View all text of Subpart F [§ 92.250 - § 92.258]

§ 92.254 - Qualification as affordable housing: Homeownership.

(a) Acquisition with or without rehabilitation. Housing that is for acquisition by a family must meet the affordability requirements of this paragraph (a).

(1) The housing must be single family housing.

(2) The housing must be modest housing as follows:

(i) In the case of acquisition of newly constructed housing or standard housing, the housing has a purchase price for the type of single family housing that does not exceed 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area, as described in paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section.

(ii) In the case of acquisition with rehabilitation, the housing has an estimated value after rehabilitation that does not exceed 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area, described in paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section.

(iii) If a participating jurisdiction intends to use HOME funds for homebuyer assistance or for the rehabilitation of owner-occupied single family properties, the participating jurisdiction must use the HOME affordable homeownership limits provided by HUD for newly constructed housing and for existing housing.

(A) HUD will provide limits for affordable newly constructed housing based on 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single family mortgage program data for newly constructed housing, with a minimum limit based on 95 percent of the U.S. median purchase price for new construction for nonmetropolitan areas.

(B) HUD will provide limits for affordable existing housing based on 95 percent of the median area purchase price for the area using FHA single family mortgage program data for existing housing and other appropriate data that are available Nation-wide for purchase of existing housing, with a minimum limit based on 95 percent of the State-wide nonmetropolitan area median area purchase price using this data.

(iv) In lieu of the limits provided by HUD, the participating jurisdiction may determine 95 percent of the median area purchase price for single family housing in the jurisdiction annually, as follows:

(A) The participating jurisdiction must set forth the limits for single family housing of one, two, three, and four units, for the jurisdiction. The participating jurisdiction may determine separate limits for existing housing and newly constructed housing.

(B) For the limits on housing located outside of metropolitan areas, a State may aggregate sales data from more than one county if the counties are contiguous and similarly situated.

(C) The participating jurisdiction must include the following information in the annual action plan of the Consolidated Plan submitted to HUD for review and must update the information in each action plan.

(1) The 95 percent of median area purchase price must be established in accordance with a market analysis that ensured that a sufficient number of recent housing sales are included in the survey;

(2) Sales must cover the requisite number of months based on volume: For 500 or more sales per month, a 1-month reporting period; for 250 through 499 sales per month, a 2-month reporting period; for less than 250 sales per month, at least a 3-month reporting period. The data must be listed in ascending order of purchase price;

(3) The address of the listed properties must include the location within the participating jurisdiction. Lot, square, and subdivision data may be substituted for the street address;

(4) The housing sales data must reflect all, or nearly all, of the single family housing sales in the entire participating jurisdiction; and.

(5) To determine the median area purchase price, a participating jurisdiction must take the middle sale on the list if an odd number of sales, and if an even number, take the higher of the middle numbers and consider it the median. After identifying the median area purchase price, the amount should be multiplied by 0.95 to determine the 95 percent of the median area purchase price.

(3) The housing must be acquired by a homebuyer whose family qualifies as a low-income family, and the housing must be the principal residence of the family throughout the period described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section. If there is no ratified sales contract with an eligible homebuyer for the housing within 12 months of the date of completion of construction or rehabilitation, the housing must be rented to an eligible tenant as affordable rental housing and must comply with the requirements in § 92.252, including the period of affordability in § 92.252(d). In determining the income eligibility of the family, the participating jurisdiction must include the income of all persons living in the housing. The homebuyer must receive housing counseling. If housing is being purchased by an in-place tenant pursuant to § 92.255, then the housing may be acquired if the homebuyer's family was low-income at the time the homebuyer's family began occupying the HOME rental housing unit. If the housing does not meet the participating jurisdiction's property standards in § 92.251 at the time of acquisition, then the housing may still be acquired if the written agreement between the participating jurisdiction and the homebuyer requires the property to meet the standards within the period specified in § 92.251(c)(3)(ii) and funding is secured to complete the rehabilitation necessary to comply with the standards.

