[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 121 (Friday, June 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37927-37932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13505]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Funding Opportunity Under Supportive Services for Veteran 
Families Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the 
availability of funds for supportive services grants under the 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This Notice of 
Funding Availability (NOFA) contains information concerning the SSVF 
Program, the grant application processes and the amount of funding 
available. Awards made for supportive services grants will fund 
operations beginning August 19, 2022, for a non-renewable period ending 
September 30, 2026.

DATES: Applications for supportive services grants under the SSVF 
Program must be received by the SSVF Program Office by 4:00 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time (EST), July 22, 2022. In the interest of fairness 
to all eligible applicants, as described in this NOFA, this deadline is 
firm as to date and hour, and VA will treat as ineligible for 
consideration any application that is received after the deadline. 
Applicants should take this practice into account and make early 
submission of their materials to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility 
brought about by unanticipated delays, computer service outages or 
other submission-related problems.

ADDRESSES: For a Copy of the Application Package: Copies of the 
application can be downloaded from the SSVF website at: www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf. Questions should be referred to the SSVF Program Office 
via email at: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6b5b5b0a0a69087c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f7a4a4a1b1b78196d9909881">[email protected]</span></a>. For detailed SSVF

[[Page 37928]]

Program information and requirements, see 38 CFR part 62.
    Submission of Application Package: Applicants must submit 
applications electronically following instructions found at: 
www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf. Applications may not be mailed, hand carried 
or sent by facsimile. Applications must be received in the SSVF Program 
Office by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the application deadline date. 
Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials arriving 
separately will not be included in the application package for 
consideration and may result in the application being rejected. See 
II.D. of this NOFA for maximum allowable grant amounts.
    Technical Assistance: Information regarding how to obtain technical 
assistance with the preparing a renewal supportive services grant 
application is available on the SSVF Program website at: www.va.gov/
HOMELESS/SSVF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Kuhn, National Director, 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#60333336262016014e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="beedede8f8fec8df90d9d1c8">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Funding Opportunity Title: Supportive Services for Veteran Families 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: VA-SSVF-071022.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 64.033, VA 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose: SSVF Program's purpose is to provide supportive 
services grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer 
cooperatives who will coordinate or provide supportive services to very 
low-income veteran families who (i) are residing in permanent housing 
and at risk of becoming homeless; (ii) are homeless and scheduled to 
become residents of permanent housing within a specified time period; 
or (iii) after exiting permanent housing within a specified time 
period, are seeking other housing that is responsive to such very low-
income veteran family's needs and preferences.
    SSVF prioritizes the delivery of rapid re-housing services to 
homeless veteran households. Rapid re-housing is an intervention 
designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness, 
return to housing in the community and avoid homelessness again in the 
near term. The core components of a rapid re-housing program are 
housing identification, move-in and rent financial assistance and rapid 
re-housing case management and services. These core components 
represent the minimum that a program must be providing to households to 
be considered a rapid re-housing program, but do not provide guidance 
for what constitutes an effective rapid re-housing program. Applicants 
should familiarize themselves with the Homelessness Prevention and 
