Program 101

Abbreviated Fact Sheet

What does this program do?
This program provides competitive financing for affordable multi-family rental housing for low-income, elderly, or disabled individuals and families in eligible rural areas.

Who may apply for this program?
This program assists qualified applicants that cannot obtain commercial credit on terms that will allow them to charge rents that are affordable to low-income tenants. Qualified applicants include:

  • Individuals, trusts, associations, partnerships, limited partnerships, nonprofit organizations, for-profit corporations and consumer cooperatives.
  • Most state and local governmental entities.
  • Federally-recognized Tribes

Borrowers must have legal authority needed to construct, operate and maintain the proposed facilities and the services proposed

What is an eligible area?
A list of designated eligible places is available from each RD State Office.

How may funds be used?
Construction, improvement and purchase of multi-family rental housing for low-income families, the elderly and disabled individuals is the primary objective for this program.

Funding may also be available for related activities including:

  • Buying and improve land
  • Providing necessary infrastructure
  • For a complete list see Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR Part 3560.53.

Who may live in the rental housing?

  • Very-low income to moderate-income families or individuals (1)
  • Elderly people aged 62 or older
  • People with disabilities

What kinds of funding are available?
Direct, competitive loans

What are the loan terms?

  • Up to 30 year payback period
  • Lowest rate at either the time of loan approval or loan closing will be used
  • Contact your local RD Office for details and current interest rates applicable for your project

How do we get started?
Applications for this program are accepted on an annual basis. A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is posted in the Federal Register.

Who can answer questions?
Contact your RD State Office or you can find Rural Rental Properties here to apply as a tenant.

What governs this program?

NOTE: Because citations and other information may be subject to change please always consult the program instructions listed in the section above titled "What Law Governs this Program?" You may also contact your local office for assistance.

(1) Very-low to moderate income: Very-low income is below 50% of area median income; low-income is 50-80% of area median income; moderate income is capped at $5,500 above low-income limit.

Forms & Resources

NOTE: If state specific forms are not shown above, please ensure that your state is selected in the dropdown menu above to find the State Office contact information and speak to a Housing Programs Specialist before attempting to fill out any forms or applications. This will save you valuable time in your application.

CNA Template (xlsm) - CNA Template Ver 1.5f updates and replaces CNA Worksheet Ver 1.5d previously used. The template documents the findings reached when using RD's published Guidance on the Capital Needs Assessment (CNA) process including the rehabilitation principles previously discussed in other RD issuances.  It includes updated estimated useful life tables, merges the rehabilitation guidance and miscellaneous format revisions for consistency with RD program initiatives.

Guidance on the Capital Needs Assessment Process (pdf) - This Unnumbered Letter (UL) provides updated clarification and guidance on the Rural Development Capital Needs Assessment (CNA) process. This document is comprised of ten main sections: 1) References to CNA in 7 CFR Part 3560 and the RD MFH Handbooks; 2) Contract Addendum; 3) Requirements and Statement of Work for a CNA; 4) The CNA Review Process; 5) Definitions; 6) Guidance for the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Property Owner Regarding Contracting for a CNA; 7) Revising a CNA; 8) Updating a CNA; 9) Incorporating a Property’s Rehabilitation into a CNA; 10) Repair and Replacement Schedule; 11) Transition to Underwriting Phase. There are also ten attachments to this UL identified as Attachments A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and two Subattachments A-1 and B-1. This entire Unnumbered Letter should be made available to RD MFH property owners, applicants and CNA Providers who are planning to submit transactions using the MPR or any other RD RRH or FLH program loan making or servicing authorities.

Multi-Family Housing Underwriting Background Update (pdf) - Rural Development is pleased to announce the release of Version 5.0 of its Preliminary Assessment Tool. The Preliminary Assessment Tool, or PAT, serves as a portal of access for transfers of ownership, preservation, and similar transactions. 

Preliminary Assessment Tools (xltm) - Version 5.0 contains a number of enhancements that will continue our efforts to simplify, streamline, and provide greater transparency to the transfer and Multi-family Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) processes for the benefit of our customers and RD field staff.  First, Version 5.0 includes a new Stay-In-Owner template for MPR transactions that do not involve a transfer of ownership.  While the Stay-In-Owner Template will primarily be used by the agency, it has been made available for viewing by the public. Second, enhancements have been made to the transfer tool to include a new sheet entitled “Cash Analysis” of the project’s balance sheet, as well as a detail of the Sales and Purchase Agreement, which is found on the “General Info” sheet.  A complete summary of the updates the PAT v5.0 are detailed in the “About This Template” page. 

Preliminary Assessment Tool Customer Comments and Questions (xlsx)

 

Engineering

Individual states may have particular requirements based on state and local regulations. Please contact the state office in the state where your project is located.

Environmental

Rural Development environmental requirements can be found here: RD 1970 Environmental Policies and Procedures. Benefits of the 1970 environmental regulations are described here: 7 CFR 1970 Benefits.

Architect

Individual states may have particular requirements based on state and local regulations. Please contact the state office in the state where your project is located.