[Federal Register: May 10, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 89)]
[Notices]
[Page 25833-25839]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10my10-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Notice of Funding Availability of Applications (NOFA) for Section
514 Farm Labor Housing Loans and Section 516 Farm Labor Housing Grants
for Off-Farm Housing for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the timeframe to submit pre-applications
for section 514 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) loans and section 516 FLH
grants for the construction of new off-farm FLH units and related
facilities for domestic farm laborers. The intended purpose of these
loans and grants is to increase the number of available housing units
for domestic farm laborers. This notice describes the method used to
distribute funds, the application process, and submission requirements.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of all applications in response to this
is 5 p.m., local time to the appropriate Rural Development State Office
on July 9, 2010. The application closing deadline is firm as to date
and hour. Rural Development will not consider any application that is
received after the closing deadline unless date and time is extended by
another Notice published in the Federal Register. Applicants intending
to mail applications must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on
or before the closing deadline. Acceptance by a post office or private
mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), and postage due
applications will not be accepted.
Applicants wishing to apply for assistance must contact the Rural
Development State Office serving the State of the proposed off-farm
labor housing project in order to receive further information and
copies of the application package. Rural Development will date and time
stamp incoming applications to evidence timely receipt and, upon
request, will provide the applicant with a written acknowledgment of
receipt. A listing of Rural Development State Offices, their addresses,
telephone numbers, and person to contact is under section VII of this
Notice.
[[Page 25834]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry Searcy, Finance and Loan
Analyst, Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Direct Loan Division,
STOP 0781 (Room 1263-S), USDA Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0781, telephone: (202) 720-1753 (This is not
a toll free number.), or via e-mail: Henry.Searcy@wdc.usda.gov. If you
have questions regarding Net Zero Energy Consumption and Energy
Generation please contact Meghan Walsh, National Office Architect,
Program Support Staff at (202) 205-9590 or via e-mail:
Meghan.walsh@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
The reporting requirements contained in this notice have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number
0575-0189.
Overview Information
Federal Agency Name: Rural Development.
Funding Opportunity Title: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for
Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Loans and Section 516 Farm Labor Housing
Grants for Off-Farm Housing for Fiscal Year 2010.
Announcement Type: Initial Notice inviting applications from
qualified applicants for Fiscal Year 2010.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA): 10.405 and
10.427.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of all applications in response to this
is 5 p.m., local time to the appropriate Rural Development State Office
on July 9, 2010. The application closing deadline is firm as to date
and hour. Rural Development will not consider any application that is
received after the closing deadline unless date and time is extended by
another Notice published in the Federal Register. Applicants intending
to mail applications must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on
or before the closing deadline. Acceptance by a post office or private
mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), and postage due
applications will not be accepted.
I. Funding Opportunities Description
The funds available for FY 2010 for Off-Farm Labor Housing are:
Section 514 $22,128,195, Section 516 $7,552,845 and Rental Assistance
$3,400,000.
II. Award Information
Applications for FY 2010 will only be accepted through the date and
time listed in this Notice. Since USDA Rural Development has the
ability to adjust loan and grant levels, final loan and grant levels
will fluctuate, and are subject to the availability of funding.
Individual requests may not exceed $2 million (total loan and
grant). No State may receive more than 30 percent of available FLH
funding distributed in FY 2010. If there are insufficient applications
from around the country to exhaust Section 514-516 funds available, the
Agency may then exceed the 30% cap per State. Section 516 off-farm FLH
grants may not exceed 90 percent of the total development cost (TDC) of
the housing as defined in 7 CFR section 3560.11. Applications that will
use leveraged funding must provide written commitments from the funding
source at pre-application. If leverage funds are in the form of tax
credits, the applicant must document that it has received tax credits
or has applied and been approved to receive tax credits.
