This part states requirements for HUD approval of a public housing agency's application for demolition or disposition (in whole or in part) of public housing developments assisted under Title I of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (Act). The regulations in 2 CFR part 200 are not applicable to this part.

(a) This part applies to public housing developments that are owned by public housing agencies (PHAs) and that are subject to annual contributions contracts (ACCs) under the Act.

(b) This part does not apply to the following:

(1) PHA-owned section 8 housing, or housing leased under former sections 10(c) or 23 of the Act;

(2) Demolition or disposition before the date of full availability (DOFA) of property acquired incident to the development of a public housing project (however, this exception shall not apply to dwelling units under ACC);

(3) The conveyance of public housing for the purpose of providing homeownership opportunities for lower-income families under sections 21 and 32 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1437s and 42 U.S.C. 1437z-4, respectively), the homeownership program under former section 5(h) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1437c(h)), or other predecessor homeownership programs;

(4) The leasing of dwelling or non-dwelling space incidental to the normal operation of the project for public housing purposes, as permitted by the ACC;

(5) Making available common areas and unoccupied dwelling units in public housing projects to provide HUD-approved economic self-sufficiency services and activities to promote employment of public housing residents;

(6) The reconfiguration of the interior space of buildings (e.g., moving or removing interior walls to change the design, sizes, or number of units) without “demolition,” as defined in § 970.5. (This includes the conversion of bedroom size, occupancy type, changing the status of unit from dwelling to non-dwelling.);

(7) Easements, rights-of-way, and transfers of utility systems incident to the normal operation of the development for public housing purposes, as permitted by the ACC;

(8) A whole or partial taking by a public or quasi-public entity (taking agency) authorized to take real property by its use of police power or exercise of its power of eminent domain under state law. A taking does not qualify for the exception under this paragraph unless:

(i) The taking agency has been authorized to acquire real property by use of its police power or power of eminent domain under its state law;

(ii) The taking agency has taken at least the first step in formal proceedings under its state law; and

(iii) If the taking is for a federally assisted project, the Uniform Relocation Act (URA) (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.) applies to any resulting displacement of residents and it is the responsibility of the taking agency to comply with applicable URA requirements.

(9) Demolition after conveyance of a public housing project to a non-PHA entity in accordance with an approved homeownership program under Title III of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (HOPE I) (42 U.S.C. 1437aaa note);

(10) Units or land leased for non-dwelling purposes for one year or less;

(11) A public housing property that is conveyed by a PHA prior to DOFA to enable an owner entity to develop the property using the mixed-finance development method;

(12) Disposition of public housing property for development pursuant to the mixed-finance development method at 24 CFR part 941, subpart F;

(13) Demolition under the de minimis exception in § 970.27, except that the environmental review provisions apply, including the provisions at §§ 970.7(a)(15) and (b)(13) of this part.

(14) Demolition (but not disposition) of severely distressed units as part of a revitalization plan under section 24 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1437v) (HOPE VI) approved after October 21, 1998;

(15) Demolition (but not disposition) of public housing developments removed from a PHA's inventory under section 33 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 1437z-5.

ACC, or annual contributions contract, is defined in 24 CFR 5.403.

Act means the United States Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.

Appropriate government officials mean the Chief Executive Officer or officers of a unit of general local government.

Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at HUD.

Chief Executive Officer of a unit of general local government means the elected official or the legally designated official, who has the primary responsibility for the conduct of that entity's governmental affairs. Examples of the chief executive officer of a unit of general local government are: the elected mayor of a municipality; the elected county executive of a county; the chairperson of a county commission or board in a county that has no elected county executive; and the official designated pursuant to law by the governing body of a unit of general local government.

Demolition means the removal by razing or other means, in whole or in part, of one or more permanent buildings of a public housing development. A demolition involves any four or more of the following:

(1) Envelope removal (roof, windows, exterior walls);

(2) Kitchen removal;

(3) Bathroom removal;

(4) Electrical system removal (unit service panels and distribution circuits); or

(5) Plumbing system removal (e.g., either the hot water heater or distribution piping in the unit, or both).

Disposition means the conveyance or other transfer by the PHA, by sale or other transaction, of any interest in the real estate of a public housing development, subject to the exceptions stated in § 970.3.

DOFA, or date of full availability, means the last day of the month in which substantially all (95 percent or more) of the units in a housing development are available for occupancy.

