Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants for Fiscal Year 2025

The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants for Fiscal Year 2025 (FR-6900-N-34) offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development aims to revitalize severely distressed public housing and surrounding neighborhoods. Applications are due by March 9, 2026, and only local governments and public housing agencies that previously received a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant are eligible. The program focuses on three main goals: redeveloping housing, promoting resident self-sufficiency, and neighborhood revitalization. Funding of approximately $75 million is available for about four awards, with a maximum grant award of $26 million per applicant. Grantees must meet cost-sharing requirements, adhere to specific program requirements like one-for-one unit replacement, and provide detailed plans for housing, people, and neighborhood development activities. The application requires various standard forms, a detailed budget, and numerous attachments outlining eligibility, planned activities, and leverage.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a finding of no significant impact under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the FY 2025 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This NOFO, FR-6900-N-34, does not constitute a major federal action with significant environmental effects, thus an environmental impact statement is not required. The Choice Neighborhoods program aims to transform struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing into viable mixed-income communities by revitalizing housing, businesses, and services. Funding is authorized by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, and the program authority is Section 24 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. The NOFO mandates environmental reviews for all projects under 24 CFR Part 58 (by a Responsible Entity) or 24 CFR Part 50 (by HUD). Applicants are prohibited from undertaking any choice-limiting or environmentally adverse actions until the environmental review and approval process is completed. This ensures that potential environmental impacts are assessed and mitigated locally before any physical impact or choice-limiting activities occur.

The "Certification of Consistency with the Consolidated Plan" (form HUD-2991) is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) form required for applicants seeking federal program grants. It certifies that proposed activities align with the jurisdiction's approved Consolidated Plan. The document outlines public reporting burden statements, legal authorizations under the HUD Reform Act of 1989, and consequences for failing to provide information, including delayed processing and potential penalties. It also contains a warning about criminal and civil penalties for submitting false claims or statements. Applicants must provide details such as applicant name, project name and location, federal program name, and certifying jurisdiction information, including the certifying official's name, title, signature, and date.

The Certification for a Drug-Free Workplace form, issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), requires applicants seeking federal grant funding to certify they will maintain a drug-free workplace. This involves publishing a policy prohibiting unlawful drug use, establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program, and informing employees of penalties and available assistance. Employees engaged in grant performance must receive a copy of the policy and agree to notify the employer of any workplace drug-related criminal convictions within five calendar days. Employers must then notify HUD within ten calendar days and take appropriate personnel action, including termination or requiring participation in a rehabilitation program, within 30 calendar days. The applicant must also list all work performance sites for the grant program. This certification is crucial for obtaining grant benefits, and the information provided is subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. False claims and statements will lead to criminal and civil penalties.

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The HUD-53231 form, "CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS – IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS Resident and Community Involvement Certification," is a crucial document for applicants seeking federal grants. It ensures that grant applicants adhere to the mandatory resident and community involvement requirements outlined in Section 24(e)(2)(D) of the 1937 Act. The form mandates continuous involvement of affected public and/or assisted housing residents throughout the planning, implementation, and management phases of the Transformation Plan. Applicants must certify their compliance with these involvement requirements, providing details such as the lead applicant's information, target public housing site(s), and dates of resident and public meetings. The document also includes a warning about the penalties for submitting false claims or statements, emphasizing the importance of accurate information for accountability and integrity in HUD-administered assistance programs. Failure to comply may lead to processing delays, sanctions, and civil penalties. The collected information is not confidential and may be made public under the Freedom of Information Act.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants require applicants to submit a Key Eligibility Data Form (OMB Approval No. 2501-0044). This form outlines the criteria for eligible neighborhoods, applicants, and target housing projects. Applicants must provide detailed information for lead and co-applicants, including their type (Public Housing Agency or Local Government), contact details, and identification numbers. The form also requests information on principal team members for housing, people, and neighborhood implementation. Crucially, it mandates data for up to three target housing projects, focusing on severely distressed public housing, requiring project names, PIC AMP numbers, addresses, and unit information (total, occupied, vacant, public/assisted units). The purpose is to ensure accountability and integrity in HUD-administered assistance, with a warning that failure to provide required information may result in processing delays, sanctions, and penalties.

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The “CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS FY 2025 Grant Sizing Worksheet” is a mandatory form (OMB Approval No. 2501-0044) used to calculate potential grant amounts for housing development and rehabilitation projects. It guides applicants through selecting their city and state (e.g., Bridgeport, Connecticut) to automatically populate Total Development Cost (TDC) and Housing Construction Cost (HCC) limits for various unit types (detached/semi-detached, elevator, row house, walkup) and bedroom counts. The worksheet differentiates between new construction and rehabilitation units, with rehabilitation limits set at 90% of new construction TDC limits. Applicants must also account for supportive services and critical community improvements funding requests, and any other HUD Public Housing capital assistance. The final grant request cannot exceed $26,000,000 and is the lesser of the adjusted maximum allowable grant and this cap.

The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant Budget Form provides instructions for grantees to complete and submit budget revisions for their grants. It outlines how to fill out Part I (Summary) and Part II (Supporting Pages) of the form, emphasizing that certain cells autopopulate. Key steps include detailing activities under each Budget Line Item (BLI), specifying current approved budgets, requested changes, and realignments of disbursed funds. The form also covers changes in authorized expenditure amounts and requires review to ensure budgeted amounts equal the grant amount. Grantees must submit the completed Excel workbook and a signed form to their grant management team. The document also includes a list of BLIs such as Supportive Services, Management Improvements, and Site Acquisition.

The HUD-53238 form, "CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS One-for-One Replacement Certification," requires lead applicants for Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant funding to certify the one-for-one replacement of units in target public housing projects. The executive officer must attest that the certification is true and correct, providing details such as the number of public housing units standing and the number of bedrooms as of the application deadline. The form includes a warning about penalties for submitting false claims or statements, citing relevant U.S.C. and CFR sections. It also outlines the public reporting burden, agency authorization for information collection under the HUD Reform Act of 1989, and the implications of failing to provide required information, including potential delays and sanctions. This information is not confidential and may be publicly available under the Freedom of Information Act.

This government file, OMB Approval No. 2501-0044, outlines the requirements for listing and documenting resources for Neighborhood Development, Neighborhood Investment, Housing Development, and People (Supportive Services) components within federal grant programs. Applicants must provide commitment documents for all listed funds or services, ensuring consistency with the Sources & Uses Attachment and the NOFO's match and leveraging section. The document also details the public reporting burden statement, authorized collection under the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, and disclaimers regarding confidentiality and the Privacy Act. Failure to provide required information may result in processing delays, sanctions, and penalties.

The "Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants" form, OMB Approval No. 2501-0044, is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to collect key eligibility data for grant applications. This form outlines requirements for eligible neighborhoods, applicants (Lead and Co-Applicants, which can be Public Housing Agencies or Local Governments), and target housing projects. Applicants must provide detailed contact and identification information for themselves and their principal team members, including Housing, People, and Neighborhood Implementation Entities. The grant focuses on severely distressed public housing, requiring information on project names, addresses, and unit counts (total, occupied, vacant, and public/assisted housing units). The document emphasizes that providing the requested information is mandatory to obtain the grant benefit, and failure to do so may result in processing delays, sanctions, and penalties. Information collected will not be held confidential and may be made public under the Freedom of Information Act.