This winter, DOE extended categorical income eligibility to clients served in the last 12 months by all U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) means-tested programs, which go up to 80% of Area Median Income based on 4,684 Fair Market Rent (FMR) areas throughout urban and rural counties. As an example, this means local agencies should no longer need to income-verify individual residents in large HUD-subsidized rental buildings. To benefit from this streamlined process, states must write HUD categorical eligibility into their applications and the local agency needs to develop a procedure for coordination with HUD property owners and documenting the eligibility determination. Grantees can submit modifications to their 2022 Plans to include the HUD eligibility and there is still time to have your state include it in their BIL/IIJA plan. In some states, the WAP is administered by the same entity that administers HUD programs, which should make it easier for programs to coordinate. But state-level coordination is not necessary for your agency to reach eligible HUD properties in your service area; sub-grantees can and should work directly with property managers to weatherize HUD buildings. Click here for complete details. If your state did not put HUD categorical eligibility in the WAP state plan and you wish they had, email: [email protected].
