FY 2021 Indian Housing Block Grant Formula Allocation Estimates
The purpose of this Dear Tribal Leader letter is to inform Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) of their Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) formula allocation estimate for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 and to transmit the forms required for correcting the FY 2021 IHBG formula data and the FY 2022 IHBG Needs data. In the past, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would mail this information. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HUD is posting the following information on-line at: https://ihbgformula.com/fy2021/:

  • FY 2021 Formula Response Form (FRF) including the FY 2021 FRF Appendices A through D and the FY 2022 IHBG Needs Data (Attachment A).
  • Calendar of Critical Deadlines and Frequently Asked Questions.
  • FY 2021 Correction/Challenge Log showing changes to the IHBG database between January 25, 2020, and May 12, 2020.

Tribes/TDHEs must review their data on the FY 2021 Formula Response Form and report any changes no later than August 1, 2020, to the IHBG Formula Customer Service Center. Census Challenges for the FY 2022 IHBG Needs data must be submitted no later than March 30, 2021, for consideration for the FY 2022 IHBG formula allocation estimates

Dear Tribal Leader Letter- Section 184 Skilled Worker Program
Skilled workers are vital to any community’s overall wellbeing and ability to achieve sustainable economic growth. Every community needs police officers, doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, architects, and other technical and skilled workers. Unfortunately, some Tribal communities – particularly those located in very remote areas – have historically struggled to attract skilled workers because of a lack of available housing.
The Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) is seeking your feedback on how the Section 184 Skilled Worker Program should be designed and implemented to work for your communities.
Click for more details.

FY2019/2020 ICDBG- Notice of Area Allocations for FY2020
This Notice announces Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Area Allocations and other funding related information under the FY 2019/2020 ICDBG Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The FY 2019/2020 ICDBG NOFA published on November 19, 2019, only announced AONAP FY 2019 allocations because the FY 2020 Appropriations Act was not enacted at the time the NOFA was published. This Notice also informs recipients that their implementation plans must show that the expenditure of both FY 2019 and FY 2020 funds will occur prior April 20, 2026, and that no extensions will be granted beyond that date.
This Notice also clarifies the applicability of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act waivers and alternative requirements. Applicants that are awarded an ICDBG grant under the FY 2019/20 NOFA may benefit from these flexibilities when such funds are spent on activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, after an amendment request to HUD is approved.

Visit ONAP’s COVID-19 Recovery Programs Website to View and Access:

  • Program Notice and Guidance
    • NEW! Notice PIH-2020-06: IHBG-CARES Implementation Notice
    • Notice PIH-2020-05: COVID-19 Waiver Notice
  • Implementation Training for IHBG-CARES
  • IHBG-CARES Abbreviated Indian Housing Plan (IHP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
  • COVID-19 IHBG-CARES and ICDBG-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
  • Recordings and Slides from PIH/ONAP Calls with TDHEs

HUD Guidance on Eligible Uses for Community Development Block Grant Funds to Support COVID-19 Responses

HUD Quick Guide on Eligible Activities for Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Funds

HUD recently posted a guide on eligible uses for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support coronavirus (COVID-19) responses. The guide is a quick reference tool for grantees, such as Tribes and TDHEs, to use when contemplating how to address the effects of COVID-19 in their communities. While the language in the guide specifically references CDBG, ICDBG has the same eligible activities, and therefore the guide can be considered applicable for both programs.

The guide can be found HERE

Final Allocations Posted for the FY 2020 Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG)

The Office of Native American Programs has posted the FY 2020 IHBG final allocations to the IHBG Formula page.  Below is a list of documents available at the site. 

  • Impact of Single/Multi-Race Provision on the FY 2020 IHBG Final Allocations: Narrative, Tribes’ Formula Components, and Needs Variables (MS-Excel)
  • FY 2020 Final Summary – CAS
  • FY 2020 Final Summary – Formula Area
  • FY 2020 Final Summary – Needs and Allocation
  • FY 2020 Final Summary – Section 8
  • FY 2020 Final Summaries (MS-Excel)
  • FY 2020 Final Cover Letter
  • FY 2020 Final Corrections/Challenge Log

Section 184- Guideline for Tribes and TDHE Cash Out Refinance

This letter reminds all approved Section 184 lenders, tribes and tribally designated housing entities (THDEs) of the current Cash-Out Refinances guidelines outlined in Chapter 11 of the Guidelines. The Guidelines provide as follows:

  • Maximum Loan Amount- The maximum allowable mortgage amount for a cash-out refinance is 85% of the appraised value of the subject property.
  • Maximum Cash to Borrower- Refinances that include a cash distribution directly to the borrower are limited to $25,000.

In the past, the Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) granted exceptions to tribes and TDHEs that are Section 184 borrowers and allowed the maximum loan amount to exceed the 85% limit for cash out refinance transactions. ONAP authorized this practice to allow tribes and TDHEs to reinvest in housing in their communities.

