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What's New on Codetalk

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Dear Tribal Leader Letter - New Deadline for Submitting FY 2024 IHBG Formula Interim Funding Requests in the GEMS

ONAP is currently accepting IHBG Formula interim funding requests via GEMS through January 5, 2024. This deadline ensures that awards will be processed prior to the January 19, 2023, expiration of the Continuing Resolution (CR) under which HUD is currently operating. Interim funding requests should be submitted in GEMS. Please refer to the GEMS Grantee Guide for specific instructions on completing and submitting the request. This guide and other GEMS resources can be found at the GEMS webpage.

Interim funding is an advance on IHBG formula funds while under a CR. Grantees with a low balance of IHBG funds can request a partial award to maintain housing operations until a federal budget for FY 2024 is passed by Congress. A request for interim funding may only be granted if your FY 2024 Indian Housing Plan has been found in compliance and approved and if you have a low balance in LOCCS. Refer to PIH Notice 2021-28 (Providing Interim Funding to Recipients of Indian Housing Block Grants) for more information.

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EPA Opens Competition for Community Change Grant Program

The EPA has recently opened the competition for the Community Change Grant Program, that has $2 billion dollars in funding for disadvantaged communities. The program aims to fund community-based grants for projects that reduce pollution and carbon emissions, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to respond to environmental and climate justice challenges such as extreme heat and flooding. Resilience improvements to housing infrastructure are eligible.  The awards will range from $10-$20 million. The application for this grant program is rolling through November 1, 2024, with the opportunity resubmit your application if it is not initially accepted. Technical assistance is available for this application and can be accessed by filling out this request form or calling 1 (800) 540-8123.

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HUD Hosting Webinar on Manufactured Housing in Tribal Communities and the Forthcoming PRICE Grant Program

HUD will be hosting a webinar to discuss manufactured housing in Tribal communities.  The webinar will cover how manufactured housing may be a good affordable option for some Tribal communities.  Tribal panelists will also highlight manufactured housing projects that they carried out and provide tips on how to plan and implement such projects.  HUD will also provide important information on the upcoming Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), a new grant program designed to preserve and develop manufactured housing that Tribes will be eligible for.  

The webinar will be held on December 6, 2023, from 3-4pm Eastern.  Interested parties may register here.

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EPA  Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

Eligible uses: Capitalization grants are available to each State, and Tribes and territories for the purpose of establishing a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. This revolving fund provides loans and grants to water systems for eligible infrastructure projects including: construction of expansion of drinking water treatment plants and/or distribution systems; improving drinking water treatment; fixing leaky or old pipes (water distribution); improving sources of water supply; replacing or constructing finished water storage tanks; other infrastructure projects needed to protect public health.

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Vacancy Announcement- Loan Guarantee Specialist, GS-13

Locations: Multiple (see announcement).

Open: November 25, 2023
Close: December 8, 2023

As a Loan Guarantee Specialist, you will:

Develop policies, program standards, procedures and guidelines in response to the unique problems and issues in Indian, Alaskan Native areas and Hawaiian homelands. These polices, programs, etc., are to be used by field offices, Tribes, tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs), Native Hawaiian housing agencies, and lending institutions.

Initiate and prepare comprehensive policy documents that recommend statutory changes to affect the Indian housing and loan guarantee programs and comment on pending legislation, regulations, and guidelines prepared by other offices.

Formulate guidelines and provide technical advice, guidance, and interpretation of complex policies and procedures regarding the Indian loan guarantee programs to Tribes, TDHEs, Headquarters, field offices, tribal groups, Native Hawaiian groups and the financial community.

Conduct analytical studies of various issues relating to housing and community development for the purpose of evaluation the effectiveness of current national policies and procedures in meeting program objectives, defining problems, and making recommendations for more effective administration of Indian loan guarantee programs.

Respond to inquiries, both written and oral, form members of Congress, public and private interest groups, Tribes, TDHEs, mortgagors, the financial community as well as General Accounting Office reports and Inspector General inquiries regarding Indian loan guarantee program's policies and specific proposals and procedures.

Apply Now

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Vacancy Announcement- Lead Grants Evaluation Specialist, GS-14

Locations: Washington, D.C.

