This week, HUD published a Jobs Plus Pilot NOFA for distribution of approximately $24 million to public housing agencies (PHAs) for a new Jobs Plus Pilot program. The pilot, a successor to a program by the same name that was in place at 5 sites from 1998 through 2003, will focus on employment-related services, financial inventives including a special earned income disregard, and community supports for work. The program may be available to all PHAs that operate public housing developments with the following characteristics:

• Minimum size of 250 non-elderly households
• At least 50% of the non-elderly households have no member showing earned income in HUD’s PIC system
• Units to be served must be within a 1/4 mile radius of each other; and
• Developments that are troubled under PHAS, on the PHARS list, or in receivership are ineligible.

Appendix B to the funding announcement identifies PHAs and developments that may meet the first two eligibility requirements above. Activities that may be funded with awarded funds include service coordinators and other service personnel; service provision; rent incentives; consultants/technical assistance; administrative costs; data tracking; and staff training. Applications are due December 17, 2014.