HUD has published its FY-2010 Choice Neighborhoods Imitative (CNI) NOFA Pre-Notice. CNI is funded at $65,000,000 in FY-2010. The pre-notice is intended to help potential applicants prepare for the application process. It sets out the core goals of the initiative and outlines the framework and selection criteria for the competition. CNI is intended to replace the HOPE VI program. The grants will primarily fund the transformation of public and/or HUD-assisted housing developments through preservation, rehabilitation, management improvements as well as demolition and new construction. Eligible applicants include local governments, public housing authorities, nonprofits and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity. Eligible neighborhoods will be defined by the applicant with HUD’s approval. HUD will use the target area’s poverty rate, extremely low-income rate, vacancy rate, crime statistics, school performance and other measures of distress for the defined area in its allocation methodology. HUD intends to award both planning ($3 million total, $250,000 maximum) and implementation grants (maximum grant $31 million) in the FY-2010 awards round. The competition will be conducted in two rounds. HUD will issue a separate NOFA for its FY-2010 HOPE VI grant competition. Public housing projects included in a FY-2010 HOPE VI applications will not be considered for the FY-2010 Choice Neighborhoods application; however, an applicant may apply for a CNI grant for a different housing project located in the same neighborhood as a public housing project for which a PHA is applying for a HOPE VI grant. Read more…