Firm financial commitment means a commitment that obligates a creditable source, lender, or equity provider, to the lending or equity investment of a specific sum of funds to be made on or before a specific date(s) and may contain contingencies or conditions that must be satisfied by the borrower (or entity receiving equity investments) before the closing of the transaction. The condition of a firm commitment must be that it is enforceable by the borrower (or entity receiving the equity investment) upon the satisfaction of all contingencies or conditions.

PHA Plan—Means the PHA's initial, annual, and 5-year submissions under section 5A of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. 1437c-1.

Resident Advisory Board (RAB) has the same meaning as in § 903.13(a) of this title.

Resident Council means a resident organization, the role and requirements of which are as described in 24 CFR part 964.

Total development cost has the same meaning as in 24 CFR 941.103.

(a) Application for HUD Approval. A PHA must obtain written approval from HUD before undertaking any transaction involving demolition or disposition of PHA-owned property under the ACC. Where a PHA demolishes or disposes of public housing property without HUD approval, no HUD funds may be used to fund the costs of demolition or disposition or reimburse the PHA for those costs. HUD will approve an application for demolition or disposition upon the PHA's submission of an application with the required certifications and the supporting information required by this section and §§ 970.15 or 970.17. Section 970.29 specifies criteria for disapproval of an application. Approval of the application under this part does not imply approval of a request for additional funding, which the PHA must make separately under a program that makes available funding for this purpose. The PHA shall submit the application for demolition or disposition and the timetable in a time and manner and in a form prescribed by HUD. The supporting information shall include:

(1) A certification that the PHA has described the demolition or disposition in the PHA Annual Plan and timetable under 24 CFR part 903 (except in the case of small or high-performing PHAs eligible for streamlined annual plan treatment), and that the description in the PHA Annual Plan is identical to the application submitted pursuant to this part and otherwise complies with section 18 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1437p) and this part;

(2) A description of all identifiable property, by development, including land, dwelling units, and other improvements, involved in the proposed demolition or disposition;

(3) A description of the specific action proposed, such as:

(i) Demolition, disposition, or demolition with disposition;

(ii) If disposition is involved, the method of sale;

(4) A general timetable for the proposed action(s), including the initial contract for demolition, the actual demolition, and, if applicable, the closing of sale or other form of disposition;

(5) A statement justifying the proposed demolition or disposition under the applicable criteria of §§ 970.15 or 970.17;

(6) If applicable, a plan for the relocation of tenants who would be displaced by the proposed demolition or disposition (including persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodations and a relocation timetable as prescribed in § 970.21);

(7) A description with supporting evidence of the PHA's consultations with residents, any resident organizations, and the Resident Advisory Board, as required under § 903.9 of this title;

(8) In the case of disposition only, evidence of compliance with the offering to resident organizations, as required under § 970.9;

(9) In the case of disposition, an estimate of the fair market value of the property, established on the basis of one independent appraisal, unless otherwise determined by HUD, as described in § 970.19(c);

(10) In the case of disposition, estimates of the gross and net proceeds to be realized, with an itemization of estimated costs to be paid out of gross proceeds and the proposed use of any net proceeds in accordance with § 970.19;

(11) An estimate of costs for any required relocation housing, moving costs, and counseling.

(12) Where the PHA is requesting a waiver of the requirement for the application of proceeds for repayment of outstanding debt, the PHA must request such a waiver in its application, along with a description of the proposed use of the proceeds;

(13) A copy of a resolution by the PHA's Board of Commissioners approving the specific demolition or disposition application (or, in the case of the report required under § 970.27(e) for “de minimis” demolitions, the Board of Commissioner's resolution approving the “de minimis” action) for that development or developments or portions thereof. The resolution must be signed and dated after all resident and local government consultation has been completed;

(14) Evidence that the application was developed in consultation with appropriate government officials as defined in § 970.5, including:

(i) A description of the process of consultation with local government officials, which summarizes dates, meetings, and issues raised by the local government officials and the PHA's responses to those issues;

(ii) A signed and dated letter in support of the application from the chief executive officer of the unit of local government that demonstrates that the PHA has consulted with the appropriate local government officials on the proposed demolition or disposition;

(iii) Where the local government consistently fails to respond to the PHA's attempts at consultation, including letters, requests for meetings, public notices, and other reasonable efforts, documentation of those attempts;

(iv) Where the PHA covers multiple jurisdictions (such as a regional housing authority), the PHA must meet these requirements for each of the jurisdictions where the PHA is proposing demolition or disposition of PHA property;

(15) An approved environmental review of the proposed demolition or disposition in accordance with 24 CFR parts 50 or 58 for any demolition or disposition of public housing property covered under this part, as required under 24 CFR 970.13;

(16) A certification that the demolition or disposition application does not violate any remedial civil rights order or agreement, voluntary compliance agreement, final judgment, consent decree, settlement agreement, or other court order or agreement;

(17) Any additional information necessary to support the application and assist HUD in making determinations under this part.

