National Advocacy Win: HUD Approves Service Coordination Eligibility Waivers

Following advocacy by LeadingAge National, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is approving requests from affordable senior housing properties for the agency to waive outdated requirements that have prohibited Service Coordination programs at certain properties.

In late 2022, LeadingAge members from HUD’s Midwest multifamily housing region began to report instances of HUD disapproving Service Coordination costs in Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) property budgets. Specifically, the Service Coordination program costs were being cut from property budgets where HUD determined the property did not meet standards relating to minimum unit count or level of resident frailty. However, these property eligibility requirements originate in a HUD notice from 1993 that has since expired, and they are only partially supported by the current HUD handbook.

LeadingAge National pushed back strongly and urged HUD to correct its interpretation of these outdated policies, and will continue to work with HUD on a longer-term policy solution to prevent disruptions in both budget-based and grant-funded Service Coordination programs. In the meantime, member properties facing Service Coordination program eligibility issues should contact Juliana Bilowich (jbilowich@leadingage.org) for assistance requesting a waiver.

More information is available here.

Contact: Annalyse Komoroske Denio, akomoroskedenio@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866