Rental Assistance and operating assistance will be available for
new construction in FY 2010. Operating assistance may be used in lieu
of tenant-specific rental assistance (RA) in off-farm labor housing
projects that serve migrant farm workers as defined in 7 CFR section
3560.11 that are financed under section 514 or section 516(h) of the
Housing Act of 1949, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486(h))
respectively, and otherwise meet the requirements of 7 CFR section
3560.574. Owners of eligible projects may choose tenant-specific RA or
operating assistance, or a combination of both; however, any tenant or
unit assisted with operating assistance may not also receive RA.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Housing Eligibility
Housing that is constructed with FLH loans and grants must meet
Rural Development's design and construction standards contained in 7
CFR part 1924, subparts A and C. Once constructed, off-farm FLH must be
managed in accordance with the program's management regulation, 7 CFR
part 3560. In addition, off-farm FLH must be operated on a non-profit
basis and tenancy must be open to all qualified domestic farm laborers,
regardless at which farm they work. Section 514(f)(3) of the Housing
Act of 1949, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1484(f)(3)) defines domestic farm
laborers to include any person regardless of the person's source of
employment, who receives a substantial portion of his or her income
from the primary production of agricultural or aquacultural commodities
in the unprocessed or processed stage, and also includes the person's
family.
B. Tenant Eligibility
Tenant eligibility is limited to persons who meet the definition of
a ``disabled domestic farm laborer'', ``a domestic farm laborer'',
``retired domestic farm laborer,'' as defined in 7 CFR section 3560.11.
Farmworkers who are admitted to this country on a temporary basis under
the Temporary Agricultural Workers (H-2A Visa) program are not eligible
to occupy section 514/516 off-farm FLH.
C. Applicant Eligibility
(1) To be eligible to receive a section 516 grant for off-farm FLH,
the applicant must be a broad-based nonprofit organization, a community
organization which can include a faith-based organization, a nonprofit
organization of farm workers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, an
agency or political subdivision of a State or local government, or a
public agency (such as a housing authority). The applicant must be able
to contribute at least one-tenth of the TDC non-Rural Development
resources which can include leveraged funds.
(2) To be eligible to receive a section 514 loan for off-farm FLH,
the applicant must be a broad-based nonprofit organization, a community
organization which can include a faith-based organization, a nonprofit
organization of farm workers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, an
agency or political subdivision of a State or local government, a
public agency (such as a housing authority), or a limited partnership
which has a nonprofit entity as its general partner, and
(i) be unable to provide the necessary housing from its own
resources; and
(ii) except for State or local public agencies and Indian tribes,
be unable to obtain similar credit elsewhere at rates that would allow
for rents within the payment ability of eligible residents.
(iii) broad-based nonprofit organizations must have a membership
that reflects a variety of interests in the area where the housing will
be located.
IV. Administrative Requirements
A. Cost Sharing or Matching
Section 516 grants for off-farm FLH may not exceed the lesser of 90
percent of the TDC as provided in 7 CFR 3560.562(c)(1).
B. Other Requirements
The following requirements apply to loans and grants made in
response to this notice:
[[Page 25835]]
(1) 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E, regarding equal opportunity
requirements;
(2) 7 CFR parts 3015, 3016 or 3019 (as applicable), which
establishes the uniform administrative requirements for grants and
cooperative agreements to State and local governments and to nonprofit
organizations;
(3) 7 CFR part 1901, subpart F, regarding historical and
archaeological properties;
(4) 7 CFR part 1940, subpart G, regarding environmental
assessments;
(5) 7 CFR part 3560, subpart L, regarding the loan and grant
authorities of the off-farm FLH program;
(6) 7 CFR part 1924, subpart A, regarding planning and performing
construction and other development;
(7) 7 CFR part 1924, subpart C, regarding the planning and
performing of site development work;
(8) For construction financed with a Section 516 grant, the
provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276(a)-276(a)-5) and
implementing regulations published at 29 CFR parts 1, 3, and 5; and
(9) All other requirements contained in 7 CFR part 3560, regarding
the section 514/516 off-farm FLH program.
V. Application and Submission Information
The application process will be in two phases: the initial pre-
application (or proposal) and the submission of a final application.
Only those proposals that are selected for funding will be invited to
submit final applications. In the event that a proposal is selected for
further processing and the applicant declines, the next highest ranked
unfunded pre-application may be selected. All pre-applications for
sections 514 and 516 funds must be filed with the appropriate Rural
Development State Office and must meet the requirements of this notice.
Incomplete pre-applications will not be reviewed and will be returned
to the applicant. No pre-application will be accepted after 5 p.m.,
local to the appropriate Rural Development State Office on July 9, 2010
unless date and time is extended by another Notice published in the
Federal Register.
