Definitions and Other Requirements

24 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart B
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

24 C.F.R. § 881.201 Definitions.

Agreement. (Agreement to Enter into Housing Assistance Payments Contract) The Agreement between the owner and the contract administrator which provides that, upon satisfactory completion of the project in accordance with the HUD-approved final proposal, the administrator will enter into the Contract with the owner. Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). As defined in part 5 of this title. Annual income. As defined in part 5 of this title. Assisted unit. A dwelling unit eligible for assistance under a Contract. Contract. (Housing Assistance Payments Contract) The Contract entered into by the owner and the contract administrator upon satisfactory completion of the project, which sets forth the rights and duties of the parties with respect to the project and the payments under the Contract. Contract Administrator. The entity which enters into the Contract with the owner and is responsible for monitoring performance by the owner. The contract administrator is a PHA in the case of private-owner/PHA projects, and HUD is private-owner/HUD and PHA-owner/HUD projects. Contract rent. The total amount of rent specified in the contract as payable to the owner for a unit. Decent, safe, and sanitary. Housing is decent, safe, and sanitary if it meets the physical condition requirements in 24 CFR part 5, subpart G. Elderly family. As defined in part 5 of this title. Fair Market Rent (FMR). As defined in part 5 of this title. Family. As defined in part 5 of this title. Final proposal. The detailed description of a proposed project to be assisted under this part, which an owner submits after selection of the preliminary proposal, except where a preliminary proposal is not required under § 881.303(c). The final proposal becomes an exhibit to the Agreement and is the standard by which HUD judges acceptable construction of the project. Housing assistance payment. The payment made by the contract administrator to the owner of an assisted unit as provided in the contract. Where the unit is leased to an eligible family, the payment is the difference between the contract rent and the tenant rent. An additional payment is made to the family when the utility allowance is greater than the total tenant payment. A housing assistance payment, known as a “vacancy payment”. may be made to the owner when an assisted unit is vacant, in accordance with the terms of the contract. HUD. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Independent Public Accountant. A Certified Public Accountant or a licensed or registered public accountant, having no business relationship with the owner except for the performance of audit, systems work and tax preparation. If not certified, the Independent Public Accountant must have been licensed or registered by a regulatory authority of a State or other political subdivision of the United States on or before December 31, 1970. In States that do not regulate the use of the title “public accountant,” only Certified Public Accountants may be used. Low income family. As defined in part 5 of this title. NOFA. As defined in part 5 of this title. Owner. Any private person or entity (including a cooperative) or a public entity which qualifies as a PHA, having the legal right to lease or sublease substantially rehabilitated dwelling units assisted under this part. The term owner also includes the person or entity submitting a proposal under this part. Partially-assisted Project. A project for non-elderly families under this part which includes more than 50 units of which 20 percent or fewer are assisted. PHA-Owner/HUD Project. A project under this part which is owned by a PHA. For this type of project, the Agreement and the Contract are entered into by the PHA, as owner, and HUD, as contract administrator. Private-Owner/HUD Project. A project under this part which is owned by a private owner. For this type of project, the Agreement and Contract are entered into by the private owner, as owner, and HUD, as contract administrator. Private-Owner/PHA Project. A project under this part which is owned by a private owner. For this type of project, the Agreement and Contract are entered into by the private owner, as owner, and the PHA, as contract administrator, pursuant to an ACC between the PHA and HUD. The term also covers the situation where the ACC is with one PHA and the owner is another PHA. Project Account. A specifically identified and segregated account for each project which is established in accordance with § 881.503(b) out of the amounts by which the maximum annual commitment exceeds the amount actually paid out under the Contract or ACC, as applicable, each year. Public Housing Agency (PHA). As defined in part 5 of this title. Rent. In the case of an assisted unit in a cooperative project, rent means the carrying charges payable to the cooperative with respect to occupancy of the unit. Replacement cost. The sum of the “as is” value before rehabilitation of the property as determined by HUD and the estimated cost of rehabilitation, including carrying and finance charges. Secretary. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (or designee). Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Housing. A unit for occupancy by a single eligible individual capable of independent living, which does not contain food preparation and/or sanitary facilities and is located within a multifamily structure consisting of more than 12 units. Small project. A project for non-elderly families under this part which includes a total of 50 or fewer (assisted and unassisted) units. Substantial rehabilitation. (a) The improvement of a property to decent, safe and sanitary condition in accordance with the standards of this part from a condition below those standards. Substantial rehabilitation may vary in degree from gutting and extensive reconstruction to the cure of substantial accumulation of deferred maintenance. Cosmetic improvements alone do not qualify as substantial rehabilitation under this definition. (b) Substantial rehabilitation may also include renovation, alteration or remodeling for the conversion or adaptation of structurally sound property to the design and condition required for use under this part or the repair or replacement of major building systems or components in danger of failure. Tenant rent. As defined in part 5 of this title. Total tenant payment. As defined in part 5 of this title. Utility allowance. As defined in part 5 of this title. Utility reimbursement. As defined in part 5 of this title. Vacancy payment. The housing assistance payment made to the owner by the contract administrator for a vacant assisted unit if certain conditions are fulfilled as provided in the Contract. The amount of the vacancy payment varies with the length of the vacancy period and is less after the first 60 days of any vacancy. Very low income family. As defined in part 5 of this title.

