TITLE 10.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Part 1. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

Chapter 49. 2005 HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN AND RULES

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the Department) proposes amendments to §49.3, relating to Definitions, §49.7, relating to Regional Allocation Formula, Set-Asides, Redistribution of Credits, and §49.9, relating to Application: Submission, Adherence to Obligations, Evaluation Process, Required Pre-Certification and Acknowledgement, Threshold Criteria, Selection Criteria, Evaluation Factors, Staff Recommendations of the 2005 Housing Tax Credit Program Qualified Allocation Plan and Rules (QAP) as published in the November 26, 2004, issue of the Texas Register (29 TexReg 10942). The sections are amended in order to enact changes considering the Governor's rejection of the 2005 qualified allocation plan and the Governor's direction to the Department to quickly address the matter to ensure no delay in implementing the tax credit program. On December 17, 2005, by Order 05-01, the Governor modified and approved the 2005 qualified allocation plan with these amendments.

Edwina Carrington, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the amendments are in effect there will be no fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the amended sections.

Ms. Carrington also has determined that for each year of the first five years the amendments are in effect, the public benefit anticipated as a result of the proposed amendments will be the fair administration of the qualified allocation plan for the efficient and coordinated allocation of federal income tax credit authority available to the state for administration of state housing agencies. There will be no effect on small businesses or persons. There are no anticipated economic costs to persons who are required to comply with the amendments as proposed.

Comments may be submitted to Brooke Boston, Director of Multifamily Finance Production, Multifamily Finance Production Division, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, P.O. Box 13941, Austin, Texas, 78711-3941 or by e-mail at the following address: brooke.boston@tdhca.state.tx.us.

The amendments are proposed under the Texas Government Code, Chapter 2306; the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, §42, as amended, which provides the Department with the authority to adopt rules governing the administration of the Department and its programs; and Executive Order AWR-92-3 (March 4, 1992), which provides this Department with the authority to make housing tax credit allocations in the State of Texas.

No other code, article or statute is affected by these amendments.

§49.3.Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) - (11) (No change.)

(12) At-Risk Development--a Development that:

(A) has received the benefit of a subsidy in the form of a below-market interest rate loan, interest rate reduction, rental subsidy, Section 8 housing assistance payment, rental supplement payment, rental assistance payment, or equity incentive under the following federal laws, as applicable:

(i) Sections 221(d)(3)[ ~~, (4)~~ ] and (5), National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. Section 17151);

(ii) - (iv) (No change.)

(v) the Section 8 Additional Assistance Program for housing developments with HUD-Insured and HUD-Held Mortgages administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development [ ~~any project-based assistance authority pursuant to Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937~~ ];

(vi) the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program for the Disposition of HUD-Owned Projects administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(vii) [ ~~(vi)~~ ] Sections 514, 515, and 516[ ~~, and 538~~ ] Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. Sections 1484, 1485, and 1486); and

(viii) [ ~~(vii)~~ ] Section 42, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 42), and

(B) (No change.)

(C) An Application for a Development that includes the demolition of the existing Units which have received the financial benefit described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph will not qualify as an At-Risk Development unless the redevelopment will include the same site[ , except that a Housing Authority proposing reconstruction of public housing, supplemented with HOPE VI funding or funding from their capital grant fund, will be qualified as an At-Risk Development if it meets the requirements described in §49.7(b)(2) of this title ].

(D) [ ~~With the exception of Housing Authorities proposing reconstruction of public housing, supplemented with HOPE VI funding or funding from their capital grant fund,~~ ] Developments must be at risk of losing all affordability on the site. However, Developments that have an opportunity to retain or renew any of the financial benefit described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph must retain or renew all possible financial benefit to qualify as an At-Risk Development. (2306.6702)

(13) - (82) (No change.)

§49.7.Regional Allocation Formula, Set-Asides, Redistribution of Credits.

(a) (No change.)

(b) Set-Asides. An Applicant may elect to compete in as many of the following Set-Asides for which the proposed Development qualifies: (2306.111(d))

(1) (No change.)

(2) At least 15% of the allocation to each Uniform State Service Region will be set aside for allocation under the At-Risk Development Set-Aside. Through this Set-Aside, the Department, to the extent possible, shall allocate credits to Applications involving the preservation of developments designated as At-Risk Developments as defined in §49.3(12) of this title. (2306.6714). [ A Housing Authority proposing reconstruction of public housing supplemented with HOPE VI funding or capital grant funds will be eligible to participate in this set-aside. In order to qualify for this set-aside, the housing authority providing the HOPE VI funding must provide evidence that it received a HOPE VI grant from HUD and made a commitment that HOPE VI funds will be provided to the Development. ] To qualify as an At-Risk Development, the Applicant [ ~~(with the exception of housing authorities with HOPE VI or capital grant funds)~~ ] must provide evidence that it either is not eligible to renew, retain or preserve any portion of the financial benefit described in §49.3(12)(A) of this title, or provide evidence that it will renew, retain or preserve the financial benefit described in §49.3(12)(A) of this title.

