HOMEfires

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HOMEfires is the Official Policy newsletter of the HOME Program. Each HOMEfires answers a specific policy question. To view a particular newsletter, click on its corresponding volume and number.

2009

Vol. 10, No. 2 : February, 2009
Does the recently issued final rule on "Refinement of Income and Rent Determination Requirements in Public and Assisted Housing Programs" affect the way that Participating Jurisdictions (PJ) determine income-eligibility of HOME participants?

Vol. 10, No. 1 : January, 2009 (Supersedes Vol. 9, No. 3)
"What limits must Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) use as the maximum purchase price or after-rehabilitation value limits for their HOME-assisted homeownership housing, now that the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-185) has expired and the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-289) has established a new procedure for determining Section 203(b) mortgage limits?"
HOME 95 percent of median sales price

2008

Vol. 9, No. 4 : August, 2008 revised
“Can Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) use the higher statutory exceptions to the maximum Section 221(d)(3) mortgage amounts, authorized by Section 221 of the General Provisions of Title II, Division K of the FY 2008 Appropriations Act, to determine their maximum HOME per-unit subsidy limits.” HUD has issued a revised HOMEfires to provide more clarity on the procedures for establishing the maximum HOME per-unit subsidy limits.

Vol. 9, No. 3 : March, 2008 (Policy Superseded)
Can Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) use the temporary Section 203(b) limits authorized by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-185) as the maximum purchase price or after rehabilitation loan value limits for their HOME-assisted homeownership housing?
HOME 95 percent of median sales price.

Vol. 9, No. 2 : March, 2008
What constitutes acceptable documentation of commitments that a PJ made before the 24-month commitment deadline for projects or agreements not set up in IDIS?

Vol. 9, No. 1: January, 2008
How can Participating Jurisdictions help existing homeowners who are having difficulty paying their private mortgages because of unfavorable financing terms?

2007

Vol. 8, No. 1: October, 2007
Can a participating jurisdiction (PJ) use its HOME funds for projects outside its boundaries?

2006

Vol. 7, No. 2: October, 2006
When HOME funds are used to rehabilitate a unit, must the entire unit meet the applicable property standards?

Vol. 7, No. 1: January, 2006
What are Participating Jurisdictions' (PJs) responsibilities for developing, disseminating, and implementing affirmative marketing procedures?

2005

Vol. 6, No. 2: October, 2005
What are the participating jurisdictions responsibilities for performing inspections of units purchased with HOME or ADDI assistance? Can PJs rely on inspections performed by third parties (such as consumer inspections) to determine compliance of HOME or ADDI units with applicable property standards?

Vol. 6, No. 1: August, 2005
What are the rules and expectations for entering HOME project completion information and beneficiary data into the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS)?

2003

Vol. 5, No. 5: November, 2003
Can a Participating Jurisdiction (PJ) include both resale and recapture requirements in a written agreement on the same HOME-assisted homebuyer unit and choose the option to be imposed at the time of resale?

Vol. 5, No. 4: October, 2003
Are the periods of affordability for homebuyer projects calculated in the same manner for projects under the resale and recapture provisions?

Vol. 5, No. 3: July, 2003
What is the impact of the regulations amending the calculation of annual income and adjusted income for disabled families and for families with members who are persons with disabilities on income and rent calculations for the HOME Program?

Vol. 5, No. 2: June, 2003
Does the termination of the affordability restrictions on a HOME-assisted project due to foreclosure or transfer in lieu of foreclosure relieve the Participating Jurisdiction (PJ) of the requirement to repay the HOME investment in projects in which the affordability requirements are not met for the full affordability period?

Vol. 5, No. 1: April, 2003
Can nonprofit organizations removed from the FHA Nonprofit Organization Roster participate in the HOME Program?

2002

Vol. 4, No. 4: September 2002
What are a Participating Jurisdiction's (PJ's) responsibilities for monitoring with respect to entities using its HOME funds?

Vol. 4, No. 3: July 2002
How should a Participating Jurisdiction (PJ) determine which amenities are suitable to include in HOME assisted projects?

Vol. 4, No. 2: June 2002
Must the environmental review process be completed before any HOME funds are committed or actions undertaken?
What steps must participating jurisdictions take when dealing with third-party partners?

Vol. 4, No. 1: April 2002
How often must a PJ requalify a nonprofit organization as a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO)?

2001

Vol. 3, No. 10: November 2001
For the purpose of determining the rent applicable to a HOME unit, are enhanced Section 8 vouchers, sometimes referred to as "sticky" vouchers, considered project-based rental assistance or tenant-based rental assistance?

Vol. 3, No. 9: October 2001
Are Community Land Trusts (CLTs) automatically considered to be CHDOs?

