761.17—Eligible and ineligible activities for funding.
(a) Eligible activities.
One or more of the eligible activities described in 42 U.S.C. 11903 and in this § 761.17(a) are eligible for funding under PHDEP or AHDEP, as further explained or limited in paragraph (b) of this section and, for AHDEP, in separate annual Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs). All personnel funded by these programs in accordance with an eligible activity must meet, and demonstrate compliance with, all relevant Federal, State, tribal, or local government insurance, licensing, certification, training, bonding, or other similar law enforcement requirements.
(1)
Employment of security personnel, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(1), with the following additional requirements:
(i) Security guard personnel.
(A)
Contract security personnel funded by this program must perform services not usually performed by local law enforcement agencies on a routine basis. The applicant must identify the baseline services provided by the local law enforcement agency.
(B)
The applicant, the provider (contractor) of the security personnel and, only if the local law enforcement agency is receiving any PHDEP funds from the applicant, the local law enforcement agency, are required, as a part of the security personnel contract, to enter into and execute a written agreement that describes the following:
(1) The activities to be performed by the security personnel, their scope of authority, and how they will coordinate their activities with the local law enforcement agency;
(2) The types of activities that the security personnel are expressly prohibited from undertaking.
(ii) Employment of HA police.
(A)
If additional HA police are to be employed for a service that is also provided by a local law enforcement agency, the applicant must undertake and retain a cost analysis that demonstrates the employment of HA police is more cost efficient than obtaining the service from the local law enforcement agency.
(B)
Additional HA police services to be funded under this program must be over and above those that the existing HA police, if any, provides, and the tribal, State or local government is contractually obligated to provide under its Cooperation Agreement with the applying HA (as required by the HA's Annual Contributions Contract). An applicant seeking funding for this activity must first establish a baseline by describing the current level of services provided by both the local law enforcement agency and the HA police, if any (in terms of the kinds of services provided, the number of officers and equipment and the actual percent of their time assigned to the developments proposed for funding), and then demonstrate that the funded activity will represent an increase over this baseline.
(C)
If the local law enforcement agency is receiving any PHDEP funds from the applicant, the applicant and the local law enforcement agency are required to enter into and execute a written agreement that describes the following:
(1) The activities to be performed by the HA police, their scope of authority, and how they will coordinate their activities with the local law enforcement agency;
(2) The types of activities that the HA police are expressly prohibited from undertaking.
(2)
Reimbursement of local law enforcement agencies for additional security and protective services, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(2), with the following additional requirements:
(i)
Additional security and protective services to be funded must be over and above those that the tribal, State, or local government is contractually obligated to provide under its Cooperation Agreement with the applying HA (as required by the HA's Annual Contributions Contract). An application seeking funding for this activity must first establish a baseline by describing the current level of services (in terms of the kinds of services provided, the number of officers and equipment, and the actual percent of their time assigned to the developments proposed for funding) and then demonstrate that the funded activity will represent an increase over this baseline.
(ii)
Communications and security equipment to improve the collection, analysis, and use of information about drug-related or violent criminal activities in a public housing community may be eligible items if used exclusively in connection with the establishment of a law enforcement substation on the funded premises or scattered site developments of the applicant. Funds for activities under this section may not be drawn until the grantee has executed a contract for the additional law enforcement services.
(3)
Physical improvements to enhance security, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(3). For purposes of PHDEP, the following provisions in paragraphs (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(iv) of this section apply:
(i)
An activity that is funded under any other HUD program shall not also be funded by this program.
(ii)
Funding is not permitted for physical improvements that involve the demolition of any units in a development.
(iii)
Funding is not permitted for any physical improvements that would result in the displacement of persons.
(4)
Employment of investigating individuals, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(4). For purposes of PHDEP, the following provisions in paragraphs (a)(4)(i) and (a)(4)(ii) of this section apply:
(i)
If one or more investigators are to be employed for a service that is also provided by a local law enforcement agency, the applicant must undertake and retain a cost analysis that demonstrates the employment of investigators is more cost efficient than obtaining the service from the local law enforcement agency.
(ii)
The applicant, the investigator(s) and, only if the local law enforcement agency is receiving any PHDEP funds from the applicant, the local law enforcement agency, are required, before any investigators are employed, to enter into and execute a written agreement that describes the following:
(A)
The nature of the activities to be performed by the investigators, their scope of authority, and how they will coordinate their activities with the local law enforcement agency;
(5)
Voluntary tenant patrols, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(5). For purposes of PHDEP, the following provisions in paragraphs (a)(5)(i) through (a)(5)(iv) of this section apply:
(i)
The provision of training, communications equipment, and other related equipment (including uniforms), for use by voluntary tenant patrols acting in cooperation with officials of local law enforcement agencies is permitted. Grantees are required to obtain liability insurance to protect themselves and the members of the voluntary tenant patrol against potential liability for the activities of the patrol. The cost of this insurance will be considered an eligible program expense.
(ii)
The applicant, the members of the tenant patrol and, only if the local law enforcement agency is receiving any PHDEP funds from the applicant, the local law enforcement agency, are required, before putting the tenant patrol into effect, to enter into and execute a written agreement that describes the following:
(A)
The nature of the activities to be performed by the tenant patrol, the patrol's scope of authority, and how the patrol will coordinate its activities with the local law enforcement agency;
(B)
The types of activities that a tenant patrol is expressly prohibited from undertaking, to include but not limited to, the carrying or use of firearms or other weapons, nightsticks, clubs, handcuffs, or mace in the course of their duties under this program;
(C)
The type of initial tenant patrol training and continuing training the members receive from the local law enforcement agency (training by the local law enforcement agency is required before putting the tenant patrol into effect).
(iii)
Tenant patrol members must be advised that they may be subject to individual or collective liability for any actions undertaken outside the scope of their authority and that such acts are not covered under a HA's or RMC's liability insurance.
(iv)
Grant funds may not be used for any type of financial compensation for voluntary tenant patrol participants. However, the use of program funds for a grant coordinator for volunteer tenant foot patrols is permitted.
(7) Funding resident management corporations (RMCs), resident councils (RCs), and resident organizations (ROs).
For purposes of the Public Housing Program, funding may be provided for PHAs that receive grants to contract with RMCs and incorporated RCs and ROs to develop security and drug abuse prevention programs involving site residents, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(7).
(8) Youth sports.
Sports programs and sports activities that serve primarily youths from public or other federally assisted low-income housing projects and are operated in conjunction with, or in furtherance of, an organized program or plan designed to reduce or eliminate drugs and drug-related problems in and around such projects, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(8).
(9)
Eliminating drug-related and violent crime in PHA-owned housing, under the Public Housing Program, as provided in 42 U.S.C. 11903(b).
(3)
For the costs related to screening or evicting residents for drug-related crime. However, investigators funded under this program may participate in judicial and administrative proceedings;
(4)
For previously funded activities determined by HUD on a case-by-case basis to be unworthy of continuation.