Rapid Re-housing Best Practice Standards found at: https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/ssvf-education/.
    B. Funding Priorities: This NOFA will provide non-recurring 4-year 
awards designed to supplement existing services and financial 
assistance for existing rapid re-housing programs. This will support 
SSVF's principal goal to provide support to those applicants who 
demonstrate the greatest capacity to end homelessness among veterans or 
sustain the gains made in ending homelessness among veterans, in 
communities that have already met U.S. Interagency Council on 
Homelessness (USICH) Federal Criteria and Benchmarks.
    C. Definitions: 38 CFR part 62 contains definitions of terms used 
in the SSVF Program. In addition to the definitions and requirements 
described in 38 CFR part 62, this NOFA provides further clarification 
in this paragraph on the use of Fees and Move-In Costs. Fees and Move-
In Costs may be provided by the SSVF grantee under 38 CFR 62.34(g) to 
assist veterans in remaining in or obtaining permanent housing. 
Grantees will be allowed to provide up to the equivalent of 2 months' 
rent to landlords under 38 CFR 62.34(g) as a fee for any lease of not 
less than 1 year when necessary to assist a veteran in remaining in or 
obtaining permanent housing. An example of such a fee could include a 
landlord incentive to facilitate leasing of rental units to high-risk 
tenants. Landlords are less likely to lease to certain groups due to 
the risk of non-payment of rent or concerns about damage or disruption 
to their buildings. High-risk tenants might include veterans with poor 
credit histories and background checks that might otherwise disqualify 
them from obtaining a lease. Veterans with histories of sex offenses 
are also generally considered a high-risk tenant by landlords.
    Veterans are sometimes reluctant to move into apartments that do 
not offer any of the comforts typically associated with living 
independently. The General Housing Stability Assistance, provided under 
38 CFR 62.34(e), while offering some funds for bedding and basic 
kitchen supplies, leaves significant needs unaddressed. Therefore, 
grantees will also be allowed to provide up to $1,000 for miscellaneous 
move-in expenses under 38 CFR 62.34(g) for the veteran's family to help 
obtain permanent housing with a lease of not less than 1 year. These 
funds are to be provided to assist veterans through accounts 
established at local merchants, such as grocery stores and retailers, 
in the enrolled veteran's name. These items could include food, 
furniture, household items, electronics (including televisions) or 
other items typically associated with independent living in permanent 
housing.
    D. Approach: This application opportunity is open only to existing 
SSVF grantees. Communities included in Table 1 have been identified as 
facing significant challenges in placing veterans in permanent housing 
and as a result these communities have high numbers of unused U.S. 
Department of Housing and Urban Development VA Supportive Housing (HUD-
VASH) vouchers. This NOFA is designed to help increase utilization of 
those vouchers. Greater efforts are needed to recruit landlords and 
expand the pool of affordable housing if VA is to advance towards the 
goal of ending homelessness among veterans. Through this NOFA, grantees 
can pay fees related to securing a lease of at least 1 year. In 
addition, as noted above, veterans are sometimes reluctant to move into 
apartments that do not offer any of the comforts typically associated 
with living independently. Pursuant to this NOFA, grantees would be 
able to use funds for miscellaneous expenses associated with moving 
into a new home. Moreover, SSVF grantees have proven to be effective 
housing navigators. VA believes that making these services available to 
more HUD-VASH eligible participants will enhance the use of existing 
HUD-VASH vouchers. As a result, VA is invoking the provision in 38 
U.S.C. 2044(f)(6)(C) and 38 CFR 62.2, allowing VA to establish an 
income ceiling higher or lower than 50% of the median income for an 
area if VA determines that such variations are necessary because the 
area has unusually high or low construction costs, fair market rents 
(as determined under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f)) or family incomes. The communities in Table 1 have 
been identified as having unusually high fair market rents or low 
family incomes. For purposes of this NOFA, grantees will be able to 
serve veterans in the communities included in Table 1 who have up to 
80% of the area median income. As HUD-VASH eligibility has an income 
limit of 80% of medium income, aligning SSVF and

[[Page 37929]]

