Collapse to view only § 12871. Program authority
- § 12871. Program authority
- § 12872. Planning grants
- § 12873. Implementation grants
- § 12874. Homeownership program requirements
- § 12875. Other program requirements
- § 12876. Definitions
- § 12877. Exemption
- § 12878. Limitation on selection criteria
- § 12879. Implementation
- § 12880. Report
In connection with a grant under this part, the Secretary may reserve authority to provide assistance under section 1437f of this title to the extent necessary to provide rental assistance for a nonpurchasing tenant who resides in the project on the date the Secretary approves the application for an implementation grant, for use by the tenant in another project.
The Secretary is authorized to make planning grants to applicants for the purpose of developing homeownership programs under this part. The amount of a planning grant under this section may not exceed $200,000, except that the Secretary may for good cause approve a grant in a higher amount.
An application for a planning grant shall be submitted by an applicant in such form and in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary shall establish.
The Secretary is authorized to make implementation grants to applicants for the purpose of carrying out homeownership programs approved under this part.
Each recipient shall assure that contributions equal to not less than 33 percent of the grant amounts made available under this section, excluding any amounts provided for post-sale operating expense, shall be provided from non-Federal sources to carry out the homeownership program.
An application for an implementation grant shall be submitted by an applicant in such form and in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary shall establish.
The Secretary shall notify each applicant, not later than 6 months after the date of the submission of the application, whether the application is approved or not approved. The Secretary may approve the application for an implementation grant with a statement that the application for the section 8 [42 U.S.C. 1437f] assistance for residents of the project not purchasing units is conditionally approved, subject to the availability of appropriations in subsequent fiscal years.
A homeownership program under this part shall provide for acquisition by eligible families of ownership interest in, or shares representing, the units in an eligible property under any arrangement determined by the Secretary to be appropriate, such as cooperative ownership (including limited equity cooperative ownership) and fee simple ownership (including condominium ownership), for occupancy by the eligible families.
A homeownership program under this part shall provide for the establishment of sales prices (including principal, insurance, taxes, and interest and closing costs) for initial acquisition of the property, and for sales to eligible families, such that the eligible family shall not be required to expend more than 30 percent of the adjusted income of the family per month to complete a sale under the homeownership program.
Acquisition or rehabilitation of a property under a homeownership program under this part may not consist of acquisition or rehabilitation of less than all of the units in the property. The provisions of this subsection may be waived upon a finding by the Secretary that the sale of less than all the buildings in a project is feasible and will not result in a hardship to any tenants of the project who are not included in the homeownership program.
The application shall identify and describe the proposed financing for (A) any rehabilitation, and (B) acquisition (i) of the project, where applicable, by an entity for transfer to eligible families, and (ii) by eligible families of ownership interests in, or shares representing, units in the project. Financing may include use of the implementation grant, sale for cash, or other sources of financing (subject to applicable requirements), including conventional mortgage loans and mortgage loans insured under title II of the National Housing Act [12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.].
Any lender that provides financing in connection with a homeownership program under this part shall give the public housing agency, resident management corporation, individual owner, or other appropriate entity a reasonable opportunity to cure a financial default before foreclosing on the property, or taking other action as a result of the default.
No tenant residing in a dwelling unit in a property on the date the Secretary approves an application for an implementation grant may be evicted by reason of a homeownership program approved under this part.
If a tenant decides not to purchase a unit, or is not qualified to do so, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, ensure that rental assistance under section 1437f of this title is available for use by each otherwise qualified tenant in that or another property.
The recipient shall also inform each such tenant that if the tenant chooses to move, the recipient will pay relocation assistance in accordance with the approved homeownership program.
In selecting eligible families for homeownership, the recipient shall give a first preference to otherwise qualified current tenants and a second preference to otherwise qualified eligible families who have completed participation in an economic self-sufficiency program specified by the Secretary.
The Secretary may establish cost limitations on eligible activities under this part, subject to the provisions of this part.
The entity that transfers ownership interests in, or shares representing, units to eligible families, or another entity specified in the approved application, shall use the proceeds, if any, from the initial sale for costs of the homeownership program, including operating expenses, improvements to the project, business opportunities for low-income families, supportive services related to the homeownership program, additional homeownership opportunities, and other activities approved by the Secretary.