(b) Completion of demolition/disposition or rescissions of approval. (1) HUD will consider a PHA's request to rescind an earlier approval to demolish or dispose of public housing property, where a PHA submits a resolution from the Board of Commissioners and submits documentation that the conditions that originally led to the request for demolition or disposition have significantly changed or been removed.

(2) The Assistant Secretary will not approve any request by the PHA to either substitute units or add units to those originally included in the approved demolition or disposition application, unless the PHA submits a new application for those units that meet the requirements of this part.

(a) Resident consultation. PHAs must consult with residents who will be affected by the proposed action with respect to all demolition or disposition applications. The PHA must provide with its application evidence that the application was developed in consultation with residents who will be affected by the proposed action, any resident organizations for the development, PHA-wide resident organizations that will be affected by the demolition or disposition, and the Resident Advisory Board (RAB). The PHA must also submit copies of any written comments submitted to the PHA and any evaluation that the PHA has made of the comments.

(b) Resident organization offer to sell—applicability. In the situation where the PHA applies to dispose of a development or portion of a development:

(1) The PHA shall, in appropriate circumstances as determined by the Assistant Secretary, initially offer the property proposed for disposition to any eligible resident organization, eligible resident management corporation as defined in 24 CFR part 964, or to a nonprofit organization acting on behalf of the residents at any development proposed for disposition, if the resident entity has expressed an interest in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing. The entity must make the request in writing to the PHA, no later than 30 days after the resident entity has received the notification of sale from the PHA;

(2) If the resident entity has expressed an interest in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing, the entity, in order for its purchase offer to be considered, must:

(i) In the case of a nonprofit organization, be acting on behalf of the residents of the development; and

(ii) Demonstrate that it has obtained a firm commitment for the necessary financing within 60 days of serving its written notice of interest under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) The requirements of this section do not apply to the following cases, which have been determined not to present an appropriate opportunity for purchase by a resident organization:

(i) A unit of state or local government requests to acquire vacant land that is less than two acres in order to build or expand its public services (a local government wishes to use the land to build or establish a police substation); or

(ii) A PHA seeks disposition outside the public housing program to privately finance or otherwise develop a facility to benefit low-income families (e.g., day care center, administrative building, mixed-finance housing under 24 CFR part 941 subpart F, or other types of low-income housing);

(iii) Units that have been legally vacated in accordance with the HOPE VI program, the regulations at 24 CFR part 971, or the mandatory conversion regulations at 24 CFR part 972, excluding developments where the PHA has consolidated vacancies;

(iv) Distressed units required to be converted to tenant-based assistance under section 33 of the 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437z-5); or

(v) Disposition of non-dwelling properties, including administration and community buildings, and maintenance facilities.

(4) If the requirements of this section are not applicable, as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the PHA may proceed to submit to HUD its application under this part to dispose of the property, or a portion of the property, without affording an opportunity for purchase by a resident organization. However, PHAs must consult with their residents in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. The PHA must submit documentation with date and signatures to support the applicability of one of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Examples of appropriate documentation include, but are not limited to: a letter from the public body that wants to acquire the land, copies of memoranda or letters approving the PHA's previous application under part 970 or mandatory conversion plan, and the HUD transmittal document approving the proposed revitalization plan.

(c) Established eligible organizations. Where there are eligible resident organizations, eligible resident management corporations as defined in 24 CFR part 964, or nonprofit organizations acting on behalf of the residents as defined in 24 CFR part 964 (collectively, “established eligible organizations”), that have expressed an interest, in writing, to the PHA within 30 days of the date of notification of the proposed sale, in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing at the affected development, the PHA shall follow the procedures for making the offer described in § 970.11.

In making an offer of sale to established eligible organizations as defined in § 970.9(c) in the case of proposed disposition, the PHA shall proceed as follows:

(a) Initial written notification of sale of property. The PHA shall send an initial written notification to each established eligible organization (for purposes of this section, an established eligible organization that has been so notified is a “notified eligible organization”) of the proposed sale of the property. The notice of sale must include, at a minimum, the information listed in paragraph (d) of this section;

(b) Initial expression of interest. All notified eligible organizations shall have 30 days to initially express an interest, in writing, in the offer (“initial expression of interest”). The initial expression of interest need not contain details regarding financing, acceptance of an offer of sale, or any other terms of sale.