(4) Periods of affordability. The HOME-assisted housing must meet the affordability requirements for not less than the applicable period specified in the following table, beginning after execution of the instrument that requires the recapture of the HOME investment or recordation of the resale restrictions for sale to the next homebuyer. Execution of the instrument that requires the recapture of the HOME investment or recordation of the resale restrictions for sale to the next homebuyer may only occur after the housing meets the participating jurisdiction's property standards in accordance with § 92.251(c)(3) and the property title is transferred to the homebuyer. The per unit amount of HOME funds and the period of affordability that they trigger are described more fully in paragraphs (a)(5)(i) (resale) and (ii) (recapture) of this section. The period of affordability is based on the total amount of HOME funds invested in the housing.

Table 1 to Paragraph (a)(4)

Homeownership assistance HOME amount per-unit Minimum
period of
affordability in years
Under $25,0005 $25,000 to $50,00010 Over $50,00015

(5) Resale and recapture. The participating jurisdiction must establish the resale or recapture requirements that comply with the standards of this section and set forth the requirements in its consolidated plan. HUD must determine that they are appropriate and must specifically approve them in writing.

(i) Resale. Resale requirements must ensure, if the housing does not continue to be the principal residence of the family for the duration of the period of affordability, that the housing is made available for subsequent purchase only to a buyer whose family qualifies as a low-income family and will use the property as the family's principal residence. The resale requirement must also ensure that the price at resale provides the HOME-assisted homeowner a fair return on investment (including the homeowner's investment and any improvements) and ensure the housing will remain affordable to a reasonable range of low-income homebuyers. The resale price is the fair return on investment added to the original sales price of the property, subject to market conditions. The participating jurisdiction must specifically define “fair return on investment” and “affordability to a reasonable range of low-income homebuyers,” and specifically address how it will make the housing affordable to a low-income homebuyer in the event that the resale price necessary to provide a fair return is not affordable to the subsequent homebuyer. The period of affordability is based on the total amount of HOME funds invested in the housing.

(A) Permissible methods of determining fair return and the resale price include but are not limited to the following:

(1) Itemized formula. To determine fair return on investment and resale price, the participating jurisdiction may use an itemized formula to add or subtract common, clearly defined factors that increase or decrease the value of a homeowner's investment in the property over the term of ownership. This formula must include the value of capital improvements and the sum of the downpayment and all principal payments by the homeowner on the loan secured by the property. The formula may depreciate the value of the capital improvements and may take into consideration any reduction in value due to property damage or delayed or deferred maintenance of the property condition. The fair return on a homeowner's investment under this formula is calculated by taking the sum of the defined factors for the homeowner's investment in the property over the term of ownership and multiplying this amount by a clearly defined, publicly accessible index or standard.

Formula 1 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(A)(1)

(2) Appraisal formula. The participating jurisdiction may use an appraisal formula to determine fair return on investment and resale price based on the amount of market appreciation, if any, over the term of ownership. Under this method, the appraisals must be conducted by a State licensed or certified third-party appraiser. The amount of market appreciation over the term of ownership is determined by subtracting the appraised value at the time of initial purchase from the appraised value of the property at the time of resale. The fair return on a homeowner's investment under this formula is calculated by multiplying a clearly defined, publicly accessible standard or index by the amount of market appreciation over the term of homeownership.

Formula 2 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(A)(2)

(3) Index formula. The participating jurisdiction may use an index formula to determine fair return on investment and resale price based on the change in value of a homeowner's investment over the term of ownership. Index formulas adjust the value of the homeowner's investment in proportion to changes in an index, such as the change in median household income. To determine the homeowner's fair return using this model, the sum of the property's original purchase price and the value of any capital improvements to the property is multiplied by the change in the specified index during the term of ownership. The formula may also depreciate the value of the capital improvements and may take into consideration any reduction in value due to property damage or delayed or deferred maintenance of the property condition.

Formula 3 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(A)(3)

(4) Fixed-rate formula. The participating jurisdiction may use a fixed-rate formula to determine the homeowner's fair return on investment. Fixed-rate formulas adjust the value of the homeowner's investment by a fixed percentage (rate) per year (e.g., 3.5 percent). To determine the fair return on investment using this model, the fixed rate is multiplied by the number of years the homeowner owned and occupied the home (e.g., 3.5 percent × 10 years = 35%). The resulting rate is then multiplied by the sum of the original purchase price of the home and the value of any capital improvements to the property to calculate the fair return to the homeowner. The formula may also depreciate the value of the capital improvements and may take into consideration any reduction in value due to property damage or delayed or deferred maintenance of the property condition.

