Chapter 6: Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation

CHAPTER 6: OWNER-OCCUPIED REHABILITATION

Forms and Instructions

These Application Guidelines are for all Non-CDBGowner occupied rehabilitation activities. These Guidelines are designed for those applicants applying in the Annual Cycle. CDBG applicants must apply within the CDBG OOR Cycle. See Chapter 7 of the Guidelines.

I. Eligibility

A.Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are:

1. Local or regional non-profit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) housing or related service organizations;
2. Local units of government;
3. Public Housing Authorities; and
4. State-designated Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO)

B.Eligible Activities

Within the Annual Cycle, the Department may award NAHTF funds for eligible activities:

1.Rehabilitation (including rehabilitation which promotes energy efficiency) of residential owner-occupied homes.

2.Special projects directed to the removal of material and architectural barriers, which restrict the mobility and accessibility of elderly and handicapped persons.

1. Payment of reasonable administrative costs related to implementing the program.

C.Ineligible Activities

Any activity not specifically authorized under Eligible Activities is ineligible to be carried out with NAHP funds (NAHTF, HOME, or CDBG funds). This section further identifies ineligible activities:

1. Furnishings and personal property not an integral structural fixture including the purchase of equipment, fixtures, and motor vehicles;
2. Mobile homes, as defined by the Department; or
3. The following activities, if not directly related to eligible housing activities including, but not limited to: housing education, acquisition of property and easements, public facilities development or improvements, relocation, clearance, and demolition.

D.Eligible Costs

1. Rehabilitation: This includes the alteration, improvement or modification of an existing structure. Rehabilitation may include adding rooms that are not dwelling units, outside the existing walls of a structure. Conversion, a type of Rehabilitation, is changing the use of an existing structure to one of affordable residential housing. Units cannot be added beyond the building envelope.

1. Reconstruction:This refers to rebuilding a structure on the same lot where housing is standing at the time of project commitment. NAHP funds may be used to build a new foundation or repair an existing foundation. Reconstruction also includes replacinga substandard manufactured house with a new manufactured house. During reconstruction, the number of rooms per unit may change, but the number of units may not.

1. Demolition: Demolition of an existing structure as a support activity may be funded if the property meets the following definition of a blighted structure. A blighted structure includes, but is not limited to, any dwelling, garage, outbuilding, warehouse, commercial building, or any other structure or part of a structure, which:

a)Because of the effects of fire, wind, flood, or other natural disaster;

b)Because of physical deterioration; or

c)Because of demolition, or partial demolition, not carried out to completion within a reasonable period of time; is no longer habitable as a dwelling or, in the case of a non-dwelling structure, is no longer useful for the purpose for which the non-dwelling structure was intended, and which has been designated by a State NAHP-recipient unit of local government or non-profit organization as detrimental to the public health or safety in its present condition and use.

1. Relocation Costs: Both permanent and temporary relocation assistance is an eligible cost. Staff and overhead costs associated with relocation assistance are also eligible.

1. Housing Management/Project Soft Costs: Housing Management /Project Soft Costs must be reasonable. These costs include: finance-related costs; credit reports; title binders and insurance; surety fees; recordation fees; transaction taxes; legal and accounting fees including: cost certification; appraisals; environmental reviews; builders’ or developers’ fees; architectural, engineering and related professional services; homebuyer counseling; project audit costs; affirmative marketing and fair housing services to prospective tenants of an assisted project; and staff costs directly related to projects.

E. Eligible Properties

NAHP funds may be used for one-unit properties that are privately owned. All units must be owner-occupied.

F.Grant Amounts & Funding Source

The maximum grant amount is $250,000. This amount is to be used as a guideline. The amount of funds awarded will be determined on a case-by-case basis with consideration given to the number of applications, scoring, and ranking criteria. Owner Occupied Rehab Program applications that receive funding will receive Nebraska Affordable Housing Program as their funding source.

