61376 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 

DATES: Written comments and 

recommendations on the proposed 

collection of information should be 

received on or before December 9, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information through 

Federal Docket Management System 

(FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov; or 

Audrey Revere, Office of Regulatory and 

Administrative Affairs, Veterans Health 

Administration (10B4), Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20420 or email: 

Audrey.revere@va.gov. Please refer to 

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0777’’ in any 

correspondence. During the comment 

period, comments may be viewed online 

through the FDMS. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Audrey Revere at (202) 461–5694. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C. 

3501–3521), Federal agencies must 

obtain approval from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for each 

collection of information they conduct 

or sponsor. This request for comment is 

being made pursuant to Section 

3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA. 

With respect to the following 

collection of information, VHA invites 

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of VHA’s 

functions, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) the accuracy of VHA’s estimate of 

the burden of the proposed collection of 

information; (3) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

the use of other forms of information 

technology. 

Titles: Medical Foster Homes 

Recordkeeping Requirements. 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0777. 

Type of Review: Extension. 

Abstract: As proposed, § 17.74(q) 

contains a collection of information 

under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 

U.S.C. 3501–3521). Paragraph (q) of 

§ 17.74 requires medical foster homes to 

comply with the recordkeeping 

requirements of 38 CFR 17.63(i) 

regarding facility records, and must 

document all inspection, testing, drills 

and maintenance activities required by 

this section. Such documentation must 

be maintained for 3 years or for the 

period specified by the applicable NFPA 

standard, whichever is longer. 

Documentation of emergency egress and 

relocation drills must include the date, 

time of day, length of time to evacuate 

the home, the name of each medical 

foster home caregiver who participated, 

the name of each resident, whether the 

resident participated, and whether the 

resident required assistance. 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

Households. 

Estimated Annual Burden: 600 

burden hours. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Respondent: 3 minutes. 

Frequency of Response: Annually. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,800. 

Dated: October 7, 2014. 

By direction of the Secretary. 

Crystal Rennie, 

Department Clearance Officer, Department of 

Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24211 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Funding Availability Under Supportive 

Services for Veteran Families Program 

AGENCY: Veterans Health 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice of funding availability. 

SUMMARY: Funding Opportunity Title: 

Supportive Services for Veteran 

Families Program. 

Announcement Type: Initial. 

Funding Opportunity Number: VA– 

SSVF–101014. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 64.033, VA 

Supportive Services for Veteran 

Families Program. 

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, initial supportive 

services grant application processes, 

and the amount of funding available. 

Awards made for supportive services 

grants will fund operations beginning 

approximately March 1, 2015, through 

February 28, 2018. 

DATES: Applications for supportive 

services grants under the SSVF Program 

must be received by the SSVF Program 

Office by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 

December 5, 2014. 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. 

ADDRESSES: For a Copy of the 

Application Package: Copies of the 

application can be downloaded directly 

from the SSVF Program Web site at: 

www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp. 

Questions should be referred to the 

SSVF Program Office via phone at (877) 

767–0111 (toll-free number) or via email 

at SSVF@va.gov. For detailed SSVF 

Program information and requirements, 

see 38 CFR Part 62. 

Submission of Application Package: 

Two completed, collated, hard copies of 

the application and two compact discs 

(CD) containing electronic versions of 

the entire application are required. Each 

application copy must (i) be fastened 

with a binder clip, and (ii) contain tabs 

listing the major sections of and exhibits 

to the application. Each CD must be 

labeled with the applicant’s name and 

must contain an electronic copy of the 

entire application. A budget template 

must be attached in Excel format on the 

CD, but all other application materials 

may be attached in a PDF or other 

format. The application copies and CDs 

must be submitted to the following 

address: Supportive Services for Veteran 

Families Program Office National Center 

on Homelessness Among Veterans, 4100 

Chester Avenue, Suite 201, 

Philadelphia, PA 19104. Applicants 

must submit two hard copies and two 

CDs. Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). Applications must be 

received in the SSVF Program Office by 

4:00 p.m. Eastern Time 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 Section 

II.C. of this NOFA for maximum 

allowable grant amounts. 

Technical Assistance: Information 

regarding how to obtain technical 

assistance with the preparation of an 

initial supportive services grant 

application is available on the SSVF 

Program Web site at: http://www.va.gov/ 

HOMELESS/SSVF.asp. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

John Kuhn, Supportive Services for 

Veteran Families Program Office, 

National Center on Homelessness 

Among Veterans, 4100 Chester Avenue, 

Suite 201, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (877) 

767–0111 (this is a toll-free number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 61377 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

A. Purpose: The 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 lowincome Veteran families who: (i) Are 

residing in permanent housing; (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. 

