New Disaster Recovery Funding Available for Contractors to New Housing Development in Estate Fortuna

October 19, 2022

U.S. Virgin Islands – V.I. Housing Finance Authority Interim Executive Director Dayna Clendinen announces the issuance of a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to qualified developers and/or general contractors licensed in the United States Virgin Islands to complete the construction of Phase I of the Fortuna Wild Pineapple Development. 

The project includes the building of twelve (12) units for qualified income eligible first-time homebuyers on a site that is owned by VIHFA and that is located on St. Thomas in Estate Fortuna on the western end of the island. This is a “design-build,” turnkey, affordable housing development project, that, once complete, will be sold through VIHFA’s First-Time Homebuyer Program. The homes are to be sold to eligible first-time homebuyers with incomes of up to one hundred and twenty (120%) percent of median income as identified in the CDBG-DR Action plan of VIHFA.  

The successful respondent to this NOFA will be responsible for providing housing development services including the provision of architectural plans for three-bedroom homes with two bathrooms per unit in a home that is a minimum of twelve hundred (1,200) square feet. 

The New Housing Infrastructure Construction Program was awarded $70 million in the CDBG-DR Action Plan and reserves $6.2 million for the Estate Fortuna—Wild Pineapple project. The Application deadline is December 2, 2022, at 3:00 PM – applications can be downloaded here https://cdbgdr.vihfa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NOFA-ESTATE-FORTUNA-WILD-PINEAPPLE10.17.2022.pdf. Applicants must submit a proposal and all supporting documents described in the program NOFA electronically to nhic@vihfa.gov.

Prospective applicants must attend an orientation session scheduled for either Thursday, October 27th or November 3, 2022 at 5:30 pm via Zoom:

October 27th Information:

Meeting ID: 816 2608 7463

Passcode: 754206

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81626087463?pwd=TklocHhHNUlBVXA4TFBEeDg4eVIwUT09

November 3rd Information :

Meeting ID: 826 0761 0100

Passcode: 582518 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82607610100?pwd=QU1ZNDNCckU2U1NVZTJwUTJSUXRVZz09

For more information contact Takera Rieara (340) 777-4432 (St. Thomas/St. John) or Ms. Lisa Richards at (340) 772-4432 (St. Croix).

CDBG-DR funding is appropriated by Congress to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when there are significant unmet needs for long-term recovery.  The 3 core aspects of recovery are Housing, Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization.  CDBG-DR funds can only be spent to meet the recovery needs caused by the disaster(s) specifically stated in the appropriation.  Each funded project must meet at least one of the three national objectives as follows:

  • Address slums & blight
  • Address an urgent need for recovery
  • Benefits low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons

“Primary benefit to low/mod income persons” means:

  • at least 51% of the direct beneficiaries of an activity or area residents are low-income
  • the activity benefits a population generally presumed to be low-income
  • housing is created that will be restricted to occupancy by low-income households
  • jobs are created/retained and at least 51% of the jobs will be held or available to low/mod income residents