§49.9.Application: Submission, Adherence to Obligations, Evaluation Process, Required Pre-Certification and Acknowledgement, Threshold Criteria, Selection Criteria, Evaluation Factors, Staff Recommendations.

(a) - (e) (No change.)

(f) Threshold Criteria. The following Threshold Criteria listed in this subsection are mandatory requirements at the time of Application submission unless specifically indicated otherwise:

(1) - (3) (No change.)

(4) Certifications. The "Certification Form" provided in the Application confirming the following items:

(A) - (F) (No change.)

(G) A certification that the Development will be equipped with energy saving devices that meet the 2000 [ ~~adhere to the 2003~~ ] International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) , which is the standard statewide energy code adopted by the state energy conservation office [ ~~in the construction of each tax credit Unit~~ ], unless historic preservation codes permit otherwise for a Development involving historic preservation. All Units must be air-conditioned or utilize evaporative coolers. The measures must be certified by the Development architect as being included in the design of each tax credit Unit at the time the 10% Test Documentation is submitted and in actual construction upon Cost Certification. (2306.6725(b))

(H) - (I) (No change.)

(5) - (11) (No change.)

(12) Applicants applying for acquisition credits, or Applicants and Development Team members affiliated with the seller that are asking for the land value to be an amount greater than the acquisition cost indicated in the original purchase contract, will be evaluated in accordance with §1.32 of this title and must provide all of the documentation described in subparagraphs (A) - (C) of this paragraph. Applicants applying for acquisition credits must also provide the items described in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph and as provided in the Application.

(A) - (B) (No change.)

(C) clear identification of the selling Persons, and any owner of the property within the last 36 months prior to the first day of the Application Acceptance Period, and details of any relationship between said selling Persons and owners and the Applicant, Developer, Property Manager, General Contractor, Qualified Market Analyst, or any other professional or other consultant performing services with respect to the Development. Only in the event that [ ~~If any~~ ] such relationship exists, the following documents must be provided:

(i) (No change.)

(ii) any other verifiable costs of owning, holding, or improving the property that when added to the value from clause (i) of this subparagraph justifies the Applicant's proposed acquisition amount:

(I) (No change.)

(II) for transactions which include existing buildings that will be rehabilitated or otherwise maintained as part of the Development, documentation of owning, holding, or improving costs since the original acquisition date may include capitalized costs of improvements to the property, a calculated return on equity at a rate consistent with the historical returns of similar risks, and allow the cost of exit taxes not to exceed an amount necessary to allow the sellers to be made whole in the original and subsequent investment in the property and avoid foreclosure [ ~~indifferent to foreclosure or breakeven transfer~~ ]; and

(D) (No change.)

(13) - (15) (No change.)

(g) Selection Criteria. All Applications will be scored and ranked using the point system identified in this subsection. Maximum Total Points: 209 [ ~~210~~ ].

(1) - (6) (No change.)

(8) - (12) (No change.)

(13) Development Location. (2306.6725(a)(4) and (b)(2); 2306.127; 42(m)(1)(C)(i); 42 U.S.C. 3608(d) and (e)(5)) Applications may qualify to receive 4 points. Evidence, not more than 6 months old from the date of the close of the Application Acceptance Period, that the subject Property is located within one of the geographical areas described in subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph. Areas qualifying under any one of the subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph will receive 4 points. An Application may only receive points under one of the subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph. [ Development Location. (2306.6725(a)(4) and (b)(2); 2306.127; 42(m)(1)(C)(i); 42 U.S.C. 3608(d) and (e)(5)) Applications may qualify to receive either 4 or 7 points. Evidence, not more than 6 months old from the date of the close of the Application Acceptance Period, that the subject Property is located within one of the geographical areas described in subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph. Areas qualifying under any one of the subparagraphs (A) - (F) of this paragraph will receive 4 points. Areas qualifying under any one of the subparagraphs (G) - (H) of this paragraph will receive 7 points. An Application may only receive points under one of the subparagraphs (A) - (H) of this paragraph. ]

(A) - (H) (No change.)

(14) Exurban Developments or Reconstruction or Rehabilitation of Developments (Development characteristics). Applications may qualify to receive 7 points if the Development is located in an incorporated place or census designated place that is not a Rural Area but has a population no greater than 100,000 based on the most current available information published by the United States Bureau of the Census as of October 1 of the year preceding the applicable program year, or if a Development is proposed for reconstruction or rehabilitation (in whole or in part, on-site or off-site) that will be financed, in part, with HOPE VI financing or HUD capital grant financing provided that the Application is a joint venture partnership between the public housing authority or an entity formed by the public housing authority and private market interests (either for profit or nonprofit). [ Exurban Developments. Applications may qualify to receive 7 points if the Development is located in an incorporated place or census designated place that is not a Rural Area but has a population no greater than 100,000 based on the most current available information published by the United States Bureau of the Census as of October 1 of the year preceding the applicable program year. ]

(15) - (24) (No change.)

(h) - (i) (No change.)

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on December 22, 2004.

TRD-200407470

Edwina P. Carrington

Executive Director

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Earliest possible date of adoption: February 6, 2005

For further information, please call: (512) 475-3726