lbp/hudguidelines).

Furthermore, because there is no recognized safe level of lead exposure for children, the ability of interim controls to maintain low dust-lead levels in treated homes has assumed even greater importance. The lack of a specific blood-lead threshold for adverse health effects in children is reflected by the action of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in adopting a "reference value" approach for lead in children's blood based on the blood lead level distribution in U.S. children (currently set at 5 µg/dL: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/blood-lead-reference-value.htm). Research supports the need to achieve and maintain low dust-lead levels in https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/HUD_OLHCHH_Lead_Hazard_Control_Grantees.pdf https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/HUD_OLHCHH_Lead_Hazard_Control_Grantees.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi/hhts http://nchh.org/resource-library/Early_Overall_Findings.pdf http://nchh.org/resource-library/Early_Overall_Findings.pdf http://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/lbp/hudguidelines https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/blood-lead-reference-value.htm).�%20 https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/blood-lead-reference-value.htm).�%20 order to keep children’s lead exposure as low as is feasible, so evaluations of the effectiveness of specific interim controls, combinations of interim controls, and/or ongoing lead-based paint maintenance activities following well characterized interim controls are of particular interest to HUD with respect to their ability to sufficiently maintain low dust-lead levels over both the short and long term (e.g., 3 or more years). HUD is also interested in the ability of specific lead hazard control treatments to consistently achieve low clearance levels (i.e., at or below the clearance levels of 10 µg/ft2 for floors and 100 µg/ft2 for windowsills that became effective on March 8, 2021 through an EPA regulatory action.

(2). Studies of soil treatments that could be used, possibly in combination with contact barriers, to reduce lead bioavailability (i.e., Bioavailability (BA): The fraction of an ingested dose (i.e., in vivo) that crosses the gastrointestinal epithelium and becomes available for distribution to internal target tissues and organs; see OLEM 9200.2-164). It is important that such treatments be practical (e.g., cost and complexity of application) and that they not pose a significant environmental risk (e.g., environmental risk posed by phosphorous compounds that could contribute to eutrophication of water bodies or increase the bioavailability of co-occurring contaminants such as arsenic).

(3). Analysis of Available Data and Databases. HUD is interested in supporting research using existing data to address key scientific issues related to the identification and control of lead-based paint hazards. Research efforts often generate large data sets that are analyzed to address primary research objectives; however, there is often important information to be gained by conducting additional analyses of the collected data. Such analyses can generally be conducted at low cost relative to the cost of the initial research. Applicants submitting proposals in this area should explain how the analyses would address one or more important issues and will result in improvements in lead hazard assessment and control methods. HUD is also interested in the creative use of existing databases (e.g., Census data, blood-lead screening data, etc.) to improve the efficacy of lead hazard control programs (e.g., by improved targeting of the highest risk homes and neighborhoods), assess the effectiveness of enforcement and lead hazard control activities and regulations, and other uses of these data that further the goal of improving methods for the identification and control of residential lead-based paint hazards.

b. HHTS Grant Program

(1). Developing easily replicable, cost-effective methods for identifying, preventing, and controlling mold and excess moisture in various types of residential buildings, with a focus on affordable housing. Specific needs include better tools for the identification of hidden mold and moisture problems and the assessment of improved surveillance and maintenance protocols for existing residential buildings (e.g., training of maintenance workers and supervisors on use of structured surveillance and response protocols).

(2). Injury Prevention Measures: HUD is interested in research on the combined efficacy of evidence-based injury intervention packages for preventing injury in high-risk populations, particularly children and seniors in low-income households. HUD is further interested in demonstrating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of incorporating evidence-based injury prevention measures into residential programs, including housing for seniors and green renovation and rehabilitation programs, as well as ongoing maintenance.