Open: November 22, 2023
Close: December 5, 2023

As a Lead Grants Evaluation Specialist, you will:

• Serve as principal advisor to the OGE Director in developing national grants evaluation policies, standards, procedures and guidelines to be used by Program and Area Offices (AO), Indian tribes, tribally-designated housing entities (TDHE), participating Indian tribes, and others involved in the implementation of all applicable programs. Makes decisions and recommendations with minimal consultation from the OGE Director.
• Provide technical guidance in the interpretation and implementation of grants evaluation policies and procedures of applicable programs to Native American tribes, TDHEs, and Program and Area Office Grant Evaluation personnel.
• Conduct analytical studies of complex issues related to Native American housing in order to evaluate the effectiveness of current national policies and procedures in meeting ONAP objectives. Analyzes problems and makes recommendations for more effective monitoring of Native American housing and community development grant programs.

Apply Now

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HUD Hosting Webinar on Manufactured Housing in Tribal Communities and the Forthcoming PRICE Grant Program

HUD will be hosting a webinar to discuss manufactured housing in Tribal communities.  The webinar will cover how manufactured housing may be a good affordable option for some Tribal communities.  Tribal panelists will also highlight manufactured housing projects that they carried out and provide tips on how to plan and implement such projects.  HUD will also provide important information on the upcoming Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), a new grant program designed to preserve and develop manufactured housing that Tribes will be eligible for.  

The webinar will be held on December 6, 2023, from 3-4pm Eastern.  Interested parties may register here.

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Vacancy Announcement- Grants Evaluation Specialist, GS-9/11/12

Locations: Seattle, WA

Open: November 15, 2023
Close: November 29, 2023

As a Grants Evaluation Specialist, you will:

• Implement national policies, standards, procedures and guidelines with regard to the monitoring and evaluation of all applicable programs.
• Provide feedback to the Division Director regarding the effectiveness of current policies and procedures in meeting Office of Native American Programs objectives and the unique concerns of assigned Indian communities.
• Meet with Indian Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities and others to exampling the grants evaluations procedures of applicable programs.

Apply Now

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YouthBuild and Tribal Communities

In October 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hosted a special joint webinar on the YouthBuild program. YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for opportunity youth ages 16-24. Participants learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in other in-demand industries that include healthcare, information technology, and hospitality. During the webinar, DOL walked attendees through the YouthBuild program and described how Tribes can leverage YouthBuild to support addressing local housing needs while providing valuable training experience for local youth.

You can view a recording of the webinar here: https://youtu.be/SaXtc6caZM8

Additionally, you can reference more YouthBuild related resources via the links below.

• YouthBuild official website with current grantees, regulations, etc.- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild
• Community of Practice with technical assistance resources for grantees- https://youthbuild.workforcegps.org/
• YouthBuild Program Factsheet- https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/youth/pdfs/YB%202023%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
• 2018 evaluation report- https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/details.cfm?id=2612
• Email your questions to- youth.build@dol.gov

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OMB Publishes 2 CFR Part 200 Proposed Rule for Public Comment

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has published a proposed rule to revise the OMB Guidance for Grants and Agreements codified in 2 CFR Part 200. 

On March 7, 2023, OMB held a two-hour Tribal consultation to solicit feedback from Tribal representatives on ways to revise and improve 2 CFR Part 200.  OMB has now issued a proposed rule that seeks to make changes to generally applicable Federal requirements governing Federal financial assistance, including Federal grants.  Of note, OMB proposes to streamline procurement requirements applicable to Tribal grantees by authorizing Tribal grantees to adopt their own procurement policies and standards.

HUD strongly encourages Tribes and TDHEs to review the proposed rule and submit comments by the 12/04/2023 deadline.

You can submit public comments here.

When submitting comments, please specify the section of the guidance that each comment is referencing by beginning each comment with the section number in brackets.

For example; if the comment is on 2 CFR 200.1 include the following before the comment [200.1]. The public comments received by OMB will be posted at http://www.regulations.gov and be a matter of public record. Accordingly, please do not include in your comments any confidential business information or information of a personal-privacy nature. In general, responses to the comments will be summarized and included in the preamble of the final guidance.