If a pre-application is accepted for further processing, the
applicant must submit a complete, final application, acceptable to
Rural Development prior to the obligation of Rural Development funds.
If the pre-application is not accepted for further processing the
applicant will be notified of appeal rights under 7 CFR part 11.
A. Pre-Application Requirements
(1) The pre-application must contain the following:
(i) A summary page listing the following items. This information
should be double-spaced between items and not be in narrative form.
(a) Applicant's name.
(b) Applicant's Taxpayer Identification Number.
(c) Applicant's address.
(d) Applicant's telephone number.
(e) Name of applicant's contact person, telephone number, and
address.
(f) Amount of loan and grant requested.
(g) For grants, the applicant's Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number. As required by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB), all grant applicants must provide a DUNS number when
applying for Federal grants, on or after October 1, 2003. Organizations
can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free
number at 1-866-705-5711 or via Internet at http:www.dnb.com/us/.
Additional information concerning this requirement can be obtained on
the Grants.gov Web Site at http://www.grants.gov.
(ii) A narrative verifying the applicant's ability to meet the
eligibility requirements stated earlier in this notice. If an applicant
is selected for further processing Rural Development will require
additional documentation as set forth in a Conditional Commitment in
order to verify the entity has the legal and financial capability to
carry out the obligation of the loan.
(iii) Standard Form 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance'' can
be obtained at http://www.grants.gov or from any Rural Development
State Office listed in Section VII of this Notice.
(iv) Current (within 6 months) financial statements with the
following paragraph certified by the applicant's designated and legally
authorized signer:
I/we certify the above is a true and accurate reflection of our
financial condition as of the date stated herein. This statement is
given for the purpose of inducing the United States of America to
make a loan or to enable the United States of America to make a
determination of continued eligibility of the applicant for a loan
as requested in the loan application of which this statement is a
part.
(v) Check for $40 from applicants made out to United States
Department of Agriculture. This will be used to pay for credit reports
obtained by Rural Development.
(vi) Evidence that the applicant is unable to obtain credit from
other sources. Letters from credit institutions which normally provide
real estate loans in the area should be obtained and these letters
should indicate the rates and terms upon which a loan might be
provided. (Note: Not required from State or local public agencies or
Indian tribes.)
(vii) If a FLH grant is desired, a statement concerning the need
for a FLH grant. The statement should include preliminary estimates of
the rents required with and without a grant.
(viii) A statement of the applicant's experience in operating labor
housing or other rental housing. If the applicant's experience is
limited, additional information should be provided to indicate how the
applicant plans to compensate for this limited experience (i.e.,
obtaining assistance and advice of a management firm, non-profit group,
public agency, or other organization which is experienced in rental
management and will be available on a continuous basis).
(ix) A brief statement explaining the applicant's proposed method
of operation and management (i.e., on-site manager, contract for
management services, etc.). As stated earlier in this notice, the
housing must be managed in accordance with the program's management
regulation, 7 CFR part 3560 and tenancy is limited to ``disabled
domestic farm laborers,'' ``domestic farm laborers,'' ``retired
domestic farm laborers,'' as defined in 7 CFR section 3560.11.
(x) Applicants must also provide:
(a) A copy of, or an accurate citation to, the special provisions
of State law under which they are organized, a copy of the applicant's
charter, Articles of Incorporation, and By-laws;
(b) The names, occupations, and addresses of the applicant's
members, directors, and officers; and
(c) If a member or subsidiary of another organization, the
organization's name, address, and nature of business.
(xi) A preliminary market survey or market study to identify the
supply and demand for labor housing in the market area. The market area
must be clearly identified and may include only the area from which
tenants can reasonably be drawn for the proposed project. Documentation
must be provided to justify a need within the intended market area for
the housing of ``domestic farm laborers'', as defined in 7 CFR 3560.11.