A homeowner under a homeownership program may transfer the homeowner’s ownership interest in, or shares representing, the unit, except that a homeownership program may establish restrictions on the resale of units under the program.
Where a resident management corporation, resident council, or cooperative has jurisdiction over the unit, the corporation, council, or cooperative shall have the right to purchase the ownership interest in, or shares representing, the unit from the homeowner for the amount specified in a firm contract between the homeowner and a prospective buyer. If such an entity does not have jurisdiction over the unit or elects not to purchase and if the prospective buyer is not a low-income family, the public housing agency or the implementation grant recipient shall have the right to purchase the ownership interest in, or shares representing, the unit for the same amount.
The homeowner shall execute a promissory note equal to the difference between the market value and the purchase price, payable to the public housing agency or other entity designated in the homeownership plan, together with a mortgage securing the obligation of the note.
In the case of a transfer during the period beginning 6 years after the acquisition and ending 20 years after the acquisition, the homeownership program shall provide for the recapture by the Secretary or the program of an amount equal to the amount of the declining balance on the note described in paragraph (1)(C).
Fifty percent of any portion of the net sales proceeds that may not be retained by the homeowner under the plan approved pursuant to this subsection shall be paid to the entity that transferred ownership interests in, or shares representing, units to eligible families, or another entity specified in the approved application, for use for improvements to the project, business opportunities for low-income families, supportive services related to the homeownership program, additional homeownership opportunities, and other activities approved by the Secretary. The remaining 50 percent shall be returned to the Secretary for use under this part, subject to limitations contained in appropriations Acts. Such entity shall keep and make available to the Secretary all records necessary to calculate accurately payments due the Secretary under this subsection.
The requirements under this part regarding quality standards, resale, or transfer of the ownership interest of a homeowner shall be judicially enforceable against the grant recipient with respect to actions involving rehabilitation, and against purchasers of property under this subsection or their successors in interest with respect to other actions by affected low-income families, resident management corporations, resident councils, public housing agencies, and any agency, corporation, or authority of the United States Government. The parties specified in the preceding sentence shall be entitled to reasonable attorney fees upon prevailing in any such judicial action.
Not more than an aggregate of $250,000 from amounts made available under sections 12872 and 12873 of this title may be used for economic development activities under sections 12872(b)(6) and 12873(b)(9) 1
Recipients shall transfer ownership of the property to tenants within a specified period of time that the Secretary determines to be reasonable. During the interim period when the property continues to be operated and managed as rental housing, the recipient shall utilize written tenant selection policies and criteria that are approved by the Secretary as consistent with the purpose of improving housing opportunities for low-income families. The recipient shall promptly notify in writing any rejected applicant of the grounds for any rejection.
Each recipient shall keep such records as may be reasonably necessary to fully disclose the amount and the disposition by such recipient of the proceeds of assistance received under this part (and any proceeds from financing obtained or sales under subsections (c) and (d)), the total cost of the homeownership program in connection with which such assistance is given or used, and the amount and nature of that portion of the program supplied by other sources, and such other sources as will facilitate an effective audit.
The Secretary shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, papers, and records of the recipient that are pertinent to assistance received under this part.
The Comptroller General of the United States, or any of the duly authorized representatives of the Comptroller General, shall also have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, papers, and records of the recipient that are pertinent to assistance received under this part.
Any entity that assumes, as determined by the Secretary, a mortgage covering eligible property in connection with the acquisition of the property from an owner under this section must comply with any low-income affordability restrictions for the remaining term of the mortgage. This requirement shall only apply to an entity, such as a cooperative association, that, as determined by the Secretary, intends to own the housing on a permanent basis.
In establishing criteria for selecting applicants to receive assistance under this part, the Secretary may not establish any selection criterion or criteria that grant or deny such assistance to an applicant (or have the effect of granting or denying assistance) based on the implementation, continuation, or discontinuation of any public policy, regulation, or law of any jurisdiction in which the applicant or project is located.
Not later than the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on the date that funds authorized under this part first become available for obligation, the Secretary shall by notice establish such requirements as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this part. Such requirements shall be subject to section 553 of title 5. The Secretary shall issue regulations based on the initial notice before the expiration of the 8-month period beginning on the date of the notice.