24 C.F.R. § 881.205 Limitation on distributions.

(a) Non-profit owners are not entitled to distributions of project funds. (b) For the life of the Contract, project funds may only be distributed to profit-motivated owners at the end of each fiscal year of project operation following the effective date of the Contract after all project expenses have been paid, or funds have been set aside for payment, and all reserve requirements have been met. The first year's distribution may not be made until cost certification, where applicable, is completed. Distributions may not exceed the following maximum returns: (1) For projects for elderly families, the first year's distribution will be limited to 6 percent on equity. The Assistant Secretary may provide for increases in subsequent years' distributions on an annual or other basis so that the permitted return reflects a 6 percent return on the value in subsequent years, as determined by HUD, of the approved initial equity. Any such adjustment will be made by Notice in the Federal Register. (2) For projects for non-elderly families, the first year's distribution will be limited to 10 percent on equity. The Assistant Secretary may provide for increases in subsequent years' distributions on an annual or other basis so that the permitted return reflects a 10 percent return on the value in subsequent years, as determined by HUD, of the approved initial equity. Any such adjustment will be made by Notice in the Federal Register. (c) For the purpose of determining the allowable distribution, an owner's equity investment in a project is deemed to be 10 percent of the replacement cost of the part of the project attributable to dwelling use accepted by HUD at cost certification (see § 881.405), unless the owner justifies a higher equity contribution by cost certification documentation in accordance with HUD mortgage insurance procedures. (d) Any short-fall in return may be made up from surplus project funds in future years. (e) If HUD determines at any time that project funds are more than the amount needed for project operations, reserve requirements and permitted distribution, HUD may require the excess to be placed in an account to be used to reduce housing assistance payments or for other project purposes. Upon termination of the Contract, any excess funds must be remitted to HUD. (f) Owners of small projects or partially-assisted projects are exempt from the limitation on distributions contained in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section. (g) In the case of HUD-insured projects, the provisions of this section will apply instead of the otherwise applicable mortgage insurance program provisions. (h) HUD may permit increased distributions of surplus cash, in excess of the amounts otherwise permitted, to profit-motivated owners who participate in a HUD-approved initiative or program to preserve below-market housing stock. The increased distributions will be limited to a maximum amount based on market rents and calculated according to HUD instructions. Funds that the owner is authorized to retain under section 236(g)(2) of the National Housing Act are not considered distributions to the owner. (i) Any State or local law or regulation that restricts distributions to an amount lower than permitted by this section or permitted by the Commissioner under this paragraph (i) is preempted to the extent provided by section 524(f) of the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997.