(3). Mitigation of Residential Asthma Triggers: In 2014, three Institutes within the National Institutes of Health held a workshop on the state of the science on the indoor environment and asthma (Gold et al., 2017). Research needs identified by participants included well-designed (and, if feasible, blinded and controlled) trials to test the conditions under which free-standing air filtration systems, structural interventions, and other emerging building-level interventions reduce indoor pollutants, allergens, and other contaminants. The authors noted that this is a precondition to assessing whether exposure reduction improves respiratory health. An additional area of research need of relevance for this NOFO is the testing of low-cost interventions easily transferable from home to home or interventions that can be applied to any home without the need for structural changes, with these targeting highly mobile populations or populations with little control over the structure of their homes.

In a more recent systematic review of the research on indoor allergen control, Leas et al. (2018) concluded that the strength of evidence for the effectiveness of both single and multicomponent interventions was not strong. Common weaknesses of the reviewed studies included infrequent use of validated measures of asthma control, inconsistent assessment of asthma severity, and infrequent reporting of standardized measures of asthma exacerbations, healthcare use, and quality of life. The authors concluded that additional evaluation was needed for the following single interventions: HEPA vacuum cleaning; carpet removal; pet cleaning/removal, and mold removal. Although the authors concluded that multicomponent interventions that include HEPA vacuums or pest control reduce asthma exacerbations and improve quality of life, they indicate a need to evaluate these interventions more efficiently such as by testing standardized bundles of interventions. If you are proposing research on home asthma interventions, you must describe how your study design addresses the weaknesses identified in the systematic review and why it would be expected to produce definitive findings or information that would be important in the design of a larger, more definitive study. HUD will not fund additional studies within this focus area unless there are one or more compelling and novel aspects of the study design and the common weaknesses identified in the systematic review are clearly addressed.

(4) Integrated pest management (IPM): HUD has funded a considerable number of studies on the control of cockroaches and bedbugs using IPM methods in low income, multifamily housing, resulting in a significant body of knowledge on the effective control of these pests. It is important that these effective control methods be more widely adopted by housing providers. HUD is interested in funding translational and intervention research that can help overcome the barriers to the application of effective practices for bedbug and cockroach control in multifamily housing, with a particular focus on public and other federally subsidized housing.

(5). Implementation research assessing novel or promising methods for implementing integrated housing health and safety assessments and subsequent interventions (i.e., the healthy homes model) in high-risk homes. This priority topic addresses the need for the wider adoption of the healthy homes model (or major aspects of it), especially with respect to its application in neighborhoods or housing with a high prevalence of substandard housing and/or vulnerable populations. Previous HUD-funded research has documented significant reductions in housing-related health and safety hazards and conditions. These studies have demonstrated significant reductions in the total number of hazards, including injury hazards and asthma triggers, when units were assessed three to six months following intervention (see Appendix B: Reddy et al., 2017; Dixon et al., 2009; Klitzman et al., 2005).

(6). Studies in Native American tribal communities: Studies that address important healthy homes issues in Federally recognized, Native American communities. Applicants in this area are encouraged to explore potential opportunities to partner with communities that have received a grant through HUD’s “Healthy Homes Production Grant Program for Tribal Housing” (CFDA number: 14.913). These grants were first offered in FY 2018. A recent HHTS Program cooperative agreement supported important research in tribal housing in rural Alaska (see Appendix B: Singleton et al. 2017 and 2018). HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research published a report on the “Housing Needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives in Tribal Areas” in 2017 (https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/HNAIHousingNeeds.html).

2. HUD will not fund applications that involve laboratory testing on living organisms except for laboratory testing on animals that are residential pests (e.g., cockroaches, bed bugs, mice, etc.) that is a component of a more comprehensive study to improve IPM methods. Applicants should be aware that under the technical studies grant programs, HUD is interested in funding applied research that is closely related to improving our ability to identify and sustainably implement interventions to control key residential hazards. Applications that have a more basic research focus may not be well suited for funding through these programs.

3. General Information You may address one, or more than one, of the above technical studies topic areas within your proposal, or submit separate applications for different topic areas. You must, however, submit your application under the LTS program or the HHTS program; your application cannot be reviewed under both programs. In proposing to conduct a study on a particular topic, applicants should consider:

a. The “fit” of the proposed hazard assessment and/or control methods…