[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5824-5826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2593]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Notice of Timeframe for Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants 
for Fiscal Year 2004

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces that it is 
soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation 
Grant (HPG) program. RHS is publishing this Notice prior to passage of 
a final appropriations act to give applicants the maximum amount of 
time possible to complete their applications, and to provide the Agency 
sufficient time to select and process the selected applications within 
the current fiscal year. Although a Notice of Funding Availability 
(NOFA) outlining the level of funding for the program will be published 
after enactment of a final appropriation act, no additional time for 
submitting applications will be included in the NOFA. Applications must 
be submitted within the timeframe set forth in this Notice. Because the 
Agency's appropriations act has not been passed, applicants are 
cautioned that the Agency cannot make commitments based on the 
anticipated funding. Expenses incurred in developing applications will 
be at the applicant's risk.
    The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public 
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and other eligible entities 
grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners to repair and 
rehabilitate their homes in rural areas, and to assist rental property 
owners and cooperative housing complexes to repair and rehabilitate 
their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very 
low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with Agency 
regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require the 
Agency to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of 
preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended 
effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of 
these dates.

Discussion of Anticipated Funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

    The FY 2003 funding level for the section 533 program was 
$9,935,000. To the extent an appropriation act provides funding for HPG 
grants in FY 2004, the actual funds available for FY 2004 will be 
published at a later date in a subsequent Notice.

DATES: The closing deadline for receipt of all applications in response 
to this Notice is 5 p.m., local time for each Rural Development State 
Office on May 6, 2004. The application closing deadline is firm as to 
date and hour. RHS will not consider any application that is received 
after the closing deadline. Applicants intending to mail applications 
must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the 
closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by the United States Postal 
Service or private mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX) 
and postage due applications will not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Applicants wishing to apply for assistance must contact the 
Rural Development State Office serving the place in which they desire 
to submit an application to receive further information and copies of 
the application package. Rural Development will date and time stamp 
incoming applications to evidence timely receipt, and, upon request, 
will provide the applicant with a written acknowledgment of receipt. A 
listing of Rural Development State Offices, their addresses, telephone 
numbers, and person to contact follows:

    Note: Telephone numbers listed are not toll-free.


Alabama State Office
    Suite 601, Sterling Centre, 4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 
36106-3683, (334) 279-3400, TDD (334) 279-3495, James B. Harris.
Alaska State Office
    800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK 99645, (907) 761-7740, 
TDD (907) 761-8905, Deborah Davis.
Arizona State Office
    Phoenix Corporate Center, 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 900, 
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2906, (602) 280-8765, TDD (602) 280-8706, Johnna 
Vargas.
Arkansas State Office
    700 W. Capitol Ave., Rm. 3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 
301-3258, TDD (501) 301-3063, Clinton King.
California State Office
    430 G Street, <greek-i>4169, Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-
5830, TDD (530) 792-5848, Jeff Deiss.
Colorado State Office
    655 Parfet Street, Room E100, Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-
2923, TDD (800) 659-2656, Mary Summerfield.
Connecticut
    Served by Massachusetts State Office.
Delaware and Maryland State Office
    4607 South Dupont Highway, PO Box 400, Camden, DE 19934-9998, 
(302) 697-4353, TDD (302) 697-4303, Pat Baker.
Florida & Virgin Islands State Office
    4440 NW. 25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32606-6563 (352) 338-3465, 
TDD (352) 338-3499, Joseph P. Fritz.
Georgia State Office
    Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 
30601-2768, (706) 546-2164, TDD (706) 546-2034, Wayne Rogers.
Guam
    Served by Hawaii State Office.
Hawaii State Office
    (Services all Hawaii, American Samoa and Western Pacific), Room 
311, Federal Building, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 
933-8309, TDD (808) 933-8321, Thao Khamoui.
Idaho State Office
    Suite A1, 9173 West Barnes Dr., Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5628, 
TDD (208) 378-5644, LaDonn McElligott.
Illinois State Office
    2118 West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL 61821-2986, (217) 
403-6222, TDD (217) 403-6240, Barry L. Ramsey.

