The purpose of the HOPE VI Main Street Program is to provide grants to small communities to assist in the renovation of an historic or traditional central business district, or “Main Street” area, by replacing unused, obsolete, commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units.
The objectives of the program are to: Redevelop central business districts (Main Street areas); Preserve Historic or traditional Main Street area properties by replacing unused commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units; Enhance economic development efforts in Main Street areas; and Provide affordable housing in Main Street areas. Main Street grant funds can be used to build new affordable housing or reconfigure obsolete or surplus commercial space (or extremely substandard, vacant housing) into affordable housing units. The grant funds cannot be used on general infrastructure or commercial development. Main Street housing units must be affordable to the initial residents that occupy the Main Street housing project, as described in the Use Restrictions section of this NOFA. The funds in the NOFA must be used to assist Units of Local Government that have existing Main Street area rejuvenation projects and meet the population and public housing unit limits stated in the Eligibility section of this NOFA.
Eligible applicants under this NOFA are limited to Units of General Local Government, defined as any city, town, township, village, county, parish, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state or territory, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands. It does not include Native American governments, Tribally Designated Housing Entities or Public Housing Authorities.
The above noted Local Government must: Have a population of 50,000 or less; Not be served by a local or county/parish Public Housing Agency (PHA) that administers more than 100 physical public housing units within the local government’s jurisdiction. Such units exclude Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher subsidized units. Joint applications are not permitted. However, an applicant can enter into subaward agreements (or contracts) with not-for-profit organizations and State or local governments. The applicant can also enter into contracts with for-profit entities, such as a private property owner or for-profit partnership created for tax credit purposes. The Local Government grantee and any subawardees are subject to 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards when procuring supplies or services. One Main Street Project Funded.
The applicant can only apply for funding to support one project in one undivided Main Street Area. The Project may include several buildings. Thresholds Applicable to All Applicants. The applicant must meet all thresholds in order to be considered for rating, ranking and funding. Thresholds are located in Section III.A. of this NOFA. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.
Estimated Total Program Funding: $1,000,000
Award Ceiling: $500,000
Closing Date for Applications: Jul 30, 2019
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.
Photo of downtown Edenton, NC via Adobe Stock.