§91.320. Action plan. — Inbound Citations

(A) A State must permit the unit of general local government to retain the program income if the program income will be used to continue the activity from which it was derived. A State will determine when an activity is being continued. In making such a determination, a State may consider whether the unit of general local government is or will be unable to comply with the requirements of paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(B) of this section or other requirements of this part, and the extent to which the program income is unlikely to be applied to continue the activity within the reasonably near future. When a State determines that the program income will be applied to continue the activity from which it was derived, but the amount of program income held by the unit of general local government exceeds projected cash needs for the reasonably near future, the State may require the local government to return all or part of the program income to the State until such time as it is needed by the unit of general local government. When a State determines that a unit of local government is not likely to apply any significant amount of program income to continue the activity within a reasonable amount of time, or that it is not likely to apply the program income in accordance with applicable requirements, the State may require the unit of general local government to return all of the program income to the State for disbursement to other units of local government. A State that intends to require units of general local government to return program income in accordance with this paragraph must describe its approach in the State's action plan required under 24 CFR 91.320 of this title or in a substantial amendment if the State intends to implement this option after the action plan is submitted to and approved by HUD.

(a) A complete consolidated plan consists of the information required in § 91.300 through § 91.330, submitted in accordance with instructions prescribed by HUD (including tables and narratives), or in such other format as jointly agreed upon by HUD and the state. A comprehensive housing affordability strategy consists of the information required in §§ 91.300 through 91.315(e), 91.315(h) through 91.315(m), 91.320(c), 91.320 (g), 91.225 and 91.330.

(c) Eligible project costs may be incurred during the current program year in an amount not to exceed 25% of the current HOME allocation amount, to be charged to the following year's HOME allocation. Before incurring the pre-award costs, the participating jurisdiction must comply with its citizen participation plan requirements addressing 24 CFR 91.105(b)(2), (4), (5) and (g) (local governments) or 24 CFR 91.115(b)(2), (4), (5) and (f) (States). In lieu of a full action plan, the participating jurisdiction may develop a mini-action plan which describes the proposed pre-award projects and costs in accordance with 24 CFR 91.220(c) and includes, if applicable, 24 CFR 91.220(g)(2) (local governments) or 24 CFR 91.320(c) and, if applicable, 24 CFR 91.320(g)(2) (States). The mini-action plan must state that HOME funding for the project(s) is subject to the future availability of HOME funds. The subsequent action plan (i.e., action plan for the HOME allocation to which the costs will be charged) must also include the use of HOME funds contained in the mini-action plan.

(a) A complete consolidated plan consists of the information required in § 91.300 through § 91.330, submitted in accordance with instructions prescribed by HUD (including tables and narratives), or in such other format as jointly agreed upon by HUD and the state. A comprehensive housing affordability strategy consists of the information required in §§ 91.300 through 91.315(e), 91.315(h) through 91.315(m), 91.320(c), 91.320 (g), 91.225 and 91.330.

(c) Eligible project costs may be incurred during the current program year in an amount not to exceed 25% of the current HOME allocation amount, to be charged to the following year's HOME allocation. Before incurring the pre-award costs, the participating jurisdiction must comply with its citizen participation plan requirements addressing 24 CFR 91.105(b)(2), (4), (5) and (g) (local governments) or 24 CFR 91.115(b)(2), (4), (5) and (f) (States). In lieu of a full action plan, the participating jurisdiction may develop a mini-action plan which describes the proposed pre-award projects and costs in accordance with 24 CFR 91.220(c) and includes, if applicable, 24 CFR 91.220(g)(2) (local governments) or 24 CFR 91.320(c) and, if applicable, 24 CFR 91.320(g)(2) (States). The mini-action plan must state that HOME funding for the project(s) is subject to the future availability of HOME funds. The subsequent action plan (i.e., action plan for the HOME allocation to which the costs will be charged) must also include the use of HOME funds contained in the mini-action plan.

(2) The state shall keep records to document its funding decisions reached under the method of distribution described in 24 CFR 91.320(j)(1), including all the criteria used to select applications from local governments for funding and the relative importance of the criteria (if applicable), regardless of the organizational level at which final funding decisions are made, so that they can be reviewed by HUD, the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and citizens pursuant to the requirements of § 570.490(c).

(g) States are encouraged to identify areas where geographically targeted revitalization efforts are carried out through multiple activities in a concentrated and coordinated manner. In addition, a state may elect to allow units of general local government to carry out a community revitalization strategy that includes the economic empowerment of low-income residents, in order to obtain the additional flexibility available as provided in 24 CFR part 570, subpart I. A state must approve a local government's revitalization strategy before it may be implemented. If a state elects to allow revitalization strategies in its program, the method of distribution contained in a state's action plan pursuant to § 91.320(k)(1) must reflect the state's process and criteria for approving local government's revitalization strategies. The strategy must identify the long-term and short-term objectives (e.g., physical improvements, social initiatives, and economic empowerment), expressing them in terms of measures of outputs and outcomes that are expected through the use of HUD programs. The state's process and criteria are subject to HUD approval.

(i) Except as described in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, the State may require the unit of general local government that receives or will receive program income to return the program income to the State. Program income that is paid to the State is treated as additional CDBG funds subject to the requirements of this subpart. Except for program income retained and used by the State for administrative costs or technical assistance under paragraph (a) of this section, program income paid to the State must be distributed to units of general local government in accordance with the method of distribution in the action plan under 24 CFR 91.320(k)(1)(i) that is in effect at the time the program income is distributed. To the maximum extent feasible, the State must distribute program income before it makes additional withdrawals from the United States Treasury, except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section.

(d) Beginning with the Fiscal Year 2017 action plan, as provided in 24 CFR 91.220(l)(2) and 91.320(k)(2), program income, repayments, and recaptured funds in the participating jurisdiction's HOME Investment Trust Fund local account must be used in accordance with the requirements of this part, and the amount of program income, repayments, and recaptured funds in the participating jurisdiction's HOME Investment Trust Fund local account at the beginning of the program year must be committed before HOME funds in the HOME Investment Trust Fund United States Treasury account, except for the HOME funds in the United States Treasury account that are required to be reserved (i.e., 15 percent of the funds), under § 92.300(a), for investment only in housing to be owned, developed, or sponsored by community housing development organizations. The deadline for committing program income, repayments, and recaptured funds received during a program year is the date of the participating jurisdiction's commitment deadline for the subsequent year's grant allocation.

(3) Extremely low-income families means low-income families whose annual incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the median family income of a geographic area, as determined by HUD with adjustments for smaller and larger families.

Family has the same meaning given that term in 24 CFR 5.403.

First-time homebuyer means an individual and his or her spouse who have not owned a home during the 3-year period prior to purchase of a home with assistance under this part. The term first-time homebuyer also includes an individual who is a displaced homemaker or single parent, as those terms are defined in this section.

Foster adult has the same meaning given that term in 24 CFR 5.603.

Foster child has the same meaning given that term in 24 CFR 5.603.

Full-time student has the same meaning given that term in 24 CFR 5.603.

Grantee means the State or the State-designated entity that receives the HTF funds from HUD.

HTF allocation plan means the annual submission to HUD required by the Act that describes how the grantee will distribute its HTF funds, including how it will use the funds to address its priority housing needs, what activities may be undertaken with those funds, and how recipients and projects will be selected to receive those funds. See 24 CFR 91.220(l)(4) and 91.320(k)(5).

HTF funds means funds made available under this part through formula allocations and reallocations, plus program income.

Homeownership means ownership in fee simple title in a 1- to 4-unit dwelling or in a condominium unit, or equivalent form of ownership approved by HUD.