The documentation must take into account disabled and retired farm
waters. The preliminary survey should address or include the following
items:
(a) The annual income level of farmworker families in the area and
the probable income of the farm workers
[[Page 25836]]
who will likely to occupy the proposed housing;
(b) A realistic estimate of the number of farm workers who remain
in the area where they harvest and the number of farm workers who
normally migrate into the area. Information on migratory workers should
indicate the average number of months the migrants reside in the area
and an indication of what type of family groups are represented by the
migrants (i.e., single individuals as opposed to families);
(c) General information concerning the type of labor intensive
crops grown in the area and prospects for continued demand for farm
laborers;
(d) The overall occupancy rate for comparable rental units in the
area and the rents charged and customary rental practices for these
units (i.e., will they rent to large families, do they require annual
leases, etc.);
(e) The number, condition, adequacy, rental rates and ownership of
units currently used or available to farm workers;
(f) A description of the units proposed, including the number,
type, size, rental rates, amenities such as carpets and drapes, related
facilities such as a laundry room or community room and other
facilities providing supportive services in connection with the housing
and the needs of the prospective tenants such as a health clinic or day
care facility, estimated development timeline, estimated total
development cost, and applicant contribution; and
(g) The applicant must also identify all other sources of funds,
including the dollar amount, source, and commitment status. (Note: A
section 516 grant may not exceed 90 percent of the total development
cost of the housing.)
(xii) The following forms are required:
(a) A completed Form RD 1940-20, ``Request for Environmental
Information,'' and a description of anticipated environmental issues or
concerns. The form can be found at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/
efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD1940-20.PDF.
(b) A prepared HUD Form 935.2A, ``Affirmative Fair Housing
Marketing Plan (AFHM) Multi-family Housing'' in accordance with 7 CFR
1901.203(c). The plan will reflect that occupancy is open to all
qualified ``domestic farm laborers,'' regardless of which farming
operation they work and that they will not discriminate on the basis of
race, color, sex, age, disability, marital or familial status or
National origin in regard to the occupancy or use of the units. The
form can be found at http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/forms/
files/935-2a.pdf
(c) A proposed operating budget utilizing Form RD 3560-7,
``Multiple Family Housing Project Budget/Utility Allowance,'' can be
found at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/
RD3560-7.PDF.
(d) An estimate of development cost utilizing Form RD 1924-13,
``Estimate and Certificate of Actual Cost,'' can be found at http://
forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD1924-13.PDF.
(e) Form RD 3560-30, ``Certification of no Identity of Interest
(IOI),'' can be found at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/
eFileServices/eForms/RD3560-30.PDF and Form RD 3560-31, ``Identity of
Interest Disclosure/Qualification Certification,'' can be found at
http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD3560-
31.PDF.
(f) Form HUD 2530, ``Previous Participation Certification,'' can be
found at http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/forms/files/2530.pdf.
(g) If requesting RA or Operating Assistance, Form RD 3560-25,
``Initial Request for Rental Assistance or Operating Assistance.'' can
be found at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/
eForms/RD3560-25.PDF.
(h) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement,'' can be found at: http:/
/forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD400-4.PDF.
Applications for revitalization, repair and rehab are to apply through
the Multi-Family Housing Revitalization Demonstration Program.
(i) Evidence of compliance with Executive Order 12372. The
applicant must send a copy of Form SF-424 to the applicant's state
clearinghouse for intergovernmental review. If the applicant is located
in a state that does not have a clearing house, the applicant is not
required to submit the form.
(xiii) Evidence of site control, such as an option contract or
sales contract. In addition, a map and description of the proposed
site, including the availability of water, sewer, and utilities and the
proximity to community facilities and services such as shopping,
schools, transportation, doctors, dentists, and hospitals.
(xiv) Preliminary plans and specifications, including plot plans,
building layouts, and type of construction and materials. The housing
must meet Rural Development's design and construction standards
contained in 7 CFR part 1924, subparts A and C and must also meet all
applicable Federal, State, and local accessibility standards.
(xv) A supportive services plan, which describes services that will
be provided on-site or made available to tenants through cooperative
agreements with service providers in the community, such as a health
clinic or day care facility. Off-site services must be accessible and
affordable to farm workers and their families. Letters of intent from
service providers are acceptable documentation at the pre-application
stage.
(xvi) A sources and uses statement which shows all sources of
funding included in the proposed project. The terms and schedules of
all sources included in the project should be included in the sources
and uses statement.
(xvii) A separate one-page information sheet listing each of the
``Pre-Application Scoring Criteria'' contained in this notice, followed
by a reference to the page numbers of all relevant material and
documentation that is contained in the proposal that supports the
criteria.
