Federal Housing Programs

• 2027 CDBG/HOME and HOME-ARP Application Guidelines
• 2024-2028 Consolidated Plan
• 5-Year Economic Development Strategy
• Online Application
  • The application consists of the following:
    • Preapplication questions
    • Application questions (Follow up questions, if necessary)
    • Budget and funding tables
    • Required documents

Where can additional information about CDBG and HOME be found?

Additional information is available at: www.cityofvancouver.us/cdbg.

What is included in the pre-application?

All pre-applications questions are in Appendix E of the Application Guidelines. The pre-application is completed and submitted through Neighborly.

I have technical questions about Neighborly. Should I contact City staff?

For assistance, use the support feature in the lower-right corner of the Neighborly participant portal: CoV Participant Portal Neighborly Software: Login.

The pre-application is due soon, and my organization isn’t sure if we are going to apply for funding. What should we do?

Pre-applications are required to be submitted by the deadline to move to the next step for funding. Complete the pre-application before the deadline, even if you are unsure. Then, if your agency decides not to move forward with the application process after a pre-application has been submitted, email the city at housing@cityofvancouver.us.

Do LLC businesses qualify as a public organization?

No. This funding is limited to nonprofits and government organizations apart from Business Assistance.

Does a nonprofit organization need to have their 501(c)(3) established before applying for funding?

Yes, a 501(c)(3) needs to be established before the pre-application is submitted.

Our organization has not received the Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov. Can we still apply for funding?

Applications can be accepted with the UEI pending. If funds are awarded, the agency must have the UEI issued before executing a contract.

My organization didn’t attend the mandatory information session. Can I still submit a pre-application?

Yes. The recording of the information session is available at www.cityofvancouver.us/cdbg. Once a staff member from your organization has watched the recording, you may proceed with the pre-application.

Where can I find Area Median Income (AMI) to answer questions on the preapplication and/or application?

AMI can be found on the City’s website at: Income Limits Summary (www.cityofvancouver.us/cdbg) or in Appendix A of the Application Guidelines.

Can my program use SNAP benefits instead of AMI for income eligibility?

Unfortunately, households that qualify for SNAP benefits, may be over the AMI limit for CDBG programs. Therefore, this would not be an appropriate tool for income eligibility.

How should I address projects that serve clients from the City of Vancouver and Clark County?

Applicants should identify the primary population to be served and ensure they are applying to both Vancouver and Clark County, as appropriate. If a program is expected to serve residents from both city and county areas, applicants may need to coordinate funding requests accordingly and be prepared to document the anticipated service area and beneficiary distribution.

We are preparing the budget for the pre-application but have not yet finalized it. May we submit a draft budget with the pre-application and provide the final budget with the application?

Yes. The pre-application may include a reasonable estimate of the program’s projected budget. This estimate will be used to determine program eligibility and will not be scored by the advisory committee. However, the budget submitted with the application must be finalized. It will be scored, incorporated into the contract, and used to calculate the required match.

Can we complete separate applications for multiple programs?

Yes. Each program an agency applies for must have a separate application.

If we are applying for two different funding sources/projects, do we need to submit two separate applications or just one?

Each program an agency applies for must have a separate application. The only exception is HOME TBRA with CDBG Housing Services funds, which is one application.

Microenterprise Business Assistance offers separate applications for childcare and non-childcare businesses. Should I complete both applications if the program will serve only childcare businesses?

No. Complete only the childcare application if your program will serve childcare businesses exclusively. If your program will serve both childcare and other businesses, such as construction, you must submit two separate applications.

Can an agency combine different programs that serve the same population into one application, or combine an application for funding to buy (or remodel) a building with a request for staff and operations funding for services in the building?

No. Each application should be separate, so required environmental reviews can be completed, and each program or project will have its own budget, contract, monitoring requirements and reporting to HUD.

Who is considered a presumed benefit group?

To qualify under this subcategory, a program must exclusively benefit people who are generally presumed by HUD to be principally low/mod income persons. The following groups are currently presumed benefit populations: abused children, elderly persons, battered spouses, homeless persons, adults meeting the Census definition of severely disabled, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers. If you think your program may serve a presumed benefit clientele, email housing@cityofvancouver.us.

Does HUD’s definition of homelessness include people who are doubled-up?

Please see the full definition at 24 CFR 91.5. Additional guidance can be found at https://www.hudexchange.info/

I am interested in applying for a public facility or infrastructure activity, but this category is not listed in the application guidelines. How should I proceed?

Although Neighborhood Equity and Livability is one of the City’s goals under the 2024–2028 Consolidated Plan, funding for this category has been fully allocated. Applications for these funds will not be accepted at this time.

We submitted our pre-application. Now what?

The City will review all pre-applications after the deadline. Once review is complete, City staff will follow up with applicants if there are any questions or to provide feedback on items that should be addressed in the full application. Once the preapplication is approved, agencies are then able to start the application portion.

Can funding be requested to cover an 18-month period, or is funding limited to a 12-month period that can occur between July 1, 2027, and December 31, 2028.