B. Funding Priorities: The overriding 

goal for this NOFA is to ensure that 

appropriate levels of resources are 

provided to communities with the 

greatest need to end Veteran 

homelessness. VA will provide 

approximately $93 million over a 3-year 

period for non-renewable grants to 

eligible entities proposing services for 

one of the 28 priority Continuums of 

Care (CoC) listed in II.B. VA has 

designed this 3-year effort to provide a 

surge of resources in communities with 

the highest need. These 28 locations 

have been selected based on factors that 

include levels of Veteran homelessness 

and current unmet service needs. 

C. Definitions: Sections 62.2 and 

62.11(a) of title 38, Code of Federal 

Regulations, contain definitions of terms 

used in the SSVF Program. In addition 

to the definitions included in those 

sections, this NOFA includes two 

program areas: Emergency Housing 

Assistance and General Housing 

Stability Assistance. 

Emergency Housing Assistance means 

the provision of up to 30 days of 

temporary housing that does not require 

the participant to sign a lease or 

occupancy agreement. The cost cannot 

exceed the reasonable community 

standard for such housing. Emergency 

housing is limited to short-term 

commercial residences (private 

residences are not eligible for such 

funding) not already funded to provide 

on-demand emergency shelter (such as 

emergency congregate shelters). By 

authorizing the limited provision of 

SSVF-funded emergency housing, 

grantees will be able to ensure that 

participants do not become homeless 

while they transition to permanent 

housing or otherwise be put at risk, 

pending placement in permanent 

housing. Appropriate provision of 

emergency housing is limited to those 

cases in which no space is available at 

a community shelter that would be 

appropriate for placement of a family 

unit and where permanent housing has 

been identified and secured but the 

participant cannot immediately be 

placed in that housing. Only families 

with children under the age of 18 may 

receive such assistance; individuals are 

not eligible for SSVF funded emergency 

housing placement. In the event that 

longer term transitional housing or 

emergency housing is needed without 

such restrictions, VA offers communitybased alternatives including the Grant 

and Per Diem Program and the Health 

Care for Homeless Veterans contract 

residential care program, as well as a 

variety of VA-based residential care 

programs. 

General Housing Stability Assistance 

means the provision of goods or 

payment of expenses not included in 

other sections, but directly related to 

supporting a participant’s housing 

stability. This is a category that may 

offer a maximum of $1,500 in assistance 

per participant. Such assistance, when 

not available through existing 

mainstream and community resources, 

may include: (i) items necessary for a 

participant’s life or safety that are 

provided to the participant by a grantee 

on a temporary basis in order to address 

the participant’s emergency situation 

(limited to $500 per participant under 

38 CFR 62.34); (ii) expenses associated 

with gaining or keeping employment, 

such as obtaining uniforms, tools, 

certifications, and licenses; (iii) 

expenses associated with moving into 

permanent housing, such as obtaining 

basic kitchen utensils, bedding, and 

other supplies; and (iv) expenses 

necessary for securing appropriate 

permanent housing, such as fees for 

applications, brokerage fees, or 

background checks. 

D. Approach: Grantees will be 

expected to leverage supportive services 

grant funds to enhance the housing 

stability of very low-income Veteran 

families who are occupying permanent 

housing. In doing so, grantees are 

required to establish relationships with 

local community resources. Therefore, 

agencies must work through 

coordinated partnerships built either 

through formal agreements or the 

informal working relationships 

commonly found amongst strong social 

service providers. As part of the 

application, under § 62.22(e), all 

applicants are strongly encouraged to 

provide letters of support from the VA’s 

Network Homeless Coordinator (or their 

designee). In addition, applicants are 

strongly encouraged to provide letters of 

support from the CoC where they plan 

to deliver services that reflect the 

applicant’s engagement in the CoC’s 

efforts to coordinate services. CoCs may 

elect to provide VA with a rank order 

of their support in lieu of providing 

individual letters of support. A CoC is 

a community plan to organize and 

deliver housing and services to meet the 

needs of people who are homeless as 

they move to stable housing and 

maximize self-sufficiency. It includes 

action steps to end homelessness and 

prevent a return to homelessness (CoC 

locations and contact information can 

be found at the Department of Housing 

and Urban Development’s (HUD) Web 

site, http://www.hudhre.info/

index.cfm?do=viewCocMaps). This 

coordination should describe the 

applicant’s participation in the CoC’s 

coordinated assessment efforts 

(coordinated assessment refers to a 

common process for accessing homeless 

assistance services including: 

