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HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program FAQs (HUD)

What is the HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program?

The HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) intended to help small communities revitalize traditional downtown or Main Street areas by rehabilitating existing buildings and adding affordable housing.

What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?

The core purpose is to renovate historic or traditional central business districts by converting underused or vacant commercial space within existing buildings into affordable housing units, while maintaining the district's character and architectural features.

What types of areas are targeted by the program?

The program targets traditional downtowns or Main Street corridors, particularly historic or traditional central business districts where older buildings and established streetscapes can be rehabilitated and reused.

What kinds of projects does the program support?

Based on the opportunity description, supported projects involve rehabilitation and reuse of existing downtown buildings, specifically converting underused or vacant commercial space into affordable housing units as part of a Main Street rejuvenation effort.

Does the program focus on new construction or rehabilitation?

The program emphasizes rehabilitation and reuse of existing buildings rather than abandonment or sprawl, suggesting a focus on renovating and repurposing what is already in place in downtown areas.

What are the program's primary objectives?

The program highlights four main objectives: (1) redevelop Main Street areas through rehabilitation and reuse; (2) preserve historic or traditional architecture and design; (3) enhance broader economic development efforts; and (4) create affordable housing in Main Street areas near services, jobs, and amenities.

How does adding affordable housing support economic development in a downtown?

The opportunity notes that placing housing in downtown areas can increase foot traffic, support local businesses, and help stabilize commercial districts by bringing new residential life back into Main Street corridors.

Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Eligibility is narrowly targeted to small local governments. To qualify, the applicant must be a local government (as defined in the program notice) with a population of 50,000 or less and must meet additional public housing agency-related limitations described in the announcement.

Is there a population limit for eligible applicants?

Yes. The applicant must be a local government with a population of 50,000 or less.

How does public housing agency (PHA) activity affect eligibility?

The community must not be served by a local government, county/parish, regional, or state public housing agency that administers more than 100 physical public housing units within that local government jurisdiction.

Are Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) units counted toward the 100-unit threshold?

No. The eligibility screen excludes Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) units from the unit count.

Are public housing units in mixed-finance developments counted toward the 100-unit threshold?

Some mixed-finance public housing units are excluded. Specifically, public housing units in mixed-finance developments are excluded when the public housing agency is not the general partner in the for-profit ownership entity.

What is the funding instrument type?

The funding instrument type for this opportunity is a grant.

What activity category does this opportunity fall under?

The activity category is community development and housing.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 14.878, described as affordable housing development tied to Main Street rejuvenation projects.

How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding amount listed was $500,000.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed was $500,000.

How many awards did HUD anticipate making?

HUD anticipated making one award.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The opportunity states there is a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning the selected applicant would be expected to contribute some form of non-federal resources toward overall project costs, as required by the notice of funding availability.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is FR 5700 N 23.

When was the opportunity posted?

The posted (and created) date shown was May 21, 2013.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was July 22, 2013. The same date was shown as both the original and current closing date.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. The opportunity was archived on August 10, 2013, indicating it is no longer an active/open solicitation.

Who was the listed program contact for access issues?

The announcement listed Lawrence Gnessin as the program contact for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically.

What should applicants do if they cannot access the announcement electronically?

The announcement indicated applicants with trouble accessing the full announcement electronically could contact the program contact (Lawrence Gnessin) for help.