(1)
Grant Types.
Eligible Projects may receive EEOST Grants for the following uses: the
acquisition, design, construction, repair, renovation, recovery from a natural
or man-made disaster, rehabilitation, or other capital improvement or deferred
maintenance of an Eligible Facility. Eligible Organizations shall complete the
application process in accordance with the EEOST Fund Guidelines.
(2)
Grant Terms. All
grants under the EEOST Capital Fund program shall be made upon the terms
included in the EEOST Fund Guidelines and/or the EEOST Grant documents
including, but not limited to, the Financing Commitment, as well as the
following terms:
(a)
Grant
Proceeds. The proceeds of the EEOST Grant shall be used solely for
the development of the Eligible Project, as approved by EEC or its Financial
Intermediary, and as set forth in the Financing Commitment.
(b)
Grant Amount.
The amount of an EEOST Capital Grant Program shall be established by EEC
according to the EEOST Fund Guidelines. EEC may establish a maximum percentage
of the Total Development Cost and dollar limits, both by total or by category
or both, to which the Grant would also be subject.
(c)
Grant Period.
The original term of an EEOST Grant shall be at least a minimum of 25 years for
grantee-owned Eligible Facilities. The original term of an EEOST Grant shall be
at least a minimum of 15 years for grantee-leased facilities, unless the
building, structure or site is owned, or will be owned by a municipally
controlled entity, in which event, the term of the grant would be 25 years. The
EEC Commissioner may shorten the minimum grant term for Grants of less than
$500,000 that will be used for projects that promote the health and safety of
children and staff.
(d)
Grant Recapture. If for any reason the Eligible
Organization does not comply with EEC commitments and requirements, EEC or its
Financial Intermediary may recapture the grant funds according to the schedules
in 606 CMR 15.04(2)(d)1 and 2., except that the EEC Commissioner may modify
these schedules for any shortened grant terms as authorized in 606 CMR
15.04(2)(c).
1. For properties owned by the
Eligible Organization (25-year grant term):
a.
if the noncompliance occurs within nine years of the making of the EEOST Grant,
repayment of 100% is due;
b. if the
noncompliance occurs between nine years and 16 years after the making of the
EEOST Grant, repayment of 67% is due;
c. if the noncompliance occurs between 16
years and 25 years after the making of the EEOST Grant, repayment of 33% is
due;
d. if the noncompliance occurs
more than 25 years after the making of the EEOST Grant, the grant funds will no
longer be subject to recapture.
2. For properties leased by the Eligible
Organization (15-year grant term):
a. if the
noncompliance occurs within five years of the making of the EEOST Grant,
repayment of 100% is due;
b. if the
noncompliance occurs between five years and ten years after the making of the
EEOST Grant, repayment of 67% is due;
c. if the noncompliance occurs between ten
years and 15 years after the making of the EEOST Grant, repayment of 33% is
due;
d. if the noncompliance occurs
more than 15 years after the making of the EEOST Grant, the grant funds will no
longer be subject to recapture.
(e)
Land Use
Restriction. The Eligible Organization shall record at the
appropriate Registry of Deeds or Registry District of the Land Court, or both,
a Land Use Restriction. The Land Use Restriction, and the mortgage referred to
in 606 CMR 15.04(2)(e)2., shall only be released:
1. at the end of the term of the Grant if all
terms and conditions of the Grant have been fulfilled. However, if the Grant is
voluntarily repaid in full prior to the expiration of the Grant term, the Land
Use Restriction shall run with the land and remain in effect for the length of
the original Grant as described in 606 CMR 15.04(2)(c); or
2. upon foreclosure of a
bona
fide first priority mortgage on the Eligible Facility by the holder
thereof, or with EEC's consent a
bona fide mortgage that was
senior to the lien of the recorded Land Use Restriction and mortgage at the
time of the closing, or to which the EEOST Land Use Restriction has been duly
subordinated.
The EEC Commissioner may waive the requirement for a Land Use
Restriction for any Grant with a shortened grant term as authorized in 606 CMR
15.04(2)(c).
(f)
Mortgage Lien. The EEOST Grant shall be secured by a
Mortgage Lien in favor of EEC and/or its Financial Intermediary on the fee
simple title to the Eligible Facility, if owned by the Eligible Organization,
or on the Eligible Organization's leasehold interest, if the Eligible Facility
is leased. The mortgage shall be junior only to a bona fide
first priority mortgage or such senior mortgage liens as are permitted by EEC
or its Financial Intermediary. The EEC Commissioner may waive the requirement
for a Mortgage Lien for any Grant with a shortened grant term as authorized in
606 CMR 15.04(2)(c).
(g)
Refinancing. Refinancing of Eligible Projects
completed under the EEOST Capital Fund program will be allowed if such
refinancing protects the interests of the Commonwealth and either is necessary
to effect extraordinary repairs or maintenance which have been approved by EEC
or its Financial Intermediary or stabilizes or benefits the Eligible Project
that is being refinanced, as determined by EEC or its Financial Intermediary.
Any new loan must be due and payable on or after the maturity date of the EEOST
Grant. All refinancing is subject to the prior written approval of EEC and/or
its Financial Intermediary.
(h)
Application Process. Application procedures for EEOST
Grants are specified in the EEOST Guidelines. EEC reserves the right to hold
competitive grant award funding rounds for EEOST Grants and set forth
eligibility and scoring criteria in the EEOST Program Guidelines and other
materials accompanying the Application and, if applicable, the
Preapplication.
(i)
Good Standing. All EEOST Grant awards will require
that each Eligible Organization receiving an EEOST Grant and all programs and
facilities that it operates must be licensed by EEC and have valid licenses
that are in good standing with EEC and be free of any pending investigations or
any pending or past legal actions including, but not limited to, Deficiency
Correction Orders, Sanctions Orders, Suspension Orders, Revocation Orders,
Refusal to Renew Orders, Fines, or other actions that call into question the
Eligible Organization's capacity to care for children in a manner that ensures
their safety. All EEOST Grant awards will also require that each Eligible
Organization receiving an EEOST grant is in good financial standing with EEC
and has no outstanding audit findings from EEC.