HUD-VASH eligibility will allow SSVF grantees' housing navigators to 
assist all Veterans eligible for HUD-VASH in these target communities 
identify and obtain permanent housing.
    E. Authority: Funding available under this NOFA is authorized by 38 
U.S.C. 2044. VA implements the SSVF Program through regulations in 38 
CFR part 62. Funds made available under this NOFA are subject to the 
requirements of these regulations.
    F. Requirements for the Use of Supportive Services Grant Funds: The 
applicant's request for funding must be consistent with the limitations 
and uses of supportive services grant funds set forth in 38 CFR part 62 
and this NOFA. In accordance with the regulations and this NOFA, the 
following requirements apply to supportive services grants awarded 
under this NOFA:
    1. Grantees may use a maximum of 10% of supportive services grant 
funds for administrative costs identified in 38 CFR 62.70(e).
    2. Grantees must use a minimum of 80% of the temporary financial 
assistance portion of their supportive services grant funds to serve 
very low-income veteran families who qualify under 38 CFR 62.11(b).
    G. Guidance for the Use of Supportive Services Grant Funds: 
Grantees are expected to demonstrate adoption of evidence-based 
practices most likely to lead to reductions in homelessness or maintain 
gains that have been made in ending homelessness among veterans in 
communities that have successfully ended homelessness among veterans as 
defined by the USICH's Federal Criteria and Benchmarks.
    SSVF follows the principles of Housing First and grantees are to 
prioritize the placement of veterans into permanent housing without 
pre-condition. However, Housing First does not mean housing only. 
Grantees must develop plans that will ensure that veteran participants 
have the level of income and economic stability needed to remain in 
permanent housing after the conclusion of SSVF intervention. Both 
employment and benefits assistance from VA and non-VA sources represent 
a significant underutilized source of income stability for homeless 
veterans. Case management should include income maximization strategies 
to ensure households have access to benefits, employment and financial 
counseling. The complexity of program rules and the stigma some 
associate with entitlement programs contribute to their lack of use. 
For this reason, grantees are encouraged to consider strategies that 
can lead to prompt and successful access to employment and benefits 
that are essential to retaining housing. Consistent with 38 CFR 62.30-
62.34, grantees are expected to offer the following supportive 
services: counseling participants about housing; assisting participants 
in understanding leases; securing utilities; making moving 
arrangements; providing representative payee services concerning rent 
and utilities when needed; using health care navigation services to 
help participants access health and mental health care; providing legal 
services; and providing mediation and outreach to property owners 
related to locating or retaining housing. Grantees may also assist 
participants by providing rental assistance, security or utility 
deposits, moving costs, emergency housing or general housing stability 
assistance; or using other Federal resources, such as the HUD Emergency 
Solutions Grants Program, or supportive services grant funds subject to 
the limitations described in 38 CFR 62.34. The focus of this non-
recurring grant is:
    1. The augmentation of housing navigation services to veterans with 
HUD-VASH vouchers;
    2. To provide up to $1,000 supplemental assistance to every veteran 
household who obtains a lease of not less than 1-year to cover 
miscellaneous move-in expenses; and
    3. To pay landlords up to an amount equal to 2 months' rent for 
fees related to securing a lease of at least 1 year.

II. Award Information

    A. Overview: This NOFA announces the availability of funds for 
supportive services grants under the SSVF Program and is open only to 
existing grantees. This NOFA's awards will extend through September 30, 
2026. Existing grantees are SSVF grantees that have a Memorandum of 
Agreement (MOA) for operations through September 30, 2023. If this 
existing grant is not renewed, awards made under this NOFA will be 
discontinued.
    B. Funding: Only existing SSVF grantees are eligible to apply.
    C. Areas of Consideration: Applicants can apply for funding only in 
the areas they currently serve with existing rapid re-housing services. 
The eligible communities for this NOFA are limited to communities 
served by VA medical centers (VAMC) listed in Table 1 below.

                   Table 1--Areas Eligible for Funding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veterans integrated service
       network (VISN)          Parent facility VAMC name (formal name)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..........................  (V01) (689) Connecticut Health Care System
                              (HCS).
1..........................  (V01) (523) Boston, MA HCS.
1..........................  (V01) (631) Central Western Massachusetts
                              HCS.
1..........................  (V01) (650) Providence, RI HCS.
1..........................  (V01) (518) Bedford, MA HCS.
2..........................  (V02) (630) New York Harbor HCS.
2..........................  (V02) (561) New Jersey HCS.
2..........................  (V02) (526) Bronx, NY HCS.
4..........................  (V04) (642) Philadelphia, PA HCS.
4..........................  (V04) (542) Coatesville, PA HCS.
5..........................  (V05) (688) Washington, DC HCS.
5..........................  (V05) (512) Baltimore, MD HCS.
6..........................  (V06) (659) Salisbury, NC HCS.
6..........................  (V06) (590) Hampton, VA HCS.
6..........................  (V06) (558) Durham, NC HCS.
7..........................  (V07) (508) Atlanta, GA HCS.
7..........................  (V07) (534) Charleston, SC HCS.
7..........................  (V07) (544) Columbia, SC HCS.