(xviii) Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to include a
checklist of all of the pre-application requirements and to have their
pre-application indexed and tabbed to facilitate the review process;
(xix) Evidence of compliance with the requirements of the
applicable State Housing Preservation Office (SHPO). A letter from the
SHPO where the off-farm labor housing project is located, signed by
their designee will serve as evidence of compliance.
V. Pre-Application Review Information
All applications for sections 514 and 516 funds must be filed with
the appropriate Rural Development State Office and must meet the
requirements of this notice. The Rural Development State Office will
base its determination of completeness of the application and the
eligibility of each applicant on the information provided in the pre-
application.
A. Selection Criteria. Section 514 loan funds and section 516 grant
funds will be distributed to States based on a national competition, as
follows:
(1) Rural Development States will accept, review, and score pre-
applications in accordance with this notice. The scoring factors are:
(i) The presence of construction cost savings, including donated
land and construction leverage assistance, for the units that will
serve program-eligible tenants. The savings will be calculated as a
percentage of the Rural Development TDC. The percentage calculation
excludes any costs prohibited by Rural Development as
[[Page 25837]]
loan expenses, such as a developer's fee. Construction cost savings
includes, but is not limited to, funds for hard construction costs, and
State or Federal funds which are applicable to construction costs. A
minimum of ten percent cost savings is required to earn points;
however, if the total percentage of cost savings is less than ten
percent and the proposal includes donated land, two points will be
awarded for the donated land. To count as cost savings for purposes of
the selection criteria, a written commitment from the funding source
must be submitted with the pre-application. Points will be awarded in
accordance with the following table using rounding to the nearest whole
number.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percentage Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
75 or more.................................................... 20
70-74......................................................... 19
65-69......................................................... 18
60-64......................................................... 17
50-54......................................................... 15
45-49......................................................... 14
40-44......................................................... 13
35-39......................................................... 12
30-34......................................................... 11
25-29......................................................... 10
20-24......................................................... 9
10-14......................................................... 7
5-9........................................................... 6
0-4........................................................... 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Donated land in proposals with less than ten percent total cost
savings: 2 points.
(ii) The presence of operational cost savings, such as tax
abatements, non- Rural Development tenant subsidies or donated services
are calculated on a per-unit cost savings for the sum of the savings.
Savings must be available for at least 5 years and documentation must
be provided with the application demonstrating the availability of
savings for 5 years. To calculate the savings, take the total amount of
savings and divide it by the number of units in the project that will
benefit from the savings to obtain the per unit cost savings. For non-
Rural Development tenant subsidy, if the value changes during the five
year calculation, the applicant must use the lower of the non-rural
development tenant subsidy to calculate per unit cost savings. For
example, a 10 unit property with 100 percent designated farm labor
housing units receiving $20,000 per year non-rural development subsidy
yields a cost savings of $100,000 ($20,000*5 years); resulting to a
$10,000 per-unit cost savings ($100,000/10 units).
To determine cost savings in a mixed income complex that will serve
other income levels than farm labor housing income-eligible tenants,
use only the number of units that will serve farm labor housing income-
eligible tenants. Round percentages to the nearest whole number,
rounding up at 0.50 and above and down at 0.49 and below.
Use the following table to apply points.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per-Unit Cost Savings Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
$15,000 and above............................................. 20
$10,001-$15,000............................................... 18
$7,501-$10,000................................................ 16
$5,001-$7,500................................................. 12
$3,501-$5,000................................................. 10
$2,001-$3,500................................................. 8
$1,000 -$2,000................................................ 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(iii) Percent of units for seasonal, temporary, migrant housing.
(five points for up to and including 50 percent of the units; 10 points
for 51 percent or more units used for seasonal, temporary, or migrant
housing.)
(iv) Presence of tenant services.
(a) Up to 10 points will be awarded based on the presence of and
extent to which a tenant services plan exists that clearly outlines
services that will be provided to the residents of the proposed
project. These services may include, but are not limited to,
transportation related services, on-site English as a Second Language
(ESL) classes, move-in funds, emergency assistance funds, homeownership
counseling, food pantries, after school tutoring, and computer learning
centers.
