06-8979. Extension of Period of Submission for Notices of Intent and Fungibility Plans in Accordance With HUD's Implementation Guidance for Section 901 of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations To Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and ...

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

On July 28, 2006, HUD published a notice entitled, “Implementation Guidance for Section 901 of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006.” This notice extends the period for eligible public housing agencies (PHAs) located within the most heavily impacted areas of Louisiana and Mississippi that are subject to a declaration by the President of a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in connection with Hurricanes Katrina or Rita to submit Notices of Intent and Fungibility Plans in accordance with the July 28, 2006, notice. Section 901 of the supplemental appropriations act authorizes PHAs to combine assistance provided under sections 9(d) and (e) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (Act) and assistance provided under section 8(o) of the Act, for the purpose of facilitating the prompt, flexible, and efficient use of funds provided under these sections of the Act to assist families who were receiving housing assistance under the Act immediately prior to Hurricane Katrina or Rita and were displaced from their housing by the hurricanes. In addition to extending the PHA submission deadline, this notice removes the restriction that the combined funding may not be spent for uses under the housing choice voucher (HCV) program. If approved by HUD, the combined funding may now be used for eligible purposes under the HCV program. Any use of combined funds under the HCV program must also be in accordance with the requirement to assist those families who were receiving housing assistance under the public housing or HCV program immediately prior to Hurricane Katrina or Rita and were displaced from their housing by the hurricane. A PHA that already has an approved Fungibility Plan may request HUD approval to change the Plan in order to use the combined funds for HCV program eligible purposes. As provided in the July 28, 2006 Federal Register notice, PHAs must submit to HUD requests for approval of any substantial deviations from the approved Fungibility Plan, and HUD will respond to such requests within 10 calendar days.

DATES:

Eligible PHAs must submit their Notices of Intent and Fungibility Plans no later than November 21, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For technical assistance and other questions concerning the Notice of Intent and Section 901 Fungibility Plan, PHAs should contact their local HUD Public Housing Hub in New Orleans, Louisiana, or Jackson, Mississippi; or Bessy Kong, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Program, and Legislative Initiatives, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4216, Washington, DC 20410-5000, telephone [phone] or 708-0713, extension 2548 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On July 28, 2006 (71 FR 42996), HUD published a notice entitled, “Implementation Guidance for Section 901 of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006.” Section V.A. of the July 28, 2006, notice, entitled, “General Procedures for Combining Public Housing and Voucher Funds Under Section 901,” instructs that PHAs interested in implementing the flexibility authorized in Section 901 should submit, in writing for HUD review and approval, no later than 45 days from the date of the notice or September 11, 2006: (1) A Notice of Intent to invoke Section 901 flexibility and (2) a detailed Section 901 Fungibility Plan describing the total amount under Section 901, and the source of those funds by account (HCV, Operating Fund, Capital Fund).

Some eligible PHAs are facing circumstances that precluded submission of their Notices of Intent and Fungibility plans by September 11, 2006, and require additional time to determine whether program funds are available to combine for other program uses. Therefore, HUD has extended the period during which eligible PHAs may submit their Notices of Intent and Fungibility Plans to no later than November 21, 2006, in order to allow sufficient time for HUD to review and approve the plans. HUD strongly recommends earlier submission, if possible, in the event resubmission of plans is required because of HUD's review determinations. HUD must approve all plans, including those that must be resubmitted, no later than December 31, 2006.

In addition to extending the PHA submission deadline, this notice removes the restriction that the combined funding may not be spent for uses under the housing choice voucher (HCV) program. If approved by HUD, the combined funding may now be used for eligible purposes under the HCV program. Any use of combined funds under the HCV program must also be in accordance with the requirement to assist those families who were receiving housing assistance under the public housing or HCV program immediately prior to Hurricane Katrina or Rita and were displaced from their housing by the hurricane.

A PHA that already has an approved Fungibility Plan may request HUD approval to change the Plan in order to use the combined funds for HCV program eligible purposes. As provided in the July 28, 2006 Federal Register Notice, PHAs must submit to HUD requests for approval of any substantial deviations from the approved Fungibility Plan, and HUD will respond to such requests within 10 calendar days.

