24 C.F.R. Subpart B—Economic Opportunities for Section 3 Residents and Section 3 Business Concerns
Title 24 - Housing and Urban Development
(a) General. (1) Recipients and covered contractors may demonstrate compliance with the “greatest extent feasible” requirement of section 3 by meeting the numerical goals set forth in this section for providing training, employment, and contracting opportunities to section 3 residents and section 3 business concerns. (2) The goals established in this section apply to the entire amount of section 3 covered assistance awarded to a recipient in any Federal Fiscal Year (FY), commencing with the first FY following the effective date of this rule. (3) For recipients that do not engage in training, or hiring, but award contracts to contractors that will engage in training, hiring, and subcontracting, recipients must ensure that, to the greatest extent feasible, contractors will provide training, employment, and contracting opportunities to section 3 residents and section 3 business concerns. (4) The numerical goals established in this section represent minimum numerical targets. (b) Training and employment. The numerical goals set forth in paragraph (b) of this section apply to new hires. The numerical goals reflect the aggregate hires. Efforts to employ section 3 residents, to the greatest extent feasible, should be made at all job levels. (1) Numerical goals for section 3 covered public and Indian housing programs. Recipients of section 3 covered public and Indian housing assistance (as described in §135.5) and their contractors and subcontractors may demonstrate compliance with this part by committing to employ section 3 residents as: (i) 10 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1995; (ii) 20 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one period beginning in FY 1996; (iii) 30 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for one year period beginning in FY 1997 and continuing thereafter. (2) Numerical goals for other HUD programs covered by section 3. (i) Recipients of section 3 covered housing assistance provided under other HUD programs, and their contractors and subcontractors (unless the contract or subcontract awards do not meet the threshold specified in §135.3(a)(3)) may demonstrate compliance with this part by committing to employ section 3 residents as 10 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for each year over the duration of the section 3 project; (ii) Where a managing general partner or management agent is affiliated, in a given metropolitan area, with recipients of section 3 covered housing assistance, for an aggregate of 500 or more units in any fiscal year, the managing partner or management agent may demonstrate compliance with this part by committing to employ section 3 residents as: (A) 10 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1995; (B) 20 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1996; (C) 30 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1997, and continuing thereafter. (3) Recipients of section 3 covered community development assistance, and their contractors and subcontractors (unless the contract or subcontract awards do not meet the threshold specified in §135.3(a)(3)) may demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this part by committing to employ section 3 residents as: (i) 10 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1995; (ii) 20 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1996; and (iii) 30 percent of the aggregate number of new hires for the one year period beginning in FY 1997 and continuing thereafter. (c) Contracts. Numerical goals set forth in paragraph (c) of this section apply to contracts awarded in connection with all section 3 covered projects and section 3 covered activities. Each recipient and contractor and subcontractor (unless the contract or subcontract awards do not meet the threshold specified in §135.3(a)(3)) may demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this part by committing to award to section 3 business concerns: (1) At least 10 percent of the total dollar amount of all section 3 covered contracts for building trades work for maintenance, repair, modernization or development of public or Indian housing, or for building trades work arising in connection with housing rehabilitation, housing construction and other public construction; and (2) At least three (3) percent of the total dollar amount of all other section 3 covered contracts. (d) Safe harbor and compliance determinations. (1) In the absence of evidence to the contrary, a recipient that meets the minimum numerical goals set forth in this section will be considered to have complied with the section 3 preference requirements. (2) In evaluating compliance under subpart D of this part, a recipient that has not met the numerical goals set forth in this section has the burden of demonstrating why it was not feasible to meet the numerical goals set forth in this section. Such justification may include impediments encountered despite actions taken. A recipient or contractor also can indicate other economic opportunities, such as those listed in §135.40, which were provided in its efforts to comply with section 3 and the requirements of this part. Each recipient has the responsibility to comply with section 3 in its own operations, and ensure compliance in the operations of its contractors and subcontractors. This responsibility includes but may not be necessarily limited to: (a) Implementing procedures designed to notify section 3 residents about training and employment opportunities generated by section 3 covered assistance and section 3 business concerns about contracting opportunities generated by section 3 covered assistance; (b) Notifying potential contractors for section 3 covered projects of the requirements of this part, and incorporating the section 3 clause set forth in §135.38 in all solicitations and contracts. (c) Facilitating the training and employment of section 3 residents and the award of contracts to section 3 business concerns by undertaking activities such as described in the Appendix to this part, as appropriate, to reach the goals set forth in §135.30. Recipients, at their own discretion, may establish reasonable numerical goals for the training and employment of section 3 residents and contract award to section 3 business concerns that exceed those specified in §135.30; (d) Assisting and actively cooperating with the Assistant Secretary in obtaining the compliance of contractors and subcontractors with the requirements of this part, and refraining from entering into any contract with any contractor where the recipient has notice or knowledge that the contractor has been found in violation of the regulations in 24 CFR part 135. (e) Documenting actions