ARPA Home Modification Grants for Foster and Agency Provider

ARPA Home Modification Grants for Foster and Agency Provider Homes

ODDS, as a part of the ARPA funding, will offer through a grant process home

modifications to 24-hour residential home agencies and adult and child foster

homes that are currently licensed by ODDS. These grant awards are being

awarded under the ODDS American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2),

Section 9817 (ARPA) grant CMS requirements and are not under the K-Plan and

Waiver home modifications that are authorized for Individuals through the ISP

process. For purposes of this announcement, 24-hour Agency Residential

Providers, Adult Foster Care and Child Foster Care will be referenced as Providers

unless indicated.

These grant awards may be used to improve accessibility of homes Individuals

with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) reside in currently and

in the future. The goal of these grants is to improve Individuals with I/DD lives and

increase their independence. Examples of home modifications that are eligible for

these funds include, but are not limited to:

• Fire sprinklers (new or updated),

• Ramps,

• Fences,

• Locked cabinet(s) in kitchen,

• Roll-in showers for bathrooms,

• Installing grab bars in bathrooms,

• Making sinks accessible in bathrooms or kitchens,

• Waterproofing flooring in bathrooms,

• Widening doors,

• Hardening walls,

• Removing carpet and installation of hard flooring,

• Improve an egress so people can get out of the home from upper floors

in the event of a fire,

• Stairlifts, and

• Ceiling lift.

Examples of non-approved modifications:

• Repairs or maintenance; maintenance and general repairs are the

responsibility of the homeowner.

• Electrical,

• HVAC/Heating/AC,

• Landscaping,

• Parking lot paving or repair for staff parking,

• Improvements to things that benefit the staff such as office space or

breakrooms,

• Furniture,

• Roofs, including roof repairs,

• House painting,

• Appliances,

• Carpeting installation,

• Kitchen appliances,

• Multiple bathrooms,

• Updating lighting,

• Window coverings or other accessories such as shower curtains, shelving,

etc.

• No work resulting in changes or improvements to support beams of the

home,

• Modifications that increase the square footage of the home or the layout of

the home i.e. 3 bedroom, 2 bath to a 4 bedroom, 1 bath or 2 bedroom, 2

bath (additions, changing bedrooms to office space, converting a basement

or attic into bedrooms, making a half or ¾ bathroom into a full bathroom),

and

• Dry rot repair and/or water damage.

Application Requirements:

1. All Agency and Adult Foster Home Providers must have a current license

issued by ODDS, be in good standing for the site and have individuals with

I/DD currently residing in the home to be eligible for this grant. All Child

Foster Home Providers must have a current license, be in good standing for

the site and accepting applications for children to reside in the home.

2. Provider must own the home they are submitting an application for. ODDS

may request proof of ownership.

3. Providers must submit the attached application to

[email protected]n.gov

no later than end of business on

September 21, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.

4. Providers needing interpretation services can email

[email protected]n.gov

to request an appointment with

the ODDS representative and an interpreter.

5. Applications must include a description of the proposed home modification

and an explanation of the work the Provider intends to have completed.

6. A separate application must be submitted for each home that the Provider

wishes a home modification completed.

7. Modifications must be for the benefit of the individuals living in the home.

Applications received for projects that mainly benefit the Provider and/or

their employees will be rejected.

8. ODDS will encumber a property with a Covenant, substantially in the form

attached to this Announcement, that will last for 10 years for agency

providers and 5 years for Adult and Child Foster Homes. If the Provider

ceases providing I/DD services in the modified home they will owe ODDS

the remaining balance of the modification. The formula that will be

outlined in the trust deed will be:

Amount/120 months = amount/month.

Example:

$50,000 project/120 months = $416.67/month Let’s say they stop

providing services 6.5 years $416.67 * 42 months remaining =

$17,500.14 Provider would owe ODDS.

9. Provider will have 15 business days from the time of the execution of the

Covenant to file with the County the home resides in.

10. If Provider stops using the modified home as housing for Individuals with

I/DD – the Provider must pay back monthly at the established rate as

outlined in the Covenant.

11. Provider must acknowledge that all home modifications work must be

completed no later than February 28, 2025.

12. Provider must schedule an inspection by ODDS staff a minimum of 7

business days prior to the work being completed. ODDS staff must inspect

the work completed prior to approving for payment. All inspections and

payments must be issued by March 31, 2025.

13. Providers will be notified if awarded the week of October 15, 2023.

Awarding and Grant Award Process:

1. ODDS will award Providers based on type of home modification, benefit to

individual(s) living in the home and location of the home. Priority will be

given to Providers that reside in rural areas of the State.

2. ODDS will complete a scope of work for awarded home modification.

Provider must use this scope of work to solicit Contractors bidding on the

identified home modification.

3. Providers must get three (3) bids from licensed Contractors that can also do

business in Oregon regardless of the cost and submit them to ODDS for

review. Contractors cannot be related to anyone that has 5% or more

controlling interest in or ownership of the agency or foster provider, or to a

board member or executive leadership of the agency or foster provider.

The Contractor cannot have any knowledge of the other bids being

received for the home modification to be completed or have any advantage

in submitting the bids. ODDS cannot recommend any Contractors to

complete the work.

4. Contractors must bid using the most cost-effective materials. Bids must be

valid for 90-days to account for the award and contracting process.

5. Providers will track all Contractors they connect with to get bids and

document their due diligence in obtaining three bids.

a. Provider will have to demonstrate and show the effort that they have

put into getting three bids before ODDS will consider granting an

exception to the three bids. Whether or not to grant such an

exception is in the sole discretion of ODDS.

6. ODDS will award home modification to the lowest bid that can complete

the work timely; has an active Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license

with no substantial complaints, disciplinary history or suspensions in the

past 10 years; is registered with the Oregon Secretary of State’s (SOS) office

and able to do business in the State or Oregon; is the most cost-effective

and aligns with the scope of work.

7. All Contractors and their subcontractors must be licensed and be in good

standing with Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and Oregon Secretary

of State (SOS) office. Any plumbing or electrical work must be completed by

a licensed plumber or electrician.

8. ODDS will contract directly with each Provider. ODDS may award Provider

with upfront costs for materials and to start construction. The Provider will

need to contract with the Contractor and will be responsible to pay the

Contractor.

9. Provider must maintain all records, including all receipts, for the project.

10. Provider must submit all receipts, invoices, permits and pictures of the

work to ODDS upon completion.

11. ODDS will inspect each home to ensure work has been completed as

outlined in the scope of work and to the proper standards.

12. ODDS will process payments within 45 days through service element 56 in

eXPRS to Provider once work is inspected and approved by ODDS.

ODHS reserves all rights regarding this announcement, including, without

limitation, the right to:

1. Amend or cancel this announcement without liability if it is in the best

interest of the ODHS to do so;

2. Waive any minor informality or non-conformance with the provisions or

procedures of this announcement.

3. Seek clarification of any Application.

4. Negotiate the program activities described in this announcement.

5. Amend or extend the term of any Agreement that is issued as a result of

this announcement.

6. Recover funds due to misexpenditures.