Vol. 3, No. 8: June 2001
What changes have been made to the methodology for calculating Section 8 income limits?
What impact will these changes have on the calculation of HOME income limits?

Vol. 3, No. 7: May 2001
Can HOME funds be used in conjunction with the homeownership option of the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

Vol. 3, No. 6: May 2001
Why must HOME PJs, which are permitted to determine the start date of the program year for their HOME and other CPD programs, meet their HOME match obligations based upon the Federal fiscal year (October 1-September 30)?

Vol. 3, No. 5: April 2001
The definition of "commitment" in the HOME Final Rule states that, when a PJ commits funds to a specific project, there must be a reasonable expectation that construction will begin within twelve months for rehabilitation or, for acquisition only projects, be transferred within six months. Does this mean that projects that do not meet this requirement are ineligible and must be canceled?

Vol. 3, No. 4: March 2001
Are back taxes, fees or charges an eligible project soft cost for a project being acquired or rehabilitated with HOME funds?

Vol. 3, No. 3: March 2001
May Participating Jurisdictions use Section 8 "exception rent limits" as the basis for determining HOME program rents?
What is the difference between "exception rent limits and HOME rent exceptions"?

Vol. 3, No. 2: February 2001
The HOME Final Rule states that each Participating Jurisdiction must perform on-site inspections of HOME-assisted rental housing.
How frequently should these inspections be performed?
How should each PJ determine the number of units that must be inspected?

Vol. 3 No. 1: January 2001
What are written rehabilitation standards and what is their function in the HOME Program?
How do they differ from property standards?

2000

Vol. 2 No. 5: April 2000
I have heard a great deal about the IDIS HOME data cleanup effort. Why is this endeavor such a priority for HUD?
What is quality data and how can I assist HUD in its effort to improve the reliability of HOME program information in IDIS?

1999

Vol. 2 No. 4: September 1999 (HUD is updating this policy)
What are the HOME income, rent, per-unit subsidy and purchase price/after rehab value limits that apply to my community?Where can I find the latest limits?

Vol. 2 No. 3: May 1999 (HUD Has Withdrawn This Policy)
Are wards of the State and wards of the Court eligible beneficiaries of HOME-assisted transitional housing?

Vol. 2 No. 2: April 1999
Occasionally members of PJ, State recipient and subrecipient staffs serve as board members of CHDOs and other nonprofit organizations that receive HOME funding for the provision of low-income housing. What are the HOME conflict of interest provisions that apply to persons serving on these boards?

Vol. 2 No. 1: March 1999
What are eligible CHDO activities in the HOME program?

1998

Vol. 1 No. 10: December 1, 1998
How will the recently passed Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 affect income eligibility requirements for participants in HOME-funded lease-purchase housing programs?

Vol. 1 No. 9: August 1, 1998
What are the HOME and other Federal requirements that apply to property receiving HOME downpayment assistance?

Vol. 1 No. 8: July 1, 1998
What is an Individual Development Account (IDA)?
Can HOME funds be used for them when buying a home is the goal?

Vol. 1 No. 7: April 1, 1998
What are the lead-based paint (LBP) requirements applicable to HOME-assisted projects?
Note: This policy has been superseded by the issuance of new Part 35 regulations.

Vol. 1 No. 6: February 24, 1998
How should I set up an activity and commit funds in IDIS under HOME to purchase, rehabilitate, and rent out homes at different locations?
Is there a way to set up and fund this activity without knowing the addresses of the properties?
Can one activity have more than one property address?
Would the same process work for a first-time homebuyer program which provided HOME assistance at different locations?

Vol. 1 No. 5: February 2, 1998
What are the Section 504 requirements for handicapped accessibility to federally assisted housing activities and programs in general, and the HOME Program in specific?

1997

Vol. 1 No. 4: October 30, 1997 (HUD Has Withdrawn This Policy)
Can a PJ provide HOME assistance to a project that will serve only a certain special needs group (i.e., elderly, homeless, physically disabled, etc.)?
How would the HOME affirmative marketing requirements apply to such a project?

Vol. 1 No. 3: September 15, 1997
May HOME funds be used to construct replacement units for demolished public housing which would be owned by a Public Housing Authority (PHA) and receive operating subsidies under an annual contributions contract?
Note: This policy has been superseded by changes made by the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998.

Vol. 1 No. 2: July 1, 1997
Applicability of HOME Program Requirements to Purchasers of 2-4 unit Owner-Occupied Projects

Vol. 1 No. 1: June 1, 1997
What are the constraints on using HOME funds for housing counseling?

Archive

Vol. 1, No. 1- Vol. 3, No. 8: June 1, 1997 - June 2001
This large (6.5 Megabyte) PDF document begins with a topical listing of older HOMEfires issues, followed by the issues themselves.