Formula 4 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(A)(4)

(B) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(5)(i)(C) of this section, deed or use restrictions, a recorded agreement restricting the use of the property, liens on real property, covenants running with the land, or other similar mechanisms approved by HUD in writing must be used to impose the resale requirements.

(C) The affordability restrictions may terminate upon occurrence of any of the following termination events: foreclosure, transfer in lieu of foreclosure, or assignment of an FHA-insured mortgage to HUD. If the owner of record before the termination event obtains an ownership interest in the property after the termination event, then the affordability restrictions shall be revived under the same terms prior to the termination event, including a minimum period of affordability equal to the terminated period of affordability.

(D) Certain housing may be presumed to meet the resale restrictions (i.e., the housing will be available and affordable to a reasonable range of low-income homebuyers; a low-income homebuyer will occupy the housing as the family's principal residence; and the original owner will be afforded a fair return on investment) during the period of affordability without the imposition of enforcement mechanisms by the participating jurisdiction. The presumption must be based upon a market analysis of the neighborhood in which the housing is located. The market analysis must include an evaluation of the location and characteristics of the housing and residents in the neighborhood (e.g., sale prices, age and amenities of the housing stock, incomes of residents, percentage of owner-occupants) in relation to housing and incomes in the housing market area. An analysis of the current and projected incomes of neighborhood residents for an average period of affordability for homebuyers in the neighborhood must support the conclusion that a reasonable range of low-income families will continue to qualify for mortgage financing. For example, an analysis shows that the housing is modestly priced within the housing market area and that families with incomes of 65 percent to 80 percent of the area median income can afford monthly payments under average FHA terms without other government assistance and housing will remain affordable at least during the next five to seven years compared to other housing in the market area; the size and amenities of the housing are modest and substantial rehabilitation will not significantly increase the market value; the neighborhood has housing that is not currently owned by the occupants, but the participating jurisdiction is encouraging homeownership in the neighborhood by providing homeownership assistance and by making improvements to the streets, sidewalks, and other public facilities and services. If a participating jurisdiction in preparing a neighborhood revitalization strategy under § 91.215(e)(2) of its Consolidated Plan has incorporated the type of market data described above, that submission may serve as the required analysis under this section. If the participating jurisdiction continues to provide homeownership assistance for housing in the neighborhood, it must periodically update the market analysis to verify the original presumption of continued affordability.

(ii) Recapture. (A) Recapture provisions must require that the participating jurisdiction recoups all or a portion of the HOME assistance provided to the homebuyers if the housing does not continue to be the principal residence of the family for the duration of the period of affordability. The participating jurisdiction may structure its recapture provisions based on its program design and market conditions. The period of affordability is based upon the amount of HOME funds that directly assisted the homebuyer to buy the housing unit. This amount includes any HOME assistance that assisted the homebuyer to purchase the housing or reduced the purchase price paid by the homebuyer from fair market value to an affordable price but excludes the amount of HOME assistance provided to develop the unit that does not assist the homebuyer or reduce the purchase price paid by the homebuyer. Recapture provisions may permit the subsequent homebuyer to assume the HOME assistance (subject to the HOME requirements for the remainder of the period of affordability) if the subsequent homebuyer is low-income and no additional HOME assistance is provided.

(B) The following options for recapture requirements are acceptable to HUD. The participating jurisdiction may adopt, modify, or develop its own recapture requirements for HUD approval. In establishing its recapture requirements, the participating jurisdiction is subject to the limitation that when the recapture requirement is triggered by a sale (voluntary or involuntary) of the housing unit, the amount recaptured cannot exceed the net proceeds, if any. The net proceeds are the sales price minus superior loan repayment (other than HOME funds) and any closing costs.

(1) Recapture entire amount. The participating jurisdiction may recapture the entire amount of the HOME investment from the homeowner.

(2) Reduction during period of affordability. The participating jurisdiction may reduce the HOME investment amount to be recaptured on a pro rata basis for the time the homeowner has owned and occupied the housing measured against the required period of affordability.