(b) Two points will be awarded for each resident service included
in the tenant services plan up to a maximum of 10 points. Plans must
detail how the services are to be administered, who will administer
them, and where they will be administered. All tenant service plans
must include letters of intent that clearly state the service that will
be provided at the project for the benefit of the residents from any
party administering each service, including the applicant.
(v) Net Zero Energy Consumption. In an effort to implement USDA's
nationwide initiative to promote sustainable building development,
energy-efficiency and conservation, USDA Rural Development has adopted
a goal that all new multi-family housing projects financed in whole or
in part by the USDA, will achieve net zero energy consumption--it will
consume no more energy than it produces. Program participation points
will be awarded as follows:
(a) Participation in a System Third-Party Measured and Verified
Sustainable Development and Energy-Efficiency program. The points will
be allocated as follows: (maximum 20 points).
(1) Participate in the Department of Energy's Energy Star for Homes
program: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_
raters.nh_multifamily_units (1 point);
(2) Participate in the Department of Energy's Builder's Challenge
program: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/challenge/about.html. (3
points);
(3) Participation in the following programs will be awarded 3
points for each program with a maximum of 9 points:
Green Communities program by the Enterprise Community
Partners (http://www.enterprisecommunity.org);
LEED for Homes program by the United States Green Building
Council (USGBC) (http://www.usgbc.org); and
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) ICC 700-
2008 National Green Building StandardTM (http://
www.nahb.org).
(4) Participation in higher certification levels. LEED for Homes
and ICC 700-2008 National Green Building StandardTM each
have four levels of increasingly challenging certification. For
specific information on the different levels for these programs please
refer to their websites listed above. Projects will receive an
additional (1) point for each higher certification level commitment
beyond the baseline of the program. (6 Points maximum)
(5) Participate in local green/energy efficient building standards.
Applicants who participate in a city, county or municipality program,
will receive an additional (1) point. Points will be awarded only if
the applicant is cross-enrolled with a national program described under
section VI.A.(1).
The applicant should be aware that most of the following
requirements are embedded in the third party programs rating and
verification systems; the applicant should look at the requirements for
each program for specific details:
Team of qualified professionals in design and construction
of sustainable buildings;
Initial design meeting, ongoing third party verification
and post-construction operations & maintenance education;
Tight building envelope with indoor air quality assurance;
Program for education of tenants and property managers in
operations and maintenance.
(vi) Energy Generation. To reach USDA's goal of net zero energy
consumption, it is essential to generate renewable energy on site which
will compliment a weather tight, well-insulated building envelope with
highly efficient mechanical systems. Possible
[[Page 25838]]
renewable energy generation technologies include: Wind turbines and
micro-turbines, micro-hydro power, photovoltaics, solar hot water
systems, and biomass/biofuel systems that do not use fossil fuels in
production. Geo-exchange systems are highly encouraged as they lessen
the total demand for energy and, if supplemented with other renewable
energy sources, can achieve zero energy consumption more easily. Energy
analysis of preliminary building plans using industry recognized
simulation software should document the projected energy consumption of
the building, the portion of building consumption which will be
satisfied through on-site generation, and the building's HERS (Home
Energy Rating System) score. In order to receive points under this
section the energy analysis will need to be submitted with the
application. Points under this section will be awarded as follows:
(a) New multi-family housing projects, whose preliminary building
plans project it will consume no more energy than it produces. (10
Points)
(b) Projects whose preliminary building plans project they will
have less than a one hundred percent energy generation commitment
(where generation is considered to be the total amount of energy needed
to be generated on-site to make the building a net-zero consumer of
energy), will be awarded points corresponding to their percent of
commitment (ex. 80% commitment to energy generation = 8 points or 80
percent of 10 points).
(2) The National Office will rank all pre-applications nationwide
and distribute funds to States in rank order, within funding and RA
limits. A lottery in accordance with 7 CFR 3560.56(c)(2) will be used
for applications with tied point scores when they all cannot be funded.
If insufficient funds or RA remain for the next ranked proposal, that
applicant will be given a chance to modify their pre-application to
bring it within remaining funding levels. This will be repeated for
each next ranked eligible proposal until an award can be made or the
list is exhausted. Rural Development will notify all applicants whether
their applications have been accepted or rejected.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
Loan applicants must submit their initial applications by the due
date specified in this Notice. State Offices will review applications
and provide a list to the National Office. Once the applications have
been scored and ranked by the National Office the National Office will
advise States Offices of the proposals selected for further processing,
State Offices will respond to applicants by letter.