24 C.F.R. § 881.207 Property standards.

Projects must comply with: (a) [Reserved] (b) In the case of congregate or single room occupant housing, the appropriate HUD guidelines and standards; (c) HUD requirements pursuant to section 209 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 for projects for the elderly or handicapped; (d) HUD requirements pertaining to noise abatement and control; (e) The Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 4821-4846), the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 4851-4856), and implementing regulations at part 35, subparts A, B, H, and R of this title; and (f) Applicable State and local laws, codes, ordinances and regulations. (g) Smoke detectors—(1) Performance requirement. After October 30, 1992, each dwelling unit must include at least one battery-operated or hard-wired smoke detector, in proper working condition, on each level of the unit. If the unit is occupied by hearing-impaired persons, smoke detectors must have an alarm system, designed for hearing-impaired persons, in each bedroom occupied by a hearing-impaired person. (2) Acceptability criteria. The smoke detector must be located, to the extent practicable, in a hallway adjacent to a bedroom, unless the unit is occupied by a hearing-impaired person, in which case each bedroom occupied by a hearing-impaired person must have an alarm system connected to the smoke detector installed in the hallway.

24 C.F.R. § 881.208 Financing.

(a) Types of financing. Any type of construction financing and long-term financing may be used, including: (1) Conventional loans from commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, pension funds, insurance companies or other financial institutions; (2) Mortgage insurance programs under the National Housing Act; and (3) Financing by tax-exmpt bonds or other obligations. (b) HUD approval. HUD must approve the terms and conditions of the financing to determine consistency with these regulations and to assure they do not purport to pledge or give greater rights or funds to any party than are provided under the Agreement, Contract, and/or ACC. Where the project is financed with tax-exempt obligations, the terms and conditions will be approved in accordance with the following: (1) An issuer of obligations that are tax-exempt under any provision of Federal law or regulation, the proceeds of the sale of which are to be used to purchase GNMA mortgage-backed securities issued by the mortgagee of the Section 8 project, will be subject to 24 CFR part 811, subpart B. (2) Issuers of obligations that are tax-exempt under Section 11(b) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 will be subject to 24 CFR part 811, subpart A if paragraph (b)(1) of this section is not applicable. (3) Issuers of obligations that are tax-exempt under any provision of Federal law or regulation other than Section 11(b) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 will be subject to 24 CFR 811, subpart A if paragraph (b)(1) of this section is not applicable, except that such issuers that are State Agencies qualified under 24 CFR part 883 are not subject to 24 CFR part 811, subpart A and are subject solely to the requirements of 24 CFR part 883 with regard to the approval of tax-exempt financing. (c) Pledge of contracts. An owner may pledge, or offer as security for any loan or obligation, an Agreement, Contract or ACC entered into pursuant to this part: Provided, however, That such financing is in connection with a project constructed pursuant to this part and approved by HUD. Any pledge of the Agreement, Contract, or ACC, or payments thereunder, will be limited to the amounts payable under the Contract or ACC in accordance with its terms. If the pledge or other document provides that all payments will be paid directly to the mortgagee or the trustee for bondholders, the mortgagee or trustee will make all payments or deposits required under the mortgage, trust indenture of HUD regulations and remit any excess to the owner. (d) Foreclosure and other transfers. In the event of foreclosure, assignment or sale approved by HUD in lieu of foreclosure, or other assignment or sale approved by HUD: (1) The Agreement, the Contract and the ACC, if applicable, will continue in effect, and (2) Housing assistance payments will continue in accordance with the terms of the Contract. (e) Financing of manufactured home parks. In the case of a substantially rehabilitated manufactured home park, the principal amount of any mortgage attributable to the rental spaces in the park may not exceed an amount per space determined in accordance with § 207.33(b) of this Title.

24 C.F.R. § 881.211 Audit.

(a) Where a non-Federal entity (as defined in 2 CFR 200.69) is the eligible owner of a project or a contract administrator under § 881.505 receiving financial assistance under this part, the audit requirements in 2 CFR part 200, subpart F, shall apply.

24 C.F.R. § 881.212 Broadband infrastructure.

Any new construction or substantial rehabilitation, as substantial rehabilitation is defined by 24 CFR 5.100, of a building with more than 4 rental units and that is subject to a Housing Assistance Payments contract executed or renewed after January 19, 2017 must include installation of broadband infrastructure, as this term is also defined in 24 CFR 5.100, except where the owner determines and documents the determination that: (a) The location of the new construction or substantial rehabilitation makes installation of broadband infrastructure infeasible; (b) The cost of installing broadband infrastructure would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of its program or activity or in an undue financial burden; or (c) The structure of the housing to be substantially rehabilitated makes installation of broadband infrastructure infeasible.

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