prevention, diversion, emergency 

shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, supportive services and even 

permanent supportive housing). In 

addition, any applicant proposing to 

serve an Indian Tribal area is strongly 

encouraged to provide a letter of 

support from the relevant Indian Tribal 

Government. The aim of the provision 

of supportive services is to assist very 

low-income Veteran families residing in 

permanent housing to remain stably 

housed and to rapidly transition those 

not currently in permanent housing to 

stable housing. SSVF emphasizes the 

placement of homeless Veteran families 

who are described in regulation as (i) 

very low-income Veteran families who 

are homeless and scheduled to become 

residents of permanent housing within 

90 days, and (ii) very low-income 

Veteran families who have exited 

permanent housing within the previous 

90 days to seek other housing that is 

responsive to their needs and 

preferences. Accordingly, VA 

encourages eligible entities skilled in 

facilitating housing stability and 

experienced in operating rapid rehousing programs (i.e., administering 

HUD’s Homelessness Prevention and 

Rapid Re-Housing Program, HUD’s 

Emergency Solution Grant (ESG), or 

other comparable Federal or community 

resources) to apply for supportive 

services grants. As a crisis intervention 

program, the SSVF Program is not 

intended to provide long-term support 

for participants, nor will it be able to 

address all of the financial and 

supportive services needs of 

participants that affect housing stability. 

Rather, when participants require longterm support, grantees should focus on 

connecting such participants to income 

supports, such as employment and 

mainstream Federal and community 

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61378 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 

resources (e.g., HUD–VA Supportive 

Housing program, HUD Housing Choice 

Voucher programs, McKinney-Vento 

funded supportive housing programs, 

Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families (TANF), Social Security 

Income/Social Security Disability 

Insurance (SSI/SSDI) etc.) that can 

provide ongoing support as required. 

Assistance in obtaining or retaining 

permanent housing is a fundamental 

goal of the SSVF Program. Grantees are 

expected to provide case management 

services in accordance with 38 CFR 

62.31. Such case management should 

include tenant counseling, mediation 

with landlords and outreach to 

landlords. 

E. Authority: Funding applied for 

under this NOFA is authorized by 38 

U.S.C. 2044. VA implements the SSVF 

Program by regulation in 38 CFR Part 

62. Funds made available under this 

NOFA are subject to the requirements of 

the aforementioned regulations and 

other applicable laws and regulations. 

F. Requirements for the Use of 

Supportive Services Grant Funds: The 

grantee’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 

percent of supportive services grant 

funds for administrative costs identified 

in § 62.70. 

2. Grantees must use a minimum of 60 

percent of the temporary financial 

assistance portion of their supportive 

services grant funds to serve very lowincome Veteran families who either (i) 

are homeless and scheduled to become 

residents of permanent housing within 

90 days pending the location or 

development of housing suitable for 

permanent housing, as described in 

§ 62.11(a)(2), or (ii) have exited 

permanent housing within the previous 

90 days to seek other housing that is 

responsive to their needs and 

preferences, as described in 

§ 62.11(a)(3). (NOTE: Grantees may 

request a waiver to decrease this 

minimum, as discussed in section 

V.B.3.a.) 

3. Grantees must use a minimum of 40 

percent of supportive services grant 

funds to provide the supportive service 

of temporary financial assistance paid 

directly to a third party on behalf of a 

participant for child care, emergency 

housing assistance, transportation, 

rental assistance, utility-fee payment 

assistance, security deposits, utility 

deposits, moving costs, and general 

housing stability assistance (which 

includes emergency supplies) in 

accordance with §§ 62.33 and 62.34. 

Grantees may use a maximum of 50 

percent of their supportive services 

grant funds to provide this temporary 

financial assistance. 

G. Guidance for the Use of Supportive 

Services Grant Funds: It is VA policy to 

support a ‘‘Housing First’’ model in 

addressing and ending homelessness. 

Housing First establishes housing 

stability as the primary intervention in 

working with homeless persons. The 

Housing First approach is based on 

research that shows that a homeless 

individual or household’s first and 

primary need is to obtain stable 

housing, and that other issues that may 

affect the household can and should be 

addressed as housing is obtained. 

Research supports this approach as an 

effective means to end homelessness. 

Housing is not contingent on 

compliance with services; instead, 

participants must comply with a 

standard lease agreement and are 

provided with the services and supports 

that are necessary to help them do so 

successfully. 