Organizations should request funding for a 12-month period, with the knowledge that the City may extend contracts when possible. Public Service contracts are required to end by June 30, 2027. HOME-ARP contracts are required to be spent out by 2030.

How can we determine if expenses are eligible or not?

Refer to the Application Guidelines or request technical assistance from City staff by emailing housing@cityofvancouver.us or attending a technical assistance session.

If a proposed program includes both direct client services and staff training, are both activities eligible for CDBG public service funding?

Not necessarily. CDBG funding may support eligible public services provided directly to program beneficiaries. Training or professional development activities for staff of another organization are generally not considered an eligible public service activity and should not be included as a funded project component unless specifically authorized under applicable regulations. If you have project specific questions, email housing@cityofvancouver.us.

If my project has already undergone an environmental review, may I proceed after submitting my application?

Proceeding with the project at that stage may constitute a choice-limiting action and could jeopardize funding eligibility. A federal HUD environmental review must be completed before the project may proceed. For questions regarding choice-limiting actions, please contact City staff at housing@cityofvancouver.us.

Can I apply if a key partnership or service agreement has not yet been formally finalized?

Yes. Organizations may submit a pre-application while partnership discussions are still underway. In the application, you should be prepared to describe the status of the partnership, anticipated timeline for finalization, and any potential risks to implementation. Review committees may wish to see evidence that key partnerships are established prior to scoring.

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Each year, the City of Vancouver receives approximately $1.3 million in CDBG funding to support projects and programs benefiting residents experiencing low-income. Funds are awarded yearly on a competitive basis to programs or projects that are selected and approved by City Council.

The Vancouver City Council determines the funding priorities for the City’s CDBG program based on community needs. Current priorities include: revitalizing eligible neighborhoods, providing housing and services to people experiencing low and moderate income and/or homelessness and providing business technical assistance.

HOME is the largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing. HOME funds activities such as building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to people experiencing low income. Each year, the City of Vancouver considers applications for affordable housing activities supported by HOME Funds.

The City of Vancouver’s CDBG and HOME-funded activities operate under fair housing practices. Fair housing is the right to choose housing free from unlawful discrimination. Fair housing laws protect people from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, and housing choice voucher status. For more information, visit the Fair Housing Center of Washington, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, or the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

2026 CDBG and HOME Income Limits

• Use the 50% AMI limit for CDBG public service
• Use the 60% AMI limit for HOME TBRA programs and HOME rental housing projects
• Use the 80% AMI limit for HOME homeownership projects.

Income Limit	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Moderate Income (80% of Median)	$71,900	$82,150	$92,400	$102,650	$110,900	$119,100	$127,300	$135,500
Low Income (60% of Median)	$53,940	$61,620	$69,300	$76,980	$83,160	$89,340	$95,460	$101,640
Very Low Income (50% of Median)	$44,950	$51,350	$57,750	$64,150	$69,300	$74,450	$79,550	$84,700
Extremely Low Income (30% of Median)	$26,950	$30,800	$34,650	$38,500	$41,600	$44,700	$47,750	$50,850

Effective June 1, 2026
Source: CDBG Income Limits – HUD Exchange

2027 Fair Market Rents – For use with HOME TBRA programs

Fair Market Rent	Efficiency	1	2	3	4	5	6
Fair Market Rent	$1,527	$1,633	$1,878	$2,550	$3,069	$3,529	$3,989

Effective October 1, 2026
Source: HUD Fair Market Rent Limits
Note: Fair market rents (FMRs) serve as the monthly rent limits for tenant-based rental assistance funded by the City of Vancouver. Rents include utilities.

2026 High and Low HOME Rent Limits

• Use with HOME rental housing projects (not TBRA)

HOME Rent	Efficiency	1	2	3	4	5	6
High HOME Rent	$1,440	$1,544	$1,856	$2,135	$2,361	$2,587	$2,813
Low HOME Rent	$1,123	$1,203	$1,443	$1,668	$1,861	$2,053	$2,245

Effective June 1, 2026
https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/home/home-rent-limits/
Note: Projects with one to four HOME-assisted units are required to have assisted unit rents not exceed the lesser of the Fair Market Rent or High HOME Rent. Projects with five or more HOME-assisted units are required to have 20% of assisted unit rents not exceed the Low HOME Rent and 80% not exceed the lesser of the Fair Market Rent or High HOME Rent. Rents include utilities.

2025 HOME Homeownership Value Limit

• Use with homebuyer assistance programs and homeownership development projects

Limit	Amount
Home value limit (95% of median home price)	$499,000

Effective December 1, 2025
Source: HOME Homeownership Value Limits | HUD USER

2025 HOME Maximum Per-Unit Subsidy Limits

• Use with homebuyer assistance programs and housing development Projects

Bedrooms	Amount
Studio	$187,658
1	$215,122
2	$261,595
3	$338,419
4+	$371,477

Effective May 11, 2026
Source: HOME Maximum Per-Unit Subsidy Limits – HUD Exchange