24 C.F.R. § 574.120
§ 574.120 Responsibility of applicant to serve EMSA. (24 CFR Part 574)
Operative Text
The EMSA's applicant shall serve eligible persons who live anywhere within the EMSA, except that housing assistance shall be provided only in localities within the EMSA that have a consolidated plan prepared, submitted, and approved in accordance with 24 CFR part 91 that covers the assistance to be provided under this part. In allocating grant amounts among eligible activities, the EMSA's applicant shall address needs of eligible persons who reside within the metropolitan statistical area, including those not within the jurisdiction of the applicant.
Under § 574.120, when a federal HOPWA grant is awarded to an applicant representing an Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (EMSA), that applicant is responsible for serving eligible persons anywhere within the entire EMSA—not just within its own jurisdictional boundaries. However, housing assistance specifically may only be delivered in localities that have an approved Consolidated Plan under 24 CFR part 91 that covers the relevant assistance. When deciding how to distribute grant funds across eligible activities, the applicant must account for the needs of all eligible persons across the metropolitan area.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and housing providers participating in HOPWA-funded programs under § 574.120 should be aware that the EMSA applicant administering the grant is obligated to consider service needs across the full metropolitan area. Compliant program operators generally ensure that any locality where housing assistance is offered has a valid, HUD-approved Consolidated Plan in place that covers the type of assistance being provided. Understanding this geographic scope can help housing providers anticipate where HOPWA-funded tenants may be seeking assistance and what documentation requirements localities must meet.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 574.120, eligible persons living anywhere within an EMSA have a right to be considered for services from the EMSA's HOPWA grant applicant, even if they live outside that applicant's direct jurisdiction. If you believe you are being excluded from consideration based solely on where you live within the EMSA, this provision may be relevant to raising that concern with the administering agency or a local tenant-rights or housing-advocacy organization. Keep in mind that housing assistance specifically is limited to localities with an approved Consolidated Plan, so inquiring about plan status in your area is a reasonable first step when exploring available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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