taken to comply with the requirements of this part, the results of actions taken and impediments, if any. (f) A State or county which distributes funds for section 3 covered assistance to units of local governments, to the greatest extent feasible, must attempt to reach the numerical goals set forth in 135.30 regardless of the number of local governments receiving funds from the section 3 covered assistance which meet the thresholds for applicability set forth at 135.3. The State or county must inform units of local government to whom funds are distributed of the requirements of this part; assist local governments and their contractors in meeting the requirements and objectives of this part; and monitor the performance of local governments with respect to the objectives and requirements of this part. (a) Order of providing preference. Recipients, contractors and subcontractors shall direct their efforts to provide, to the greatest extent feasible, training and employment opportunities generated from the expenditure of section 3 covered assistance to section 3 residents in the order of priority provided in paragraph (a) of this section. (1) Public and Indian housing programs. In public and Indian housing programs, efforts shall be directed to provide training and employment opportunities to section 3 residents in the following order of priority: (i) Residents of the housing development or developments for which the section 3 covered assistance is expended (category 1 residents); (ii) Residents of other housing developments managed by the HA that is expending the section 3 covered housing assistance (category 2 residents); (iii) Participants in HUD Youthbuild programs being carried out in the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the section 3 covered assistance is expended (category 3 residents); (iv) Other section 3 residents. (2) Housing and community development programs. In housing and community development programs, priority consideration shall be given, where feasible, to: (i) Section 3 residents residing in the service area or neighborhood in which the section 3 covered project is located (collectively, referred to as category 1 residents); and (ii) Participants in HUD Youthbuild programs (category 2 residents). (iii) Where the section 3 project is assisted under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.), homeless persons residing in the service area or neighborhood in which the section 3 covered project is located shall be given the highest priority; (iv) Other section 3 residents. (3) Recipients of housing assistance programs administered by the Assistant Secretary for Housing may, at their own discretion, provide preference to residents of the housing development receiving the section 3 covered assistance within the service area or neighborhood where the section 3 covered project is located. (4) Recipients of community development programs may, at their own discretion, provide priority to recipients of government assistance for housing, including recipients of certificates or vouchers under the Section 8 housing assistance program, within the service area or neighborhood where the section 3 covered project is located. (b) Eligibility for preference. A section 3 resident seeking the preference in training and employment provided by this part shall certify, or submit evidence to the recipient contractor or subcontractor, if requested, that the person is a section 3 resident, as defined in §135.5. (An example of evidence of eligibility for the preference is evidence of receipt of public assistance, or evidence of participation in a public assistance program.) (c) Eligibility for employment. Nothing in this part shall be construed to require the employment of a section 3 resident who does not meet the qualifications of the position to be filled. (a) Order of providing preference. Recipients, contractors and subcontractors shall direct their efforts to award section 3 covered contracts, to the greatest extent feasible, to section 3 business concerns in the order of priority provided in paragraph (a) of this section. (1) Public and Indian housing programs. In public and Indian housing programs, efforts shall be directed to award contracts to section 3 business concerns in the following order of priority: (i) Business concerns that are 51 percent or more owned by residents of the housing development or developments for which the section 3 covered assistance is expended, or whose full-time, permanent workforce includes 30 percent of these persons as employees (category 1 businesses); (ii) Business concerns that are 51 percent or more owned by residents of other housing developments or developments managed by the HA that is expending the section 3 covered assistance, or whose full-time, permanent workforce includes 30 percent of these persons as employees (category 2 businesses); or (iii) HUD Youthbuild programs being carried out in the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the section 3 covered assistance is expended (category 3 businesses). (iv) Business concerns that are 51 percent or more owned by section 3 residents, or whose permanent, full-time workforce includes no less than 30 percent section 3 residents (category 4 businesses), or that subcontract in excess of 25 percent of the total amount of subcontracts to business concerns identified in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section. (2) Housing and community development programs. In housing and community development programs, priority consideration shall be given, where feasible, to: (i) Section 3 business concerns that provide economic opportunities for section 3 residents in the service area or neighborhood in which the section 3 covered project is located (category 1 businesses); and (ii) Applicants (as this term is defined in 42 U.S.C. 12899) selected to carry out HUD Youthbuild programs (category 2 businesses); (iii) Other section 3 business concerns. (b) Eligibility for preference. A business concern seeking to qualify for a section 3 contracting preference shall certify or submit evidence, if requested, that the business concern is a section 3 business concern as defined in §135.5. (c) Ability to complete contract. A section 3 business concern seeking a contract or a subcontract shall submit evidence to the recipient, contractor, or subcontractor (as applicable), if requested, sufficient to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the party awarding the contract that the business concern is responsible and has the ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of the proposed contract. (The ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of the proposed contract is required of all contractors and subcontractors subject to the procurement standards of 24 CFR 85.36 (see 24 CFR 85.36(b)(8)).) This regulation requires consideration of, among other factors, the potential contractor's record in complying with public policy requirements. Section 3 compliance is a matter properly considered as part of this determination. All section 3 covered contracts shall include the following clause (referred to as the section 3 clause):
