[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13415-13416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05763]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5846-N-01]
Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian
Housing, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: On October 7, 2014, HUD announced through notice in the
Grants.gov Web site the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the
Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative. The Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative (Jobs-Plus)
provides competitive grants to partnerships between public housing
authorities, local workforce investment boards established under
section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and other agencies
and organizations that provide support to help public housing residents
obtain employment and increase earnings. Applicants for Job Plus
consist of public housing agencies (PHAs) who demonstrate the ability
to provide services to residents, partner with workforce investment
boards, and leverage service dollars. The October 7, 2014 NOFA provided
for full implementation of Jobs-Plus. This Federal Register notice
published today announces waivers and alternative requirements and
meets the Jobs-Plus statutory requirement to publish waivers and
alternative requirements authorized by the statute at least 10 days
before they may take effect.
DATES: Effective Dates: Sections I and II of the Appendix--Jobs-Plus
Initiative and Alternate Requirements in this notice are effective
March 13, 2015. The statutory and regulatory waivers in the appendix to
this notice are effective March 23, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To assure a timely response, please
electronically direct requests for further information to this email
address: [email protected]. Written requests may also be directed to the
following address: Office of Public and Indian Housing--Anice S.
Chenault, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
[[Page 13416]]
Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4120; Washington, DC 20410.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Jobs-Plus, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014,
(Pub. L. 113-76, approved January 17, 2014) (2014 Appropriations Act)
promotes economic empowerment in low-income areas by providing funding
to PHAs that develop, locally-based approaches to increase earnings and
advance employment outcomes such as work readiness, employer linkages,
job placement and counseling, educational advancement and financial
counseling for their public housing families. As provided in the NOFA
that HUD published on October 7, 2014, at
http:[sol][sol]www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-
grants.html?keywords=FR-5800-N-24, there will be approximately $15
Million in grants made available to Job-Plus grantees in order to
address entrenched poverty among public housing residents through
collaboration among local housing authorities, residents of public
housing projects, local welfare agencies, local workforce development
agencies, and other relevant partners. It is aimed at significantly
increasing earnings and advancing employment outcomes for public
housing residents and leverages research conducted by the Manpower
Demonstration Research Corporation on Jobs-Plus.
In addition, the NOFA also made $9 million available from the
Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator (ROSS-SC)
account to support the services element of Jobs-Plus. The service
element will include intensive, employment-focused programs targeting
every able-bodied, working-age welfare recipient at a public housing
project.
Waivers and Alternative Requirements. The 2014 Appropriations Act
provides that waivers and alternative requirements authorized under
Jobs-Plus shall be published by notice in the Federal Register no later
than 10 days before the effective date of such notice. The Consolidated
and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113-235,
approved December 16, 2014), has a similar proviso. This notice carries
out that statutory requirement. Under Jobs-Plus, HUD is authorized to
waive or alter the rent and income limitation requirements under
sections 3 and 6 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 as necessary
to implement Jobs-Plus. This list of these waivers and alternative
requirements are in the appendix of this notice.
II. Environmental Review
This Notice involves administrative and fiscal requirements related
to income limits and exclusions with regard to calculation of rental
assistance which do not constitute a development decision affecting the
physical condition of specific project areas or building sites.
Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(6), this Notice is categorically
excluded from environmental review under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
Dated: March 6, 2015.
Jemine A. Bryon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
Appendix--Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative and Alternative Requirements
The Jobs-Plus statute (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014,
Pub. L. 113-76) provides that waivers and alternative requirements
authorized by the Secretary shall be published by notice in the
Federal Register no later than 10 days before the effective date of
such notice. This appendix carries out that statutory requirement.
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, HUD is authorized
to waive or alter the rent and income limitation requirements under
sections 3 and 6 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 as
necessary to implement Jobs-Plus. Provided below is a list of
waivers and alternative requirements that shall come into effect on
March 23, 2015.
The list of waivers and alternative requirements, as described
above, follows:
I. Public Housing Rent Calculation
Permissive exclusions for public housing. Provisions affected:
Section 6(c) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437d), 3(b)(5)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437a), and 24 CFR 5.609(c). Alternative requirements: The
PHA shall be required to calculate the annual earned income for
Jobs-Plus participants receiving the 48-month Jobs-Plus earned
income exclusion separately for the purposes of determining the
amount of annual income excluded under Jobs-Plus. As such, income
that is excluded under Jobs-Plus shall be factored into tenant rent
calculation and any increases shall be considered part of the tenant
rent contribution, though not charged to the family. Such amounts
shall be provided to HUD for review in order to receive additional
subsidy. The PHA shall then be provided funds to offset the decrease
in funding associated with the increased tenant income using grant
amounts made available under the Jobs-Plus appropriations line item.
II. Public Housing Income Limitation Requirements
Disallowance of earned income from rent determination.
Provisions affected: HUD is waiving section 3(d)(1) and(2), of the
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a) and 24 CFR
960.255(b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3) & (d). Alternative requirements: A PHA
may disallow all earned income from rent determinations for families
in Jobs-Plus public housing projects for increased income due to
employment over the baseline income for a continuous 48-month period
beginning on the date on which employment commenced. A PHA must
require members of a family in a Jobs-Plus public housing project to
enroll in Jobs-Plus in order to obtain the Jobs-Plus earned income
disregard. The PHA shall not setup Individual Savings Accounts in
lieu of providing the Jobs-Plus earned income exclusion. Any
compensation to the PHA for lost rent revenues, such as by the
standard earned income disregard calculation in the Operating Fund,
will be offset manually to prevent overpayment of HUD funds to grant
recipients. Instead, PHAs shall use funds received through the Jobs-
Plus appropriations to reimburse lost income due to Jobs-Plus rent
incentives.
There shall be no phase-in period for families participating in
Jobs-Plus public housing projects and upon completion of the 48-
month earned income exclusion period, the family shall be required
to provide 100% of the amount of the applicable total rent increase.
Families participating in Jobs-Plus shall receive a continuous Jobs-
Plus earned income disregard for a lifetime 48-months, which shall
also be the maximum earned income disallowance for the family.
Accordingly, the standard lifetime maximum four year disallowance
proscribed in regulation and statute shall not apply to Jobs-Plus
families participating in Jobs-Plus.
[FR Doc. 2015-05763 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P