(c) Opportunity to obtain firm financial commitment by interested entity. If a notified eligible organization expresses interest in writing during the 30-day period referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, no disposition of the property shall occur during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the receipt of the written notice of interest. During this period, the PHA must give the entity expressing interest an opportunity to obtain a firm financial commitment as defined in § 970.5 for the financing necessary to purchase the property;

(d) Contents of initial written notification. The initial written notification to established eligible organizations under paragraph (a) of this section must include at a minimum the following:

(1) An identification of the development, or portion of the development, involved in the proposed disposition, including the development number and location, the number of units and bedroom configuration, the amount and use of non-dwelling space, the current physical condition (fire damaged, friable asbestos, lead-based paint test results), and percent of occupancy;

(2) A copy of the appraisal of the property and any terms of sale;

(3) Disclosure and description of the PHA's plans for reuse of land, if any, after the proposed disposition;

(4) An identification of available resources (including its own and HUD's) to provide technical assistance to the organization to help it to better understand its opportunity to purchase the development, the development's value, and potential use;

(5) A statement that public housing developments sold to resident organizations will not continue to receive capital and operating subsidy after the completion of the sale;

(6) Any and all terms of sale that the PHA will require, including a statement that the purchaser must use the property for low-income housing. If the PHA does not know all the terms of the offer of sale at the time of the notice of sale, the PHA shall include all the terms of sale of which it is aware. The PHA must supply the totality of all the terms of sale and all necessary material to the residents no later than 3 business days from the day it receives the residents' initial expression of interest;

(7) A date by which an established eligible organization must express its interest, in writing, in response to the PHA's offer to sell the property proposed for demolition or disposition, which shall be up to 30 days from the date of the official written offer of sale from the PHA;

(8) A statement that the established eligible organization will be given 60 days from the date of the PHA's receipt of its letter expressing interest to develop and submit a proposal to the PHA to purchase the property and to obtain a firm financial commitment, as defined in § 970.5. The statement shall explain that the PHA shall approve the proposal from an organization if the proposal meets the terms of sale and is supported by a firm commitment for financing. The statement shall also provide that the PHA can consider accepting an offer from the organization that differs from the terms of sale. The statement shall explain that if the PHA receives proposals from more than one organization, the PHA shall select the proposal that meets the terms of sale, if any. In the event that two proposals from the development to be sold meet the terms of sale, the PHA shall choose the best proposal. If no proposal meets the terms of sale, the PHA in its discretion may or may not select the best proposal.

(e) Response to the notice of sale. The established eligible organization or organizations have up to 30 days to respond to the notice of sale from the PHA. The established eligible organization shall respond to the PHA's notice of sale by means of an initial expression of interest under paragraph (b) of this section.

(f) Resident proposal. The established eligible organization has up to 60 days from the date the PHA receives its initial expression of interest and provides all necessary terms and information to prepare and submit a proposal to the PHA for the purchase of the property of which the PHA plans to dispose, and to obtain a firm commitment for financing. The resident's proposal shall provide all the information requested in paragraph (i) of this section.

(g) PHA Review of Proposals. The PHA has up to 60 days from the date of receipt of the proposal or proposals to review the proposals and determine whether they meet the terms of sale described in the PHA's offer or offers. If the PHA determines that the proposal meets the terms of sale, within 14 days of the date of this determination, the PHA shall notify the organization of that fact and that the proposal has been accepted. If the PHA determines that the proposal differs from the terms of sale, the PHA may accept or reject the proposal at its discretion;

(h) Appeals. The established eligible organization has the right to appeal the PHA's decision to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, or his designee, by sending a letter of appeal within 30 days of the date of the PHA's decision to the field office director. The letter of appeal must include copies of the proposal and any related correspondence, along with a statement of reasons why the organization believes the PHA should have decided differently. HUD shall render a decision within 30 days, and notify the organization and the PHA by letter within 14 days of such decision. If HUD cannot render a decision within 30 days, HUD will so notify the PHA and the established eligible organization in writing, in which case HUD will have an additional 30 days in which to render a decision. HUD may continue to extend its time for decision in 30-day increments for a total of 120 days. Once HUD renders its decision, there is no further administrative appeal or remedy available.