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 the 

SSVF intervention. Both employment 

and benefits assistance from VA and 

non-VA sources represent a significant 

underutilized source of income stability 

for homeless Veterans. The complexity 

of program rules and the stigma some 

associate with entitlement programs 

contributes to their lack of use. To this 

effect, grantees are encouraged to 

consider strategies that can lead to 

prompt and successful access to 

employment and benefits that are 

essential to retaining housing. 

1. Consistent with the Housing First 

model supported by VA, grantees are 

expected to offer the following 

supportive services: housing counseling; 

assisting participants in understanding 

leases; securing utilities; making moving 

arrangements; provide representative 

payee services concerning rent and 

utilities when needed; and 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 or 

emergency supplies; or using other 

Federal resources, such as the HUD’s 

ESG, or supportive services grant funds 

subject to the limitations described in 

this NOFA and 38 CFR 62.34. 

2. As SSVF is a short-term crisis 

intervention, grantees must develop 

plans that will produce sufficient 

income to sustain Veteran participants 

in permanent housing after the 

conclusion of the SSVF intervention. 

Grantees must ensure the availability of 

employment and vocational services 

either through the direct provision of 

these services or their availability 

through formal or informal service 

agreements. Agreements with Homeless 

Veteran Reintegration Programs funded 

by the U.S. Department of Labor are 

strongly encouraged. For participants 

unable to work due to disability, income 

must be established through available 

benefits programs. 

3. As per 38 CFR 62.33, grantees must 

assist participants obtain public 

benefits. Grantees must screen all 

participants for eligibility for a broad 

range of entitlements such as TANF, 

Social Security, the Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 

the Low Income Home Energy 

Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the 

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and 

local General Assistance programs. 

Grantees are expected to access the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration’s SSI/SSDI 

Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) 

program either though community 

linkages or by training staff to deliver 

SOAR services. In addition, where 

available grantees should access 

information technology tools to support 

case managers in their efforts to link 

participants to benefits. 

4. Grantees are encouraged to provide, 

or assist participants in obtaining, legal 

services relevant to issues that interfere 

with the participants’ ability to obtain or 

retain permanent housing. (NOTE: Legal 

services provided may be protected 

from release or review by the grantee or 

VA under attorney-client privilege.) 

Support for legal services can include 

paying for court filing fees to assist a 

participant with issues that interfere 

with the participant’s ability to obtain or 

retain permanent housing or supportive 

services, including issues that affect the 

participant’s employability and 

financial security. Grantees (in addition 

to employees and members of grantees) 

may represent participants before VA 

with respect to a claim for VA benefits, 

but only if they are recognized for that 

purpose pursuant to 38 U.S.C. chapter 

59. Further, the individual providing 

such representation must be accredited 

pursuant to 38 U.S.C. chapter 59. 

5. Access to mental health and 

addiction services are required by SSVF; 

however, grantees cannot fund these 

services directly through the SSVF 

grant. Therefore, applicants must 

demonstrate, through either formal or 

informal agreements, their ability to 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 61379 

promote rapid access and engagement to 

mental health and addiction services for 

the Veteran and family members. 

6. VA recognizes that extremely lowincome Veterans, with incomes below 

30 percent of the area median income, 

face greater barriers to permanent 

housing placement. In order to support 

grantees’ efforts to serve this population, 

VA has proposed new program 

regulations that will expand temporary 

financial assistance that may be offered 

to these participants. Grantees must 

consider the proposed rule when 

developing their response to this NOFA. 

The proposed rule was published in the 

Federal Register on May 9, 2014. 

7. Notwithstanding any other section 

in this part, grantees are not authorized 

to use SSVF funds to pay for the 

following: (i) Mortgage costs or costs 

needed by homeowners to assist with 

any fees, taxes, or other costs of 

refinancing; (ii) construction or the cost 

of housing rehabilitation; (iii) credit 

card bills or other consumer debt; (iv) 

medical or dental care and medicines; 

(v) mental health, substance use, or 

other therapeutic interventions designed 

to treat diagnostic conditions as defined 

in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 

of Mental Disorders (NOTE: Although 

SSVF grant funds cannot be used to pay 

for the treatment of mental health or 

substance use disorders, grantees are 

required to offer such services through 

formal coordinated relationships with 

VA and other community providers); 

(vi) home care and home health aides 

typically used to provide care in 

support of daily living activities (this 

includes care that is focused on 

treatment for an injury or illness, 

rehabilitation, or other assistance 

generally required to assist those with 

handicaps or other physical limitations); 

(vii) pet care; (viii) entertainment 

activities; (ix) direct cash assistance to 

program participants; or (x) courtordered judgments or fines. 

