Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025
(a) Commitment or
Reservation of Funds. The Administrator must submit the true and complete
information, certified as such, with a request for the Commitment or
Reservation of Funds as described in paragraphs (1) - (15) of this subsection:
(1) Head of Household name and address of
housing unit for which assistance is being requested;
(2) A budget that includes the amount of
Activity funds specifying the acquisition costs, construction costs, soft costs
and administrative costs requested, a maximum of five percent of hard
construction costs for contingency items, proposed Match to be provided,
evidence that Direct Activity Cost and Soft Cost limitations are not exceeded,
and evidence that any duplication of benefit is addressed;
(3) Verification of environmental clearance
from the Department;
(4) A copy of
the Household's intake application on a form prescribed by the Department;
(5) Certification of the income
eligibility of the Household signed by the Administrator and all Household
members age 18 or over, and including the date of the income eligibility
determination. All documentation used to determine the income of the Household
must be provided;
(6) Project cost
estimates, construction contracts, and other construction documents necessary
to ensure applicable property standard requirements will be met at
completion;
(7) Identification of
any Lead-Based Paint (LBP) if activity involves an existing unit and
certification that LBP will be mitigated as required by
24 CFR §
92.355;
(8) Evidence that the housing unit will be
located outside of the 100-year floodplain;
(9) If applicable, documentation to address
or resolve any potential conflict of interest, Identity of Interest, or
duplication of benefit;
(10)
Information necessary to draft Mortgage Loan documents, including issuance of
an SOL;
(11) Life event
documentation, as applicable, and all information necessary to prepare any
applicable affidavits such as marital status and heirship;
(12) Documentation of homebuyer completion of
a homebuyer counseling program/class provided by a HUD certified housing
counselor;
(13) For Activities
involving acquisition of real property:
(A) A
title commitment to issue a title policy that evidences that the property will
transfer with no tax lien, child support lien, mechanics or materialman's lien
or any other restrictions or encumbrances that impair the good and marketable
nature of title to the ownership interest and that the definition of
Homeownership will be met. The effective date of the title commitment must be
no more than 60 days prior to the date of project submission. Commitments that
expire prior to execution of closing must be updated at closing and must not
have any adverse changes in order to close;
(B) Executed sales contract; and
(C) A loan estimate or letter from any other
lender confirming that the loan terms and closing costs will be consistent with
the executed sales contract, the first lien Mortgage Loan requirements, and the
requirements of this Chapter;
(14) For Activities that do not involve
acquisition of real property:
(A) A title
commitment or policy, or a down date endorsement to an existing title policy,
and the actual documents, or legible copies thereof, establishing the
Household's ownership, such as a warranty deed or ground lease for a 99-year
leasehold. The effective date of the title commitment must be no more than 60
days prior to of the date of project submission. Title commitments for loan
projects that expire prior to the loan closing date must be updated and must
not have any adverse changes. These documents must evidence the definition of
Homeownership is met;
(B) A tax
certificate that evidences a current paid status;
(C) Written consent from all Persons who have
a valid lien or ownership interest in the Property;
(D) Consent to demolish from any existing
Mortgage Loan lien holders and consent to subordinate to the Department's loan,
if applicable; and
(15)
Any other documentation necessary to evidence that the Activity meets the
Program requirements.
(b)
Loan closing. In addition to the documents required under subsection (a) of
this section, the Administrator must submit the appraisal or other valuation
method approved by the Department which establishes the post construction value
of improvements prior to the issuance of loan documents by the
Department.
(c) Disbursement of
funds. The Administrator must comply with all of the requirements described in
paragraphs (1) - (11) of this subsection, for a request for disbursement of
funds to reimburse eligible costs incurred. Submission of additional
documentation related to the Administrator's compliance with requirements
described in paragraphs (1) - (11) of this subsection, may be required with a
request for disbursement:
(1) For
construction costs that are part of a loan subject to the requirements of this
subsection, a down date endorsement to the title policy not older than the date
of the last disbursement of funds or 45 days, whichever is later, is required.
For release of retainage, the down date endorsement must be dated at least 40
days after the Construction Completion Date;
(2) If applicable, a maximum of 50 percent of
Activity funds for an Activity may be drawn before providing evidence of Match.
Thereafter, each Administrator must provide evidence of Match, including the
date of provision, in accordance with the percentage of Activity funds
disbursed;
(3) Property
inspections, including photographs of the front, back, and side elevations of
the housing unit and at least one picture of each of the kitchen, family room,
each bedroom, and each bathroom with date and property address reflected on
each photo, are required to be submitted. The inspection must be signed and
dated by the inspector and Administrator;
(4) Certification of the following is
required:
(A) That its fiscal control and
fund accounting procedures are adequate to assure the proper disbursal of, and
accounting for, funds provided;
(B)
That no Person that would benefit from the award of HOME funds has satisfied
the Applicant's cash reserve obligation or made promises in connection
therewith;
(C) That each request
for disbursement of HOME funds is for the actual cost of providing a service;
and
(D) That the service does not
violate any conflict of interest provisions;
(5) Original, fully executed, legally
enforceable loan documents for each assisted Household containing remedies
adequate to enforce any applicable affordability requirements are required.
Certified copies of fully executed, recorded loan documents that are required
to be recorded in the real property records of the county in which the housing
unit is located must be returned to the Department, duly certified as to
recordation by the appropriate county official. This documentation prior to
disbursement is not applicable for funds made available at the loan closing;
(6) Expenditures must be allowable
and reasonable in accordance with federal, state, and local rules and
regulations. The Department shall determine the reasonableness for expenditures
submitted for reimbursement. The Department may request Administrator to make
modifications to the disbursement request and is authorized to modify the
disbursement procedures set forth herein and to establish such additional
requirements for payment of HOME funds to Administrator as may be necessary or
advisable for compliance with all program requirements;
(7) The request for funds for administrative
costs must be proportionate to the amount of Direct Activity Costs requested or
already disbursed;
(8) Disbursement
requests must include the withholding of ten percent of hard construction costs
for retainage. Retainage will be held until at least 40 days after the
Construction Completion Date;
(9)
For final disbursement requests, the following is required:
(A) Submission of documentation required for
Activity completion reports and evidence that the demolition or, if an MHU,
salvage and disposal of all dilapidated housing units on the lot;
(B) Certification or other evidence
acceptable to Department that the replacement house, whether site-built or MHU,
was constructed or placed on and within the same lot for which ownership was
established and on and within the same lot secured by the loan; and
(C) A final appraisal of the property after
completion of improvements;
(10) The final request for disbursement must
be submitted to the Department with support documentation no later than 60 days
after the termination date of the Contract in order to remain in compliance
with the Contract and eligible for future funding. The Department shall not be
obligated to pay for costs incurred or performances rendered after the
termination date of a Contract; and
(11) For costs associated with insurance
policies, including title policies and homeowner insurance policies charged as
Activity costs, evidence of payment of the cost must be submitted with the
retainage request.