Feb 21

Loudoun County begins Foster Youth to Independence Initiative

Posted on February 21, 2024 at 3:48 PM by Nancy McCormick

Loudoun County is scheduled to launch the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative Friday, March 1, 2024, with the opening of a targeted waitlist for the county’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program strictly serving eligible young adults who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. 

The Foster Youth to Independence Initiative is a special purpose voucher funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to expand the availability of housing assistance to young adults with a history of foster care. The program pays a portion of participants’ monthly rent based on household income for a period of up to 36 months. After this time period, the participant may receive continued assistance under the general Housing Choice Voucher program, depending on budget availability and continued participant eligibility. 

The Foster Youth to Independence Initiative is a collaborative effort of the Loudoun County Department of Family Services – to assess eligibility of applicants, and the Loudoun County Department of Housing & Community Development – to allocate vouchers to eligible applicants. 

Waitlist Eligibility

All applicants for HCV vouchers under the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative must work with the Loudoun County Department of Family Services to determine their eligibility for the HCV waitlist. The population eligible for assistance under this program are young adults meeting the following conditions:

  • Are between the ages of 18 and 24.
  • Have left foster care, or will leave foster care within 90 days, in accordance with a transition plan described in section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act.
  • Are homeless or is at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older as these terms are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations at 24 CFR 578.3 and 24 CFR 576.2.
  • Meet general HCV eligibility criteria as outlined in the HCV Administrative Plan found at loudoun.gov/hcv

Eligibility is not limited to single persons. For example, young adults who are parents are eligible to receive assistance if they otherwise meet eligibility requirements.

Vouchers are Limited 

All eligible applicants will be placed on the HCV waitlist in order of date and time the referral and application are received. Vouchers are limited by federal funding (HUD allows a public housing agency to issue no more than 25 vouchers within a federal fiscal year); being added to the waitlist does not guarantee receipt of a voucher. 

How to Apply

Individuals interested in participating in the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative must begin by contacting the Loudoun County Department of Family Services at 703-737-8824.  

Anyone who requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or needs language assistance in order to participate in this process, may call 703-737-8323/TTY-711. Advance notice is requested.

For More Information

For more information about the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative and the Housing Choice Voucher Program, call 703-737-8213, send an email or visit loudoun.gov/hcv

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Feb 15

Loudoun Offers Information Sessions on Home Improvement Program Grants

Posted on February 15, 2024 at 1:40 PM by Nancy McCormick

Loudoun County is offering information sessions in February and March on home improvement program grants available to Loudoun County residents. All sessions are free, but seating is limited and registration is required. 

Home Improvement Program Grants

Three home improvement program grants are available to Loudoun County residents, depending on eligibility. The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development team assists residents in assessing eligibility and completing an application.  

  • The Home Accessibility and Repair Program offers a one-time grant of up to $10,000 to homeowner-occupants for repairs and accessibility improvements. The grant amount may be increased to a maximum of $24,999.99 on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible, an applicant’s total household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (includes gross income of all household members).
  • The Granting Freedom Program offers grants of up to $8,000 for homeowner-occupants and renters offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Grants may be used for renovations to make homes more accessible to Virginia service members and veterans who sustained a line-of-duty injury resulting in a service-connected disability. Renovations may include installation of ramps, and chairlifts, widening of doorways and sidewalks, remote entry devices, and/or alterations to bathrooms and kitchens.
  • The Rental Unit Accessibility Modification Program offers grants of up to $8,000 to modify rental units to make them accessible for a specific tenant. Renovations may include installation of ramps and chairlifts, widening of doorways and sidewalks, remote entry devices, and/of alterations to bathrooms and kitchens. To be eligible, an applicant’s total gross household income must be at or below 80% of Area Median Income.

Information Sessions

The information sessions will be hosted by the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services and held at community centers around Loudoun County, with presentations by subject matter experts from the Department of Housing and Community Development. Childcare is offered on-site for each session. The information sessions are as follows: 

  • Thursday, February 22, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Lucketts Community Center – Auditorium, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg
  • Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Loudoun Valley Community Center – Gymnasium, 320 W School Street, Purcellville
  • Saturday, March 2, 2024, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., Douglass Community Center – Gymnasium, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg
  • Thursday, March 7, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Sterling Community Center - Multipurpose Room, 120 Enterprise Street, Sterling

If you require an accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance to participate, call 703-737-8323/TTY-711 or send an email. Three days’ notice is requested.

For more information about the home improvement program grants, income eligibility, and to register for an information session, visit loudoun.gov/homeimprovement

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Jan 04

Deadline Extended for the Community Development Block Grant Competitive Public Service Application

Posted on January 4, 2024 at 2:00 PM by Nancy McCormick

Loudoun County has extended the deadline for the CDBG Competitive Public Service Application to no later than 4:00 p.m., Friday, January 12, 2024

The CDBG competitive public service application is open to eligible nonprofit organizations and government entities. The CDBG program provides funding on an annual basis for local projects that address a variety of community needs. The public service application is intended for projects that provide public services that primarily benefit low-and moderate-income residents.  The public service must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of a service.

Details about the program, including a link to the application, are available online at loudoun.gov/cdbg or by visiting the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development office located at 106 Catoctin Circle, SE in Leesburg. 

Eligible Applicants

  • A governmental entity such as Loudoun County or one of the incorporated towns of Hamilton, Hillsboro, Leesburg, Lovettsville, Middleburg, Purcellville or Round Hill.
  • A nonprofit organization with 501(c) (3) tax-exempt status whose overall service population includes a considerable number of Loudoun residents; or delivers a considerable number of service hours to Loudoun residents. The nonprofit organization must have a physical presence in Loudoun County or be located within reasonable proximity to Loudoun. Also, it must have been in business for at least two years by the time of the application.

Eligible Projects/Activities 

  • Must occur within Loudoun County and/or directly serve Loudoun County residents.
  • Must address one or more of the four U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development national objectives which provide primary benefits for people with low- to moderate income. Details about those objectives are available in the CDBG public service application.  
  • Must relate to one or more of the Priority Needs in the Draft 2021-2025 Five Year Consolidated Plan (PDF) - housing strategy, homeless strategy, other special needs strategy, community development strategy, and economic development strategy (details in section SP-25 of the document). 

Ineligible activities include political activities, maintenance expenses and activities not described in federal regulations 24 CFR 570.201(e)

More Information

Anyone who requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or who needs language assistance to participate in the CDBG process should contact CDBG Program Manager Johnette Powell by email or call 703-737-8755.

More information is available at loudoun.gov/cdbg

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