§ 248.233 - Approval of a plan of action that includes incentives.

§ 248.233 Approval of a plan of action that includes incentives.

The Commissioner may approve a plan of action that includes incentives, whether or not the plan of action allows for the prepayment of the mortgage, only upon a finding that -

(a) After taking into account local market conditions, the incentives are necessary to achieve the purposes of this part;

(b) The incentives are necessary to provide a fair rate of return to the owner. Incentives will only be provided in cases where the project's current use does not represent its highest and best use;

(c) The incentives are the least costly alternative for the Federal government to achieve the purposes of this part with respect to the housing;

(d) Binding commitments have been made to ensure that -

(1) The housing will be retained as housing affordable for very low income families, low-income families, and moderate income families for the remaining term of the mortgage;

(2) Throughout the remaining term of the mortgage, adequate expenditures will be made for the proper maintenance and operation of the housing;

(3) Current tenants will not be involuntarily displaced (except for good cause);

(4) Any increase in rent contributions for current tenants will be to a level that does not exceed 30 percent of the adjusted income of the tenant or the fair market rent, whichever is lower;

(5) Any resulting increase in rents for current tenants (except for increases made necessary by increased operating costs) will be phased in equally over a period of not less than 3 years, if the increase is 30 percent or more, and will be limited to not more than 10 percent per year, if the increase is more than 10 percent but less than 30 percent;

(6) Subject to the availability of funds, the Commissioner shall provide, and the owner shall accept, assistance under section 8 if the Commissioner determines that such assistance is necessary to mitigate any adverse effect of the rent increases on current tenants eligible for section 8 assistance; and

(7) Rents for units becoming available to new tenants will be at levels approved by the Commissioner that will ensure, to the extent practicable, that the units will be available to and affordable, with 30 percent of adjusted income, by the same proportion of very low income families, low-income families, and moderate income families as resided in the housing as of January 1, 1987 (based on the area median income limits established by the Commissioner in February 1987), or the date the plan of action is approved, whichever date results in the highest proportion of very low income families.

(i) For purposes of paragraph (d)(7) of this section -

(A) The percentage of moderate income families in occupancy as of January 1, 1987 shall include families who were admitted to the project as very low income, low income, or moderate income families but whose incomes had increased beyond the limit for moderate income families by January 1, 1987; and

(B) The proportions established shall not prohibit a higher proportion of very low income families from occupying the housing.

(ii) In approving rents under paragraph (d)(7) of this section, the Commissioner will take into account any additional incentives provided under this part and will make provision for annual rent adjustments necessary as a result of future reasonable increases in operating costs.

(e) In cases where the owner agrees to maintain only a portion of the project as low income housing, the incentives provided under § 248.231 of this part and the standards imposed under this section shall be adjusted accordingly.

(f) The Commissioner shall not approve a plan of action under this section if there are open findings of noncompliance with title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d); the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601-3619); Executive Order 11063 (3 CFR 1959-1963 comp., p. 652); the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107); section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); and all regulations promulgated under such statutes and authorities, or if there are open audit findings with respect to violations of the regulatory agreement.

[55 FR 38952, Sept. 21, 1990. Redesignated and amended at 57 FR 12041, 12060, Apr. 8, 1992]