(3) Shared net proceeds. If the net proceeds are not sufficient to recapture the full HOME investment (or a reduced amount as provided for in paragraph (a)(5)(ii)(A)(2) of this section) plus enable the homeowner to recover the amount of the homeowner's downpayment and any capital improvement investment made by the owner since purchase, the participating jurisdiction may share the net proceeds. The net proceeds are the sales price minus loan repayment (other than HOME funds) and closing costs. The net proceeds may be divided proportionally as set forth in the following mathematical formulas:

Formula 5 to Paragraph (a)(5)(ii)(A)(2)

(4) Owner investment returned first. The participating jurisdiction may permit the homebuyer to recover the homebuyer's entire investment (downpayment and capital improvements made by the owner since purchase) before recapturing the HOME investment.

(5) Amount subject to recapture. The HOME investment subject to recapture is the amount of HOME funds that directly assisted the homebuyer to buy the housing. This includes the amount that assisted the homebuyer to purchase the housing or reduced the purchase price paid by the homebuyer from fair market value to an affordable price but excludes the amount of HOME assistance provided to develop the unit that did not assist the homebuyer or reduce the purchase price paid by the homebuyer. The recaptured funds must be used to carry out HOME-eligible activities in accordance with the requirements of this part. If the HOME assistance is only used for the development subsidy and therefore not subject to recapture, the resale option must be used.

(6) Special considerations for single family properties with more than one unit. If the HOME funds are only used to assist a low-income homebuyer to acquire one unit in single family housing containing more than one unit and the assisted unit will be the principal residence of the homebuyer, the affordability requirements of this section apply only to the assisted unit. If HOME funds are also used to assist the low-income homebuyer to acquire one or more rental units in the single-family housing, the affordability requirements of § 92.252 apply to the assisted rental units, except that the participating jurisdiction may impose resale or recapture restrictions on all assisted units (owner-occupied and rental units) in the single-family housing. If resale restrictions are used, the affordability requirements on all assisted units continue for the period of affordability. If recapture restrictions are used, the affordability requirements on the assisted rental units may be terminated, at the discretion of the participating jurisdiction, upon recapture of the HOME investment. If HOME funds are used to assist only the rental units in a single-family property, then the requirements of § 92.252 would apply and the owner-occupied unit would not be subject to the income targeting or affordability provisions of § 92.254.

(7) Lease-purchases in the HOME program. A homeownership project may consist of acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction of housing to be sold to an eligible low-income homebuyer through a lease-purchase program.

(i) The homebuyer must qualify as a low-income family at the time of signing the lease-purchase agreement. In determining the income eligibility of the family, the participating jurisdiction must include the income of all persons living in the housing. If a family is also receiving HOME tenant-based rental assistance, the participating jurisdiction is not required to reexamine the family's income during the term of the lease-purchase agreement.

(ii) The owner and homebuyer must execute a lease-purchase agreement under an existing lease-purchase program prior to occupancy of the unit. The lease-purchase agreement must require the purchase of the housing within 36 months of execution. Owners and homebuyers that have entered into a lease-purchase agreement pursuant to the requirements in this paragraph are subject to the affordability requirements in this section unless the housing is not purchased within the required timeframes in this paragraph in accordance with the lease-purchase agreement.

(iii) If the first homebuyer does not acquire the housing in accordance with the lease-purchase agreement, the owner must sell the housing to another eligible low-income homebuyer within 48 months from the execution of the original lease-purchase agreement. The next homebuyer is eligible for homeownership assistance from the participating jurisdiction. The owner is not permitted to sell the unit through another lease-purchase agreement. When the next homebuyer purchases the housing, the homebuyer shall be subject to the affordability requirements in this section.

(iv) If the owner is unable to sell the unit within 48 months from the execution of the lease-purchase agreement, the housing is subject to the requirements for affordable rental housing in § 92.252.

(8) Contract to purchase. If HOME funds are used to assist a homebuyer who has entered into a contract to purchase housing to be constructed, the homebuyer must qualify as a low-income family at the time the contract is signed.