8. When serving participants who are 

residing in permanent housing, it is 

required that the defining question to 

ask is: ‘‘Would this individual or family 

be homeless but for this assistance?’’ 

The grantee must use a VA approved 

screening tool with criteria that targets 

those most at-risk of homelessness. To 

qualify for SSVF services, a Veteran 

who is served under Category 1 

(homeless prevention), the participants 

must not have sufficient resources or 

support networks (e.g., family, friends, 

faith-based or other social networks), 

immediately available to prevent them 

from becoming homeless. To further 

qualify for services under Category 1, 

the grantee must document that the 

participant meets at least one of the 

following conditions: 

(a) Has moved because of economic 

reasons two or more times during the 60 

days immediately preceding the 

application for homelessness prevention 

assistance; 

(b) Is living in the home of another 

because of economic hardship; 

(c) Has been notified in writing that 

their right to occupy their current 

housing or living situation will be 

terminated within 21 days after the date 

of application for assistance; 

(d) Lives in a hotel or motel and the 

cost of the hotel or motel stay is not paid 

by charitable organizations or by 

Federal, State, or local government 

programs for low-income individuals; 

(e) Is exiting a publicly funded 

institution or system of care (such as a 

health care facility, a mental health 

facility, or correctional institution) 

without a stable housing plan; or 

(f) Otherwise lives in housing that has 

characteristics associated with 

instability and an increased risk of 

homelessness, as identified in the 

recipient’s approved screening tool. 

9. The TANF program may also be 

used to address the housing-related 

needs of families who are homeless or 

precariously housed and, along with 

providing ongoing basic assistance, 

provide an array of non-recurrent, shortterm benefits and services. Such 

benefits and services may include shortterm rental or mortgage assistance (to 

prevent eviction or help a homeless 

family secure housing), security and 

utility payments, moving assistance, 

motel and hotel vouchers, and case 

management services. For additional 

information on TANF and 

homelessness, please visit the following 

link to an Information Memorandum 

issued by the United States Department 

of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and 

Families, Office of Family Assistance, 

on February 20, 2013, titled, ‘‘Use of 

TANF Funds to Serve Homeless 

Families and Families at Risk of 

Experiencing Homelessness’’: http://

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/

resource/tanf-acf-im-2013-01. 

10. Where other funds from 

community resources are not readily 

available, grantees may choose to utilize 

supportive services grants, subject to the 

limitations described in this NOFA and 

in 38 CFR 62.33 and 62.34, to provide 

temporary financial assistance. Such 

assistance may, subject to the 

limitations in this NOFA and 38 CFR 

Part 62, be paid directly to a third party 

on behalf of a participant for child care, 

transportation, family emergency 

housing assistance, rental assistance, 

utility-fee payment assistance, security 

or utility deposits, moving costs and 

general housing stability assistance as 

necessary. 

II. Award Information 

A. Overview: This NOFA announces 

the availability of funds for supportive 

services grants under the SSVF Program 

and pertains to proposals for initial 

supportive services grant programs. Up 

to $93 million will be available through 

this NOFA. 

B. Funding: Up to $93 million will be 

available through this NOFA, as VA will 

provide funds over a 3-year period for 

non-renewable grants to eligible entities 

proposing services for one of the 28 

priority CoCs listed below. Currently 

funded SSVF programs cannot apply for 

renewal funding through this NOFA. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

include letters of support from the VA’s 

Network Homeless Coordinator or local 

VA Medical Center Director assigned to 

the priority city. In addition, applicants 

should seek letters of support from CoCs 

where priority communities are located. 

CoCs may elect to provide VA with a 

rank order of their support in lieu of 

providing individual letters of support. 

Available funding for each CoC is as 

follows: 

CoC 

No. CoC name 

AZ–500 .... Arizona Balance of State. 

CA–500 .... San Jose/Santa Clara City and 

County. 

CA–501 .... San Francisco. 

CA–502 .... Oakland/Alameda County. 

CA–504 .... Santa Rosa/Petaluma/Sonoma 

County. 

CA–508 .... Watsonville/Santa Cruz City and 

County. 

CA–600 .... Los Angeles City and County. 

CA–601 .... San Diego City and County. 

CA–602 .... Santa Ana/Anaheim/Orange 

County. 

DC–500 ... District of Columbia. 

FL–508 .... Gainesville/Alachua, Putnam 

Counties. 

FL–519 .... Pasco County. 