[[Page 37930]]

 
8..........................  (V08) (573) Gainesville, FL HCS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             VISN--Parent Facility VAMC Name (Formal Name).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8..........................  (V08) (546) Miami, FL HCS.
8..........................  (V08) (516) Bay Pines, FL HCS.
8..........................  (V08) (675) Orlando, FL HCS.
8..........................  (V08) (673) Tampa, FL HCS.
8..........................  (V08) (548) West Palm Beach, FL HCS.
9..........................  (V09) (626) Middle Tennessee HCS.
9..........................  (V09) (621) Mountain Home, TN HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (541) Cleveland, OH HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (553) Detroit, MI HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (515) Battle Creek, MI HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (539) Cincinnati, OH HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (583) Indianapolis, IN HCS.
10.........................  (V10) (506) Ann Arbor, MI HCS.
12.........................  (V12) (537) Chicago, IL HCS.
12.........................  (V12) (695) Milwaukee, WI HCS.
12.........................  (V12) (578) Hines, IL HCS.
16.........................  (V16) (580) Houston, TX HCS.
16.........................  (V16) (629) New Orleans, LA HCS.
16.........................  (V16) (520) Gulf Coast, MS HCS.
16.........................  (V16) (586) Jackson, MS HCS.
16.........................  (V16) (667) Shreveport, LA HCS.
17.........................  (V17) (674) Temple, TX HCS.
17.........................  (V17) (549) Dallas, TX HCS.
17.........................  (V17) (671) San Antonio, TX HCS.
19.........................  (V19) (554) Aurora, CO HCS.
19.........................  (V19) (623) Muskogee, OK HCS.
19.........................  (V19) (660) Salt Lake City, UT HCS.
19.........................  (V19) (635) Oklahoma City, OK HCS.
19.........................  (V19) (436) Montana HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (663) Puget Sound, WA HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (648) Portland, OR HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (668) Spokane, WA HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (687) Walla Walla, WA HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (692) White City, OR HCS.
20.........................  (V20) (463) Anchorage, AK HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (640) Palo Alto, CA HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (612A4) N. California HCS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             VAMC--Parent Facility VAMC Name (Formal Name).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.........................  (V21) (662) San Francisco, CA HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (570) Fresno, CA HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (593) Las Vegas, NV HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (459) Honolulu, HI HCS.
21.........................  (V21) (654) Reno, NV HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (691) Greater Los Angeles, CA HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (664) San Diego, CA HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (605) Loma Linda, CA HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (600) Long Beach, CA HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (644) Phoenix, AZ HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (678) Southern Arizona HCS.
22.........................  (V22) (501) New Mexico HCS.
23.........................  (V23) (618) Minneapolis, MN HCS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    D. Allocation of Funds: Funding will be awarded under this NOFA to 
existing grantees for a 4-year non-recurring period beginning August 19 
2022. The following requirements apply to supportive services grants 
awarded under this NOFA:
    1. In response to this NOFA, only existing SSVF grantees may apply.
    2. The applicant's funding request for fiscal years (FY) 2023-2026 
operations cannot exceed the amount indicated in their current MOA. The 
requested funds are expected to support 4 years of operations, so 25% 
of the award funds will be expected to be available in each year of 
operations.
    3. If, during the course of the grant year, VA determines that 
grantee spending is not meeting the minimum percentage milestones 
below, VA may

[[Page 37931]]

