Notice of Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in the Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations

[[Page 15436]]

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

[Docket No. N-95-3885; FR-3884-N-01]

Notice of Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in

the Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian

Housing.

ACTION: Notice of demonstration program.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the Department's intention to award $9

million to HOPE VI eligible housing authorities who have partnered with

the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA); the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of

Painters; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees (AFSCME) to enhance the long-term welfare of youth living in

public housing through Apprenticeship Demonstration Programs. The

Department will enter into Memoranda of Agreement with the above

referenced organizations for the same purpose--to enhance the long-term

welfare of youth living in public housing.

The Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in the

Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations will provide job

training and ensure bonafide apprenticeship and employment

opportunities in the construction trades and public housing operations

that will lead to self-sufficiency for public housing youth. This

notice provides guidelines for the use of these funds and invites

comments on the demonstration.

DATES: Proposal Due Date: Applicant proposals will be due to the

Department May 8, 1995. Proposals must be received in the Office of

Community Relations and Involvement, Office of Public and Indian

Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh St.,

SW., Room 4112, Washington, DC 20410 no later than 3:00 pm, local time

on the proposal due date.

Comment Due Date: April 24, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding

this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, Room

10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street,

SW, Washington, DC 20410-0500. Communications should refer to the above

docket number and title. Facsimile (FAX) comments are not acceptable. A

copy of each communication submitted will be available for public

inspection and copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays at the

above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Lehrer, Office of Community

Relations and Involvement, Department of Housing and Urban Development,

451 Seventh Street SW., Room 4112, Washington, DC 20410, Telephone

Number (202) 619-8201. (This is not a toll free number). Hearing- or

speech-impaired persons may use the Telecommunications Devices for the

Deaf (TDD) by contacting the Federal Information Relay Service on (202)

708-9300 or 1-800-877-8339) for information on the program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The information collection requirements contained in this notice

have been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for approval

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). The

OMB control number when assigned will be published by separate notice

in the Federal Register.

II. Authority

The $9 million for the Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration

Program in the Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations is

funded from a portion of the $20 million appropriated in the Department

of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent

Agencies Appropriations Act for 1994 (Pub. L. 103-124, approved October

28, 1993) (the 1994 Appropriations Act), under the heading ``Severely

Distressed Public Housing Projects'', for implementation of Youthbuild

programs by eligible grantees under the Urban Revitalization

Demonstration Program (HOPE VI). (On September 14, 1994 (59 FR 47222),

the Department announced a Youth Apprenticeship program funded with a

separate $10 million portion of the $20 million, which the

Appropriations Act specifically earmarked for youth apprenticeship

training activities pursuant to section 3 of the Housing and Urban

Development Act of 1968, as amended (Economic Opportunities for Low-

and Very-Low-Income Persons).) This grant program provides funds for

the implementation of Youthbuild programs authorized under subtitle D

of title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act,

as added by section 164 of the Housing and Community Development Act of

1992 (Pub. L. 102-550, approved October 28, 1992).

III. Announcement of Demonstration

This notice announces the Department's intention to award $9

million to HOPE VI eligible housing authorities who have partnered with

the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA); the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of

Painters; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees (AFSCME) to enhance the long-term welfare of youth living in

public housing through Apprenticeship Demonstration Programs.

In accordance with the requirements of section 470(a) of the

Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 (42 U.S.C. 3542), this

notice describes the Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration

Program in the Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations and

invites public comment. Any changes made in this demonstration as a

result of the Department's consideration of public comments, and any

extension of time for commitment of funds that may be necessary because

of these changes, also will be published in the Federal Register.

The Department will not commit funds for the demonstration until

after the latest of: (1) The date the Department has considered any

comments received in response to this notice; (2) May 22, 1995, which

is 60 days after today's publication date; and (3) the date the

Department has received and approved a proposal that meets the

requirements set forth in this notice and any subsequent notice

announcing changes in the demonstration.

IV. Maximum Award

The maximum award for a Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration

Program in the Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations is

$250,000; however, the Department reserves the right to increase the

maximum individual award based on the number of applications funded.

The Memoranda of Agreement that the Department will enter with the

above mentioned organizations will indicate that HUD will make up to

$3.5 million available to public housing authorities to partner with

the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA); up to $3.5

million available for housing authorities to partner with the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of

Painters; up to $2.0 million available to [[Page 15437]] housing

authorities to partner with American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Under this demonstration, housing authorities may partner with one

trade union and/or AFSCME.

V. Description of Demonstration

The Public Housing Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in the

Construction Trades and Public Housing Operations is part of HUD's

comprehensive strategy to restore and revitalize communities in urban

America, preserve and rebuild public housing stock and create ladders

of economic opportunity for public housing residents. This

demonstration program specifically links public housing authorities

(PHAs) and their residents and the following organizations: the

Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA); the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of

Painters; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees (AFSCME).

