Home-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP)

In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law, providing over $1.9 trillion in relief to address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, public health, State and local governments, individuals, and businesses. To address the need for homelessness assistance and supportive services, Congress appropriated $5 billion in ARPA funds to be administered through the HOME Program to perform four activities that must primarily benefit qualifying individuals and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, fleeing domestic violence/sexual assault/human trafficking, or in other vulnerable populations. These primary activities include: (1) development and support of affordable housing, (2) tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA), (3) provision of supportive services; and (4) acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter units. Funds may also be allocated to program administration, non-profit operating costs, and non-profit capacity building. The program described in this notice for the use of the $5 billion in ARP funds is 
the HOME-American Rescue Plan or “HOME-ARP.”

Hamilton County received $5,464,367 in HOME-ARP funding to serve the qualifying populations through these activities. The County's Allocation Plan, passed in 2023 and amended in 2024, funded the following activities:

• Development of Affordable Rental Housing

• Development of Non-congregate Shelters

• Supportive Services

• Nonprofit Operating Costs

• Program Administration

Allocation Plan and FAQ Documents

HOME-ARP SUpportive Services

Hamilton County received an allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP). The County allotted $1,000,000 in its Allocation Plan to provide a broad range of supportive services to qualifying households. Supportive services include a) services listed in section 401(29) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (“McKinney-Vento Supportive Services”)1 (42 U.S.C. 11360(29)); b) homelessness prevention services, as described in Section VI.D.3. and D.4 of the HOME-ARP Notice (CPD 21-10); and c) housing counseling services.

Hamilton County on behalf of the Planning + Development Department “Planning + Development” is issuing a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to receive proposals for supportive services as described in the RFP and the HOME-ARP Notice: CPD 21-10. The County intends to expend up to $500,000 of the allotted funds for this RFP.

All contracts will be awarded to the non-profit entity whose proposal is most advantageous to the program with price and other factors considered.

Non-profit entities that wish to submit a proposal must do so through the Neighborly software application.

The Neighborly application portal will on September 27, 2024, by 12:00pm. Proposals will be due by 11:59pm on November 1, 2024. Please send any questions to [email protected].

**Please note: An updated version of the RFP is posted (on 10/18/24). This change removed an application eligibility requirement, "Signed understanding of County Participating Local Governments", that was intended to be removed prior to release. This change does not impact the application portal on Neighborly.

*Subject to change

All interested entities are invited to a virtual pre-proposal Q&A meeting on October 8, 2024 at 3:00pm. The meeting link and call in instructions are below. Please email Jake Berghaus ([email protected]) with questions or issues regarding this meeting.

Development of Non-Congregate SHelter

(Aquisition, Rehabilitation, New Constrution)

Hamilton County has approved the development of non-congregate shelter facilities under its HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. A non-congregate shelter (NCS) is one or more buildings that provide private units or rooms as temporary shelter to individuals and families and does not require occupants to sign a lease or occupancy agreement. HOME-ARP funds may be used to acquire and develop HOME-ARP NCS for individuals and families in qualifying populations. This activity may include but is not limited to the acquisition and/or rehabilitation of existing structures such as motels, hotels, apartments or other facilities to be used for HOME-ARP NCS and the new construction of HOME-ARP NCS facilities. HOME-ARP funds may not be used to pay the operating costs of HOME-ARP NCS.

Hamilton County is accepting applications for NCS projects that are "shovel-ready". This means the County expects developers/owners to have secured site control, firm funding commitments, viable plans for operating throughout the restricted use period, and other financial and logistical plans/commitments. Interested parties may contact the Community Development staff overseeing the program directly via email. Please send inquiries via email to Maria Collins (CD Administrator) [email protected], or Jake Berghaus (Program Manager) [email protected].

HOME-ARP Non-Profit Operating NOFA

The Community Development Division of Hamilton County Planning + Development is pleased to announce the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Home-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Program Non-Profit Operating Cost Funding. This is a one-time funding opportunity authorized under the County’s HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. A total of $273,000 is available under this NOFA. The purpose of this NOFA is to provide funds to non-profit organizations for “general operating costs” under the HOME-ARP grant program. These operating costs must not have a particular final cost objective, such as a project or activity, or must not be directly assignable to a HOME-ARP activity or project.

This NOFA closed for further applications on 4/10/2024 and all funds have been awarded.

Awarded Organizations

NOFA and Application Documents