elect to recoup projected unused funds and reprogram such funds to 
provide supportive services in areas with higher need. Should VA elect 
to recoup unspent funds, reductions in available grant funds would take 
place the first business day following the end of the quarter. VA may 
elect to recoup funds under the following circumstances:
    (a) By the end of FY 2023 (September 30, 2023) of the grantee's 
supportive services annualized grant award period, the grantee's 
cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds are less than 
an amount equal to 15% of total supportive services grant award. 
(During this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for 
supportive services grant funds may not exceed 35% of the total 
supportive services grant award.).
    (b) By the end of FY 2024 (September 30, 2024) of the grantee's 
supportive services annualized grant award period, the grantee's 
cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds are less than 
an amount equal to 40% of total supportive services grant award. 
(During this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for 
supportive services grant funds may not exceed 60% of the total 
supportive services grant award.)
    (c) By the end of FY 2025 (September 30, 2025) of the grantee's 
supportive services annualized grant award period, the grantee's 
cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds are less than 
an amount equal to 65% of total supportive services grant award. 
(During this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for 
supportive services grant funds may not exceed 80% of the total 
supportive services grant award.).
    4. Should additional funding become available over the course of 
the grant term from funds recouped under the Award Information section 
of this Notice, funds that are voluntarily returned by grantees, funds 
that become available due to a grant termination, or other funds still 
available for grant awards, VA may elect to offer these funds to 
grantees in areas where demand has exceeded available SSVF resources. 
Additional funds will be provided first to the highest scoring grantee 
in the selected area who is in compliance with their grant agreement 
and has the capacity to utilize the additional funds.
    E. Supportive Services Grant Award Period: Grants are made for a 
non-recurring 4-year period.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible Applicants: Only existing SSVF grantees may apply. 
Eligible locations are restricted to those listed in Table 1. Grantees 
can only apply for funds in areas they currently serve.
    B. Cost Sharing or Matching: None.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Obtaining an Application Package: Only existing SSVF grantees 
currently serving an area designated in Table 1 are eligible to apply. 
Applications only require a letter of intent and a budget. These 
letters of intent and budget forms are located at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf. Any questions regarding this process should be referred to the 
SSVF Program Office at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3f0f0f5e5e3d5c28dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99cacacfdfd9eff8b7fef6ef">[email protected]</span></a>. For detailed SSVF Program 
information and requirements, see 38 CFR part 62.
    B. Content and Form of Application: Applicants must submit 
applications electronically following instructions found at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.
    C. Submission Dates and Times: Applications for supportive services 
grants under the SSVF Program must be received by the SSVF Program 
Office by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on July 22 2022. Awards made for supportive 
services grants will fund operations beginning August 19, 2022. 
Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials arriving 
separately will not be included in the application package for 
consideration and may result in the application being rejected. 
Additionally, in the interest of fairness to all competing applicants, 
this deadline is firm as to date and hour, and VA will treat as 
ineligible for consideration any application that is received after the 
deadline. Applicants should take this practice into account and make 
early submission of their materials to avoid any risk of loss of 
eligibility brought about by unanticipated delays, computer service 
outages, or other delivery-related problems.
    D. Funding Restrictions: Funding will be awarded for supportive 
services grants under this NOFA depending on funding availability. 
Applicants should submit separate applications for each supportive 
services funding request.
    1. Funding used for staff education and training cannot exceed 1% 
of the overall program grant award. This limitation does not include 
the cost to attend VA mandated training. All training costs must be 
directly related to the provision of services to homeless veterans and 
their families.

V. Application Review Information

    A. Criteria: Only existing SSVF grantees serving the areas (as 
identified in their MOA for SSVF services through September 30, 2023) 
listed in Table 1 are eligible to apply. VA will select eligible 
applicants that meet the threshold requirements described in 38 CFR 
62.21.
    B. Review and Selection Process: VA will review all supportive 
services grant applications in response to this NOFA according to the 
following steps:
    1. Should available funding not be sufficient to fully fund all 
requests, VA may either fund only selected awards based on its 
determination of highest need (based on latest HUD point-in-time data 
and lowest HUD-VASH voucher utilization) or grant awards will be made 
proportionally, with each grantee receiving the same percentage of 
their award request up to the amount of available funding.
    2. Conversely, should additional funds become available, grant 
awards will be increased proportionally with each grantee receiving the 
same percentage increase to their award funding.
    3. VA will also utilize the following considerations in 38 CFR 
62.23(d) to select applicants for funding:
    (a) VA will give preference to applicants that provide, or 
coordinate the provision of, supportive services for very low-income 
veteran families transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing; 
and
    (b) To the extent practicable, VA will ensure that supportive 
services grants are equitably distributed across the areas identified 
in Table 1.

