FY 2022 Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program NOFO
The overall purpose of the Older Adult Home Modification Program (OAHMP) is to assist experienced nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and public housing authorities in undertaking comprehensive programs that make safety and functional home modifications repairs and renovations to meet the needs of low-income elderly homeowners. The goal of the home modification program is to enable low-income elderly persons to remain in their homes through low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications to reduce older adults’ risk of falling, improve general safety, increase accessibility, and to improve their functional abilities in their home. This will enable older adults to remain in their homes, that is, to “age in place,” rather than move to nursing homes or other assisted care facilities.
HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes is making available grant funds and training resources to non-federal entities. Under this NOFO, experienced nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and public housing authorities will deliver home modification services to qualified beneficiaries. As required by the appropriation laws that fund the grants under this NOFO, at least one third of funding under this NOFO will be made available to grantees that serve communities with substantial rural populations, as defined below.
The NOFO establishes a program model that incorporates two core concepts: first, as people age, their needs change, and they may need adaptations to their physical environment to live safely at home; second, for any intervention to have the highest impact, the individual’s personal goals and needs must be a driver in determining the actual intervention.
The OAHMP model focuses on low-cost, high-impact home modifications. Examples of these home modifications include installation of grab bars, railings, and lever-handled doorknobs and faucets, as well as the installation of adaptive equipment, such as temporary ramp, tub/shower transfer bench, handheld shower head, raised toilet seat, risers for chairs and sofas, and non-slip strips for tub/shower or stairs. The OAHMP model primarily relies on the expertise of a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) to ensure that the home modification addresses the client’s specific goals and needs and promotes their full participation in daily life activities. The OT is trained to evaluate clients’ functional abilities and the home environment and has knowledge of the range of low-cost, high-impact environmental modifications and adaptive equipment used to optimize the home environment and increase independence. To help maximize the breadth of the program, the OAHMP also supports using licensed OT Assistants and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists whose work under the grant is overseen by licensed OTs. The OAHMP model also encourages a person-centered approach that motivates and supports older adults as they identify their goals and learn to function safely in their home.
Services made available under this NOFO must be for the benefit of eligible low-income homeowners who are at least 62 years old for work in their privately owned primary residence. Because of the vulnerable nature of the persons served, awardees of an OAHMP grant are highly encouraged to ensure that the processes employed to qualify projects for home modifications avoid the potential for project implementation delays. One example of potential delay is enrolling a beneficiary whose home requires modifications beyond what HUD defines as maintenance. Proposed projects involving repair or rehabilitation above the maintenance level require an environmental review, either by the grant recipient (if a state, unit of general local government, or Native American tribe), a non-recipient Responsible Entity (state, unit of general local government, or Native American tribe), or by HUD. That environmental review includes consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer and compliance with other federal environmental requirements listed at 24 CFR §58.5 or §50.4. Where the recipient is not a Responsible Entity, project implementation may be delayed 45+ days, pending completion of the environmental review, and approval by HUD, should no non-recipient Responsible Entity be willing/able to assume environmental review responsibilities (see Section VI.B.15 for additional details). To the greatest extent feasible, awardees of OAHMP should select the home modifications identified in the “maintenance” column of the table in Appendix B, Home Modifications/Repairs. Proposed projects that meet the definition of maintenance will not require an environmental review or approval by HUD, and the grantee may proceed with implementation; see Section VI.B.15. Additional guidance will be provided by HUD, post-award.
Program Office: Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
Funding Opportunity Title: Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program NOFO
Funding Opportunity Number: FR-6600-N-69
Assistance Listing Number: 14.921
OMB Approval Number: 2539-0015
Due Date for Applications: 10/13/2022
Available Funds: Funding of approximately $15,000,000 is available through this NOFO. HUD expects to make approximately 20 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.
Preference Points: Promise Zones
FONSI: A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the environment has been made for this NOFO.
Agency Contact: HUD staff will be available to provide clarification on the content of this NOFO. Questions regarding specific program requirements for this NOFO should be directed to the POC listed below.
Name: Dr. Taneka Blue
Phone: 202-402-6846
Email: Taneka.M.Blue@hud.gov
Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Please note that HUD staff cannot assist applicants in preparing their applications.