(i) Contents of the organization's proposal. The established eligible organization's proposal shall at a minimum include the following:

(1) The length of time the organization has been in existence;

(2) A description of current or past activities that demonstrate the organization's organizational and management capability, or the planned acquisition of such capability through a partner or other outside entities (in which case the proposal should state how the partner or outside entity meets this requirement);

(3) To the extent not included in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the organization's experience in the development of low-income housing, or planned arrangements with partners or outside entities with such experience (in which case the proposal should state how the partner or outside entity meets this requirement);

(4) A statement of financial capability;

(5) A description of involvement of any non-resident organization (such as non-profit, for-profit, governmental, or other entities), if any, the proposed division of responsibilities between the non-resident organization and the established eligible organization, and the non-resident organization's financial capabilities;

(6) A plan for financing the purchase of the property and a firm financial commitment as stated in paragraph (c) of this section for funding resources necessary to purchase the property and pay for any necessary repairs;

(7) A plan for using the property for low-income housing;

(8) The proposed purchase price in relation to the appraised value;

(9) Justification for purchase at less than the fair market value in accordance with § 970.19(a) of this part, if appropriate;

(10) Estimated time schedule for completing the transaction;

(11) Any additional items necessary to respond fully to the PHA's terms of sale;

(12) A resolution from the resident organization approving the proposal; and

(13) A proposed date of settlement, generally not to exceed 6 months from the date of PHA approval of the proposal, or such period as the PHA may determine to be reasonable.

(j) PHA obligations. The PHA must:

(1) Prepare and distribute the initial notice of sale pursuant to 24 CFR 970.11(a), and, if any established eligible organization expresses an interest, any further documents necessary to enable the organization or organizations to make an offer to purchase;

(2) Evaluate proposals received, make the selection based on the considerations set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, and issue letters of acceptance or rejection;

(3) Prepare certifications, where appropriate, as provided in paragraph (k) of this section;

(4) Comply with its obligations under § 970.7(a) regarding tenant consultation and provide evidence to HUD that the PHA has met those obligations. The PHA shall not act in an arbitrary manner and shall give full and fair consideration to any offer from a qualified resident management corporation, resident council of the affected development, or a nonprofit organization acting on behalf of the residents, and shall accept the proposal if the proposal meets the terms of sale.

(k) PHA post-offer requirements. After the resident offer, if any, is made, the PHA shall:

(1) Submit its disposition application to HUD in accordance with section 18 of the Act and this part. The disposition application must include complete documentation that the resident offer provisions of this part have been met. This documentation shall include:

(i) A copy of the signed and dated PHA notification letter(s) to each established eligible organization informing them of the PHA's intention to submit an application for disposition, the organization's right to purchase the property to be disposed of; and

(ii) The responses from each organization.

(2)(i) If the PHA accepts the proposal of an established eligible organization, the PHA shall submit revisions to its disposition application to HUD in accordance with section 18 of the Act and this part reflecting the arrangement with the resident organization, with appropriate justification for a negotiated sale and for sale at less than fair market value, if applicable.

(ii) If the PHA rejects the proposal of the resident organization, the resident organization may appeal as provided in paragraph (h) of this section. Once the appeal is resolved, or, if there is no appeal, and the 30 days allowed for appeal has passed, HUD shall proceed to approve or disapprove the application.

(3) HUD will not process an application for disposition unless the PHA provides HUD with one of the following:

(i) An official board resolution or its equivalent from each established eligible organization stating that such organization has received the PHA offer, and that it understands the offer and waives its opportunity to purchase the project, or portion of the project, covered by the disposition application;

(ii) A certification from the executive director or board of commissioners of the PHA that the 30-day time frame to express interest has expired and no response was received to its offer; or

(iii) A certification from the executive director or board of commissioners of the PHA with supporting documentation that the offer was otherwise rejected.

(a) Activities under this part (including de minimis demolition pursuant to § 970.27) are subject to HUD environmental regulations in 24 CFR part 58. However, HUD may make a finding in accordance with 24 CFR 58.11(d) of this title and may itself perform the environmental review under the provisions of 24 CFR part 50 if a PHA objects in writing to the responsible entity performing the review under 24 CFR part 58.

(b) The environmental review is limited to the demolition or disposition action and any known re-use, and is not required for any unknown future re-use. Factors that indicate that the future site reuse can reasonably be considered to be known include the following:

(1) Private, Federal, state, or local funding for the site reuse has been committed;

(2) A grant application involving the site has been filed with the Federal government or a state or local unit of government;

(3) The Federal government or a state or unit of local government has made a commitment to take an action, including a physical action, that will facilitate a particular reuse of the site; and

(4) Architectural, engineering, or design plans for the reuse exist that go beyond preliminary stages.

