§ 990.108 - Other costs.

(a) Cost of independent audits. (1) Eligibility to receive operating subsidy for independent audits is considered separately from the Operating Fund Formula. However, the PHA shall not request, nor will HUD approve, an operating subsidy for the cost of an independent audit if the audit has already been funded by subsidy in a prior year.

(2) A PHA that is required by the Single Audit Act (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507) (see 24 CFR part 85) to conduct a regular independent audit may receive operating subsidy to cover the cost of the audit. The actual cost of an independent audit, applicable to the operations of PHA-owned rental housing, is not included in the Allowable Expense Level, but it is allowed in full in computing the amount of operating subsidy under § 990.104, above.

(3) A PHA that is exempt from the audit requirements under the Single Audit Act (24 CFR part 85) may receive operating subsidy to offset the actual cost of an independent audit chargeable to operations (after the End of the Initial Operating Period) if the PHA chooses to have an audit.

(b)(1) Costs attributable to units that are approved for deprogramming and vacant may be eligible for inclusion, but must be limited to the minimum services and protection necessary to protect and preserve the units until the units are deprogrammed. Costs attributable to units temporarily unavailable for occupancy because the units are utilized for PHA-related activities are not eligible for inclusion. In determining operating subsidy calculations under the Operating Fund Formula, these units shall not be included in the calculation of Unit Months Available. Units approved for deprogramming shall be listed by the PHA, and supporting documentation regarding direct costs attributable to such units shall be included as a part of the Operating Fund Formula calculation in which the PHA requests operating subsidy for these units. If the PHA requires assistance in this matter, the PHA should contact the HUD Field Office.

(2) Units approved for nondwelling use to promote economic self-sufficiency services and anti-drug activities are eligible for operating subsidy under the conditions provided in this paragraph (b)(2), and the costs attributable to these units are to be included in the operating budget. If a unit satisfies the conditions stated in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (v) of this section, it will be eligible for subsidy at the rate of the AEL for the number of months the unit is devoted to such use. Approval will be given for a period of no more than 3 years. HUD may renew the approval to allow payments after that period only if the PHA can demonstrate that no other sources for paying the non-utility operating costs of the unit are available. The conditions the unit must satisfy are:

(i) The unit must be used for either economic self-sufficiency activities directly related to maximizing the number of employed residents or for anti-drug programs directly related to ridding the development of illegal drugs and drug-related crime. The activities must be directed toward and for the benefit of residents of the development.

(ii) The PHA must demonstrate that space for the service or program is not available elsewhere in the locality and that the space used is safe and suitable for its intended use or that the resources are committed to make the space safe and suitable.

(iii) The PHA must demonstrate satisfactorily that other funding is not available to pay for the non-utility operating costs. All rental income generated as a result of the activity must be reported as income in the operating subsidy calculation.

(iv) Operating subsidy may be approved for only one site (involving one or more contiguous units) per public housing development for economic self-sufficiency services or anti-drug programs, and the number of units involved should be the minimum necessary to support the service or program. Operating subsidy for any additional sites per development can only be approved by HUD Headquarters.

(v) The PHA must submit a certification with its Operating Fund Formula Calculation that the units are being used for the purpose for which they were approved and that any rental income generated as a result of the activity is reported as income in the operating subsidy calculation. The PHA must maintain specific documentation of the units covered. Such documentation should include a listing of the units, the street addresses, and project/management control numbers.

(3) Long-term vacant units that are not included in the calculation of Unit Months Available are eligible for operating subsidy in the Requested Budget Year at the rate of 20% of the AEL. Allowable utility costs for long term vacant units will continue to be funded in accordance with § 990.107.

(c) Costs attributable to changes in Federal law or regulation. In the event that HUD determines that enactment of a Federal law or revision in HUD or other Federal regulation has caused or will cause a significant increase in expenditures of a continuing nature above the Allowable Expense Level and Utilities Expense Level, HUD may in HUD's sole discretion decide to prescribe a procedure under which the PHA may apply for or may receive an increase in operating subsidy.

(d)(1) Costs resulting from combination of two or more units. When a PHA redesigns or rehabilitates a project and combines two or more units into one larger unit and the combination of units results in a unit that houses at least the same number of people as were previously served, the AEL for the requested year shall be multiplied by the number of unit months not included in the requested year's unit months available as a result of these combinations that have occurred since the Base Year. The number of people served in a unit will be based on the formula ((2 × No. of Bedrooms) minus 1), which yields the average number of people that would be served. An efficiency unit will be counted as a one bedroom unit for purposes of this calculation.

(2) An exception to paragraph (d)(1) of this section is made when a PHA combines two efficiency units into a one-bedroom unit. In these cases, the AEL for the requested year shall be multiplied by the number of unit months not included in the requested year's unit months available as a result of these combinations that have occurred since the Base Year.

(e) Funding for resident participation activities.—(1) Funding amount. Each PHA shall include in the operating subsidy eligibility calculation, $25 per occupied unit per year for resident participation activities, including (but not limited to) those described in part 964 of this title. For purposes of this section, a unit may be occupied by a public housing resident, a PHA employee, or a police officer. If, in any fiscal year, appropriations are not sufficient to meet all funding requirements under this part, then the $25 will be subject to pro-ration.

(2) Use of vacant rental units. If there is no community or rental space available for providing resident participation activities, HUD may approve, at the request of the PHA, the use of one or more vacant rental units for resident participation purposes. A unit that satisfies the following conditions will be eligible for operating subsidy at the rate of the AEL for the number of months the unit is devoted to such use:

(i) The PHA must demonstrate that safe and suitable space for the resident participation activities is not otherwise readily available;

(ii) One or more contiguous units may be used for resident participation activities. However, the units must be located on a single site per public housing development. Further, the number of units involved must be the minimum necessary to support the resident participation activities;

(iii) The PHA must submit a certification with its Operating Fund Formula calculation that the units are being used for the purpose for which they were approved and that any rental income generated as a result of the activity is reported as income in the operating subsidy calculation; and

(iv) The PHA must maintain specific documentation of the units covered. Such documentation must include a listing of the units, the street addresses, and project/management control numbers.