[[Page 5825]]

Indiana State Office
    5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100 
(ext. 423), TDD (317) 290-3343, John Young.
Iowa State Office
    210 Walnut Street Room 873, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-
4493, TDD (515) 284-4858, Julie Sleeper.
Kansas State Office
    1303 SW First American Place, Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, 
(785) 271-2721, TDD (785) 271-2767, Virginia M. Hammersmith.
Kentucky State Office
    771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-
7325, TDD (859) 224-7422, Beth Moore.
Louisiana State Office
    3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7962, 
TDD (318) 473-7655, Yvonne R. Emerson.
Maine State Office
    967 Illinois Ave., Suite 4, PO Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, 
(207) 990-9110, TDD (207) 942-7331, Dale Holmes.
Maryland
    Served by Delaware State Office.
Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Rhode Island State Office
    451 West Street Suite 2, Amherst, MA 01002, (413) 253-4315, TDD 
(413) 253-4590, Paul Geoffroy.
Michigan State Office
    3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 
324-5192, TDD (517) 337-6795, Philip Wolak.
Minnesota State Office
    375 Jackson Street Building, Suite 410, St. Paul, MN 55101, 
(651) 602-7804, TDD (651) 602-7830, Joyce Vondal.
Mississippi State Office
    Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W. Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 
39269, (601) 965-4325, TDD (601) 965-5850, Darnella Smith-Murray.
Missouri State Office
    601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, 
MO 65203, (573) 876-9303, TDD (573) 876-9480, Betty Eftink.
Montana State Office
    Unit 1, Suite B, 900 Technology Blvd., Bozeman, MT 59715, (406) 
585-2551, TDD (406) 585-2562, Deborah Chorlton.
Nebraska State Office
    Federal Building, room 152, 100 Centennial Mall N., Lincoln, NE 
68508, (402) 437-5035, TDD (402) 437-5093, Sharon Kluck.
Nevada State Office
    1390 South Curry Street, Carson City, NV 89703-9910, (775) 887-
1222 (ext. 25), TDD (775) 885-0633, Angilla Denton.
New Hampshire State Office
    Concord Center, Suite 218, Box 317, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH 
03301-5004, (603) 223-6046, TDD (603) 229-0536, Jim Fowler.
New Jersey State Office
    5th Floor North, Suite 500, 8000 Midlantic Drive, Mt. Laurel, NJ 
08054, (856) 787-7740, TDD (856) 787-7784, George Hyatt, Jr..
New Mexico State Office
    6200 Jefferson St., NE., Room 255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 
761-4944, TDD (505) 761-4938, Carmen N. Lopez.
New York State Office
    The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S. Salina Street, Suite 357 5th 
Floor, Syracuse, NY 13202, (315) 477-6404, TDD (315) 477-6447, Tia 
Baker.
North Carolina State Office
    4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2066, 
TDD (919) 873-2003, William A. Hobbs.
North Dakota State Office
    Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East Rosser, PO Box 1737, 
Bismarck, ND 58502, (701) 530-2046, TDD (701) 530-2113, Barry 
Borstad.
Ohio State Office
    Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High Street, Columbus, OH 
43215-2477, (614) 255-2418, TDD (614) 255-2554, Melodie Taylor-Ward.
Oklahoma State Office
    100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1070, 
TDD (405) 742-1007, Ivan Graves.
Oregon State Office
    101 SW Main, Suite 1410, Portland, OR 97204-3222, (503) 414-
3325, TDD (503)414-3387, Bill Daniel.
Pennsylvania State Office
    One Credit Union Place, Suite 330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, 
(717) 237-2282, TDD (717) 237-2261, Marth E. Hanson.
Puerto Rico State Office
    IBM Building, Suite 601, Munoz Rivera Ave. <greek-i>654, San 
Juan, PR 00918, (787) 766-5095 (ext. 249), TDD (787) 766-5332, 
Lourdes Colon.
Rhode Island
    Served by Massachusetts State Office.
South Carolina State Office
    Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 
1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 253-3432, TDD (803) 765-5697, Larry 
D. Floyd.
South Dakota State Office
    Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth Street, SW., Huron, SD 
57350, (605) 352-1135, TDD (605) 352-1147, Roger Hazuka.
Tennessee State Office
    Suite 300, 3322 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 
783-1375, TDD (615) 783-1397, Larry Kennedy.
Texas State Office
    Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South Main, Temple, TX 76501, 
(254) 742-9758, TDD (254) 742-9712, Julie Hayes.
Utah State Office
    Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 S. State Street, Room 
4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84138, (801) 524-4323, TDD (801) 524-3309, 
Dave Brown.
Vermont State Office
    City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, 
(802) 828-6028, TDD (802) 223-6365, Sandra Mercier.
Virgin Islands
    Served by Florida State Office.
Virginia State Office
    Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 
23229, (804) 287-1596, TDD (804) 287-1753, CJ Michels.
Washington State Office
    1835 Black Lake Blvd., Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512, (360) 704-
7731, TDD (360) 704-7742, Robert L. Lund.
Western Pacific Territories
    Served by Hawaii State Office.
West Virginia State Office
    Federal Building, 75 High Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV 
26505-7500, (304) 284-4889, TDD (304) 284-4836, Craig St. Clair.
Wisconsin State Office
    4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7608 
(ext.151), TDD (715) 345-7614, Sherry Engel.
Wyoming State Office
    100 East B, Federal Building, Room 1005, PO Box 820, Casper, WY 
82602, (307) 261-6315, TDD (307) 261-6333, Jack Hyde.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, applicants 
may contact Tammy S. Daniels, Loan Specialist, Multi-Family Housing 
Processing Division, Rural Housing Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture, Stop 0781, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 
20250-0781, telephone (202) 720-0021 (voice) (this is not a toll free 
number) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD-Federal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Programs Affected

