(a) General. The Federal requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 5, subpart A, are applicable to participants in the HTF program. The requirements of this subpart include: nondiscrimination and equal opportunity; disclosure requirements; debarred, suspended, or ineligible contractors; drug-free work; and housing counseling.

(b) Affirmative marketing. (1) Each grantee must adopt and follow affirmative marketing procedures and requirements for rental projects containing five or more HTF-assisted housing units and for homeownership assistance programs. Affirmative marketing steps consist of actions to provide information and otherwise attract eligible persons in the housing market area to the available housing without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, or disability. If a grantee's written agreement with the project owner permits the rental housing project to limit tenant eligibility or to have a tenant preference in accordance with § 93.303(d)(3), the grantee must have affirmative marketing procedures and requirements that apply in the context of the limited/preferred tenant eligibility for the project.

(2) The affirmative marketing requirements and procedures adopted must include:

(i) Methods for informing the public, owners, and potential tenants about Federal fair housing laws and the grantee's affirmative marketing policy (e.g., the use of the Equal Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan in press releases and solicitations for owners, and written communication to fair housing and other groups);

(ii) Requirements and practices the grantee and owner must adhere to in order to carry out the grantee's affirmative marketing procedures and requirements (e.g., use of commercial media, use of community contacts, use of the Equal Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan, and display of fair housing poster);

(iii) Procedures to be used by the grantee and owners to inform and solicit applications from persons in the housing market area who are not likely to apply for the rental housing or homeownership assistance program without special outreach (e.g., through the use of community organizations, places of worship, employment centers, fair housing groups, or housing counseling agencies);

(iv) Records that will be kept describing actions taken by the grantee and owners to affirmatively market rental housing units and homeownership assistance program and records to assess the results of these actions; and

(v) A description of how the grantee will annually assess the success of affirmative marketing actions and what corrective actions will be taken where affirmative marketing requirements are not met.

(3) A grantee that subgrants HTF funds to subgrantees must require each subgrantee to either follow the grantee's procedures and requirements or adopt its own affirmative marketing procedures and requirements that meet this section.

Housing assisted with HTF funds is subject to the regulations at 24 CFR part 35, subparts A, B, J, K, and R.

(a) Minimizing displacement. Consistent with the other goals and objectives of this part, the grantee must ensure that it has taken all reasonable steps to minimize the displacement of persons (families, individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and farms) as a result of a project assisted with HTF funds. To the extent feasible, displaced residential tenants must be provided a reasonable opportunity to lease and occupy a suitable, decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable dwelling unit in the building/complex upon completion of the project.

(b) Temporary relocation. The following policies cover residential tenants who will not be required to move permanently but who must relocate temporarily for the project. Such tenants must be provided:

(1) Reimbursement for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the temporary relocation, including the cost of moving to and from the temporarily occupied housing and any increase in monthly rent/utility costs.

(2) Appropriate advisory services, including reasonable advance written notice of:

(i) The date and approximate duration of the temporary relocation;

(ii) The location of the suitable, decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling to be made available for the temporary period;

(iii) The terms and conditions under which the tenant may lease and occupy a suitable, decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling in the building/complex upon completion of the project; and

(iv) The provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(c) Relocation assistance for displaced persons—(1) General. A displaced person (defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this section) must be provided relocation assistance at the levels described in, and in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA) (42 U.S.C. 4201-4655) and 49 CFR part 24. A “displaced person” must be advised of his or her rights under the Fair Housing Act and, if the comparable replacement dwelling used to establish the amount of the replacement housing payment to be provided to a minority person is located in an area of minority concentration, the minority person also must be given, if possible, referrals to comparable and suitable, decent, safe, and sanitary replacement dwellings not located in such areas.

(2) Displaced person. (i) For purposes of this paragraph (c), the term “displaced person” means a person (family individual, business, nonprofit organization, or farm, including any corporation, partnership or association) that moves from real property or moves personal property from real property, permanently, as a direct result of acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition for a project assisted with HTF funds. This includes any permanent, involuntary move for an assisted project, including any permanent move from the real property that is made:

(A) After notice by the owner to move permanently from the property, if the move occurs on or after:

(1) The date of the submission of an application to the grantee or HUD, if the applicant has site control and the application is later approved; or

(2) The date the grantee approves the applicable site, if the applicant does not have site control at the time of the application; or

(B) Before the date described in paragraph (c)(2)(i)(A) of this section, if the grantee or HUD determines that the displacement resulted directly from acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition for the project; or

(C) By a tenant-occupant of a dwelling unit, if any one of the following three situations occurs:

(1) The tenant moves after execution of the agreement covering the acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition and the move occurs before the tenant is provided written notice offering the tenant the opportunity to lease and occupy a suitable, decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling in the same building/complex upon completion of the project under reasonable terms and conditions. Such reasonable terms and conditions must include a term of at least one year at a monthly rent and estimated average monthly utility costs that do not exceed the greater of:

(i) The tenant's monthly rent before such agreement and estimated average monthly utility costs; or

(ii) The total tenant payment, as determined under 24 CFR 5.628, if the tenant is low-income, or 30 percent of gross household income, if the tenant is not low-income;

(2) The tenant is required to relocate temporarily, does not return to the building/complex, and either:

(i) The tenant is not offered payment for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the temporary relocation; or

(ii) Other conditions of the temporary relocation are not reasonable; or

(3) The tenant is required to move to another dwelling unit in the same building/complex but is not offered reimbursement for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the move, or other conditions of the move are not reasonable.