Notices and Plans should be submitted to the following addresses and contacts, as listed in the July 28, 2006, notice: PHAs should submit one copy to the Public Housing Director of the HUD office in New Orleans, Louisiana or Jackson, Mississippi, as applicable, and the original to HUD Headquarters, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Office of Policy, Program, and Legislative Initiatives, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4116, Washington, DC 20410-5000, Attention: Bessy Kong/Sherry McCown.

II. List of Louisiana and Mississippi PHAs Heavily Impacted by Hurricane Katrina or Rita

The following list includes PHAs in counties eligible to receive individual and public assistance through FEMA as a result of damages sustained from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

No.	HA code	HA name	County	State	Hurricane
1	LA001	New Orleans Housing Authority (HA)	Orleans	LA	Katrina.
2	LA003	E. Baton Rouge HA	East Baton Rouge	LA	Katrina.
3	LA004	Lake Charles HA	Calcasieu	LA	Katrina and Rita.
4	LA005	Lafayette (City) HA	Lafayette	LA	Katrina and Rita.
5	LA011	Westwego	Jefferson	LA	Katrina and Rita.
6	LA012	Kenner HA	Jefferson	LA	Katrina and Rita.
7	LA013	Jefferson Parish HA	Jefferson	LA	Katrina and Rita.
8	LA024	Bogalusa HA	Washington	LA	Katrina.
9	LA025	Eunice HA	St. Landry	LA	Rita.
10	LA026	Kaplan HA	Vermilion	LA	Katrina and Rita.
11	LA027	New Iberia HA	Iberia	LA	Katrina and Rita.
12	LA028	Rayne HA	Acadia	LA	Katrina and Rita.
13	LA029	Crowley	Acadia	LA	Katrina and Rita.
14	LA030	Ville Platte HA	Evangeline	LA	Rita.
15	LA031	Mamou HA	Evangeline	LA	Rita.
16	LA032	Church Point HA	Acadia	LA	Katrina and Rita.
17	LA033	Oakdale HA	Allen	LA	Rita.
18	LA034	Abbeville HA	Vermilion	LA	Katrina and Rita.
19	LA035	Gueydan HA	Vermilion	LA	Katrina and Rita.
20	LA036	Morgan City HA	St. Mary	LA	Katrina and Rita.
21	LA039	Welsh HA	Jefferson Davis	LA	Katrina and Rita.
22	LA040	St. Martinville HA	St. Martin	LA	Katrina and Rita.
23	LA041	Lake Arthur HA	Jefferson Davis	LA	Katrina and Rita.
24	LA043	Donaldsonville HA	Ascension	LA	Katrina and Rita.
25	LA044	Thibodaux HA	Lafourche	LA	Katrina and Rita.
26	LA046	Vinton HA	Calcasieu	LA	Katrina and Rita.
27	LA047	Erath HA	Vermilion	LA	Katrina and Rita.
28	LA055	Opelousas HA	St. Landry	LA	Rita.
29	LA056	Berwick HA	St. Mary	LA	Katrina and Rita.
30	LA058	Basile HA	Evangeline	LA	Rita.
31	LA059	Breaux Bridge HA	St. Martin	LA	Katrina and Rita.
32	LA063	Sulphur HA	Calcasieu	LA	Katrina and Rita.
33	LA065	Delcambre HA	Vermilion	LA	Katrina and Rita.
34	LA066	Elton HA	Jefferson Davis	LA	Katrina and Rita.
35	LA067	St. Landry Parish HA	St. Landry	LA	Rita.
36	LA068	Oberlin HA	Allen	LA	Rita.
37	LA069	Kinder HA	Allen	LA	Rita.
38	LA070	Patterson HA	St. Mary	LA	Katrina and Rita.
39	LA073	South Landry HA	St. Landry	LA	Rita.
