***UPDATE*** Please note that applications for the Homeownership Production Program will now open on Friday, May 12.
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) will begin accepting applications for its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Affordable Housing Construction Program (AHCP) – Homeownership Production Program (HPP) on Friday, May 12, 2023. HPP facilitates the construction of affordable housing, targeting areas federally designated as most impacted and distressed as a result of the 2019 disaster (DR-4420 or Winter Storm Ulmer).
In support of this Notice of Funding Opportunity, DED has published HPP Application Guidelines and is hosting a virtual information session for the CDBG-DR AHCP Homeownership Production Program (HPP) on Thursday, May 11, at 9:00 a.m. CT / 8:00 a.m. MT. The information session is designed to provide an overview of the HPP application and timeline.
All HPP applicants are required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to allow DED to verify eligibility, provide technical assistance, and allow sufficient time for application review and scoring. The LOI is a threshold requirement. Adhering to the deadlines listed in the table below, applicants must submit the following to be considered for an award:
- Letter of Intent. Applicant must use the LOI template and follow submission instructions therein. The template is included in the HPP Application Guidelines.
- Full Application. Applicant must complete and submit the application via AmpliFund, DED’s grant management system. Additional instructions and resources are included in the HPP Application Guidelines.
Homeownership Production Program (HPP) Timeline
| Date | Event/Action | Location | Responsible Party(ies) |
| Thursday, May 11, 2023 | Application Information Session at 9:00AM CT / 8:00AM MT | Register here: https://sonvideo.webex.com/weblink/register/r7ccb64fb6b69617133604468ddd7797d | DED |
| Friday, May 12, 2023 | Application Portal opens at 12:00PM CT / 11:00AM MT | Application can be found at: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/cdbg-dr | DED |
| Friday, May 26, 2023 | Required Letter of Intent must be received by 5:00PM CT / 4:00PM MT | Email completed LOI to christina.zink@nebraska.gov | Applicant |
| Thursday, June 1, 2023 | Office Hour at 9:00AM CT / 8:00AM MT | Available via email notification | DED |
| Thursday, June 15, 2023 | Application Closes at 5:00PM CT / 4:00PM MT | Submit via AmpliFund – https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/cdbg-dr | Applicant |
| Monday, July 17, 2023 | Notification of Intent to Award* | DED to issue via email | DED |
*In the event the HPP funds are not all awarded in the 2023 application cycle, DED will initiate a second application cycle. Similarly, in the event DED increases the funds allocated to AHCP, DED may reconsider acceptable applicants not previously selected for funding without reopening the Program.
HELPFUL RESOURCES & OFFICE HOURS
Prior to initiating and submitting their application, prospective applicants should review the HPP Program Guide, HPP Fact Sheet, and Application Guidelines in the housing toolbox. Once the application is published, the Application Portal will be navigable from the Housing Programs Quick Link located on the CDBG-DR webpage.
In support of the HPP application cycle, DED staff will operate an open office hour on Thursday, June 1 at 9:00 a.m. CT / 8:00 a.m. MT for technical assistance. Registration for the open office hours will be made available via email notification.
APPLICANT SELECTION OVERVIEW
DED established tiering criteria to facilitate selection of projects meeting overall CDBG-DR objectives and program priorities as outlined in Figure 5-3 of the CDBG-DR Action Plan, as amended. The area defined as most impacted and distressed (MID) by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) includes Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy counties.
- Tier 1: Project will be implemented in a HUD-defined MID area AND meets the national objective of benefit to low- and moderate-income persons (LMI National Objective)
- Tier 2: Project will be implemented in a HUD-defined MID area OR meets the LMI National Objective
- Tier 3: Project will NOT be implemented in a HUD-defined MID area and does NOT meet the LMI National Objective
In addition to the tiering criteria, applications must satisfactorily address the initial threshold and competitive scoring criteria. Tier 1 applications will be recommended for an award before Tier 2 applications are considered. Tier 3 applications will not be considered until the program has reviewed all Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects.
| HPP Evaluation & Scoring Matrix | |||
| THRESHOLD | TIERING & COMPETITIVE | ||
| Criteria | Score | Criteria | Maximum Points |
| Applicant met Letter of Intent requirements | Pass/Fail | TIERING: Meets LMI National Objective | 1 |
| Project incorporates CDBG-DR mitigation and Green Building Standards | Pass/Fail | TIERING: Located in HUD-defined MID area | 1 |
| Project is NOT located in the Floodway | Pass/Fail | Project Readiness > Site Control > Identified buyers > Identified HUD-approved > Housing Counseling Agency | 3 |
| Project is NOT located in the 100-year floodplain | Pass/Fail | Cost per Beneficiary (not to exceed $50,000 per buyer) | 1 |
| Applicant has development experience, including staff and board expertise adhering to state and federal funding requirements (i.e., Section 3, DBRA) | Pass/Fail | Cost Reasonableness: proportion of impact to expected population | 5 |
| Resource Coordination (Local and Regional) with existing housing programs | 5 | ||
| Supports and addresses needs of public housing authorities | 1 | ||
| Marketing Plan (Prioritization of Disaster Survivors, Prioritization of Vulnerable Populations, and Ongoing Outreach efforts) | 5 | ||
| Total Points Possible | 22 | ||
| Minimum Points Possible to Receive an Award | 13 |
REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS
Register Here. For more information, contact Christina Zink, Housing Program Manager for Disaster Recovery, at christina.zink@nebraska.gov or 402-326-4091.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Closed captions available. Spanish interpretation can be provided. Individuals requiring sensory accommodations, including interpreter services, Braille, large print or recorded materials should contact Lori Cole at 402-471-3746 or lori.cole@nebraska.gov.
Los individuos no hablan Inglés y los individuos con discapacidad podrán solicitar las ayudas y servicios auxiliares necesarios para la participación de contacto con el Departamento de Desarrollo Económico PO Box 94666, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4666, lori.cole@nebraska.gov.
MORE INFORMATION
Nebraska’s CDBG-DR programs are administered by the DED Disaster Recovery Division. For more information about CDBG-DR programs, including details about the MID area and program priorities, visit DED’s CDBG-DR website. If you have general questions about the CDBG-DR program, please direct them to ded.cdbgdr@nebraska.gov.
If this email was forwarded to you, please be sure to sign-up for the CDBG-DR mailing list by completing the contact form. Individuals who are hearing and/or speech impaired and have a TTY may contact the Department through the Statewide Relay System by calling (711) INSTATE, (800) 833-7352 (TTY), or (800) 833-0920 (voice). The relay operator should be asked to call DED at (800) 426-6505 or (402) 471-3111. Additional information is available on the Nebraska Relay website at http://www.nebraskarelay.com/. Nebraska Relay offers Spanish relay service for our Spanish-speaking customers. Spanish-to-Spanish (711) or 1-888-272-5528; Spanish-to-English (711) or 1-877-564-3503. Nebraska le ofrece el servicio de relevo a nuestros clientes en español. Los consumidores de TTY pueden escribir por máquina en español y las conversaciones serán retransmitidas en español y inglés.