HUD Publishes Choice Neighborhoods FY 2010 NOFA Pre-Notice

HUD released the Choice Neighborhoods FY 2010 Pre-Notice NOFA on May 21st. HUD is anticipating an extremely short time frame of 60 days for the application process once the official NOFA is released later this summer. Choice Neighborhoods, which builds upon the work of HOPE VI, will “primarily fund the transformation of public and/or HUD-assisted housing developments through preservation, rehabilitation, and management improvements as well as demolition and new construction.”

There is clear emphasis in the Pre-Notice on the importance of leveraging additional resources to meet the programs three intended goals of:

1. Transforming distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long-term;
2. Supporting positive outcomes for families who live in the target development and the surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents’ health, safety, employment and education; and
3. Transforming neighborhoods of poverty into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, effective schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.

The Pre-Notice directly links Promise Neighborhoods Planning Grants and Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants stating, “applicants that receive a Planning Grant through the Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods program may receive a competitive preference for consideration of a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant.”

The Pre-Notice outlines requirements for eligible applicants, eligible neighborhoods, program parameters, and eligible activities. In FY 2010, HUD will award a total of $3 million in Planning Grants and $62 million in Implementation Grants. The competition for funding will be conducted in two rounds. HUD will select 10 finalist from the pool of Implementation Grant applicants for Round 2, and these finalist will be provided the opportunity to make a more detailed Round 2 application.

For a more detailed overview of the Pre-Notice NOFA and the implications of its goals on the work of Making Connections sites and partners who have focused on affordable housing, asset building, and resident engagement, please click here.