The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes formula funding for a new homelessness program, a program based on HUD identified best practices. The new program is called the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). Seven N.C. entitlement communities received a direct allocation of the HPRP funds (and will conduct their own public comment process). The remainder of N.C. funds will be administered by the State.

 

Before the State can receive any of the allocated funds, the State must submit a plan to HUD. That plan, called a substantial amendment to the Consolidated Plan (substantial amendment), answers several questions about how the State plans to administer the funds and how communities can apply, as well as how sub-grantees (successful applicants to the State) will be monitored and general expectations for how funds will be spent.

 

The State will host two Question and Answer conference calls about the substantial amendment. Interested parties can participate on Wednesday, May 6 at 2:30 P.M. and/or Friday, May 8 at 10:00 A.M.  The call in number for the Question and Answer session is 1-888-296-6500, and the guest code is 804694.  In addition, a power point will be available for persons on the conference call by accessing: https://data.saveonconferences.com/804694.  Once you reach that website you will need to enter your name, your email address, the phone number from which you are calling, and the call in number (888-296-6500).  The web site works much better using Explorer than it does with Netscape.

 

Between May 1 and May 13 the State will be accepting public comments via email at martha.are@ncmail.net, via fax at 919-733-2422 or mail at Martha Are, OERI, MSC 20308, Raleigh, NC 27699-0308.