HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program | FR 6400 N 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR 6400 N 03

The HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed for smaller communities that are actively working to revive a traditional downtown or historic "Main Street" area. The core idea is to strengthen central business districts by converting underused or outdated commercial space in existing buildings into affordable housing. Instead of funding large-scale redevelopment or new commercial construction, the program targets practical, building-level reuse that brings residents back into the downtown core, supports local businesses through increased foot traffic, and helps preserve the character of older or historic Main Street properties.

The program has four main objectives that guide what HUD wants applicants to accomplish. First, it aims to redevelop central business districts by turning empty or obsolete spaces into productive community assets. Second, it emphasizes preservation by encouraging renovation and adaptive reuse of historic or traditional Main Street buildings, rather than demolition or major alteration that would erase architectural character. Third, it is meant to complement local economic development efforts, recognizing that adding housing downtown can stabilize property values, reduce vacancy, and create a more active street environment that benefits nearby small businesses. Fourth, it directly increases the supply of affordable housing within Main Street areas, placing units in walkable locations near services, jobs, and community amenities.

Grant funds under this program can be used in a few specific ways tied to housing creation. Communities can build new affordable housing or, more commonly, reconfigure obsolete or surplus commercial space into affordable housing units. The program also allows conversion of extremely substandard, vacant housing into affordable units, aligning with the overall focus on reuse and rehabilitation. What the funding cannot be used for is just as important: it does not support general infrastructure improvements (such as broad street, utility, or public works projects) and it is not intended for commercial development. In other words, the money is for housing-focused redevelopment within Main Street buildings, not for downtown infrastructure packages or business expansion projects.

Affordability is a required condition for the housing units created. The units must be affordable to the initial residents who move into the Main Street housing project, following the program's use restrictions described in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). This requirement is central to the program's purpose: it is not simply about filling vacant buildings, but about ensuring that the resulting housing serves households that need affordable options, at least for the initial occupancy period as defined by HUD's rules.

Eligibility is limited to units of local government that already have Main Street rejuvenation efforts underway and that meet specific population and public housing unit limits referenced in the NOFA's eligibility section. The eligible applicant types listed include county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments. This reflects HUD's intent to focus the program on smaller jurisdictions with a manageable scale of redevelopment and a clear, existing commitment to revitalizing their downtown area.

In this particular funding notice, the opportunity is identified as "HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program" (Funding Opportunity Number FR 6400 N 03) under CFDA 14.878. It was posted by HUD on October 29, 2020, with an application deadline of January 19, 2021 at 11:59:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. The award ceiling was $500,000 per grant, and HUD expected to make about two awards. Overall, the program is structured as a targeted tool to help small communities convert empty Main Street spaces into affordable homes while preserving downtown character and reinforcing local revitalization plans.

• The US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the housing, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 14.878.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 29, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 19, 2021 The application deadline is 115959 pm Eastern Standard time on. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments.

Apply for FR 6400 N 03

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: