Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program

A number of America’s veterans with disabilities and who are low-income are in need of adaptive housing to help them regain or maintain their independence. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development intends to address these challenges in accordance with the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Pub. L. 113-291, enacted December 19, 2014) by awarding competitive grants to nonprofit organizations that provide nationwide or statewide programs that primarily...

Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants for the VHRM program are nonprofit organizations that provide nationwide or statewide programs that primarily serve veterans or low-income individuals. Nonprofit organizations are limited to those described in section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and are exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code. Eligible Activities. The VHRM program encompasses a range of eligible modification and rehabilitation activities, which allows for broad flexibility in the design of particular proposals to implement the program. Applicants need not address all of the eligible activities, but may propose a combination of activities if desired. Proposed activities should relate to identified needs among the eligible population to which the applicant proposes to target assistance. Further, the activities included in an applicant’s proposed program design should address needs that are not already met by existing programs, while maximizing coordination with other existing programs as applicable (to the extent that such coordination would be beneficial to the implementing organizations and participants being served). The following are eligible activities under the VHRM program: (A) Modification and rehabilitation of the primary residence of an eligible veteran, which may include – (i) making physical modifications, such as installing wheelchair ramps, widening exterior and interior doors, reconfiguring and re-equipping bathrooms (which includes installing new fixtures and grab bars), removing doorway thresholds, installing special lighting, adding additional electrical outlets and electrical service, installing appropriate floor coverings, lowering countertops and cabinets, or taking other measures to – a) accommodate the functional limitations that result from having a disability, including not only motor impairment but also visual and hearing disabilities, and cognitive or psychological disabilities such as Traumatic Brain Injury or Post-Traumatic Stress; or b) if the residence does not have modifications necessary to reduce the chances that an elderly person who is not living with a disability will fall in his or her home, reduce the risks of an elderly person from falling; or (ii) making physical modifications, such as adding a bedroom or bathroom, to allow the veteran’s caregiver(s), which may include the parent(s) or other family member(s) of the veteran, to live with the veteran, if the veteran’s disability prevents the veteran from living independently; (iii) rehabilitating the residence that is in a state of interior or exterior disrepair, including remedying identified safety hazards or ensuring adequate safety features (such as fire prevention); (iv) installing energy efficient features or equipment (i.e., features or equipment that help reduce the amount of electricity used to heat, cool, or ventilate the residence, including insulation, weather-stripping, air sealing, heating system repairs, duct sealing, Energy Star appliances, or other measures) if a) an eligible veteran's monthly utility costs for the residence is more than five percent of such veteran's monthly income; and b) an energy audit of the residence indicates that the installation of energy efficient features or equipment will reduce the costs by 10 percent or more; and (v) carrying out other modification and rehabilitation activities to address the adaptive housing needs of the eligible veteran, if adequately justified and approved by HUD. (B) Provision of technical, administrative, and training support to an affiliate of a recipient in connection with modification and rehabilitation services provided under VHRM. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

Sylvia Purvis Sylvia.Y.Purvis@hud.gov