This tool assists Choice Neighborhoods applicants to prepare data to submit with their grant application by allowing applicants to draw the exact location of their target neighborhood. The tool will then calculate the number of housing units, the average poverty rate, and the vacancy rate of the area drawn and send an email back to the applicant within a few hours. The email will have an attachment containing the necessary data for the Choice Neighborhoods application, along with information HUD can use to confirm the intended program area. The applicant should then submit this document with their grant application.

1. Registration is required to use this system. Click "Sign up" on the upper right side and then click "Create Account" to create an account. Use the email address at which you would like to receive the output file as your login. When creating an account, be sure to write down the login email and password; no email confirmation will be sent. Returning users should click the "Login" button, then "User Login".

2. After logging in, go to the desired neighborhood by zooming on the map either by selecting the state and county from the pull down menu or by entering an address into the address box.

3. When the target neighborhood is visible, begin drawing the neighborhood boundaries you wish to use for your grant by clicking the "Draw" tool on the left. Select at least three points to draw the boundary of the target neighborhood (they can be selected by clicking on each boundary).

4. Complete the shape by clicking again on the first point, or by selecting the "Finish" button on the left.

5. Click "OK" on the pop-up to save the selected neighborhood and enter neighborhood name and other requested information on the subsequent pop-up, then click "Save".

6. A pop-up will confirm that the shape was saved and that an email with the neighborhood data as a PDF attachment will be sent. The email should be received at the email address used as your login within a few hours. The email will come from "HUD Choice Neighborhoods Map Tool" and the email address helpdesk@huduser.gov. Please add helpdesk@huduser.gov to your address book/allowed list to prevent spam blocking. Once the system sends the email, the PDF will also be available for download on this site by clicking "View Projects" and clicking the PDF link next to the correct project.

7. If you do not receive an email and are not able to access the PDF from this site within 24 hours, please email helpdesk@huduser.gov and include the Target Area ID for the file you have not received. The Target Area ID is accessible by clicking on the "View Projects" button. If the area you have drawn is not shown in the "View Projects" list, the tool has not yet processed the data - please check again in two hours.

8. You must submit the PDF attached to the email or downloaded from this site with your grant application for HUD to receive this information. Drawing and saving neighborhoods on this tool will not automatically transmit this information to HUD for inclusion in your application. Only submit a single PDF with your single, final Target Area in your application.

Other Information:

• Click "Clear" to cancel drawing, start a new drawing, and/or clear the map of drawings.
• Click "Reset" to return the map to its original location (showing the entire US).
• You must be zoomed to level 13 or more to draw and select areas.
• The "View Projects" button allows you to view your saved target neighborhood/community. You will also have the ability to load or delete them. Please note that the data cannot be loaded/viewed until the email has been sent out to you. This is also where you may download the PDF that was sent by email, but it will not appear until the email has been sent.
• The "View Data" button allows you to load the data for the last viewed project. If you close the window by mistake, click on "View Data" and the last viewed project will be displayed.