40	LA074	Sabine Parish HA	Sabine	LA	Rita.
41	LA075	Ponchatoula HA	Tangipahoa	LA	Katrina.
42	LA080	Lafourche Parish HA	Lafourche	LA	Katrina and Rita.
43	LA082	Merryville HA	Beauregard	LA	Rita.
44	LA084	Parks HA	St. Martin	LA	Katrina and Rita.
45	LA086	Deridder HA	Beauregard	LA	Rita.
46	LA090	Houma—Terrebonne HA	Terrebonne	LA	Katrina and Rita.
47	LA091	Southwest Acadia HA	Acadia	LA	Katrina and Rita.
48	LA092	St. James Parish HA	St. James	LA	Katrina.
49	LA093	White Castle HA	Iberville	LA	Katrina.
50	LA094	St. Charles Parish HA	St. Charles	LA	Katrina.
51	LA095	St. John the Baptist Parish HA	St. John the Baptist	LA	Katrina.
52	LA099	Independence HA	Tangipahoa	LA	Katrina.
53	LA100	Youngsville HA	Lafayette	LA	Katrina and Rita.
54	LA101	Denham Springs HA	Livingston	LA	Katrina and Rita.
55	LA103	Slidell HA	St. Tammany	LA	Katrina and Rita.
56	LA106	Dequincy HA	Calcasieu	LA	Katrina and Rita.
57	LA111	Leesville HA	Vernon	LA	Rita.
58	LA113	New Roads HA	Pointe Coupee	LA	Katrina.
59	LA118	Jennings HA	Jefferson Davis	LA	Katrina and Rita.
60	LA128	Vernon Parish HA	Vernon	LA	Rita.
61	LA130	Duson HA	Lafayette	LA	Katrina and Rita.
62	LA231	HA of Iowa	Calcasieu	LA	Katrina and Rita.
63	LA238	Covington HA	St. Tammany	LA	Katrina and Rita.
64	LA250	Ascension Parish	Ascension	LA	Katrina and Rita.
65	LA261	Fenton	Jefferson Davis	LA	Katrina and Rita.
66	LA266	White Castle City	Iberville	LA	Katrina.
67	MS001	Hattiesburg HA	Forrest	MS	Katrina.
68	MS002	Laurel HA	Jones	MS	Katrina.
69	MS003	McComb HA	Pike	MS	Katrina.
70	MS004	Meridian HA	Lauderdale	MS	Katrina.
71	MS005	Biloxi HA	Harrison	MS	Katrina.
72	MS019	Mississippi Regional HA No. IV	Lowndes	MS	Katrina.
73	MS030	Mississippi Regional HA No. V	Newton	MS	Katrina.
74	MS040	Mississippi Regional HA No. VIII	Harrison	MS	Katrina.
75	MS047	Starkville HA	Oktibbeha	MS	Katrina.
76	MS057	Mississippi Regional HA No. VII	Pike	MS	Katrina.
77	MS058	Mississippi Regional HA No. VI	Hinds	MS	Katrina.
78	MS060	Brookhaven HA	Lincoln	MS	Katrina.
79	MS061	Canton HA	Madison	MS	Katrina.
80	MS063	Yazoo City HA	Yazoo	MS	Katrina.
81	MS064	Bay St. Louis HA	Hancock	MS	Katrina.
82	MS066	Picayune HA	Pearl River	MS	Katrina.
83	MS067	Richton HA	Perry	MS	Katrina.
84	MS068	Waynesboro HA	Wayne	MS	Katrina.
85	MS076	Columbus HA	Lowndes	MS	Katrina.
86	MS079	Louisville HA	Winston	MS	Katrina.
87	MS084	Summit HA	Pike	MS	Katrina.
88	MS086	Vicksburg HA	Warren	MS	Katrina.
89	MS094	Hazlehurst HA	Copiah	MS	Katrina.
90	MS099	Lumberton HA	Lamar	MS	Katrina.
91	MS101	Waveland HA	Hancock	MS	Katrina.
92	MS103	Jackson HA	Hinds	MS	Katrina.
93	MS105	Natchez HA	Adams	MS	Katrina.
94	MS109	Long Beach HA	Harrison	MS	Katrina.
95	MS111	Forest HA	Scott	MS	Katrina.
96	MS117	Attala County HA	Attala	MS	Katrina.

Dated: October 24, 2006.

Paula O. Blunt,

General Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.