A. The work to be performed under this contract is subject to the requirements of section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1701u (section 3). The purpose of section 3 is to ensure that employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD assistance or HUD-assisted projects covered by section 3, shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed to low- and very low-income persons, particularly persons who are recipients of HUD assistance for housing. B. The parties to this contract agree to comply with HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 135, which implement section 3. As evidenced by their execution of this contract, the parties to this contract certify that they are under no contractual or other impediment that would prevent them from complying with the part 135 regulations. C. The contractor agrees to send to each labor organization or representative of workers with which the contractor has a collective bargaining agreement or other understanding, if any, a notice advising the labor organization or workers' representative of the contractor's commitments under this section 3 clause, and will post copies of the notice in conspicuous places at the work site where both employees and applicants for training and employment positions can see the notice. The notice shall describe the section 3 preference, shall set forth minimum number and job titles subject to hire, availability of apprenticeship and training positions, the qualifications for each; and the name and location of the person(s) taking applications for each of the positions; and the anticipated date the work shall begin. D. The contractor agrees to include this section 3 clause in every subcontract subject to compliance with regulations in 24 CFR part 135, and agrees to take appropriate action, as provided in an applicable provision of the subcontract or in this section 3 clause, upon a finding that the subcontractor is in violation of the regulations in 24 CFR part 135. The contractor will not subcontract with any subcontractor where the contractor has notice or knowledge that the subcontractor has been found in violation of the regulations in 24 CFR part 135. E. The contractor will certify that any vacant employment positions, including training positions, that are filled (1) after the contractor is selected but before the contract is executed, and (2) with persons other than those to whom the regulations of 24 CFR part 135 require employment opportunities to be directed, were not filled to circumvent the contractor's obligations under 24 CFR part 135. F. Noncompliance with HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 135 may result in sanctions, termination of this contract for default, and debarment or suspension from future HUD assisted contracts. G. With respect to work performed in connection with section 3 covered Indian housing assistance, section 7(b) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450e) also applies to the work to be performed under this contract. Section 7(b) requires that to the greatest extent feasible (i) preference and opportunities for training and employment shall be given to Indians, and (ii) preference in the award of contracts and subcontracts shall be given to Indian organizations and Indian-owned Economic Enterprises. Parties to this contract that are subject to the provisions of section 3 and section 7(b) agree to comply with section 3 to the maximum extent feasible, but not in derogation of compliance with section 7(b). (a) General. In accordance with the findings of the Congress, as stated in section 3, that other economic opportunities offer an effective means of empowering low-income persons, a recipient is encouraged to undertake efforts to provide to low-income persons economic opportunities other than training, employment, and contract awards, in connection with section 3 covered assistance. (b) Other training and employment related opportunities. Other economic opportunities to train and employ section 3 residents include, but need not be limited to, use of “upward mobility”, “bridge” and trainee positions to fill vacancies; hiring section 3 residents in management and maintenance positions within other housing developments; and hiring section 3 residents in part-time positions. (c) Other business related economic opportunities. (l) A recipient or contractor may provide economic opportunities to establish, stabilize or expand section 3 business concerns, including micro-enterprises. Such opportunities include, but are not limited to the formation of section 3 joint ventures, financial support for affiliating with franchise development, use of labor only contracts for building trades, purchase of supplies and materials from housing authority resident-owned businesses, purchase of materials and supplies from PHA resident-owned businesses and use of procedures under 24 CFR part 963 regarding HA contracts to HA resident-owned businesses. A recipient or contractor may employ these methods directly or may provide incentives to non-section 3 businesses to utilize such methods to provide other economic opportunities to low-income persons. (2) A section 3 joint venture means an association of business concerns, one of which qualifies as a section 3 business concern, formed by written joint venture agreement to engage in and carry out a specific business venture for which purpose the business concerns combine their efforts, resources, and skills for joint profit, but not necessarily on a continuing or permanent basis for conducting business generally, and for which the section 3 business concern: (i) Is responsible for a clearly defined portion of the work to be performed and holds management responsibilities in the joint venture; and (ii) Performs at least 25 percent of the work and is contractually entitled to compensation proportionate to its work.
Title 24: Housing and Urban Development
PART 135—ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW- AND VERY LOW-INCOME PERSONS
Subpart B—Economic Opportunities for Section 3 Residents and Section 3 Business Concerns
§ 135.30 Numerical goals for meeting the greatest extent feasible requirement.
§ 135.32 Responsibilities of the recipient.
§ 135.34 Preference for section 3 residents in training and employment opportunities.
§ 135.36 Preference for section 3 business concerns in contracting opportunities.
§ 135.38 Section 3 clause.
§ 135.40 Providing other economic opportunities.