(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, a person does not qualify as a “displaced person” if:

(A) The person has been evicted for cause based upon a serious or repeated violation of the terms and conditions of the lease or occupancy agreement, violation of applicable Federal, State or local law, or other good cause, and the grantee determines that the eviction was not undertaken for the purpose of evading the obligation to provide relocation assistance. The effective date of any termination or refusal to renew must be preceded by at least 30 calendar days advance written notice to the tenant specifying the grounds for the action.

(B) The person moved into the property after the submission of the application, but before signing a lease and commencing occupancy, was provided written notice of the project, its possible impact on the person (e.g., the person may be displaced, temporarily relocated, incur a rent increase), and the fact that the person would not qualify as a “displaced person” (or for any assistance under this section) as a result of the project;

(C) The person is ineligible under 49 CFR 24.2(g)(2); or

(D) HUD determines that the person was not displaced as a direct result of acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition for the project.

(iii) The grantee may, at any time, ask HUD to determine whether a displacement is or would be covered by this rule.

(3) Initiation of negotiations. For purposes of determining the formula for computing replacement housing assistance to be provided under this paragraph (c) to a tenant displaced from a dwelling as a direct result of private-owner rehabilitation, demolition, or acquisition of the real property, the term “initiation of negotiations” means the execution of the agreement covering the acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition.

(d) Optional relocation assistance. The grantee may provide relocation payments and other relocation assistance to families, individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and farms displaced by a project assisted with HTF funds where the displacement is not subject to paragraph (c) of this section. The grantee may also provide relocation assistance to persons covered under paragraph (c) of this section beyond that required. For any such assistance that is not required by State or local law, the grantee must adopt a written policy available to the public that describes the optional relocation assistance that it has elected to furnish and provides for equal relocation assistance within each class of displaced persons.

(e) Real property acquisition requirements. The acquisition of real property for a project is subject to the URA and the requirements of 49 CFR part 24, subpart B.

(f) Appeals. A person who disagrees with the grantee's determination concerning whether the person qualifies as a displaced person, or the amount of relocation assistance for which the person may be eligible, may file a written appeal of that determination with the grantee.

(a) Applicability of 2 CFR 200.318. In the procurement of property and services by grantees and subgrantees, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply. In all cases not governed by 2 CFR 200.318, the provisions of this section apply.

(b) Conflicts prohibited. No persons described in paragraph (c) of this section who exercise or have exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to activities assisted with HTF funds or who are in a position to participate in a decision-making process or gain inside information with regard to these activities may obtain a financial interest or financial benefit from a HTF-assisted activity, or have a financial interest in any contract, subcontract, or agreement with respect to the HTF-assisted activity, or the proceeds from such activity, either for themselves or those with whom they have business or immediate family ties, during their tenure or for one year thereafter. Immediate family ties include (whether by blood, marriage, or adoption) the spouse, parent (including a stepparent), child (including a stepchild), brother, sister (including a stepbrother or stepsister), grandparent, grandchild, and in-laws of a covered person.

(c) Persons covered. The conflict of interest provisions of paragraph (b) of this section apply to any person who is an employee, agent, consultant, officer, or elected official or appointed official of the grantee or subgrantee.

(d) Exceptions: Threshold requirements. Upon the written request of the grantee, HUD may grant an exception to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section on a case-by-case basis when it determines that the exception will serve to further the purposes of the HTF and the effective and efficient administration of the grantee's program or project. An exception may be considered only after the grantee has provided the following:

(1) A disclosure of the nature of the conflict, accompanied by an assurance that there has been public disclosure of the conflict and a description of how the public disclosure was made; and

(2) An opinion of the grantee's attorney that the interest for which the exception is sought would not violate State or local law.

(e) Factors to be considered for exceptions. In determining whether to grant a requested exception after the grantee has satisfactorily met the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section, HUD will consider the cumulative effect of the following factors, where applicable:

(1) Whether the exception would provide a significant cost benefit or an essential degree of expertise to the program or project which would otherwise not be available;

(2) Whether the person affected is a member of a group or class of income eligible persons intended to be the beneficiaries of the assisted activity, and the exception will permit such person to receive generally the same interests or benefits as are being made available or provided to the group or class;

(3) Whether the affected person has withdrawn from his or her functions or responsibilities, or the decisionmaking process with respect to the specific assisted activity in question;

(4) Whether the interest or benefit was present before the affected person was in a position as described in paragraph (c) of this section;

(5) Whether undue hardship will result either to the grantee or the person affected when weighed against the public interest served by avoiding the prohibited conflict; and

(6) Any other relevant considerations.

