[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 38, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 38CFR61.20]

[Page 936-937]
 
            TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF
 
          CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED)
 
PART 61--VA HOMELESS PROVIDERS GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 61.20  Life Safety Code capital grants.

    (a) This section sets forth provisions for obtaining a Life Safety 
Code capital grant under 38 U.S.C. 2012(c)(3). To be eligible to receive 
such a capital grant, an applicant already must have received a grant 
under section 3 of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs 
Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-590; 38 U.S.C. 7221 note) for construction, 
renovation, or acquisition of a facility and must obtain the Life Safety 
Code capital grant solely for renovations to such facility to comply 
with the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association. 
The following sections of this part apply to the Life Safety Code grants 
Secs. 61.60 through 61.66; and Sec. 61.80 and Sec. 61.82.
    (b) To apply for a Life Safety Code capital grant under this 
section, an applicant must obtain from VA a Life Safety Code capital 
grant application package and submit to VA the information called for in 
the application package within the time period established in the Notice 
of Fund Availability. The Life Safety Code capital grant application 
package includes exhibits to be

[[Page 937]]

prepared and submitted as part of the application process, including:
    (1) Justification for the modifications needed to meet the Life 
Safety Code or such other comparable fire and safety requirements;
    (2) Site description, site design, and site cost estimates;
    (3) Reasonable assurances with respect to receipt of a Life Safety 
Code capital grant under this part that:
    (i) The project being renovated is being, and will continue to be, 
used principally to furnish veterans the level of care for which VA 
awarded the applicant a grant under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive 
Service Program Act of 1992; that not more than 25 percent of 
participants at any one time will be nonveterans; and that such services 
will meet the requirements of this part;
    (ii) The recipient will keep records and submit reports as VA may 
reasonably require, within the time frames required; and give VA, upon 
demand, access to the records upon which such information is based;
    (iii) The applicant has agreed to comply with the applicable 
requirements of this part and has demonstrated the capacity to do so;
    (iv) The applicant does not have an outstanding obligation to VA 
that is in arrears, and does not have an overdue or unsatisfactory 
response to an audit; and
    (v) The applicant is not in default, by failing to meet requirements 
for any previous assistance from VA.
    (c)(1) Cost-effectiveness. VA will award up to 300 points for cost-
effectiveness with adjustments for high-cost areas. Applicants should 
address the following:
    (i) Estimated cost of the renovation and the type of work to be 
done;
    (ii) Estimated cost of any displacement of program participants or 
services due to the renovation; and
    (iii) Cost-benefit analysis addressing the benefit of renovation to 
the structure compared to moving program to another site.
    (2) Coordination. VA will award up to 200 points for a summary 
countersigned by the local VAMC Facilities Management of the discussions 
concerning renovation plans. The summaries should detail the following:
    (i) Urgency of the renovation;
    (ii) Adequacy of the renovation; and
    (iii) Opinion of feasibility and cost benefit.
    (d) The highest-ranked applications for the Life Safety Code capital 
grants for which funding is available will be selected to receive grants 
in accordance with their ranked order. The amount awarded will be 100 
percent of the estimated total cost of the renovation as stated in the 
Life Safety Code application (this may include application costs, 
architectural fees, and engineering fees). VA will execute an agreement 
and make payments to the Life Safety Code capital grant recipient in 
accordance with Sec. 61.61 of this part and other applicable provisions 
of this part. In the event of a tie between applicants, VA will use the 
score from Sec. 61.20(c)(2) of this part to determine the ranking.
    (e) Applicants may apply for more than one Life Safety Code capital 
grant.
    (f) The authority to provide Life Safety Code grants expires on 
December 21, 2006.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2061, 2064, 7721 note)