This letter formally recognizes this practice and affirms ONAP’s policy to continue this practice and allow tribes and TDHEs to access the equity in their housing stock up to the 97.75% maximum loan to value ratio, provided that the Tribe or TDHE’s purpose of the cash-out refinance is to rehabilitate existing or construct additional housing in their communities. Direct Guarantee lenders must document the Section 184 loan file accordingly. The lenders documentation must clearly show that a determination was made that the tribe or TDHE intended to use the cash-out refinance process for these housing-related purposes.

Dear Tribal Leader Letter- Proposed Rule on Downpayment Requirements under FHA’s Single-family Mortgage Insurance Programs

HUD is developing a proposed rule to establish underwriting criteria that mortgagees must follow when underwriting a mortgage for FHA insurance that involves downpayment assistance provided by state, local, and Tribal governments.

This letter is to inform you about this rulemaking effort. In accordance with HUD’s Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation Policy, HUD is seeking your views as a tribal leader on items that should be included as we develop these policy proposals. You may submit your comments to HUD within 30 days of the date of this letter by e-mail to: HUDRegsTribalConsult@hud.gov

Thereafter, you will be notified if a proposed rule is published in the federal Register, and you will have another opportunity to comment through the public comment process.

Dear Tribal Leader Letter- Two-Year Notices of Funding Availability for ONAP Competitive Programs

The Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) recently revised the way in which it awards competitive grant funding. In previous years, ONAP awarded appropriated grant funds using a one-year Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).  However, when ONAP competed grant funding appropriated for the recent Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Competitive program, it awarded funding appropriated for both FY 2018 and FY 2019 under a single two-year NOFA.  Similarly, HUD recently posted a two-year NOFA for the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program and is currently competing funding appropriated for both FY 2019 and FY 2020 under this competition. The decision to move to this new format was made, in part, to encourage long-term planning and to further support the development of larger projects.  

While the two-year NOFA approach has its advantages, some Tribal housing practitioners have also informally expressed concerns to ONAP regarding this change in how ONAP awards competitive funds.

As part of HUD’s commitment to robust tribal consultation, HUD is requesting your feedback regarding this two-year NOFA format for future planning. Specifically, ONAP is interested in hearing from you about whether this new format is practical and workable for you and your staff, and whether ONAP should continue to award competitive funding in the future using this two-year NOFA format.

View the entire letter and obtain additional information for providing comments; HERE.

Program Guidance- No. 2019-05 FBI Criminal History Guidance

Purpose: This guidance updates and replaces NAHASDA Guidance No. 20 13-08, Update to Instructions for Obtaining FBI Criminal History Record Information, August 19, 2013. It advises Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE5) on the process for obtaining Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history record information of adult applicants for employment or current and prospective tenants for purposes of applicant screening, lease enforcement, and eviction.

Program Guidance 2019-03: Recent Changes to the federal Micro-Purchase and Simplified Acquisition Thresholds

This guidance informs Indian Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities about increases to the micro-purchase and simplified acquisition thresholds for programs involving Federal funds.

_____________________________________________________________________

Total Development Costs (TDC) for Affordable Housing under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA)

PIH-2019-19 and Attachment: This Notice supersedes Notice PIH 2010-47, same subject, dated November 19, 2010, and all the Notices extending that Notice, up to and including PIH-Notice 2016- 07, dated May 4, 2016. This Notice transmits the updated schedule for the maximum amount of funds that may be used for affordable housing under NAHASDA based on Marshall Valuation Service, Marshall & Swift/Boeckh, LLC and RSMeans Residential Cost Data for 2019. The requirement for the development and implementation of these limits is found at 24 CFR §§1000.156 through 1000.162 of the Indian Housing Block Grant regulations.

______________________________________________________________________

Determining and Using Program Income Under NAHASDA

PIH 2019-07– This notice replaces PIH Notice 2000-18 and provides guidance for determining and using program income generated by the use or disbursement of Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funds.

______________________________________________________________________

USDA Launches Interactive Data Tool to Help Rural Communities Address the Opioid Crisis

The United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has launched an interactive data tool to help community leaders build grass-roots strategies to address the opioid epidemic. Opioid addiction poses a monumental challenge for rural communities across the country, but especially in small, rural communities with limited resources. With the launch of this new tool, USDA is helping communities develop data-driven solutions to the opioid crisis. The Opioid Misuse Community Assessment Tool enables users to overlay substance misuse data against socioeconomic, census, and other public information. This data will help leaders, researchers, and policymakers assess what actions will be most effective in addressing the opioid crisis at the local level. The tool is free and available to the public. For more information, visit: https://www.usda.gov/topics/opioids.

______________________________________________________________________

Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership

The Center for Indian Country Development’s Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership provides detailed examples, case studies, checklists, and information on developing affordable homeownership in Indian Country. This essential guide provides information on new mortgage programs (government and private), the new kinds of lenders (loan funds, Native CDFIs), and the new energies that are transforming Indian housing. Download a copy HERE.

____________________________________________________________________

Updated Healthy Home Checklist from EPA/CDC/HUD/DHHS

Home assessments can help make homes healthier. Checklist covers the major contributors to asthma and allergies, with suggested action items that are generally simple and low cost. Download a copy HERE.