Contracts for Owner Occupied Rehab will be for 24 months.

II. Essential Documentation & Submittal Instructions

This section contains all forms and exhibits to be submitted so that your application can be scored and ranked effectively. Application narratives should be thorough and concise. The Department reserves the right to verify all information and to consult with other agencies on the proposed project.

Generally, there are more applicants requesting funds than there are funds available. Applicants must carefully read and review the 2016 Housing and Community Development Annual Action Plan, 2016 NAHTF Qualified Allocation Plan, and the NAHP 2016 Application Guidelines Chapters to develop a competitive application.

A. Required Documentation

The following checklist is to help ensure you have included all required information.

Appendix D Required Exhibits for Local Governments

Appendix D Required Exhibits for Non-profit and PHA

Appendix E Additional Exhibits for Local Governments, Non-profits, and PHAs

Appendix F Applicant Specific Attachments (Optional)

The following criteria will be verified by DED:

B. Application Submittal Instructions

*Altering the Application questions in any way will automatically disqualify the application and result in the Applicant not being funded.

*Applicants must score a minimum of 400 total points on the application in order to be considered for an award recommendation. Failure of the Application to meet all of the threshold requirements (Threshold Questions) will result in the Application not being funded during the 2016 NAHP Cycle.

*In submitting your application, these instructions must be followed:

Submit the original signed hardcopy applicationand upload scanned copy of the original;

Number all pages, exhibits inclusive, sequentially in the bottom right-hand corner, include the exhibit number above the page number; handwritten numbers are acceptable;

Upload scanned copy as separate files (PDF, Microsoft Word, or Excel only); each file should be named according to the following outline. (DED suggests printing and numbering the entire original hardcopy first, then scanning each portion into its own file and then uploading. This will ensure the page numbers of the digital copy match those of the original.) Be sure to print and keep a copy of the original, including necessary signatures for the Applicant file. See Examples on following pages.

Include page and section numbers for the exhibits for each question.

Two-Hole punch the original application in the center top; and

Include a Table of Contents for each, the original hard copy and the scanned copy

*Below is an outline of what your OOR Program Application should look like:

Part I. General Information (use required form)

Part II. Funding Summary (use required form)

Part III. Project Budget and Financing (follow instructions)

Table of Contents (include page numbers and title of sections)

One Page Project Summary (follow instructions)

Part IVApplication Questions (Include form & narrative, and page & section numbers)

Implementation Schedule (Appendix A)

Required Exhibits(Appendix D, forms and instructions included in Chapter 10)

ANotice of Public Hearing (Must include comments)

B Authorizing Resolution (for Local Governments)

C-1Statement of Assurances and Certifications

C-2Citizen Participation Plan (OPTIONAL)

L FFATA (Federal Funding Accountability & Transparency Act) Reporting Form/Certification

NSAM (System for Award Management Documentation Standing

PProgram Guidelines and Reuse Plans

Q-1Non-Profit or Public Housing Authority Application Certification Form

RAuthorizing Resolution (for Non-Profit and Public Housing Authority)

SDetermination of Level of Review Form

TProof of Non-Profit Status & Certificate of Good Standing

Additional Exhibits (Appendix E, if applicable)

101Open grants information spreadsheet

102Proposed activity documentation

103Planning efforts documentation

104Leveraged funds documentation, if applicable

105Collaboration documentation, if applicable

106Copies of the Bank Line of Credit or Bank Letter of Credit, if applicable

107Capacity of Applicant and Administrator

Applicant Specific Attachments (Appendix F, if applicable

Labeling of Scanned Submitted Application

Upon review of the upload system, DED is asking that Applicants include the last five digits of the assigned Pre-Application # to beginning of each file name, followed by the file description label as noted within each chapter. Please DO NOT include the Applicant Name or Grant Type in the file name.

Example: If the assigned Pre-application # is: 16-TFRH-31019, then label uploaded files as shown.

