80 FR 13415 - Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 49 (March 13, 2015)

On October 7, 2014, HUD announced through notice in the Grants.gov Web site the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative. The Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative (Jobs-Plus) provides competitive grants to partnerships between public housing authorities, local workforce investment boards established under section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and other agencies and organizations that provide support to help public housing residents obtain employment and increase earnings. Applicants for Job Plus consist of public housing agencies (PHAs) who demonstrate the ability to provide services to residents, partner with workforce investment boards, and leverage service dollars. The October 7, 2014 NOFA provided for full implementation of Jobs-Plus. This Federal Register notice published today announces waivers and alternative requirements and meets the Jobs-Plus statutory requirement to publish waivers and alternative requirements authorized by the statute at least 10 days before they may take effect.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13415-13416]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05763]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5846-N-01]


Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On October 7, 2014, HUD announced through notice in the 
Grants.gov Web site the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 
Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative. The Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative (Jobs-Plus) 
provides competitive grants to partnerships between public housing 
authorities, local workforce investment boards established under 
section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and other agencies 
and organizations that provide support to help public housing residents 
obtain employment and increase earnings. Applicants for Job Plus 
consist of public housing agencies (PHAs) who demonstrate the ability 
to provide services to residents, partner with workforce investment 
boards, and leverage service dollars. The October 7, 2014 NOFA provided 
for full implementation of Jobs-Plus. This Federal Register notice 
published today announces waivers and alternative requirements and 
meets the Jobs-Plus statutory requirement to publish waivers and 
alternative requirements authorized by the statute at least 10 days 
before they may take effect.

DATES: Effective Dates: Sections I and II of the Appendix--Jobs-Plus 
Initiative and Alternate Requirements in this notice are effective 
March 13, 2015. The statutory and regulatory waivers in the appendix to 
this notice are effective March 23, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To assure a timely response, please 
electronically direct requests for further information to this email 
address: [email protected]. Written requests may also be directed to the 
following address: Office of Public and Indian Housing--Anice S. 
Chenault, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

[[Page 13416]]

Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4120; Washington, DC 20410.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Jobs-Plus, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, 
(Pub. L. 113-76, approved January 17, 2014) (2014 Appropriations Act) 
promotes economic empowerment in low-income areas by providing funding 
to PHAs that develop, locally-based approaches to increase earnings and 
advance employment outcomes such as work readiness, employer linkages, 
job placement and counseling, educational advancement and financial 
counseling for their public housing families. As provided in the NOFA 
that HUD published on October 7, 2014, at 
http:[sol][sol]www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-
grants.html?keywords=FR-5800-N-24, there will be approximately $15 
Million in grants made available to Job-Plus grantees in order to 
address entrenched poverty among public housing residents through 
collaboration among local housing authorities, residents of public 
housing projects, local welfare agencies, local workforce development 
agencies, and other relevant partners. It is aimed at significantly 
increasing earnings and advancing employment outcomes for public 
housing residents and leverages research conducted by the Manpower 
Demonstration Research Corporation on Jobs-Plus.
    In addition, the NOFA also made $9 million available from the 
Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator (ROSS-SC) 
account to support the services element of Jobs-Plus. The service 
element will include intensive, employment-focused programs targeting 
every able-bodied, working-age welfare recipient at a public housing 
project.
    Waivers and Alternative Requirements. The 2014 Appropriations Act 
provides that waivers and alternative requirements authorized under 
Jobs-Plus shall be published by notice in the Federal Register no later 
than 10 days before the effective date of such notice. The Consolidated 
and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113-235, 
approved December 16, 2014), has a similar proviso. This notice carries 
out that statutory requirement. Under Jobs-Plus, HUD is authorized to 
waive or alter the rent and income limitation requirements under 
sections 3 and 6 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 as necessary 
to implement Jobs-Plus. This list of these waivers and alternative 
requirements are in the appendix of this notice.

II. Environmental Review

    This Notice involves administrative and fiscal requirements related 
to income limits and exclusions with regard to calculation of rental 
assistance which do not constitute a development decision affecting the 
physical condition of specific project areas or building sites. 
Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(6), this Notice is categorically 
excluded from environmental review under the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).

    Dated: March 6, 2015.
Jemine A. Bryon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Appendix--Jobs-Plus Pilot Initiative and Alternative Requirements

    The Jobs-Plus statute (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, 
Pub. L. 113-76) provides that waivers and alternative requirements 
authorized by the Secretary shall be published by notice in the 
Federal Register no later than 10 days before the effective date of 
such notice. This appendix carries out that statutory requirement. 
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, HUD is authorized 
to waive or alter the rent and income limitation requirements under 
sections 3 and 6 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 as 
necessary to implement Jobs-Plus. Provided below is a list of 
waivers and alternative requirements that shall come into effect on 
March 23, 2015.
    The list of waivers and alternative requirements, as described 
above, follows:

I. Public Housing Rent Calculation

    Permissive exclusions for public housing. Provisions affected: 
Section 6(c) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437d), 3(b)(5)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437a), and 24 CFR 5.609(c). Alternative requirements: The 
PHA shall be required to calculate the annual earned income for 
Jobs-Plus participants receiving the 48-month Jobs-Plus earned 
income exclusion separately for the purposes of determining the 
amount of annual income excluded under Jobs-Plus. As such, income 
that is excluded under Jobs-Plus shall be factored into tenant rent 
calculation and any increases shall be considered part of the tenant 
rent contribution, though not charged to the family. Such amounts 
shall be provided to HUD for review in order to receive additional 
subsidy. The PHA shall then be provided funds to offset the decrease 
in funding associated with the increased tenant income using grant 
amounts made available under the Jobs-Plus appropriations line item.

II. Public Housing Income Limitation Requirements

    Disallowance of earned income from rent determination. 
Provisions affected: HUD is waiving section 3(d)(1) and(2), of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a) and 24 CFR 
960.255(b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3) & (d). Alternative requirements: A PHA 
may disallow all earned income from rent determinations for families 
in Jobs-Plus public housing projects for increased income due to 
employment over the baseline income for a continuous 48-month period 
beginning on the date on which employment commenced. A PHA must 
require members of a family in a Jobs-Plus public housing project to 
enroll in Jobs-Plus in order to obtain the Jobs-Plus earned income 
disregard. The PHA shall not setup Individual Savings Accounts in 
lieu of providing the Jobs-Plus earned income exclusion. Any 
compensation to the PHA for lost rent revenues, such as by the 
standard earned income disregard calculation in the Operating Fund, 
will be offset manually to prevent overpayment of HUD funds to grant 
recipients. Instead, PHAs shall use funds received through the Jobs-
Plus appropriations to reimburse lost income due to Jobs-Plus rent 
incentives.
    There shall be no phase-in period for families participating in 
Jobs-Plus public housing projects and upon completion of the 48-
month earned income exclusion period, the family shall be required 
to provide 100% of the amount of the applicable total rent increase. 
Families participating in Jobs-Plus shall receive a continuous Jobs-
Plus earned income disregard for a lifetime 48-months, which shall 
also be the maximum earned income disallowance for the family. 
Accordingly, the standard lifetime maximum four year disallowance 
proscribed in regulation and statute shall not apply to Jobs-Plus 
families participating in Jobs-Plus.

[FR Doc. 2015-05763 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P