Housing Counseling Assistance Program
To counsel homeowners, homebuyers, prospective renters and tenants under HUD, conventional and other government programs in improving their housing conditions and in meeting the responsibilities of tenancy and homeownership.
General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
14.169
Federal Agency/Office
Office of Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Not applicable.
Authorization
12 U.S.C. 1701x
HUD's Housing Counseling Program is authorized by Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. § 1701x) and Section 4 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. § 3533) as amended by Title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank). The Housing Counseling Program regulations are codified at 24 C.F.R. Part 214. The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Program (HECM) is authorized by Section 255 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. § 1715z-20), and its regulations are codified at 24 C.F.R. Part 206.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Qualified public or private nonprofit organizations. There are four categories of eligible applicants: (1) HUD-approved local housing counseling agency; (2) HUD-approved national or regional intermediary; (3) State housing finance agency; and (4) multi-state organizations.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Individuals, groups of individuals, and families who are renters, tenants, homeowners, and home buyers under HUD, conventional and other government programs.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. The availability of funds is announced on HUD's website at www.hud.gov or by subscribing to funding opportunities at www.grants.gov. For a copy of the NOFA, applicants can visit the HUD website (www.hud.gov). You must download both the Application Instruction and the Application Package from Grants.gov.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must submit by the required date the items and forms requested in the NOFA, such as a description of the housing counseling services to be provided, and indicators by which benefits / impact will be measured.
Award Procedure
Applicants will be evaluated competitively and ranked against all other applicants that applied in the same funding category. National and regional intermediaries are rated and ranked by HUD Headquarters. Local agencies, multi-state organizations and State housing finance agencies are rated and ranked by the Homeownership Center (HOC) with jurisdiction. A funding formula outlined in the NOFA is used to calculate awards. This program is subject to the administrative requirements established in OMB Circular A-102, Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments, which was implemented by 24 CFR part 85; OMB Circular A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Nonprofit Organizations, which was implemented by 24 CFR part 84; and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Nonprofit Organizations, which was implemented by 24 CFR Parts 84 and 85. Grants awarded under this program are also subject to the cost principles in OMB Circular A-87 for State and local governments and Indian tribal governments and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit organizations.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Not applicable.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
HUD will review applications in accordance with the requirements of the NOFA and the Housing Counseling Program. HUD may rely on performance monitoring and audit reports, financial status information, and other information available to HUD to make score determinations.
How may assistance be used?
To provide housing counseling grants to HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies; to HUD-approved national and regional intermediaries; Multi-state Organizations; and to State housing finance agencies. Grants provide a variety of housing counseling services, including single family home buying, homeownership, mortgage default, HECM, rental, and rental delinquency under HUD and other programs.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: HUD requires recipients to submit performance and financial reports under OMB guidance and program instructions. All HUD-funded programs, including this program, require recipients to submit, not less than annually, a report documenting achievement of outcomes under the purpose of the program and the work plan in the award agreement.
Auditing
Not applicable.
Records
As required in grant documents and Housing Counseling Handbook, HUD 7610.1.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Funding assistance is for a discrete period of time, generally 18 months. Grantees invoice HUD on a periodic basis for housing counseling services delivered. Payments of grant funds are subsequently made to grantees via direct deposit/electronic funds transfer (DD/EFT). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Quarterly.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
Questions regarding specific program requirements for this NOFA should be directed to the following email address: Housing.Counseling@hud.gov.
Headquarters Office
Brian N. Siebenlist
451 7th St. SW
Washington, DC 20410 USA
Brian.N.Siebenlist@hud.gov
Phone: 202-402-5415
Website Address
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/hcc/hcc_home
Financial Information
Account Identification
86-0156-0-1-604
Obligations
(Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 18$47,000,000.00; FY 19 est $42,800,000.00; FY 20 est $38,500,000.00; FY 17 est $43,000,000.00; FY 16 est $45,000,000.00; FY 15$42,000,000.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Range and average of financial assistance: For Fiscal Year 2012, the minimum request from a local agency was $15,000 and the maximum request from an intermediary was $3,000,000. The average local agency counseling grant was approximately $20,500. The average intermediary award was approximately $990,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Not applicable.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.