(b) Preserving affordability of housing assisted with HOME funds. When there is a termination event for affordability restrictions, a participating jurisdiction may take the following actions to preserve the affordability of the property:

(1) The participating jurisdiction may exercise purchase options, rights of first refusal, or other preemptive rights to obtain ownership of the housing before foreclosure to preserve affordability, subject to the following requirements:

(i) The housing must be sold to an eligible homebuyer in accordance with paragraph (a)(3) of this section within 12 months of the date the participating jurisdiction obtains ownership;

(ii) The period of affordability for the eligible homebuyer must be equal to the remaining period of affordability of the former homeowner unless additional HOME funds are used to directly assist the eligible homebuyer (i.e., homeownership assistance);

(iii) If the participating jurisdiction directly assists the eligible homebuyer with additional HOME funds, then the period of affordability must be recalculated in accordance with the table in § 92.254(a)(4) based on the total amount of additional HOME funds invested. The additional investment must be treated as a new project; and

(iv) The total HOME funds for a project (original investment plus additional investment) must not exceed the per-unit subsidy limit in § 92.250(a) in effect at the time of the additional investment, subject to HUD approval.

(2) The participating jurisdiction may use additional HOME funds for the following costs:

(i) The cost for the participating jurisdiction to obtain ownership of the HOME-assisted housing through a purchase option, right of first refusal, or other preemptive right before foreclosure or at the foreclosure sale. This cost must be treated as an amendment to the original project. The foreclosure costs to acquire housing with a HOME loan in default is an eligible cost; however, HOME funds may not be used to repay a loan made with HOME funds.

(ii) The cost of the participating jurisdiction to undertake any necessary rehabilitation for the housing acquired. This includes the rehabilitation required for the housing to meet applicable property standards in § 92.251. This cost must be treated as an amendment to the original project.

(iii) The cost to the participating jurisdiction of owning the housing pending resale to another homebuyer. This cost must be treated as an amendment to the original project.

(iv) The cost to assist an eligible homebuyer in purchasing the housing. This cost must be treated as a cost for a new project and not as an amendment to the original project.

(v) As an alternative to charging costs to the HOME program under § 92.206, the participating jurisdiction may charge the costs to the HOME program under § 92.207 as a reasonable administrative cost of its HOME program. To the extent administrative funds are used, they may be reimbursed, in whole or in part, when the housing is sold to a new eligible homebuyer. If the housing is sold for more than the amount of administrative funds that the participating jurisdiction expended to preserve the affordability, then the excess sale proceeds shall be program income.

(3) The participating jurisdiction may permit the Community Land Trust, as defined in § 92.2, that originally developed the HOME-assisted housing, to exercise a purchase option, right of first refusal, or other preemptive right to obtain ownership of the housing to preserve affordability, including but not limited to the right to purchase the housing in lieu of foreclosure, under the following conditions:

(i) The Community Land Trust obtains ownership of the housing, subject to existing HOME affordability restrictions;

(ii) The housing must be resold to an eligible homebuyer in accordance with paragraph (a)(3) of this section within 12 months;

(iii) The period of affordability for the eligible homebuyer is equal to the remaining period of affordability of the former homeowner, unless the participating jurisdiction provides additional HOME funds to directly assist the eligible homebuyer in accordance with subparagraph (b)(3)(iv) below (i.e., homeownership assistance); and,

(iv) The participating jurisdiction may not provide additional HOME funds to the Community Land Trust to obtain ownership, rehabilitate the housing, own/hold the housing pending resale to the next homebuyer, or provide homeownership assistance to the next eligible homebuyer. The participating jurisdiction may provide homeownership assistance to the next eligible homebuyer and the period of affordability shall be based upon the homeownership assistance provided to the homebuyer, in accordance with subparagraphs (b)(1)(iii) and (b)(1)(iv) of this section.

(c) Rehabilitation not involving acquisition. Housing that is currently owned by a family qualifies as affordable housing only if:

(1) The estimated value of the property, after rehabilitation, does not exceed 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area, described in paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section; and

(2) The housing is the principal residence of an owner whose family qualifies as a low-income family at the time HOME funds are committed to the housing. In determining the income eligibility of the family, the participating jurisdiction must include the income of all persons living in the housing.

(d) Ownership interest. The ownership in the housing assisted under this section must meet the definition of “homeownership” in § 92.2, except that housing that is rehabilitated pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section may also include inherited property with multiple owners, life estates, living trusts and beneficiary deeds under the following conditions. The participating jurisdiction has the right to establish the terms of assistance.

(1) Inherited property. Inherited property with multiple owners: Housing for which title has been passed to several individuals by inheritance, but not all heirs reside in the housing, sharing ownership with other nonresident heirs. (The occupant of the housing has a divided ownership interest.) The participating jurisdiction may assist the owner-occupant if the occupant is low-income, occupies the housing as his or her principal residence, and pays all the costs associated with ownership and maintenance of the housing (e.g., mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities).