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Dear Tribal Leader Letter- IHBG Formula Census Challenge Deadline Date Change

The purpose of this Dear Tribal Leader letter is to inform Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) that HUD is extending the deadline for FY 2025 Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Formula Census Challenges from March 30, 2024 to July 29, 2024. Additionally, this letter announces that Tribes and TDHEs are now able to access their FY 2025 IHBG Formula Needs Data on-line here https://ihbgformula.com/2025-needs-data/. 

The regulatory waiver that provides for the Census Challenge deadline extension is linked here: 2025 Census Challenge Regulatory Deadline

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Notice PIH 2023-26- Implementing Required Use of the Grants Evaluation and Management System (GEMS) for Grant Programs with the Office of Native American Programs

This notice informs the Office of Native American Programs’ (ONAP’s) grantees of the requirement to use GEMS effective the date of this notice for certain grant administration functions. GEMS replaces ONAP grantees’ use of the Energy and Performance Information Center (EPIC). This notice supersedes Notice PIH 2018-15.

Read the full Notice

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ConnectHomeUSA- CHUSA's 4th Annual Virtual Summit Coming Soon

The time for our annual gathering as a community of digital inclusion practitioners is drawing near.  The ConnectHomeUSA (CHUSA) team is thrilled to announce that registration for this year’s 4^th annual Virtual CHUSA Summit is now open!  

With input from you, our CHUSA communities, we have designed an informative, interactive, and timely agenda:

• Curious about the status of two of the largest federal broadband funding programs, the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment and Digital Equity Act grants?  We’ve got you covered!  Staff from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will be on hand to give you the latest and take your questions. 
• Is it the Affordable Connectivity Program that interests you?  We’ve got you covered there too!  Staff from the Federal Communications Commission will host a session on the program and be available for your questions.
• Maybe you’re interested in learning how other CHUSA communities are providing digital literacy training – well, we’ve got you covered there too! 
• Interested in helping your residents gain more tech skills?  We’ve also got a session on that!

This year’s Summit is chock-full of great sessions – you don’t want to miss it!  Head over to our registration page to see the full agenda and reserve your spot!

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Treasury Interim Final Rule on Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

On August 9, 2023, Treasury released a new Interim Final Rule that illustrates how recipient governments can use their State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) for natural disasters, community development, and surface transportation projects. The new rule implements the Cornyn-Padilla amendment which allows the big Treasury funding to be used for a broader set of infrastructure activities, including Indian Community Development Block Grant  (ICDBG) eligible activities.  This is important because it allows for Treasury COVID funding that got allocated to Tribes to be used immediately for infrastructure purposes, including any ICDBG eligible activities and Disaster relief activities, instead of COVID-related activities. 

Please note that the Rule includes a requirement that the funding may not supplant any ICDBG funding.  This funding must supplement, but not supplant ICDBG projects (as opposed to replacing current ICDBG funding for active projects that HUD already funds with Treasury funding).

For overall information about the program, please see the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds website. For general questions, please email SLFRF@treasury.gov. 

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ICDBG Regulations Tribal Consultation Comment Deadline Extended to 1/30/2024

As a reminder, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is planning to start the rulemaking process to update the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program regulations (24 CFR 1003). In accordance with HUD’s Tribal Consultation Policy, the Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) is seeking Tribal feedback on these regulations, which have not been updated in nearly two decades.

While HUD welcomes comments regarding all aspects of the ICDBG program and regulations, it is particularly interested in receiving feedback on the following areas:

• Eligible and ineligible activities (24 CFR 1003.201);
• Area ONAP allocations of ICDBG funds (24 CFR 1003.101);
• Compliance with the primary objective (24 CFR 1003.208);
• Rating factors included in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (24 CFR 103.303);
• ICDBG Imminent Threat Grants (24 CFR 1003 subpart E); and
• Reporting requirements (24 CFR 1003.506).

Comments can be submitted via email to consultation@hud.gov. Please submit all comments by January 30, 2024. Formal Tribal consultation sessions are forthcoming and will be announced soon.

