NYS Homes and Community Renewal Announces 2014 NOFA

Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) through the Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) and the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC) announced the Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) for $38.4 million of State and federal funds for the following programs:

$10 million - NYS Community Development Block Grant funding for Housing Activities
$1 million - Access to Home Program
$1 million - Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients Program
$1.4 million - RESTORE Program
$25 million - AHC Affordable Home Ownership Development Program (AHODP)

The NOFA can be found here.

Below is a description of the New York State Community Development Block Grant Program (NYS CDBG), Access to Home and the Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients Program. Please note this is the first year that the Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients Program is being offered.

Community Development Block Grant Program

The NYS CDBG is a federally funded program administered by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation’s Office of Community Renewal (OCR). The program provides resources to non-entitlement communities to enable the development of decent, affordable housing, create suitable living environments and enhance economic opportunities across the State. Applicants to the NYS CDBG program must ensure that 70% of all activities principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons.

Applicants seeking NYS CDBG funding for housing activities (housing rehabilitation, homeownership, private water/wastewater) must apply for funding through the 2014 Office of Community Renewal Housing Resources Funding Opportunities Application. The 2014 Application for CDBG Housing Activities is available on the NYS Homes and Community Renewal website, www.nyshcr.org/Funding/. Applications will be due no later than 4 p.m., Fri. Feb. 27, 2015.

Applications must be submitted using the Community Development Online Application System available at www.nyshcr.org/Forms/.

Access to Home

The Access to Home Program is a State funded program administered by OCR that provides grants to eligible applicants to make accessibility modifications to existing dwelling units occupied by low-income persons with disabilities.

Eligible applicants include cities, towns, villages or counties throughout New York State, and not-for-profit corporations that are incorporated under NYS Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. To be eligible for award, not-for-profit organizations must have been in existence and providing relevant service to the community for at least one year prior to application.

Applications will be accepted for programs that propose funding for one or more of the following activities in existing residential units:

installations of ramps, lifts and other similar measures to permit access to and from the exterior of a building;
modifications to kitchens and bathrooms to provide access to persons with mobility limitations or disabling conditions;
interior accessibility modifications that will permit access within the unit for persons with mobility limitations or other disabling conditions;
installation of devices to permit a safe environment for persons with hearing or visual impairments;
architectural and engineering work, testing of assisted units for environmental, health and safety purposes and other professional services necessary for the installation of accessibility modifications; and
other activities required to install accessibility modifications.

The maximum award amount is $150,000 with a dwelling unit maximum of $25,000. The minimum award amount is $75,000.

OCR reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to negotiate with applicants, recommend funding in an amount less than requested, conduct site visits, interview the applicant and development team, extend the submission deadline, and request additional information. OCR reserves the right to waive or modify any requirement contained in the Request for Proposals, subject to the applicable statutes and the Program Regulations.

Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. Fri., Feb. 13, 2015.

Access to Homes for Medicaid Program

The Access to Home for Medicaid Program is a State funded program administered by OCR, in coordination with Department of Health, that provides grants to eligible applicants to make accessibility modifications to existing dwelling units occupied by persons with disabilities that also receive Medicaid assistance. Units occupied by persons with disabilities but not receiving Medicaid assistance are not eligible for this program.

Allowable modifications, funding limitations and application deadlines are the same as the Access to Home program.

Contact: Ken Harris, kharris@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8835