GA–500 ... Atlanta. 

GA–501 ... Georgia Balance of State. 

IL–510 ...... Chicago. 

LA–503 .... New Orleans/Jefferson Parish. 

MD–501 ... Baltimore City. 

MT–500 ... Montana Statewide. 

NC–501 ... Asheville/Buncombe County. 

NV–500 .... Las Vegas/Clark County. 

OR–502 ... Medford/Ashland/Jackson County CoC. 

OR–505 ... Oregon Balance of State. 

SC–502 .... Columbia/Midlands. 

TX–500 .... San Antonio/Bexar County. 

TX–600 .... Dallas City & County/Irving. 

TX–607 .... Texas Balance of State. 

TX–700 .... City of Houston/Harris County. 

WA–501 ... Washington Balance of State. 

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61380 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 

C. Allocation of Funds: Funding will 

be awarded under this NOFA to 

grantees for a non-renewable 3-year 

period beginning approximately March 

1, 2015. The following requirements 

apply to supportive services grants 

awarded under this NOFA: 

1. Each grant cannot exceed $2 

million per year ($6 million total). 

2. In response to this NOFA, 

applicants cannot submit more than one 

grant for each identified service area. 

3. Applicants should fill out separate 

applications for each supportive 

services funding request. 

D. Supportive Services Grant Award 

Period: All supportive services grants 

will be for a 3-year, non-renewable 

period. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Eligible Applicants: In order to be 

eligible, an applicant must qualify as a 

private non-profit organization (Section 

501(c)(3) tax exempt status is required) 

or a consumer cooperative as has the 

meaning given such term in Section 202 

of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 

1701q). In addition, tribally designated 

housing entities (as defined in Section 

4 of the Native American Housing 

Assistance and Self-Determination Act 

of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4104)) are eligible. 

B. Cost Sharing or Matching: None. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

A. Address To Request Application 

Package: Download directly from the 

SSVF Program Web site at www.va.gov/ 

homeless/ssvf.asp or send a written 

request for an application to SSVF 

Program Office, National Center on 

Homelessness Among Veterans, 4100 

Chester Avenue, Suite 201, 

Philadelphia, PA 19104. Any questions 

regarding this process should be 

referred to the SSVF Program Office via 

phone at (877) 767–0111 (toll-free 

number) or via email at SSVF@va.gov. 

For detailed SSVF Program information 

and requirements, see 38 CFR Part 62. 

B. Content and Form of Application: 

Two completed collated, hard copies of 

the application and two compact discs 

(CD) containing electronic versions of 

the entire application are required. Each 

application copy must (i) be fastened 

with a binder clip, and (ii) contain tabs 

listing the major sections of and exhibits 

to the application. Each CD must be 

labeled with the applicant’s name and 

must contain an electronic copy of the 

entire application. A budget template 

must be attached in Excel format on the 

CD, but all other application materials 

may be attached in a PDF or other 

format. 

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. Eastern Time on December 5, 

2014. Awards made for supportive 

services grants will fund operations 

beginning approximately March 1, 2015, 

thorough February 28, 2018. 

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. Intergovernmental Review: This 

section is not applicable to the SSVF 

Program. 

E. Funding Restrictions: 

Approximately $93 million may be 

awarded depending on funding 

availability and subject to available 

appropriations for initial supportive 

services grants to be funded under this 

NOFA. Applicants should fill out 

separate applications for each 

supportive services funding request. 

Funding will be awarded under this 

NOFA to grantees for a non-renewable 

3-year period beginning approximately 

March 1, 2015. 

F. Other Submission Requirements: 

1. Applicants may apply only as new 

applicants using the application 

designed for new grants. 

2. Additional supportive services 

grant application requirements are 

specified in the initial application 

package. Submission of an incorrect or 

incomplete application package will 

result in the application being rejected 

during threshold review. The 

application packages must contain all 

required forms and certifications. 

Selections will be made based on 

criteria described in 38 CFR Part 62 and 

this NOFA. Applicants and grantees 

will be notified of any additional 

information needed to confirm or clarify 

information provided in the application 

and the deadline by which to submit 

such information. The application 

copies and CDs must be submitted to 

the following address: SSVF Program 

Office, National Center on 

Homelessness Among Veterans, 4100 

Chester Avenue, Suite 201, 

Philadelphia, PA 19104. Applicants 

must submit two hard copies and two 

CDs. Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). 