(2) Life estate. The person who has the life estate has the right to live in the housing for the remainder of his or her life and does not pay rent. The participating jurisdiction may assist the person holding the life estate if the person is low-income and occupies the housing as his or her principal residence.

(3) Inter vivos trust, also known as a living trust. A living trust is created during the lifetime of a person. A living trust is created when the owner of property conveys his or her property to a trust for his or her own benefit or for that of a third party (the beneficiaries). The trust holds legal title and the beneficiary holds equitable title. The person may name him or herself as the beneficiary. The trustee is under a fiduciary responsibility to hold and manage the trust assets for the beneficiary. The participating jurisdiction may assist if all beneficiaries of the trust qualify as a low-income family and occupy the property as their principal residence (except that contingent beneficiaries, who receive no benefit from the trust nor have any control over the trust assets until the beneficiary is deceased, need not be low-income). The trust must be valid and enforceable and ensure that each beneficiary has the legal right to occupy the property for the remainder of his or her life.

(4) Beneficiary deed. A beneficiary deed conveys an interest in real property, including any debt secured by a lien on real property, to a grantee beneficiary designated by the owner and that expressly states that the deed is effective on the death of the owner. Upon the death of the owner, the grantee beneficiary receives ownership in the property, subject to all conveyances, assignments, contracts, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, security pledges, and other encumbrances made by the owner or to which the owner was subject during the owner's lifetime. The participating jurisdiction may assist if the owner qualifies as low-income and the owner occupies the property as his or her principal residence.

(e) New construction without acquisition. Newly constructed housing that is built on property currently owned by a family which will occupy the housing upon completion, qualifies as affordable housing if it meets the requirements under paragraph (a) of this section.

(f) Providing homeownership assistance through lenders. Subject to the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section, the participating jurisdiction may provide homeownership assistance through a lending institution that is a contractor or nonprofit lending institution that is a subrecipient that also provides the first mortgage loan to a low-income family.

(1) The homeownership assistance may be provided only as specified in a written agreement between the participating jurisdiction and the lender. The written agreement must specify the forms and amounts of homeownership assistance that the participating jurisdiction authorizes the lender to provide to families and any conditions that apply to the provision of such homeownership assistance.

(2) Before the lender provides any homeownership assistance to a family, the participating jurisdiction must verify that the family is low-income and must inspect the housing for compliance with the property standards in § 92.251.

(3) No fees (e.g., origination fees or points) may be charged to a family for the HOME homeownership assistance provided pursuant to this paragraph (e), and the participating jurisdiction must determine that the fees and other amounts charged to the family by the lender for the first mortgage financing are reasonable. Reasonable administrative costs may be charged to the HOME program as a project cost. If the participating jurisdiction requires lenders to pay a fee to participate in the HOME program, the fee is program income to the HOME program.

(4) If the nonprofit lender is a subrecipient or contractor that is receiving HOME assistance to determine that the family is eligible for homeownership assistance, but the participating jurisdiction or another entity is making the assistance to the homebuyer (e.g., signing the documents for the loan or the grant), the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section are applicable.

(g) Homebuyer program policies. The participating jurisdiction must have and follow written policies for:

(1) Underwriting standards for homeownership assistance to determine the amount of assistance necessary to achieve sustainable homeownership. These standards must evaluate the projected overall debt of the family after the purchase of the housing, the maximum amount that a participating jurisdiction may provide a family, the appropriateness of the amount of assistance, assets available to a family to acquire the housing, and financial resources to sustain homeownership. A participating jurisdiction may not provide a single, fixed amount of assistance to each homebuyer that participates in the participating jurisdiction's homebuyer program;

(2) Responsible lending, and

(3) Refinancing loans to which HOME loans are subordinated to require that the terms of the new loan are reasonable.

[61 FR 48750, Sept. 16, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 61756, Oct. 1, 2002; 68 FR 10161, Mar. 4, 2003; 69 FR 16766, Mar. 30, 2004; 69 FR 68052, Nov. 22, 2004; 72 FR 16685, Apr. 4, 2007; 78 FR 44674, July 24, 2013; 90 FR 881, Jan. 6, 2025]