HUD CPD Issues Third Round of Waivers for CoC and ESG

HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) issued a memorandum containing a third set of regulation waivers on September 30. Ten waivers pertain to the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, and one pertains to the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program. Most of the waivers are also available to the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The memorandum also provides a simplified process for recipients to notify HUD of their intent to use one of the waivers. The first set of waivers was issued on March 31 (see Memo, 4/6), the second set was issued on May 22 (see Memo, 6/1).

Eight of the waivers pertain to the CoC and YHDP programs:

  1. Third-Party Documentation of Income
  2. Housing Quality Standards, Initial Inspection of Unit
  3. Suitable Dwelling Size and Housing Quality Standards
  4. Homeless Definition-Temporary Stays in Institutions of 90 days or Less
  5. Permanent Housing, Rapid Re-housing Monthly Case Management
  6. Fair Market Rent for Individual Units and Leasing Costs
  7. Disability Documentation for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
  8. One-Year Lease Requirement

One waiver only pertains to CoC, Coordinated Entry-Annual Ongoing Planning and Stakeholder Consultation, and one only applies to ESG, Homeless Definition -Temporary Stays in Institutions of 90 Days or Less.

To use one of the waivers, a recipient must provide written notice, either through mail or e-mail, to the CPD Director of the HUD Field Office no less than two days before using the waiver.

NLIHC’s thorough summary of key waivers at: https://bit.ly/30PHWif

The waiver memorandum is at: https://bit.ly/2GEz4Vx

More information about the CoC and ESG programs is on page 4-22 of NLIHC’s 2020 Advocates’ Guide.