V. Application Review Information 

A. Criteria: 

1. VA will only score applicants that 

meet the following threshold 

requirements: 

(a) The application is filed within the 

time period established in the NOFA, 

and any additional information or 

documentation requested by VA under 

§ 62.20(c) is provided within the time 

frame established by VA; 

(b) The application is completed in all 

parts; 

(c) The applicant is an eligible entity; 

(d) The activities for which the 

supportive services grant is requested 

are eligible for funding under this part; 

(e) The applicant’s proposed 

participants are eligible to receive 

supportive services under this part; 

(f) The applicant agrees to comply 

with the requirements of this part; 

(g) The applicant does not have an 

outstanding obligation to the Federal 

Government that is in arrears and does 

not have an overdue or unsatisfactory 

response to an audit; and 

(h) The applicant is not in default by 

failing to meet the requirements for any 

previous Federal assistance. 

2. VA will use the following criteria 

to score applicants who are applying for 

a new supportive services grant: 

(a) VA will award up to 35 points 

based on the background, qualifications, 

experience, and past performance (with 

particular focus on housing placement 

and retention rates for those applicants 

serving homeless persons) of the 

applicant, and any subcontractors 

identified by the applicant in the 

supportive services grant application. 

VA will consider previous work under 

other SSVF grant awards when scoring 

this section. 

(b) VA will award up to 25 points 

based on the applicant’s program 

concept and supportive services plan. 

(c) VA will award up to 15 points 

based on the applicant’s quality 

assurance and evaluation plan. 

(d) VA will award up to 15 points 

based on the applicant’s financial 

capability and plan. 

(e) VA will award up to 10 points 

based on the applicant’s area or 

community linkages and relations. 

3. VA will use the following process 

to select applicants to receive 

supportive services grants: VA will 

score all applicants that meet the 

threshold requirements set forth in 

§ 62.21 using the scoring criteria set 

forth in § 62.22. 

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B. Review and Selection Process: VA 

will review all initial supportive 

services grant applications in response 

to this NOFA according to the following 

steps: 

1. Score all applications that meet the 

threshold requirements described in 38 

CFR 62.21. 

2. Rank those applications who score 

at least 70 cumulative points and 

receive at least one point under each of 

the categories identified for new 

applicants in § 62.22, paragraphs (a), (b), 

(c), (d), and (e). The applications will be 

ranked in order from highest to lowest 

scores. 

3. Utilize the ranked scores of 

applications as the primary basis for 

selection. However, in accordance with 

§ 62.23(d), VA will utilize the following 

considerations to select applicants for 

funding: 

(a) Preference applications that 

provide or coordinate the provision of 

supportive services for very low-income 

Veteran families transitioning from 

homelessness to permanent housing. 

Consistent with this preference, 

applicants are required to spend no less 

than 60 percent of all budgeted 

temporary financial assistance on 

homeless participants defined in 

§ 62.11(a)(2) and (a)(3). Waivers to this 

60 percent requirement may be 

requested when grantees can 

demonstrate significant local progress 

towards eliminating homelessness in 

the target service area. Waiver requests 

must include data from authoritative 

sources such as HUD’s Annual 

Homeless Assessment Report, annual 

Point-In-Time Counts and evidence of 

decreased demand for emergency 

shelter and transitional housing. 

Waivers for the 60 percent requirement 

may also be requested for services 

provided to rural Indian tribal areas and 

other rural areas where shelter capacity 

is insufficient to meet local need. 

(b) To the extent practicable, ensure 

that supportive services grants are 

equitably distributed across geographic 

regions, including rural communities 

and tribal lands. This equitable 

distribution criteria will be used to 

ensure that SSVF resources are provided 

to those communities with the highest 

need as identified by authoritative 

sources such as HUD’s Annual 

Homeless Assessment Report, annual 

Point-In-Time Counts and VA Homeless 

Registry data. 

4. Subject to the considerations noted 

in paragraph B.3 above, VA will fund 

the highest-ranked applications for 

which funding is available. 

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 second quarter of 

fiscal year 2015 with grants beginning 

March 1, 2015. Prior to executing a 

funding agreement, VA will contact the 

applicants and make known the 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 62 and other applicable provisions 

of this NOFA. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: It is VA’s policy to 

support a ‘‘Housing First’’ model in 

addressing and ending homelessness. 

Housing First establishes housing 

stability as the primary intervention in 

working with homeless persons. The 

Housing First approach is based on 

research that shows that a homeless 

individual or household’s first and 

primary need is to obtain stable 

housing, and that other issues that may 

affect the household can and should be 

addressed as housing is obtained. 