(c) In the case of a demolition or disposition made necessary by a disaster that the President has declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq., or a disaster that has been declared under state law by the officer or entity with legal authority to make such declaration, pursuant to 24 CFR 50.43 and 24 CFR 58.33, the provisions of 40 CFR 1506.11 will apply.

(a) In addition to other applicable requirements of this part, HUD will approve an application for demolition upon the PHA's certification that it meets the following statutory criteria, unless the application meets the criteria for disapproval under 24 CFR 970.29. An application for the demolition of all or a portion of a public housing project must certify that the project:

(1) Is obsolete as to physical condition, location, or other factors, making it unsuitable for housing purposes, and no reasonable program of modifications is cost-effective to return the public housing project or portion of the project to useful life; and

(2) In the case of an application for demolition of a portion of a project, the demolition will help to ensure the viability of the remaining portion of the project.

(b) As to paragraph (a)(1) of this section:

(1) Major problems indicative of obsolescence are:

(i) As to physical condition: Structural deficiencies that cannot be corrected in a cost-effective manner (settlement of earth below the building caused by inadequate structural fills, faulty structural design, or settlement of floors), or other design or site problems (severe erosion or flooding);

(ii) As to location: physical deterioration of the neighborhood; change from residential to industrial or commercial development; or environmental conditions as determined by HUD environmental review in accord with 24 CFR part 50, which jeopardize the suitability of the site or a portion of the site and its housing structures for residential use; or

(iii) There are other factors that have seriously affected the marketability, usefulness, or management of the property.

(2) HUD generally shall not consider a program of modifications to be cost-effective if the costs of such program exceed 62.5 percent of total development cost (TDC) for elevator structures and 57.14 percent of TDC for all other types of structures in effect at the time the application is submitted to HUD.

(c) As to paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a partial demolition will be considered to ensure the viability of the remaining portion if the application certifies that the demolition will reduce development density to permit better access by emergency, fire, or rescue services, or improve marketability by reducing the density to that of the neighborhood or other developments in the PHA's inventory.

In addition to other applicable requirements of this part, HUD will approve a request for disposition by sale or other transfer of a public housing project or other real property if the PHA certifies that the retention of the property is not in the best interests of the residents or the PHA for at least one of the following reasons, unless information available to HUD is inconsistent with the certification:

(a) Conditions in the area surrounding the project (density, or industrial or commercial development) adversely affect the health or safety of the tenants or the feasible operation of the project by the PHA;

(b) Disposition allows the acquisition, development, or rehabilitation of other properties that will be more efficiently or effectively operated as low-income housing developments;

(c) The PHA has otherwise determined the disposition to be appropriate for reasons that are consistent with the goals of the PHA and the PHA Plan and that are otherwise consistent with the Act;

(d) In the case of disposition of property other than dwelling units (community facilities or vacant land), the PHA certifies that:

(1) The non-dwelling facilities or land exceeds the needs of the development (after DOFA); or

(2) The disposition of the property is incidental to, or does not interfere with, continued operation of the remaining portion of the development.

(a) Where HUD approves the disposition of real property of a development, in whole or in part, the PHA shall dispose of the property promptly for not less than fair market value (in which case there is no showing of commensurate public benefit required), unless HUD authorizes negotiated sale for reasons found to be in the best interests of the PHA or the federal government; or dispose of the property for sale for less than fair market value (where permitted by state law), based on commensurate public benefits to the community, the PHA, or the federal government justifying such an exception. General public improvements, such as streets and bridges, do not qualify as commensurate public benefits.

(b) A PHA may pay the reasonable costs of disposition, and of relocation of displaced tenants allowable under § 970.21, out of the gross proceeds, as approved by HUD.

(c) To obtain an estimate of the fair market value before the property is advertised for bid, the PHA shall have one independent appraisal performed on the property proposed for disposition, unless HUD determines that:

(1) More than one appraisal is warranted; or

(2) Another method of valuation is clearly sufficient and the expense of an independent appraisal is unjustified because of the limited nature of the property interest involved or other available data.

(d) To obtain an estimate of the fair market value when a property is not publicly advertised for bid, HUD may accept a reasonable valuation of the property.