    This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under Number 10.433, Rural Housing Preservation Grants. This 
program is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 which 
requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials 
(7 CFR part 3015, subpart V). Applicants are referred to 7 CFR 1944.674 
and 1944.676(f) and (g) for specific guidance on these requirements 
relative to the HPG program.

Application Requirements

    7 CFR part 1944, subpart N provides details on what information 
must be contained in the preapplication package. Entities wishing to 
apply for assistance should contact the Rural Development State Office 
to receive further information, the State allocation of funds if and 
when a final appropriation act is enacted providing funding for the HPG 
Program, and copies of the preapplication package. Eligible entities 
for these competitively awarded grants include state and local 
governments, nonprofit corporations, Federally recognized Indian 
Tribes, and consortia of eligible entities.
    Federally recognized Indian Tribes are exempt from the requirement 
found in 7 CFR 1944.674 that the applicant announce the availability of 
its

[[Page 5826]]

statement of activities for review in a newspaper, provided a notice is 
sent to all tribal members in the area or some other acceptable manner 
of notification is used, and provided that this is accomplished within 
the timeframes that are specified in 7 CFR 1944.674.
    As part of the application, all applicants must also provide a Dun 
and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. As 
required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all grant 
applicants must provide a DUNS number when applying for Federal grants, 
on or after October 1, 2003. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at 
no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 
1-866-705-5711. Additional information concerning this requirement is 
provided in a policy directive issued by OMB and published in the 
Federal Register on June 27, 2003 (Vol. 68, No. 124, pages 38402-
38405).
    To comply with the President's Management Agenda, the Department of 
Agriculture is participating as a partner in the new government-wide 
Grants.gov site in FY 2004. Housing Preservation Grants (Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance <greek-i> 10.433) is one of the programs 
included at this website. If you are an applicant under the Housing 
Preservation Grant Program, you may submit your application to the 
Agency in either electronic or paper format. Please be mindful that the 
application deadline for electronic format differs from the deadline 
for paper format. The electronic format deadline will be based on 
Washington DC time. The paper format deadline is local time for each 
Rural Development State Office.
    Users of Grants.gov will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it off line, and then upload and submit 
the application via the Grants.gov site. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to RHS; however, the Agency 
encourages your participation in Grants.gov.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will 
find information about submitting an application electronically through 
the site as well as the hours of operation. RHS strongly recommends 
that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process through Grants.gov. To use Grants.gov, applicants 
must have a DUNS number.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> You may submit all documents electronically 
through the website, including all information typically included on 
the application for Rural Housing Preservation Grants, and all 
necessary assurances and certifications.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> Your application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this Notice.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> After you electronically submit your application 
through the website, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from 
Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> RHS may request that you provide original 
signatures on forms at a later date.
    <bullet<ls-thn-eq> If you experience technical difficulties on the 
closing date and are unable to meet the 5 p.m. (Washington, DC time) 
deadline, print out your application and submit it to your State 
Office. If you must submit the application to your State Office, you 
must meet the closing date and local time deadline.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Housing 
Preservation Grants at: http://www.grants.gov.
    Please note that you must locate the downloadable application 
package for this program by the CFDA Number or FedGrants Funding 
Opportunity Number, which can be found at http://www.fedgrants.gov.

Funding Information

    The funding instrument for the HPG Program will be a grant 
agreement. The term of the grant can vary from 1 to 2 years, depending 
on available funds and demand. No maximum or minimum grant levels have 
been established at the National level. If and when a final 
appropriation act is enacted providing funding for the HPG Program, you 
should contact the Rural Development State Office to determine the 
allocation and the State maximum grant level, if any. From funds 
available for the HPG Program, there will be monies set aside for 
grants located in Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Rural 
Economic Area Partnership Zones and other funds will be distributed 
under a formula allocation to States pursuant to 7 CFR part 1940, 
subpart L.

    Dated: February 2, 2004.
Arthur A. Garcia,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-2593 Filed 2-5-04; 8:45 am]
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