If the application is not accepted for further processing, the
applicant will be notified of appeal rights under 7 CFR part 11.
2. Administrative and National Policy
All Farm Labor Housing loans and grants are subject to the
restrictive-use provisions contained in 7 CFR section 3560.72(a)(2).
3. Reporting
Borrowers must maintain separate financial records for the
operation and maintenance of the project and for tenant services.
Tenant services will not be funded by Rural Development. Funds
allocated to the operation and maintenance of the project may not be
used to supplement the cost of tenant services, nor may tenant service
funds be used to supplement the project operation and maintenance.
Detailed financial reports regarding tenant services will not be
required unless specifically requested by Rural Development, and then
only to the extent necessary for Rural Development and the borrower to
discuss the affordability (and competitiveness) of the service provided
to the tenant. The project audit, or verification of accounts on Form
RD 3560-10, ``Borrower Balance Sheet'', together with an accompanying
Form RD 3560-7 ``Multiple Family Housing Project Budget Utility
Allowance'' showing actuals, must allocate revenue and expense between
project operations and the service component.
VII. Agency Contacts
Note: Telephone numbers listed are not toll-free.
Alabama State Office, Suite 601, Sterling Centre, 4121 Carmichael
Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3618 TDD (334) 279-3495,
Van McCloud.
Alaska State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK
99645, (907) 761-7740, TDD (907) 761-8905, Deborah Davis.
Arizona State Office, Phoenix Courthouse and Federal Building, 230
North First Ave., Suite 206, Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8768,
TDD (602) 280-8706, Carol Torres.
Arkansas State Office, 700 W. Capitol Ave., Room 3416, Little Rock,
AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3250, TDD (501) 301-3063, Greg Kemper.
California State Office, 430 G Street, 4169, Davis, CA
95616-4169, (530) 792-5821, TDD (530) 792-5848, Debra Moretton.
Colorado State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E100, Lakewood, CO
80215, (720) 544-2923, TDD (800) 659-2656, Mary Summerfield.
Connecticut, Served by Massachusetts State Office.
Delaware and Maryland State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3615, TDD (302) 857-3585, Pat Baker.
Florida & Virgin Islands State Office, 4440 NW. 25th Place,
Gainesville, FL 32606-6563, (352) 338-3465, TDD (352) 338-3499,
Tresca Clemmons.
Georgia State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock
Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2768, (706) 546-2164, TDD (706) 546-2034,
Wayne Rogers.
Hawaii State Office, (Services all Hawaii, American Samoa Guam, and
Western Pacific), Room 311, Federal Building, 154 Waianuenue Avenue,
Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8305, TDD (808) 933-8321, Donald Estes.
Idaho State Office, Suite A1, 9173 West Barnes Dr., Boise, ID 83709,
(208) 378-5630, TDD (208) 378-5644, Roni Atkins.
Illinois State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL
61821-2986, (217) 403-6222, TDD (217) 403-6240, Barry L. Ramsey.
Indiana State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN
46278, (317) 290-3100 (ext. 423), TDD (317) 290-3343, Paul Neumann.
Iowa State Office, 210 Walnut Street Room 873, Des Moines, IA 50309,
(515) 284-4493, TDD (515) 284-4858, Heather Honkomp.
Kansas State Office, 1303 SW. First American Place, Suite 100,
Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2721, TDD (785) 271-2767, Mike
Resnik.
Kentucky State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY
40503, (859) 224-7325, TDD (859) 224-7422, Paul Higgins.
Louisiana State Office, 3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA
71302, (318) 473-7962, TDD (318) 473-7655, Yvonne R. Emerson.
Maine State Office, 967 Illinois Ave., Suite 4, PO Box 405, Bangor,
ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9110, TDD (207) 942-7331, Bob Nadeau.
Maryland, Served by Delaware State Office.
Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Rhode Island State Office, 451 West
Street Amherst, MA 01002, (413) 253-4333, TDD (413) 253-4590, Arlene
Nunes.