(e) A PHA shall use net proceeds, including any interest earned on the proceeds (after payment of HUD-approved costs of disposition and relocation under paragraph (a) of this section), subject to HUD approval, as follows:

(1) Unless waived by HUD, for the retirement of outstanding obligations, if any, issued to finance original development or modernization of the project; and

(2) To the extent that any net proceeds remain, after the application of proceeds in accordance with paragraph (e)(1) of this section, for:

(i) The provision of low-income housing or to benefit the residents of the PHA, through such measures as modernization of lower-income housing or the acquisition, development, or rehabilitation of other properties to operate as lower-income housing; or

(ii) Leveraging amounts for securing commercial enterprises, on-site in public housing developments of the PHA, appropriate to serve the needs of the residents.

(f) For dispositions for the purpose stated in § 970.17(b), a PHA must demonstrate to the satisfaction of HUD that the replacement units are being provided in connection with the disposition of the property. A PHA may use sale proceeds in accordance with paragraph (e) to fund the replacement units.

(a) Relocation of residents on a nondiscriminatory basis and relocation resources. A PHA must offer each family displaced by demolition or disposition comparable housing that meets housing quality standards (HQS) and is located in an area that is generally not less desirable than the location of the displaced persons. The housing must be offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, handicap, age, familial status, or gender, in compliance with applicable Federal and state laws. For persons with disabilities displaced from a unit with reasonable accommodations, comparable housing should include similar accommodations. Such housing may include:

(1) Tenant-based assistance, such as assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, 24 CFR part 982, except that such assistance will not be considered “comparable housing” until the family is actually relocated into such housing;

(2) Project-based assistance; or

(3) Occupancy in a unit operated or assisted by the PHA at a rental rate paid by the family that is comparable to the rental rate applicable to the unit from which the family is vacated.

(b) In-place tenants. A PHA may not complete disposition of a building until all tenants residing in the building are relocated.

(c) Financial resources. (1) Sources of funding for relocation costs related to demolition or disposition may include, but are not limited to, capital funds or other federal funds currently available for this purpose;

(2) If Federal financial assistance under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, 42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq. (including loan guarantees under section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. 5308 et seq.); the Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) program, 42 U.S.C. 5318 et seq.; or HOME program, 42 U.S.C. 12701 et seq. is used in connection with the demolition or disposition of public housing, the project is subject to section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. 5304(d) (as amended)), including the relocation payment provisions and the anti-displacement provisions, which require that comparable replacement dwellings be provided within the community for the same number of occupants as could have been housed in the occupied and vacant, occupiable low- and moderate-income units demolished or converted to another use.

(d) Relocation timetable. For the purpose of determining operating subsidy eligibility under 24 CFR part 990, a PHA must provide the following information in the application or immediately following application submission:

(1) The number of occupied units at the time of demolition/disposition application approval;

(2) A schedule for the relocation of those residents on a month-by-month basis.

(e) The PHA is responsible for the following:

(1) Notifying each family residing in the development of the proposed demolition or disposition 90 days prior to the displacement date, except in cases of imminent threat to health and safety. The notification must include a statement that:

(i) The development or portion of the development will be demolished or disposed of;

(ii) The demolition of the building in which the family resides will not commence until each resident of the building has been relocated;

(iii) Each family displaced by such action will be provided comparable housing, which may include housing with reasonable accommodations for disability, if required under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 8, as described in paragraph (a) of this section;

(2) Providing for the payment of the actual and reasonable relocation expenses of each resident to be displaced, including residents requiring reasonable accommodations because of disabilities;

(3) Ensuring that each displaced resident is offered comparable replacement housing as described in paragraph (b) of this section; and

(4) Providing any necessary counseling for residents that are displaced.

(f) In addition, the PHA's plan for the relocation of residents who would be displaced by the proposed demolition or disposition must indicate:

(1) The number of individual residents to be displaced;

(2) The type of counseling and advisory services the PHA plans to provide;

(3) What housing resources are expected to be available to provide housing for displaced residents; and

(4) An estimate of the costs for counseling and advisory services and resident moving expenses, and the expected source for payment of these costs.

(g) The Uniform Relocation Act does not apply to demolitions and dispositions under this part.

Where HUD has approved demolition of a project, or a portion of a project, and the proposed action is part of a program under the Capital Fund Program (24 CFR part 905), the costs of demolition and of relocation of displaced residents may be included in the budget funded with capital funds pursuant to section 9(d) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1437g(d)) or awarded HOPE VI or other eligible HUD funds.