C. Application Forms and Instructions

Part I. General Information Instructions

Type all information except where signatures are required.

Pre-application Number: Enter the Pre-application number assigned by the Department.

Box 1:Provide the requested information.

Box 2:Provide the requested information. Check the appropriate application preparer box.

Box 3:Check the appropriate box(es) for the type of activity(ies) for which the Applicant is applying, including proposed activities to be funded with both NAHP funds and Other funds.

Box 4:Select the primary Congressional District (check only one box) where the project will primarily be located in for purposes of determining proper Congressional District allocation. Each applicant must designate a single Congressional District (and a single sub-district if applicable), but each applicant will not be restricted to only working within a single Congressional District or Sub-District. Statewide or regional programs also select which Congressional District their project will primarily be located in, but each applicant will not be restricted to only working within a single Congressional District or Sub-District.

Box 5:Indicate the area where the program will take place. Enter the municipalities (i.e. Village or City) that will primarily be served by the project and the counties where those primary municipalities will be located. Also, enter the appropriate Congressional and Legislative District(s) information. Please indicate if project is in an Enterprise Zone.

Regional Applications need to specify the primary communities they will use to answer all questions in the application. Each community will need to have a response on each question, where applicable, in order to receive the points for that question.

Box 6:Enter the number of households to be served by the proposed project at the maximum income allowed program-wide.

Box 7: Check the appropriate applicant type box under which funds are being requested. If this is a joint application, check the appropriate type of applicant for the lead applicant.

Box 8: Type the name and title of the Certifying Official and date. Sign in blue ink. The Certifying Official for a unit of general local government is the chief elected official. The Certifying Official for a non-profit or public housing authority applicant is the official authorized by the governing body to sign applications for state and federal funding. If the Certifying Official for a non-profit or public housing authority is not the Board President or Board Chair, attach the authorizing documentation of the governing body that allows the designated certifying official to sign the application.

Box 9: SUBMIT THE FULL APPLICATION – Original Hard Copy and Scanned Copy

SUBMIT ORIGINAL HARDCOPY BY MAIL OR IN PERSON TO:

Nebraska Department of Economic Development

Housing Application Coordinator

Housing and Community Development

301 Centennial Mall South- PO Box 94666

Lincoln, NE 68509-4666

ALSO UPLOAD A SCANNED COPY TO:

Part II. Funding Summary Instructions

Enter dollar amounts into the appropriate boxes in the funding summary table, including the Owner Occupied Rehab Project Cost Analysis Table. The Part II Funding Summary should correlate with Part III Project Budget & Financing. Include requested NAHP Funds, Other Funds, and In-Kind Funds to be included in the Award Contract. Please describe the source of all Other Funds, including funds provided by the homebuyer, lenders, builders, etc. Note: Nebraska Affordable Housing Program Funds cannot be used as matchwith any other form of Nebraska Affordable Housing Program Funds, including Program Income; also Other Funds cannot include mortgages.

If you have any questions about Activity Codes direct them to DED. Support activities are activities that are only allowed to be funded with NAHP in conjunction with primary activities. Such activities include, but are not limited to: infrastructure costs, relocation, demolition, and homeowner rehabilitation.

The Budget Calculator for OOR Projects Table or Spreadsheet must be utilized to calculate grant amounts. $25,000 of rehabilitation costs will be designated per NAHP-assisted unit. The amounts for lead based paint testing, housing management, and general administration will be calculated using the Budget Calculator and must be recorded within the Part II Budget Summary and Part III Budget.

The Department reserves the right to non-select an application at any point during the review process if the applicant does not have the full funding commitment of all other key investors prior to application due date.

Part III. Project Budget and Financing Instructions

Provide a detailed budget for the proposed program, including program costs, housing management (also referred to as housing administration or project soft costs) and general administration. The budget should include: 1) costs for each item; and 2) the proposed or likely funding source for each item. Include the cost per unit for housing management and general administration costs.