Michigan State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing,
MI 48823, (517) 324-5192, TDD (517) 337-6795, Julie Putnam.
Minnesota State Office, 375 Jackson Street Building, Suite 410, St.
Paul, MN 55101-1853, (651) 602-7812, TDD (651) 602-7830, Nancy
Schmidt.
Mississippi State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W.
Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4325, TDD (601) 965-
5850, Darnella Smith-Murray.
Missouri State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center,
Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0987, TDD (573) 876-9480,
Rachelle Long.
Montana State Office, 900 Technology Blvd. Suite B, Bozeman, MT
59718, (406) 585-2515, TDD (406) 585-2562, Deborah Chorlton.
Nebraska State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial
Mall N, Lincoln,
[[Page 25839]]
NE 68508, (402) 437-5734, TDD (402) 437-5093, Linda Anders.
Nevada State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson City, NV 89703-
5146, (775) 887-1222 (ext. 25), TDD (775) 885-0633, William Brewer.
New Hampshire State Office, Concord Center, Suite 218, Box 317, 10
Ferry Street, Concord, NH 03301-5004, (603) 223-6050, TDD (603) 229-
0536, Robert McCarthy.
New Jersey State Office, 5th Floor North Suite 500, 8000 Midlantic
Dr., Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7740, TDD (856) 787-7784,
George Hyatt, Jr.
New Mexico State Office, 6200 Jefferson St., NE., Room 255,
Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4944, TDD (505) 761-4938, Susan
Gauna.
New York State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S. Salina
Street, Suite 357 5th Floor, Syracuse, NY 13202, (315) 477-6421, TDD
(315) 477-6421, Michael Bosak.
North Carolina State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC
27609, (919) 873-2066, TDD (919) 873-2003, Beverly Casey.
North Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East
Rosser, PO Box 1737 Bismarck, ND 58502, (701) 530-2049, TDD (701)
530-2113, Kathy Lake.
Ohio State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High
Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2477, (614) 255-2409, TDD (614) 255-2554,
Cathy Simmons.
Oklahoma State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074-
2654, (405) 742-1070, TDD (405) 742-1007, Ivan S. Graves.
Oregon State Office, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801, Portland, OR
97232, (503) 414-3325, TDD (503) 414-3387, Sherryl Gleason.
Pennsylvania State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite 330,
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2281, TDD (717) 237-2261,
Martha Eberhart.
Puerto Rico State Office, 654 Munoz Rivera Avenue, IBM Plaza, Suite
601, Hato Rey, PR 00918, (787) 766-5095 (ext. 249), TDD (787) 766-
5332, Lourdes Colon.
Rhode Island, Served by Massachusetts State Office.
South Carolina State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 253-3432, TDD
(803) 765-5697, Larry D. Floyd.
South Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth
Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1132, TDD (605) 352-1147,
Roger Hazuka or Pam Reilly.
Tennessee State Office, Suite 300, 3322 West End Avenue, Nashville,
TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1375, TDD (615) 783-1397, Don Harris.
Texas State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South Main,
Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9765, TDD (254) 742-9712, Scooter
Brockette.
Utah State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 S. State
Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0350, (801) 524-4325,
TDD (801) 524-3309, Janice Kocher.
Vermont State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street,
Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6021, TDD (802) 223-6365, Heidi
Setien.
Virgin Islands, Served by Florida State Office.
Virginia State Office, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa
Road, Richmond, VA 23229, (804) 287-1596, TDD (804) 287-1753, CJ
Michels.
Washington State Office, 1835 Black Lake Blvd., Suite B, Olympia, WA
98512, (360) 704-7730, TDD (360) 704-7760, Susan McKitrick.
Western Pacific Territories, Served by Hawaii State Office.
West Virginia State Office, Federal Building, 75 High Street, Room
320, Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, (304) 284-4872, TDD (304) 284-4836,
David Cain.
Wisconsin State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI
54481, (715) 345-7676, TDD (715) 345-7614, Cheryl Halverson.
Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602, (307) 233-
6715, TDD (307) 233-6733, Alan Brooks.
VIII. Non-Discrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of
race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable,
sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion,
sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs,
reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is
derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call
(800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and employer.
May 4, 2010.
Tammye Trevi[ntilde]o,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-10927 Filed 5-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P