This demonstration will bring together the skills needed to provide

public housing youth with job training, apprenticeship opportunities

and employment opportunities leading to self-sufficiency. Further, this

demonstration will assist PHAs in meeting the requirements of section 3

of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended (Economic

Opportunities for Low- and Very-Low-Income Persons).

Eligible Public Housing Authorities

Under this demonstration, eligible public housing authorities

include:

(1) Housing authorities that are recipients of HOPE VI grants, and/

or

(2) Housing authorities on the Troubled PHA List as of 2/5/95, and/

or

(3) Housing authorities in the 40 most populous cities.

Eligible PHAs will create partnerships with participating

construction trade organizations and/or AFSCME. All participating

construction trade organizations will subsequently recruit, train,

mentor and place public housing residents in Department of Labor (DOL)

approved apprenticeship programs. AFSCME will recruit, train, mentor

and provide work experience and employment opportunities for youth in

public housing.

Eligible Program Participants

Eligible program participants must be public housing residents, and

in accordance with Youthbuild:

(1) Participants must be very low-income individuals aged 16 to 24

years, who are high school dropouts. An exception allows for 25 percent

of the participants to be individuals who do not meet the program's

income or educational requirements but who have educational needs

despite attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalency.

(2) Any eligible individual selected for full-time participation in

this program may be offered full-time participation for a period of not

less than 6 months and not more than 24 months unless the

apprenticeship program extends beyond this timeframe.

(3) Programs must be structured so that 50 percent of the time

spent by participants in the program is devoted to educational services

and activities. All educational programs and activities supported with

funds from the demonstration program must be consistent with applicable

State and local educational standards. Standards and procedures for

academic credit and certifying educational attainment must be

consistent with applicable State and local educational standards.

(4) Wages and benefits, labor standards, and nondiscrimination

requirements shall apply under this program as they would under the

Youthbuild program. Housing authorities participating in this

demonstration program may not be prevented from using funds from non-

Federal sources to increase wages and benefits under the program, if

appropriate.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities, under this program, are:

(1) Work and activities associated with the acquisition,

rehabilitation, or construction of the housing and related facilities

to be used in the program;

(2) Relocation payments and other assistance required to comply

with 24 CFR 585.308;

(3) Costs for the ongoing training and technical assistance needs

of the applicant that are related to carrying out this program;

(4) Education, job training, counseling, employment and leadership

development services and activities;

(5) Wages, benefits and stipends for participants prior to entering

an apprenticeship program or in the case of AFSCME an employment

opportunity.

Restrictions

(1) The $9 million authorized under the Public Housing

Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in the Construction Trades and

Public Housing Operations may not be used for wages in any post-

training employment provided under this program;

(2) No more than 15 percent of the total grant amount may be used

for administrative costs.

Selection

Threshold Requirements

(1) The submission of an agreement that meets the requirements of

the program;

(2) Certification that participants will be eligible as defined in

the notice;

(3) A description of how training activities will prepare

participants for apprenticeship and employment opportunities;

(4) Proof that residents are involved in the planning and

implementation of the program;

(5) A description of efforts to provide job placement for

successful program participants specifying the number of jobs that will

be created; and

(6) The supportive services, based on projected need, that will be

provided under the program. The Secretary reserves the right to award

grants based on distribution among the three organizations referenced

in this notice.

Method of Selection

Applications will be date and time stamped to authenticate when

they were received. If the applicant meets the above mentioned

threshold requirements, they will be funded in the order received

(within the parameters set forth in Section IV--Maximum Awards) until

the funding authorized for this program is no longer available.

The Secretary reserves the right to award grants based on

distribution among the three organizations referenced in this notice.

If a sufficient number of applications are not received, representing

all three organizations, the Secretary reserves the right to award

grants to the remaining applicants among the other organizations in

accordance with the aforementioned requirements.

Reports

Each PHA receiving a grant shall submit to HUD an annual progress

report (in a format to be provided by HUD) regarding the implementation

of this program and the effectiveness of the Public Housing

Apprenticeship Demonstration Program in the Construction Trades and

Public Housing Operations in meeting its purpose.

Grantees will cooperate with researchers who will be carrying out

an evaluation of this initiative for the Department. [[Page 15438]]

Proposal Requirements

In order to receive the funding proposed in this notice, each PHA

must submit a proposal describing its program in detail. Proposals are

not limited to but must include:

(1) A copy of the agreement between the PHA and the construction

trade organization or AFSCME;

(2) A description of how eligible participants will be recruited;

(3) An accompanying implementation schedule;

(4) A description of training and placement activities under the

demonstration;

(5) A description of resident involvement in the program's planning

and implementation;

(6) A description of efforts to provide job placement for

successful program participants;

(7) A description of how program success will be measured,

describing the baseline indicators against which success will be

measured; and

(8) A description of how program participants' supportive service

needs will be met.

Dated: March 16, 1995.

Michael B. Janis,

General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

[FR Doc. 95-7106 Filed 3-22-95; 8:45 am]

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