§ 1291.24 - Eligible uses.

§ 1291.24 Eligible uses.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 87 FR 32969, June 1, 2022.

(a) Eligible uses of AHP subsidy. AHP subsidies shall be used only for:

(1) Owner-occupied housing. The purchase, construction, or rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing.

(2) Rental housing. The purchase, construction, or rehabilitation of rental housing.

(3) Need for AHP subsidy -

(i) Review of project development budget. The project's estimated sources of funds shall equal its estimated uses of funds, as reflected in the project's development budget. The difference between the project's sources of funds (excluding AHP subsidy) and uses of funds is the project's need for AHP subsidy, which is the maximum amount of AHP subsidy the project may receive. A Bank, in its discretion, may permit a project's sources of funds to include or exclude the estimated market value of in-kind donations and voluntary professional labor or services (excluding the value of sweat equity), provided that the project's uses of funds also include or exclude, respectively, the value of such estimates.

(ii) Cash sources of funds. A project's cash sources of funds shall include any cash contributions by the sponsor, any cash from sources other than the sponsor, and estimates of funds the project sponsor intends to obtain from other sources but which have not yet been committed to the project. In the case of homeownership projects where the sponsor extends permanent financing to the homebuyer, the sponsor's cash contribution shall include the present value of any payments the sponsor is to receive from the buyer, which shall include any cash down payment from the buyer, plus the present value of any purchase note the sponsor holds on the unit. If the note carries a market interest rate commensurate with the credit quality of the buyer, the present value of the note equals the face value of the note. If the note carries an interest rate below the market rate, the present value of the note shall be determined using the market rate to discount the cash flows.

(iii) Cash uses. A project's cash uses are the actual outlay of cash needed to pay for materials, labor, and acquisition or other costs of completing the project. Cash costs do not include in-kind donations, voluntary professional labor or services, or sweat equity.

(4) Project costs -

(i) In general.

(A) Taking into consideration the geographic location of the project, development conditions, and other non-financial household or project characteristics, a Bank shall determine that a project's costs, as reflected in the project's development budget, are reasonable, in accordance with the Bank's project cost guidelines.

(B) For purposes of determining the reasonableness of a developer's fee for a project as a percentage of total development costs, a Bank may, in its discretion, include estimates of the market value of in-kind donations and volunteer professional labor or services (excluding the value of sweat equity) committed to the project as part of the total development costs.

(ii) Cost of property and services provided by a member. The purchase price of property or services, as reflected in the project's development budget, sold to the project by a member providing AHP subsidy to the project, or, in the case of property, upon which such member holds a mortgage or lien, may not exceed the market value of such property or services as of the date the purchase price was agreed upon. In the case of real estate owned property sold to a project by a member providing AHP subsidy to the project, or property sold to the project upon which the member holds a mortgage or lien, the market value of such property is deemed to be the “as-is” or “as-rehabilitated” value of the property, whichever is appropriate. That value shall be reflected in an independent appraisal of the property performed by a state certified or licensed appraiser, as defined in 12 CFR 564.2(j) and (k), within 6 months prior to the date the Bank disburses AHP subsidy to the project.

(5) Financing costs. The rate of interest, points, fees, and any other charges for all loans that are made for the project in conjunction with the AHP subsidy shall not exceed a reasonable market rate of interest, points, fees, and other charges for loans of similar maturity, terms, and risk.

(6) Counseling costs. Counseling costs, provided:

(i) Such costs are incurred in connection with counseling of homebuyers who actually purchase an AHP-assisted unit; and

(ii) The cost of the counseling has not been covered by another funding source, including the member.

(7) Refinancing. Refinancing of an existing single-family or multifamily mortgage loan, provided that the refinancing produces equity proceeds and such equity proceeds up to the amount of the AHP subsidy in the project shall be used only for the purchase, construction, or rehabilitation of housing units meeting the eligibility requirements of this part.

(8) Calculation of AHP subsidy.

(i) Where an AHP direct subsidy is provided to a project to write down the interest rate on a loan extended by a member, sponsor, or other party to a project, the net present value of the interest foregone from making the loan below the lender's market interest rate shall be calculated as of the date the application for AHP subsidy is submitted to the Bank, and subject to adjustment under § 1291.30(d).

(ii) Where an AHP subsidized advance is provided to a project, the net present value of the interest revenue foregone from making a subsidized advance at a rate below the Bank's cost of funds shall be determined as of the earlier of the date of disbursement of the subsidized advance or the date prior to disbursement on which the Bank first manages the funding to support the subsidized advance through its asset/liability management system, or otherwise.

(b) Prohibited uses of AHP subsidy. AHP subsidy may not be used to pay for:

(1) Certain prepayment fees. Prepayment fees imposed by a Bank on a member for a subsidized advance that is prepaid, unless:

(i) The project is in financial distress that cannot be remedied through a project modification pursuant to § 1291.29;

(ii) The prepayment of the subsidized advance is necessary to retain the project's affordability and income targeting commitments;

(iii) Subsequent to such prepayment, the project will continue to comply with the terms of the approved AHP application and the requirements of this part for the duration of the original retention period;

(iv) Any unused AHP subsidy is returned to the Bank and made available for other AHP projects or households; and

(v) The amount of AHP subsidy used for the prepayment fee may not exceed the amount of the member's prepayment fee to the Bank;

(2) Cancellation fees. Cancellation fees and penalties imposed by a Bank on a member for a subsidized advance commitment that is canceled;

(3) Processing fees. Processing fees charged by members for providing AHP direct subsidies to a project; or

(4) Reserves and certain expenses. Capitalized reserves, periodic deposits to reserve accounts, operating expenses, or supportive services expenses.

(c) Optional Bank district eligibility requirements. A Bank may require a project receiving AHP subsidies to meet one or more of the following additional eligibility requirements adopted by the Bank's board of directors and included in its AHP Implementation Plan after consultation with its Advisory Council:

(1) AHP subsidy limits. A requirement that the amount of AHP subsidy requested for the project does not exceed limits established by the Bank as to the maximum amount of AHP subsidy available per member, per project sponsor, per project, or per project unit in a single AHP funding round. A Bank may establish only one maximum subsidy limit per member, per sponsor, per project, or per project unit for the General Fund and for each Targeted Fund, which shall Each General Fund or Targeted Fund may contain up to all four of these optional AHP subsidy limits, each of which must apply to all applicants to the specific Fund, but the maximum . A Bank's AHP subsidy limit per member must be the same for each of its Funds and its AHP subsidy limit per project sponsor must be the same for each of its Funds, but a Bank's AHP subsidy limit per project or and per project unit may differ among the Funds; or .

(2) Homebuyer or homeowner counseling. A requirement that a household must complete a homebuyer or homeowner counseling program provided by, or based on one provided by, an organization recognized as experienced in homebuyer or homeowner counseling, respectively.

(d) Applications to multiple Funds - subsidy amount. If an application for a project is submitted to more than one Fund at the same time, the application for each Fund must be for the same amount of AHP subsidy.

[83 FR 61231, Nov. 28, 2018, as amended at 87 FR 32969, June 1, 2022]