VI. Award Administration Information

    A. Award Notices: Although subject to change, the SSVF Program 
Office expects to announce grant recipients for all applicants in the 
fourth quarter of FY 2022 with grants beginning August 19, 2022. Prior 
to executing a funding agreement, VA will contact the applicants, make 
known the finalized amount of proposed funding and verify that the 
applicant would still like the funding. Once VA verifies that the 
applicant is still seeking funding, VA will execute an agreement and 
make payments to the grant recipient in accordance with 38 CFR part 62 
and this NOFA.
    B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: As SSVF grants 
cannot be used to fund treatment for mental health or substance use 
disorders, applicants must provide evidence that they can provide 
access to such services to all program participants through formal and 
informal agreements with community providers.
    C. Reporting: VA places great emphasis on the responsibility and 
accountability of grantees. As described in 38 CFR 62.63 and 62.71, VA 
has procedures in place to monitor

[[Page 37932]]

supportive services provided to participants and outcomes associated 
with the supportive services provided under the SSVF Program. 
Applicants should be aware of the following:
    1. Upon execution of a supportive services grant agreement with VA, 
grantees will have a VA regional coordinator assigned by the SSVF 
Program Office who will provide oversight and monitor supportive 
services provided to participants. The regional coordinator assigned 
will be the same regional coordinator currently assigned to the 
applicant's FY 2023 MOA associated with this application.
    2. Grantees will be required to enter data into a Homeless 
Management Information System (HMIS) web-based software application. 
This data will consist of information on the participants served and 
types of supportive services provided by grantees. Grantees must treat 
the data for activities funded by the SSVF Program separate from that 
of activities funded by other programs. Grantees will be required to 
work with their HMIS Administrators to export client-level data for 
activities funded by the SSVF Program to VA on at least a monthly 
basis. The completeness and quality of grantee uploads into HMIS will 
be factored into the evaluation of their grant performance.
    3. VA will complete annual monitoring evaluations of each grantee. 
Monitoring will also include the submittal of quarterly and annual 
financial and performance reports by the grantee. The grantee will be 
expected to demonstrate adherence to the grantee's proposed program, as 
described in the grantee's application. All grantees are subject to 
audits conducted by VA or its representative.
    4. Grantees will be assessed based on their ability to meet 
critical performance measures. In addition to meeting program 
requirements defined by the regulations and applicable NOFA(s), 
grantees will be assessed on their ability to place participants into 
housing and the housing retention rates of participants served. Higher 
placement for homeless participants and higher housing retention rates 
for at-risk participants are expected for very low-income veteran 
families when compared to extremely low-income veteran families with 
incomes below 30% of the area median income.
    5. Grantees' performance will be assessed based on their consumer 
satisfaction scores. These scores include the participation rates and 
results of both the standardized survey offered to all participant 
households and unannounced visits to assess screening and intake 
procedures (commonly known as a mystery shopper program).
    VA Goals and Objectives for Funds Awarded Under this NOFA: VA seeks 
to accelerate the pace of permanent housing placements in high-need 
areas through this NOFA in pursuit of the Secretary's goal of placing 
38,000 homeless veterans in permanent housing by the end of 2022. This 
NOFA provides new tools to support permanent housing placements by 
expanding the stock of available housing in communities that have 
currently have severely constrained affordable housing options.

VII. Other Information

    A. Payments of Supportive Services Grant Funds: Grantees will 
receive payments electronically through the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services' Payment Management System. Grantees will have the 
ability to request payments as frequently as they choose subject to the 
following limitations:
    1. During the first year of the grantee's supportive services 
annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative requests for 
supportive services grant funds may not exceed 35% of the total 
supportive services grant award without written approval by VA.
    2. By the end of the second year of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative 
requests for supportive services grant funds may not exceed 60% of the 
total supportive services grant award without written approval by VA.
    3. By the end of the third year of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative 
requests for supportive services grant funds may not exceed 80% of the 
total supportive services grant award without written approval by VA.
    4. By the end of the fourth year of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative 
requests for supportive services grant funds may not exceed 100% of the 
total supportive services grant award.
Signing Authority
    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this 
document on June 17, 2022, and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulation Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2022-13505 Filed 6-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P


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