4184-90-P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Announcement of the Intent to Award a Supplement to the three recipients of the
Preferred Communities (PC) program - Church World Service (CWS), US
Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and HIAS.
AGENCY: Refugee Program, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration
for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice of Issuance of a Supplement.
SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announces the intent to
award a supplement up to the amount of $ 5,500,000 to be distributed among the three
recipients of the Preferred Communities (PC) program that are implementing the Ms. L.
Settlement Agreement to provide housing. The three recipients are Church World Service
(CWS), US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and HIAS. The
supplement is for the provision of housing assistance as specified by the settlement
agreement for Ms. L., et al. vs U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement et al. These
three recipients have already begun implementing the services, and additional
supplemental funding will assist in the ability to serve the number of clients estimated to
seek services within the proposed period of performance.
DATES: The proposed period of performance is March 1, 2024 through September 29,
2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anastasia Brown, Division Director,
Refugee Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee
Resettlement, Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201
Telephone: 202-401-4559 Email: anastasia.brown@acf.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ORR has been designated and has agreed to
provide the referenced housing assistance. Three recipients—Church World Service
(CWS), US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and HIAS—decided to
participate and received supplemental funding to cover the costs of administration and
provision of assistance.
To meet the terms of the Settlement Agreement, ORR will make housing assistance
available to Ms. L. Settlement Class members, as determined necessary by a benefits
administrator during a 12-month eligibility period. This may include assistance in
locating housing; paying costs necessary to attain housing, such as a security deposit and
first and last month’s rent; and assistance to avoid eviction and meet other emergency
housing needs during the 12-month eligibility period. Housing assistance will be for no
more than a total of 6 months during the 12-month eligibility period absent extraordinary
circumstances. ORR will work with Church World Service (CWS), US Committee for
Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and HIAS to assign cases to each for housing
assistance.
The recipients will employ benefit administrators, who will meet with each family (in
person or virtually) and review the family’s housing situation and budget. As needed, the
family will be provided with rental assistance, assistance locating housing, and assistance
in arrangements of deposits (typically first and last month’s rent).
It is anticipated that to fully implement the Settlement Agreement, ORR will provide
housing assistance through FY 2029.
ORR will supplement these three recipients for services for the remainder or FY 2024
and will provide additional supplemental funding for services in FY 2025 and FY 2026.
Assistance Listing Number: 93.576
Recipient
Church World Service, NY, NY
US Committee for Refugees and
Immigrants, Arlington, VA

Award Amount
Up to $ 2,127,920
Up to $ 2,127,920

HIAS, Silver Spring, MD

Up to $ 1,238,640

Statutory Authority: Ms. L. v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2023)
Settlement Agreement (Section IV.B.), available at:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/1319516/dl?inline

Elizabeth Leo,
Policy Branch Chief,
Office of Grants Policy,
Office of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-14591 Filed: 6/28/2024 11:15 am; Publication Date: 7/2/2024]