[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34769-34770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14167]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5596-N-02]
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers: Revised Implementation of the
HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program Technical Correction
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian
Housing, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: On March 23, 2012, HUD published a notice, effective as of
March 23, 2012, that established the policies and procedures for the
administration of tenant-based Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)
rental assistance under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
(HUD-VASH) program. The March 23, 2012, notice was an update of a HUD-
VASH program notice first published by HUD on May 6, 2008. It was
recently brought to HUD's intention that one of the HUD regulations
that requires waiver in order to allow HUD-VASH families to live on the
grounds of a VA facility in units developed to house homeless veterans
was not referenced in either the May 6, 2008, notice or the March 23,
2012, notice. Although HUD has waived the requirement since the
issuance of the May 6, 2008, notice, the regulatory requirement was
inadvertently omitted from the notice. This notice corrects that
omission.
DATES: Effective date: May 6, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael S. Dennis, Director, Office of
Housing Voucher Programs, Office of Public Housing and Vouchers
Programs,
[[Page 34770]]
Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4216, Washington, DC 20410-8000,
telephone number 202-708-0477 (this is not a toll-free number).
Individuals with speech or hearing impairments may access this number
through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The HUD-VASH program was authorized pursuant to Division K, Title
II, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-161,
approved December 26, 2007) under the heading ``Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance'' (FY 2008 Appropriations). The HUD-VASH program combines
HCV rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and
clinical services provided by the VA through its community medical
centers. The program is administered by PHAs that partner with local VA
medical facilities. Since implementation of the program, ongoing VA
case management, health, and other supportive services have been made
available to homeless veterans at more than 300 VA Medical Center
(VAMC) supportive services sites and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics
(CBOCs) across the nation. The HUD-VASH program is a key component of
reducing homelessness among veterans as outlined in the
Administration's Federal Strategy to Prevent and End Homelessness.
Following enactment of the FY 2008 Appropriations, HUD published a
notice on May 6, 2008, at 73 FR 25026, which established the policies
and procedures for the administration of tenant-based Section 8 HCV
rental assistance under the HUD-VASH program. The appropriations acts
following the FY 2008 Appropriations Act continued to fund the HUD-VASH
program.
By notice published on March 23, 2012, at 77 FR 17086, HUD updated
the policies and procedures for the administration of the HUD-VASH
program, republishing these policies and procedures in their entirety.
In addition to updating the 2008 policies and procedures, the March 23,
2012, notice was also issued to provide new and clarifying guidance
regarding several aspects of the program such as those pertaining to
certain types of verification documentation, addition of family members
after the veteran is a participant in the HCV program, termination of
assistance, portability moves within the same catchment area where both
PHAs have received HUD-VASH vouchers, portability moves when case
management is no longer required, reallocation of HUD-VASH vouchers,
and Housing Quality Standards (HQS) initial inspections.
It was recently brought to HUD's attention that one of the HUD
regulations that requires waiver in order to allow HUD-VASH families to
live on the grounds of a VA facility in units developed to house
homeless veterans was not referenced in either the May 6, 2008, notice
or the March 23, 2012, notice. Section II.e. of the May 6, 2008,
notice, and Section II.f. of the March 23, 2012, notice, which each
address ineligible housing, reference waiver of HUDs regulation at 24
CFR 982.352(a)(5) (which covers section 8 housing choice voucher
tenant-based assistance) but inadvertently omitted reference to a
corresponding provision covering section 8 project-based voucher
assistance, specifically, 24 CFR 983.53(a)(2). The latter provision
also must be waived to fulfill HUD's intent of allowing VASH families
(whether receiving tenant-based or project-based assistance) to live on
the grounds of a VA facility. Although Sec. 983.53(a)(2) was
inadvertently omitted in each of these notices, the waiver of Sec.
983.53(a)(2) has been applied by HUD as if the regulatory section had
been included in the initial May 6, 2008, notice.
This notice published today corrects the paragraph on ineligible
housing in the March 23, 2012, notice to include reference to 24 CFR
983.53(a)(2). Since the March 23, 2012, notice was an update of the May
6, 2008, notice there is no need to make the technical correction to
the May 6, 2008, notice.
II. Technical Correction
HUD's notice published on March 23, 2012, at 77 FR 17086,
specifically subsection II.f. entitled ``Ineligible Housing,'' and
found at 77 FR 17089 (middle column) is corrected to read as follows:
f. Ineligible Housing
HUD-VASH families will be permitted to live on the grounds of a VA
facility in units developed to house homeless veterans. Therefore, 24
CFR 982.352(a)(5) and 983.53(a)(2), which prohibit units on the
physical grounds of a medical, mental, or similar public or private
institution, are waived for that purpose only.
Date: June 12, 2014.
Sandra B. Henriquez,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 2014-14167 Filed 6-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P