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Section 184 Program Approved Program Area Expansion and 2023 Section 184 Maximum Loan Limits for the newly approved areas

On August 1, 2023, HUD issued Dear Lender Letter 2023-06 (DLL) titled “Updates to the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee (Section 184) Program Eligible Lending Areas and 2023 Section 184 Program Maximum Loan Limits.”  The DLL announced the expansion of the Section 184 program into 23 counties in Tennessee and 14 counties in Texas.  Additionally, the DLL announced the 2023 Maximum Loan Limits for the newly approved counties. HUD expanded the Approved Program Areas after receiving requests from two Tribes as a result of DLL 2023-03.

The newly approved counties in Tennessee are Bedford, Blount, Campbell, Cocke, Crockett, Davidson, Dyer, Giles, Haywood, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Maury, Monroe, Montgomery, Obion, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Tipton, Tousdale, Wilson, and Williamson. The new counties in Texas are Bowie, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Harris, Johnson, Lamar, Montgomery, Red River, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson.

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Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Grant Program

The Department of Transportation is accepting applications for the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant (NAE) Program. Tribes are eligible to apply. The NAE Program provides $3.2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds for projects that improve walkability, safety, and affordable transportation access and address existing transportation barriers, especially in disadvantaged or underserved communities. The program also provides funding for planning and capacity building activities in disadvantaged or underserved communities, and funding for technical assistance to local governments to facilitate effective planning for surface transportation projects. View the NAE Program page for more information about eligible projects, facilities, and recipients.

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Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) NOFO Release

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has released the Fiscal Year 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, with up to $3.16 billion available for planning and construction projects. Tribes are eligible to apply. This RCN NOFO is a combination of two major discretionary grant opportunities: The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Programs. USDOT has combined these two programs into a single NOFO to provide a more efficient application process for project sponsors. The RCN NOFO is now soliciting grant applications for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot discretionary grant program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and for the newly created Neighborhood Access and Equity discretionary grant program, established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Under the combined RCN Program, USDOT is offering three grant types: Community Planning Grants, Capital Construction Grants, and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants. 

The NOFO can be found on Grants.gov.  Applications must be submitted through Valid Eval (links below). To apply, the three grant programs have been split into two application sites:  

1. Community Planning Grants and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants with Planning Activities 
2. Capital Construction Grants and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants with Construction Activities  

USDOT has created a joint RCN website with additional information and will be hosting several informational webinars for prospective grant applicants in the following weeks. Please visit Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program | US Department of Transportation to subscribe and learn more.

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Program Guidance 2023-01- Income Limits for the IHBG program under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996

HUD Notice PDR-2023-01, published May 15, 2023, contains the methods used to calculate the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Fair Market Rents (FMR) and enumerates the procedures for interested parties to request reevaluations of their FMRs. The FY 2023 FMRs are based on the updated metropolitan area definitions published by the Office of Management and Budget on September 14, 2018, and incorporated by the Census Bureau into the 2021 American Community Survey data. The FMRs are used to establish Median Family Income (MFI) limits for the IHBG program.

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Dear Tribal Leader Letter- Indian Community Development Block Grant- Notice of Funding Opportunity

On June 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published the FY 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program (FR-6700-N-23). 

The NOFO announced the availability of approximately $75 million to eligible Tribes and Tribal organizations for the development of viable American Indian and Alaska Native communities, including the creation of decent housing, suitable living environments, and economic opportunities primarily for people with low- and moderate-incomes.

View the Dear Tribal Leader Letter for addtional information.

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Dear Lender Letter 2023-05: Section 184 Fee Reduction Notice

DLL 2023-05 announces reduction in fees charged to homebuyers who obtain a Section 184 Indian Home (Section 184) loan. The Upfront Loan Guarantee fee will be reduced from 1.50 percent to 1.00 percent and the Annual Loan Guarantee fee will be reduced from 0.25 percent to 0.00 percent for homebuyers seeking a Section 184 guaranteed loan. In addition to providing savings to borrowers, the lower fees can help more people qualify for a mortgage. As a result of the fee reductions, a Section 184 borrower purchasing a $194,000 home will save approximately $500 this year and up to $6,800 over the term of the loan.

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Treasury’s ERA Reporting page for Tribes, TDHEs, and DHH

 

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Current as of December 1, 2023

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