Housing is not contingent on 

compliance with services; instead, 

participants must comply with a 

standard lease agreement and are 

provided with the services and supports 

that are necessary to help them do so 

successfully. Research supports this 

approach as an effective means to end 

homelessness. 

Consistent with the Housing First 

model supported by VA, grantees are 

expected to offer the following 

supportive services: housing counseling; 

assisting participants in understanding 

leases; securing utilities; making moving 

arrangements; provide representative 

payee services concerning rent and 

utilities when needed; and 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 or 

emergency supplies, using other Federal 

resources, such as the ESG, or 

supportive services grant funds subject 

to the limitations described in this 

NOFA and 38 CFR 62.34. 

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 

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. 

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. 

3. VA shall 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 concept, 

as described in the grantee’s 

application. All grantees are subject to 

audits conducted by VA’s Financial 

Services Center. 

4. Grantees will be required to 

provide each participant with a 

satisfaction survey which can be 

submitted by the participant directly to 

VA, within 45 to 60 days of the 

participant’s entry into the grantee’s 

program and again within 30 days of 

such participant’s pending exit from the 

grantee’s program. In all cases there 

should be a minimum of 30 days 

between administration of the two 

surveys. In cases when a brief SSVF 

intervention results in the first survey 

being administered 30 days after exit, 

only one survey shall be provided. 

5. Grantees will be assessed based on 

their ability to meet critical performance 

measures. In addition to meeting 

program requirements defined by the 

regulations and NOFA, grantees will be 

assessed on their ability to place 

participants into housing and the 

housing retention rates of participants 

served. Higher placement for homeless 

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61382 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices 

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 percent of the 

area median income. 

VII. Agency Contact 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Kuhn, Supportive SSVF Program Office, 

National Center on Homelessness 

Among Veterans, 4100 Chester Avenue, 

Suite 201, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (877) 

767–0111 (this is a toll-free number); 

SSVF@va.gov. 

VIII. Other Information 

A. VA’s Goals and Objectives for 

Funds Awarded Under this NOFA: In 

accordance with 38 CFR 62.22(b)(6), VA 

will evaluate an applicant’s ability to 

meet VA’s goals and objectives for the 

SSVF Program. VA’s goals and 

objectives include the provision of 

supportive services designed to enhance 

the housing stability and independent 

living skills of very low-income Veteran 

families occupying permanent housing 

across geographic regions. For purposes 

of this NOFA, VA’s goals and objectives 

also include the provision of supportive 

services designed to rapidly re-house or 

prevent homelessness among people in 

the following target populations who 

also meet all requirements for being part 

of a very low-income Veteran family 

occupying permanent housing: 

1. Veteran families earning less than 

30 percent of area median income as 

most recently published by HUD for 

programs under section 8 of the United 

States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

1437f) (http://www.huduser.org). 

2. Veterans with at least one 

dependent family member. 

3. Veterans returning from Operation 

Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi 

Freedom, or Operation New Dawn. 

4. Veteran families located in a 

community, as defined by HUD’s CoC, 

not currently served by a SSVF grantee. 

5. Veteran families located in a 

community, as defined by HUD’s CoC, 

where current level of SSVF services is 

not sufficient to meet demand of 

Category 2 and 3 (currently homeless) 

Veteran families. 

6. Veteran families located in a rural 

area. 

7. Veteran families located on Indian 

Tribal Property. 

B. 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 quarter of the 

grantee’s supportive services grant 

award period, the grantee’s cumulative 

requests for supportive services grant 

funds may not exceed 35 percent of the 

total supportive services grant award 

without written approval by VA. 

2. By the end of the second quarter of 

the grantee’s supportive services grant 

award period, the grantee’s cumulative 

requests for supportive services grant 

funds may not exceed 60 percent of the 

total supportive services grant award 

without written approval by VA. 

3. By the end of the third quarter of 

the grantee’s supportive services grant 

award period, the grantee’s cumulative 

requests for supportive services grant 

funds may not exceed 80 percent of the 

total supportive services grant award 

without written approval by VA. 

4. By the end of the fourth quarter of 

the grantee’s supportive services grant 

award period, the grantee’s cumulative 

requests for supportive services grant 

funds may not exceed 100 percent of the 

total supportive services grant award. 

Signing Authority 

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or 

designee, approved this document 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. Jose 

D. Riojas, Chief of Staff, Department of 

Veterans Affairs, approved this 

document on October 3, 2014, for 

publication. 

Dated: October 7, 2014. 

William F. Russo, 

Acting Director, Office of Regulation Policy 

& Management, Office of the General Counsel, 

Department of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24281 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

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