Brief summary of RAD and FHEO front-end Civil Rights Review:
The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program is authorized by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012, as amended. RAD has two separate components:
- The First Component allows projects funded under the public housing program to convert their assistance to long-term, project-based Section 8 rental assistance contracts. Under this component of RAD, public housing agencies (PHAs) may choose between two forms of Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contracts: project-based vouchers (PBVs) or project-based rental assistance (PBRA). The FY 2018 Appropriations Act authorizes up to 455,000 units to convert assistance under this component; and
- The Second Component allows owners of projects funded under the Rent Supplement (Rent Supp), Rental Assistance Payment (RAP), and Mod Rehab programs to convert to PBV or PBRA contracts upon contract expiration or termination occurring after October 1, 2006. The Second Component further allows owners of projects funded pursuant to Project Rental Assistance Contracts under the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program (202 PRAC) to convert to PBV or PBRA contracts.
The RAD program is implemented through Notice H-2019-09/PIH 2019-23 (HA) (“RAD Notice”). FHEO conducts front-end civil rights reviews of RAD conversions under Component I of the RAD program. FHEO’s review is governed by Notice H 2016-17/PIH 2016-17 (HA) (“RAD Civil Rights Notice”). For Component II, FHEO’s review is limited to the review of selection preferences for families who qualify for voluntary services, including disability-specific services (see section 2.7.E of Notice H-2019-09/PIH 2019-23). These documents can be found here.
Resource Links
RAD Minority Concentration Analysis Tool
The purpose of this tool is to allow PHAs to quickly assess whether a proposed site for new construction under RAD may be in an area of minority concentration.
How to use the tool -
RAD Relocation and Civil Rights Notice
Preferences and Designations: Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)