Older Adult Homes Modification Program
The Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control’s Older Adult Homes Modification NOFO has completed final OMB and OGC Approval and it is ready for publication approval.
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 and limited repairs 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 NOFA, 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 NOFA, at least 50 percent of funding under this NOFA will be made available to grantees that serve communities with substantial rural populations, as defined below.
The NOFA 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 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 NOFA 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 by HUD. That environmental review includes consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer and compliance with other federal environmental requirements listed at 24 CFR §50.4. Project implementation may be delayed 30 to 60 days, pending completion of the environmental review, and approval by HUD. 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.2. Additional guidance will be provided by HUD, post-award.
Funding of approximately $ 30,000,000 is available through this NOFA. HUD expects to make approximately 30 awards from the funds available under this NOFA.
The precise number of awards will depend on the number of eligible proposals received and the estimated need for home modification services based on demographic information in the applicants’ proposed target areas.
At least 50 percent of funding under this NOFA will be made available to communities with substantial rural populations.
A minimum score of 75 points is required for consideration for award.
Preference Points: This NOFA offers 2 points for either Opportunity Zones or Promise Zones.
UPDATES to previous posting:
- Page 28: Adding section III.F.27, Administrative Costs, to identify the 10% admin costs cap, and provide the related wording from the Lead Hazard Reduction NOFO’s section III.F.1.a, Administrative Costs, and its subsection I, Direct Administrative Costs.
- Page 40: Deleting the Note under the header for section V.A.1.a, Rating Factors for Applicants, to reflect going from two-stage to one-stage application process.
UPDATES to previous posting:
- Section 1.A.4-Program Definitions-Added a definition for Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist and updated the definitions for Assessment and Structural modifications.
- The previous version of the NOFO stated that all modifications must be performed by a licensed contractor. The latest version states that all modifications must be performed by a licensed contractor, or in accordance with your local and state regulations.
- The previous version of the NOFO stated that assessments must be conducted by an Occupational Therapist (OT). The latest version of the NOFO states that assessments must be conducted by an OT, a licensed OT Assistant, or a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) whose work under the grant is overseen by a licensed OT.
- The previous NOFO did not address whether the $5,000 cap for unit modification included the salary for the OT, OT Assistant or CAPS. The latest version states that the $5000/unit cap excludes the salary for the Occupational Therapist (OT), licensed OT Assistant, or Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist.
- Appendix C has been removed. The previous NOFO included Appendix C which referred to a version of Rating Factor 2 that is not in the NOFO (both by the rating factor’s title and contents), thus it was not applicable.
Program Office: Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
Funding Opportunity Title: Older Adult Homes Modification Program
FAIN: FR-6400-N- 69
Assistance Listing Number: 14.921
OMB Approval Numbers: 2539-0015
Original Opening Date: 3/2/2021
Deadline Date The application deadline has been extended to May 18th, 2021.
Program NOFO (revised NOFO Attached)