(a) A PHA may not take any action to demolish or dispose of a public housing development or a portion of a public housing development without obtaining HUD approval under this part. HUD funds may not be used to pay for the cost to demolish or dispose of a public housing development or a portion of a public housing development, unless HUD approval has been obtained under this part. Until the PHA receives HUD approval, the PHA shall continue to meet its ACC obligations to maintain and operate the property as housing for low-income families. However, the PHA may engage in planning activities, analysis, or consultations without seeking HUD approval. Planning activities may include project viability studies, capital planning, or comprehensive occupancy planning. The PHA must continue to provide full housing services to all residents that remain in the development. A PHA should not re-rent these units at turnover while HUD is considering its application for demolition or disposition. However, the PHA's operating subsidy eligibility will continue to be calculated as stated in 24 CFR part 990.

(b) A PHA may consolidate occupancy within or among buildings of a development, or among developments, or with other housing for the purposes of improving living conditions of, or providing more efficient services to residents, without submitting a demolition or disposition application.

(a) A PHA may demolish units without submitting an application if the PHA is proposing to demolish not more than the lesser of:

(1) five dwelling units; or

(2) 5 percent of the total dwelling units owned by the PHA over any 5-year period.

(b) The 5-year period referred to in paragraph (a)(2) of this section is the 5 years counting backward from the date of the proposed de minimis demolition, except that any demolition performed prior to October 21, 1998, will not be counted against the five units or 5 percent of the total, as applicable. For example, if a PHA that owns 1,000 housing units wishes to demolish units under this de minimis provision on July 1, 2004, and previously demolished two units under this provision on September 1, 2000, and two more units on July 1, 2001, the PHA would be able to demolish one additional unit for a total of five in the preceding 5 years. As another example, if a PHA that owns 60 housing units as of July 1, 2004, had demolished two units on September 1, 2000, and one unit on July 1, 2001, that PHA would not be able to demolish any further units under this “de minimis” provision until after September 1, 2005, because it would have already demolished 5 percent of its total.

(c)(1) In order to qualify for this exemption, the space occupied by the demolished unit must be used for meeting the service or other needs of public housing residents (use of space to construct a laundry facility, community center, child care facility, office space for a general provider; or for use as open space or garden); or

(2) The unit being demolished must be beyond repair.

(d) PHAs utilizing this section will comply with environmental review requirements at 24 CFR 970.13 and, if applicable, the requirements of 24 CFR 8.23.

(e) For recordkeeping purposes, PHAs that wish to demolish units under this section shall submit the information required in § 970.7(a)(1), (2), (12), (13), and (14). HUD will accept a certification from the PHA that one of the two conditions in paragraph (c) of this section apply unless HUD has independent information that requirements for “de minimis” demolition have not been met.

HUD will disapprove an application if HUD determines that:

(a) Any certification made by the PHA under this part is clearly inconsistent with:

(1) The PHA Plan;

(2) Any information and data available to HUD related to the requirements of this part, such as failure to meet the requirements for the justification for demolition or disposition as found in §§ 970.15 or 970.17; or

(3) Information or data requested by HUD; or

(b) The application was not developed in consultation with:

(1) Residents who will be affected by the proposed demolition or disposition as required in § 970.9; and

(2) Each resident advisory board and resident council, if any, of the project (or portion thereof) that will be affected by the proposed demolition or disposition as required in § 970.9, and appropriate government officials as required in § 970.7.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, replacement public housing units may be built on the original public housing location or in the same neighborhood as the original public housing location if the number of the replacement public housing units is significantly fewer than the number of units demolished. Such development must comply with 24 CFR part 905, Public Housing Capital Fund Program, as well as 24 CFR part 941.

The provisions of 24 CFR part 990, the Public Housing Operating Fund Program, and 24 CFR part 905, the Public Housing Capital Fund Program, apply.

(a) After HUD approval of demolition or disposition of all or part of a project, the PHA shall provide information on the following:

(1) Actual completion of each demolition contract by entering the appropriate information into HUD's applicable data system, or providing the information by another method HUD may require, within a week of making the final payment to the demolition contractor, or expending the last remaining funds if funded by force account;

(2) Execution of sales or lease contracts by entering the appropriate information into HUD's applicable data system, or providing the information by another method HUD may require, within a week of execution;

(3) The PHA's use of the proceeds of sale by providing a financial statement showing how the funds were expended by item and dollar amount;

(4) Amounts expended for closing costs and relocation expenses, by providing a financial statement showing this information for each property sold; and

(5) Such other information as HUD may from time to time require.

(b) [Reserved]