(f) Recipient—(1) General. No recipient assisted with HTF funds (or officer, employee, agent, elected or appointed official, or consultant of recipient or immediate family member or immediate family member of an officer, employee, agent, elected or appointed official, or consultant of a recipient) whether private, for-profit or nonprofit, may occupy a HTF-assisted affordable housing unit in a project during the required period of affordability specified in § 93.302(e) or § 93.304. This provision does not apply to an employee or agent of the recipient who occupies a housing unit as the project manager or maintenance worker.

(2) Exceptions. Upon written request of a recipient, the grantee (or subgrantee, if authorized by the grantee) may grant an exception to the provisions of paragraph (f)(1) of this section on a case-by-case basis when it determines that the exception will serve to further the purposes of the HTF program and the effective and efficient administration of the recipient's HTF-assisted project. In determining whether to grant a requested exception, the grantee shall consider the following factors:

(i) Whether the person receiving the benefit is a member of a group or class of low-income persons intended to be the beneficiaries of the assisted housing, and the exception will permit such person to receive generally the same interests or benefits as are being made available or provided to the group or class;

(ii) Whether the person has withdrawn from his or her functions or responsibilities, or the decisionmaking process with respect to the specific assisted housing in question;

(iii) Whether the tenant protection requirements of § 93.303 are being observed;

(iv) Whether the affirmative marketing requirements of § 93.350 are being observed and followed; and

(v) Any other factor relevant to the grantee's determination, including the timing of the requested exception.

The HTF grant to the grantee and all assistance provided to subgrantees and recipients shall be considered a Federal award for purposes of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

No HTF funds may be used in conjunction with property taken by eminent domain, unless eminent domain is employed only for a public use, except that, public use shall not be construed to include economic development that primarily benefits any private entity.

(a) General. (1) The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) requirements set forth in 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, apply to all rental housing assisted with HTF funds, as provided in this section.

(2) For the HTF program, the “covered housing provider,” as this term is used in HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, refers to:

(i) The owner of HTF-assisted rental housing for the purposes of 24 CFR 5.2005(d)(1), (2), (3), and (4) and 5.2009(a); and

(ii) The owner and the grantee for purposes of 24 CFR 5.2005(e) and 5.2007, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (f) of this section.

(b) Notification requirements. The grantee must provide a notice and certification form that meet the requirements of 24 CFR 5.2005(a) to the owner of HTF-assisted rental housing. The owner of HTF-assisted rental housing must provide the notice and certification form described in 24 CFR 5.2005(a) to the applicant for a HTF-assisted unit at the time the applicant is admitted to an HTF-assisted unit, or denied admission to a HTF-assisted unit based on the owner's tenant selection policies and criteria. The owner of HTF-assisted rental housing must also provide the notice and certification form described in 24 CFR 5.2005 with any notification of eviction from a HTF-assisted unit.

(c) Bifurcation of lease requirements. For purposes of this part, the requirements of 24 CFR 5.2009(b) do not apply. If a family who lives in a HTF-assisted rental unit separates under 24 CFR 5.2009(a), the remaining tenant(s) may remain in the HTF-assisted unit.

(d) VAWA lease term/addendum. The grantee must develop a VAWA lease term/addendum to incorporate all requirements that apply to the owner or lease of HTF-assisted rental housing under 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, and this section, including the prohibited bases for eviction and restrictions on construing lease terms under 24 CFR 5.2005(b) and (c). This VAWA lease term/addendum must also provide that the tenant may terminate the lease without penalty if the grantee determines that the tenant has met the conditions for an emergency transfer under 24 CFR 5.2005(e).

(e) Period of applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to the owner of the HTF-assisted rental housing for the duration of the affordability period.

(f) Emergency transfer plan. The grantee must develop and implement an emergency transfer plan and must make the determination of whether a tenant qualifies for an emergency transfer under the plan. The plan must meet the requirements in 24 CFR 5.2005(e), where, for the purposes of § 5.2005(e)(7), the required policies must specify that for tenants who qualify for an emergency transfer and who wish to make an external emergency transfer when a safe unit is not immediately available, the grantee must provide a list of properties in the jurisdiction that include HTF-assisted units. The list must include the following information for each property: The property's address, contact information, the unit sizes (number of bedrooms) for the HTF-assisted units, and, to the extent known, any tenant preferences or eligibility restrictions for the HTF-assisted units. In addition, the grantee may:

(1) Establish a preference under the grantee's HTF program for tenants who qualify for emergency transfers under 24 CFR 5.2005(e); and

(2) Coordinate with victim service providers and advocates to develop the emergency transfer plan, make referrals, and facilitate emergency transfers to safe and available units.