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HUD has announced that Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Rapid Response Program (RRP) funding is still available. Eligible applicants must have been a current or former ROSS grantee that received funding since 2017, such as public housing authorities, nonprofits, resident associations, multifamily owners, and others. The RRP provides streamlined, expedited funding for communities facing urgent, unanticipated challenges such as natural disasters, public health crises, or economic disruptions. ROSS RRP awards provide one-time assistance via a cost-reimbursable grant for service coordination and limited direct services. The RRP complements the annual ROSS NOFO with a one-time off-cycle award to grantees and is not a replacement for the ROSS NOFO; ROSS RRP uses a streamlined and simplified application process. The ROSS RRP NOFO was originally made available in July 2025 and will remain available on a rolling basis until all available funds are exhausted. All eligible entities received a direct announcement via GrantSolutions system inviting them to review the criteria and apply as needed. The grant term is two years, and recipients must wait two fiscal years before reapplying. Applicants must serve eligible residents of public housing, RAD PBRA, RAD Project-Based Voucher (PBV), or NAHASDA rental assistance residents. Funds under this notice may only be used for the activities, which include 1) salary and fringe benefits, 2) training and travel related to professional and/or program development, and 3) administrative and direct service costs. RRP funds can only be used to address challenges requiring immediate attention to help residents affected by an urgent event. Specifically, applications must show the RRP funding is needed to 1) respond to an unanticipated and urgent event that requires urgent human services, 2) focus on people-centered service coordination, and 3) demonstrate capacity to have an immediate impact. Examples provided by the notice include natural disasters (wildfires or hurricanes); public health crises (gun violence, community-level contamination, or environmental hazards); and economic disruptions (closure of a major employment center that employs residents at the target site). Ineligible uses include capital improvements, ongoing program support, and unrelated activities. ROSS RRP awards range from $150,000 to $250,000 based on the number of residents served, with programs serving 500 or more residents eligible to receive the max grant amount. Details on how to apply for the ROSS RRP grants are outlined in the notice.
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$75M Available to PHAs with New Terms and Conditions
HUD announced that applications for implementation grants for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative are now open. The grants being offered total $75 million in funding, with individual awards up to $26 million and 4 awards expected to be made. Applications are due March 9, 2026.
Funding for this round of grants is notably lower due to the funding for 2025 remaining at the lower 2024 funding levels. The reduced allocation for 2025 means increased competition for fewer resources, making strategic partnerships and comprehensive plans more critical than ever. CLPHA submitted comments to HUD offering ways to streamline the CNI program’s application process and requirements. CLPHA strongly supports the goals of Choice Neighborhoods and will continue to advocate for robust funding and support for implementation and planning grants.
Eligible applicants include PHAs, local governments, and tribal housing authorities supported by HUD-assisted housing. These CNI grants support the implementation of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans that are expected to achieve the program’s three core goals: housing, people, and neighborhoods.
What’s New?
This year’s NOFO contains numerous new post-award terms and conditions. These include agreeing to comply with several recent executive orders on immigration, reducing waste, fraud, abuse, and agreeing not to use funds for certain purposes. These new funding conditions mirror similar terms and conditions added to Public Housing funding for FY25. PHAs should carefully review the post-award terms and conditions before applying.
While FY22 and FY23 each allocated $175 million for PHAs, FY25 will make only $37.5 million available to PHAs out of $75 million appropriated. CLPHA members have a strong track record with CNI grants. In the most recent round, three CLPHA members (Houston, Miami-Dade, and Syracuse) received first-time Implementation Grants totaling nearly $140 million, while two additional members (Cuyahoga and Norfolk) received supplemental funding for existing CNI projects. For full details, including application instructions and program requirements, visit HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods page. If you have questions or need technical assistance, please contact [email protected].
On September 22, ZERO TO THREE will open a new grant opportunity supporting multi-sector state collaboratives focused on state policy related to PN-3 housing insecurity and homelessness under the Thrive from the Start national initiative. If you have an interest in applying, start gathering your cross-sector partners now in anticipation of the release of the request for proposals. Learn more at an informational webinar on Wednesday, October 1 at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT.