24 C.F.R. Subpart C—Eligible Activities
Title 24 - Housing and Urban Development
An activity may be assisted in whole or in part with ICDBG funds only if the activity meets the eligibility requirements of section 105 of the Act as further defined in this subpart and if the criteria for compliance with the primary objective of the Act set forth under §1003.208 have been met. The requirements for compliance with the primary objective of the Act do not apply to imminent threat grants funded under subpart E of this part. ICDBG funds may be used for the following activities: (a) Acquisition. Acquisition in whole or in part by the grantee, or other public or private nonprofit entity, by purchase, long-term lease, donation, or otherwise, of real property (including air rights, water rights, rights-of-way, easements, and other interests therein) for any public purpose, subject to the limitations of §1003.207. (b) Disposition. Disposition, through sale, lease, donation, or otherwise, of any real property acquired with ICDBG funds or its retention for public purposes, including reasonable costs of temporarily managing such property or property acquired under urban renewal, provided that the proceeds from any such disposition shall be program income subject to the requirements set forth in §1003.503. (c) Public facilities and improvements. Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of public facilities and improvements, except as provided in §1003.207(a), carried out by the grantee or other public or private nonprofit entities. In undertaking such activities, design features and improvements which promote energy efficiency may be included. [However, activities under this paragraph may be directed to the removal of material and architectural barriers that restrict the mobility and accessibility of elderly or severely disabled persons to publicly owned and privately owned buildings, facilities, and improvements including those provided for in §1003.207(a)(1).] Such activities may also include the execution of architectural design features, and similar treatments intended to enhance the aesthetic quality of facilities and improvements receiving ICDBG assistance. Facilities designed for use in providing shelter for persons having special needs are considered public facilities and not subject to the prohibition of new housing construction described in §1003.207(b)(3). Such facilities include shelters for the homeless; convalescent homes; hospitals, nursing homes; battered spouse shelters; halfway houses for run-away children, drug offenders or parolees; group homes for mentally retarded persons and temporary housing for disaster victims. In certain cases, nonprofit entities and subrecipients including those specified in §1003.204 may acquire title to public facilities. When such facilities are owned by nonprofit entities or subrecipients, they shall be operated so as to be open for use by the general public during all normal hours of operation. Public facilities and improvements eligible for assistance under this paragraph (c) are subject to the following policies in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(3) of this section: (1) Special policies governing facilities. The following special policies apply to: (i) Facilities containing both eligible and ineligible uses. A public facility otherwise eligible for assistance under the ICDBG program may be provided with ICDBG funds even if it is part of a multiple use building containing ineligible uses, if: (A) The facility which is otherwise eligible and proposed for assistance will occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the costs attributable to the facility proposed for assistance as separate and distinct from the overall costs of the multiple-use building and/or facility. Allowable costs are limited to those attributable to the eligible portion of the building or facility. (ii) Equipment purchase. As stated in §1003.207(b)(1), the purchase of equipment with ICDBG funds is generally ineligible. However, the purchase of construction equipment for use as part of a solid waste facility is eligible. In addition, the purchase of fire protection equipment is considered to be an integral part of a public facility, and, therefore, the purchase of such equipment is also eligible. (2) Fees for use of facilities. Reasonable fees may be charged for the use of the facilities assisted with ICDBG funds, but charges such as excessive membership fees, which will have the effect of precluding low and moderate income persons from using the facilities, are not permitted. (3) Special assessments under the ICDBG program. The following policies relate to special assessments under the ICDBG program: (i) Definition of special assessment. The term special assessment means the recovery of the capital costs of a public improvement, such as streets, water or sewer lines, curbs, and gutters, through a fee or charge levied or filed as a lien against a parcel of real estate as a direct result of benefit derived from the installation of a public improvement, or a one-time charge made as a condition of access to a public improvement. This term does not relate to taxes, or the establishment of the value of real estate for the purpose of levying real estate, property, or ad valorem taxes, and does not include periodic charges based on the use of a public improvement, such as water or sewer user charges, even if such charges include the recovery of all or some portion of the capital costs of the public improvement. (ii) Special assessments to recover capital costs. Where ICDBG funds are used to pay all or part of the cost of a public improvement, special assessments may be imposed as follows: (A) Special assessments to recover the ICDBG funds may be made only against properties owned and occupied by persons not of low and moderate income. Such assessments constitute program income. (B) Special assessments to recover the non-ICDBG portion may be made provided that ICDBG funds are used to pay the special assessment on behalf of all properties owned and occupied by low and moderate income persons; except that ICDBG funds need not be used to pay the special assessments on behalf of properties owned and occupied by moderate income persons if the grantee certifies that it does not have sufficient ICDBG funds to pay the assessments in behalf of all of the low and moderate income owner-occupant persons. Funds collected through such special assessments are not program income. (iii) Public improvements not initially assisted with ICDBG funds. The payment of special assessments with ICDBG funds constitutes ICDBG assistance to the public improvement. Therefore, ICDBG funds may be used to pay special assessments provided: (A) The installation of the public improvements was carried out in compliance with requirements applicable to activities assisted under this part including environmental and citizen participation requirements; and (B) The installation of the public improvement meets a criterion for the primary objective in §1003.208; and, (C) The requirements of §1003.201(c)(3)(ii))(B) are met. (d) Clearance activities. Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other sites. Demolition of HUD-assisted housing units may be undertaken only with the prior approval of HUD. (e) Public services. Provision of public services (including labor, supplies, materials, and the purchase of personal property and furnishings) which are directed toward improving the community's public services and facilities, including but not limited to those concerned with employment, crime prevention, child care, health, drug abuse, education, fair housing counseling, energy conservation, welfare (but excluding the provision of income payments identified under §1003.207(b)(4)), homebuyer downpayment assistance or recreational needs. To be eligible for ICDBG assistance, a public service must be either a new service, or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service above that which has been provided by or on behalf of the grantee through funds raised by the grantee, or received by the grantee from the Federal government in the twelve calendar months before the submission of the application for ICDBG assistance. (An exception to this requirement may be made if HUD determines that any decrease in the level of a service was the result of events not within the control of the grantee.) The amount of ICDBG funds used for public services shall not exceed 15 percent of the grant. Such projects must therefore be submitted with one or more other projects, which must comprise at least 85 percent of the total requested ICDBG grant amount. (f) Interim assistance. (1) The following activities may be undertaken on an interim basis in areas exhibiting objectively determinable signs of physical deterioration where the grantee has determined that immediate action is necessary to arrest the deterioration and that permanent improvements will be carried out as soon as practicable: (i) The repairing of streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, publicly owned utilities, and public buildings; and (ii) The execution of special garbage, trash, and debris removal, including neighborhood cleanup campaigns, but not the regular curbside collection of garbage or trash in an area. (2) In order to alleviate emergency conditions threatening the public health and safety in areas where the chief executive officer of the grantee determines that such an emergency condition exists and requires immediate resolution, ICDBG funds may be used for: (i) The activities specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, except for the repair of parks and playgrounds; (ii) The clearance of streets, including snow removal and similar activities; and (iii) The improvement of private properties. (3) All activities authorized under paragraph (f)(2) of this section are limited to the extent necessary to alleviate emergency conditions. (g) Payment of non-Federal share. Payment of the non-Federal share required in connection with a Federal grant-in-aid program undertaken as part of ICDBG activities, provided, that such payment shall be limited to activities otherwise eligible and in compliance with applicable requirements under this subpart. (h) Relocation. Relocation payments and other assistance for permanently and temporarily relocated individuals families, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and farm operations where the assistance is: (1) Required under the provisions of §1003.602 (b) or (c); or (2) Determined by the grantee to be appropriate under the provisions of §1003.602(d). (i) Loss of rental income. Payments to housing owners for losses of rental income incurred in holding, for temporary periods, housing units to be used for the relocation of individuals and families displaced by program activities assisted under this part. (j) Housing services. Housing services, as provided in section 105(a)(21) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(21)]. (k) Privately owned utilities. ICDBG funds may be used to acquire, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, or install the distribution lines and facilities of privately owned utilities, including the placing underground of new or existing distribution facilities and lines. (l) The provision of assistance to facilitate economic development. (1) The provision of assistance either through the grantee directly or through public and private organizations, agencies, and other subrecipients (including nonprofit and for-profit subrecipients) to facilitate economic development by: (i) Providing credit, including, but not limited to, grants, loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of financial support, for the establishment, stabilization, and expansion of microenterprises; (ii) Providing technical assistance, advice, and business support services to owners of microenterprises and persons developing microenterprises; and (iii) Providing general support, including, but not limited to, peer support programs, counseling, child care, transportation, and other similar services, to owners of microenterprises and persons developing microenterprises. (2) Services provided under paragraph (l)(1) of this section shall not be subject to the restrictions on public services contained in §1003.201(e). (3) For purposes of this paragraph (l), persons developing microenterprises means such persons who have expressed interest and who are, or after an initial screening process are expected to be, actively working toward developing businesses, each of which is expected to be a microenterprise at the time it is formed. (m) Technical assistance. Provision of technical assistance to public or nonprofit entities to increase the capacity of such entities to carry out eligible neighborhood revitalization or economic development activities. Capacity building for private or public entities (including grantees) for other purposes may be eligible as a planning cost under §1003.205. (n) Assistance to institutions of higher education. Provision of assistance by the grantee to institutions of higher education where the grantee determines that such an institution has demonstrated a capacity to carry out eligible activities under this subpart. (o) Homeownership assistance. ICDBG funds may be used to provide direct homeownership assistance to low- and moderate-income households to: (1) Subsidize interest rates and mortgage principal amounts for low-and moderate-income homebuyers; (2) Finance the acquisition by low-and moderate-income homebuyers of housing that is occupied by the homebuyers; (3) Acquire guarantees for mortgage financing obtained by low-and moderate-income homebuyers form private lenders (except that ICDBG funds may not be used to guarantee such mortgage financing directly, and grantees may not provide such guarantees directly); (4) Provide up to 50 percent of any downpayment required from a low-and moderate-income homebuyer; or (5) Pay reasonable closing costs (normally associated with the purchase of a home) incurred by a low-or moderate-income homebuyer. (a) Types of buildings and improvements eligible for rehabilitation or reconstruction assistance. ICDBG funds may be used to finance the rehabilitation of: (1) Privately owned buildings and improvements for residential purposes; improvements to a single-family residential property which is also used as a place of business, which are required in order to operate the business, need not be considered to be rehabilitation of a commercial or industrial building, if the improvements also provide general benefit to the residential occupants of the building; (2) Low-income public housing and other publicly owned residential buildings and improvements; (3) Publicly or privately owned commercial or industrial buildings, except that the rehabilitation of such buildings owned by a private for-profit business is limited to improvements to the exterior of the building and the correction of code violations (further improvements to such buildings may be undertaken pursuant to §1003.203(b)); and (4) Nonprofit-owned nonresidential buildings and improvements not eligible under §1003.201(c); (5) Manufactured housing when such housing constitutes part of the community's permanent housing stock. (b) Types of assistance. ICDBG funds may be used to finance the following types of rehabilitation or reconstruction activities, and related costs, either singly, or in combination, through the use of grants, loans, loan guarantees, interest supplements, or other means for buildings and improvements described in paragraph (a) of this section, except that rehabilitation of commercial or industrial buildings is limited as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section. (1) Assistance to private individuals and entities, including profit making and nonprofit organizations, to acquire for the purpose of rehabilitation, and to rehabilitate properties, for use or resale for residential purposes; (2) Labor, materials, and other costs of rehabilitation of properties, including repair directed toward an accumulation of deferred maintenance, replacement of principal fixtures and components of existing structures, installation of security devices, including smoke detectors and dead bolt locks, and renovation through alterations, additions to, or enhancement of existing structures, which may be undertaken singly, or in combination; (3) Loans for refinancing existing indebtedness secured by a property being rehabilitated with ICDBG funds if such financing is determined by the grantee to be necessary or appropriate to achieve the grantee's community development objectives; (4) Improvements to increase the efficient use of energy in structures through such means as installation of storm windows and doors, siding, wall and attic insulation, and conversion, modification, or replacement of heating and cooling equipment, including the use of solar energy equipment; (5) Improvements to increase the efficient use of water through such means as water saving faucets and shower heads and repair of water leaks; (6) Connection of residential structures to water distribution lines or local sewer collection lines; (7) For rehabilitation carried out with ICDBG funds, costs of: (i) Initial homeowner warranty premiums; (ii) Hazard insurance premiums, except where assistance is provided in the form of a grant; and (iii) Flood insurance premiums for properties covered by the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, pursuant to 24 CFR 58.6(a). (iv) Lead-based paint activities in part 35 of this title. (8) Costs of acquiring tools to be lent to owners, tenants, and others who will use such tools to carry out rehabilitation; (9) Rehabilitation services, such as rehabilitation counseling, energy auditing, preparation of work specifications, loan processing, inspections, and other services related to assisting owners, tenants, contractors, and other entities, participating or seeking to participate in rehabilitation activities authorized under this section; (10) Improvements designed to remove material and architectural barriers that restrict the mobility and accessibility of elderly or severely disabled persons to buildings and improvements eligible for assistance under paragraph (a) of this section. (c) Code enforcement. Code enforcement in deteriorating or deteriorated areas where such enforcement together with public or private improvements, rehabilitation, or services to be provided, may be expected to arrest the decline of the area. (d) Historic preservation. ICDBG funds may be used for the rehabilitation, preservation or restoration of historic properties, whether publicly or privately owned. Historic properties are those sites or structures that are either listed in or eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places, listed in a State or local inventory of historic places, or designated as a State or local landmark or historic district by appropriate law or ordinance. Historic preservation, however, is not authorized for buildings for the general conduct of government. (e) Renovation of closed buildings. ICDBG funds may be used to renovate closed buildings, such as closed school buildings, for use as an eligible public facility or to rehabilitate such buildings for housing. [61 FR 40090, July 31, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 50230, Sept. 15, 1999] A grantee may use ICDBG funds for special economic development activities in addition to other activities authorized in this subpart which may be carried out as part of an economic development project. Special activities authorized under this section do not include assistance for the construction of new housing. Special economic development activities include: (a) The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of commercial or industrial buildings, structures, and other real property equipment and improvements, including railroad spurs or similar extensions. Such activities may be carried out by the grantee or public or private nonprofit subrecipients. (b) The provision of assistance to a private for-profit business, including, but not limited to, grants, loans, loan guarantees, interest supplements, technical assistance, and other forms of support, for any activity where the assistance is necessary or appropriate to carry out an economic development project, excluding those described as ineligible in §1003.207(a). In order to ensure that any such assistance does not unduly enrich the for-profit business, the grantee shall conduct an analysis to determine that the amount of any financial assistance to be provided is not excessive, taking into account the actual needs of the business in making the project financially feasible and the extent of public benefit expected to be derived from the economic development project. The grantee shall document the analysis as well as any factors it considered in making its determination that the assistance is necessary or appropriate to carry out the project. The requirement for making such a determination applies whether the business is to receive assistance from the grantee or through a subrecipient.
Title 24: Housing and Urban Development
PART 1003—COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS FOR INDIAN TRIBES AND ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES
Subpart C—Eligible Activities
§ 1003.200 General policies.
§ 1003.201 Basic eligible activities.
§ 1003.202 Eligible rehabilitation and preservation activities.
§ 1003.203 Special economic development activities.
§ 1003.204 Special activities by Community-Based Development Organizations (CBDOs).
(a) Eligible activities. The grantee may provide ICDBG funds as grants or loans to any CBDO qualified under this section to carry out a neighborhood revitalization, community economic development, or energy conservation project. The funded project activities may include those listed as eligible under this subpart, and, except as described in paragraph (b) of this section, activities not otherwise listed as eligible under this subpart. For purposes of qualifying as a project under paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of this section, the funded activity or activities may be considered either alone or in concert with other project activities either being carried out or for which funding has been committed. For purposes of this section:
(1) Neighborhood revitalization project includes activities of sufficient size and scope to have an impact on the decline of a geographic location within the jurisdiction of a grantee (but not the entire jurisdiction) designated in comprehensive plans, ordinances, or other local documents as a neighborhood, village, or similar geographical designation; or the entire jurisdiction of a grantee which is under 25,000 population;
(2) Community economic development project includes activities that increase economic opportunity, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income, or that stimulate or retain businesses or permanent jobs, including projects that include one or more such activities that are clearly needed to address a lack of affordable housing accessible to existing or planned jobs;
(3) Energy conservation project includes activities that address energy conservation, principally for the benefit of the residents of the grantee's jurisdiction; and
(4) To carry out a project means that the CBDO undertakes the funded activities directly or through contract with an entity other than the grantee, or through the provision of financial assistance for activities in which it retains a direct and controlling involvement and responsibilities.
(b) Ineligible activities. Notwithstanding that CBDOs may carry out activities that are not otherwise eligible under this subpart, this section does not authorize:
(1) Carrying out an activity described as ineligible in §1003.207(a);
(2) Carrying out public services that do not meet the requirements of §1003.201(e), except services carried out under this section that are specifically designed to increase economic opportunities through job training and placement and other employment support services, including, but not limited to, peer support programs, counseling, child care, transportation, and other similar services;
(3) Carrying out an activity that would otherwise be eligible under §1003.205 or §1003.206, but that would result in the grantee's exceeding the spending limitation in §1003.206.
(c) Eligible CBDOs. (1) A CBDO qualifying under this section is an organization which has the following characteristics:
(i) Is an association or corporation organized under State or local law to engage in community development activities (which may include housing and economic development activities) primarily within an identified geographic area of operation within the jurisdiction of the grantee; and
(ii) Has as its primary purpose the improvement of the physical, economic or social environment of its geographic area of operation by addressing one or more critical problems of the area, with particular attention to the needs of persons of low and moderate income; and
(iii) May be either non-profit or for-profit, provided any monetary profits to its shareholders or members must be only incidental to its operations; and
(iv) Maintains at least 51 percent of its governing body's membership for low- and moderate-income residents of its geographic area of operation, owners or senior officers of private establishments and other institutions located in and serving its geographic area of operation, or representatives of low- and moderate-income neighborhood organizations located in its geographic area of operation; and
(v) Is not an agency or instrumentality of the grantee and does not permit more than one-third of the membership of its governing body to be appointed by, or to consist of, elected or other public officials or employees or officials of an ineligible entity (even though such persons may be otherwise qualified under paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section); and
(vi) Except as otherwise authorized in paragraph (c)(1)(v) of this section, requires the members of its governing body to be nominated and approved by the general membership of the organization, or by its permanent governing body; and
(vii) Is not subject to requirements under which its assets revert to the grantee upon dissolution; and
(viii) Is free to contract for goods and services from vendors of its own choosing.
(2) A CBDO that does not meet the criteria in paragraph (c)(1) of this section may also qualify as an eligible entity under this section if it meets one of the following requirements:
(i) Is an entity organized pursuant to section 301(d) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 681(d)), including those which are profit making; or
(ii) Is an SBA-approved Section 501 State Development Company or Section 502 Local Development Company, or an SBA Certified Section 503 Company under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended; or
(iii) Is a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) under 24 CFR 92.2, designated as a CHDO by the HOME Investment Partnerships program participating jurisdiction, with a geographic area of operation of no more than one neighborhood, and has received HOME funds under 24 CFR 92.300 or is expected to receive HOME funds as described in and documented in accordance with 24 CFR 92.300(e); or
(iv) Is a tribal-based nonprofit organization. Such organizations are associations or corporations duly organized to promote and undertake community development activities on a not-for-profit basis within an identified service area.
(3) A CBDO that does not qualify under paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of this section may also be determined to qualify as an eligible entity under this section if the grantee demonstrates to the satisfaction of HUD, through the provision of information regarding the organization's charter and by-laws, that the organization is sufficiently similar in purpose, function, and scope to those entities qualifying under paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of this section.
§ 1003.205 Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities.
(a) Planning activities which consist of all costs of data gathering, studies, analysis, and preparation of plans and the identification of actions that will implement such plans, including, but not limited to comprehensive plans, community development plans and functional plans in areas such as housing and economic development. In addition, other plans and studies such as capital improvements programs, individual project plans, general environmental studies, and strategies and action programs to implement plans, including the development of codes and ordinances are also eligible activities. With respect to the costs of individual project plans, engineering and design costs related to a specific activity are eligible as part of the cost of such activity under §§1003.201 through 1003.204 and are not considered planning costs. Also, costs necessary to comply with the requirements of 24 CFR part 58, including project specific environmental assessments and clearances for activities eligible under this part are eligible as part of the cost of such activities under §§1003.201 through 1003.204.
(b) Policy—planning—management—capacity building activities including those which will enable the grantee to determine its needs, set long term goals and short term objectives, devise programs to meet these goals and objectives, evaluate the progress being made in accomplishing the goals and objectives. In addition, actions necessary to carry out management, coordination and monitoring of activities necessary for effective planning implementation are eligible planning activities, however the costs necessary to implement the plans are not.
§ 1003.206 Program administration costs.
ICDBG funds may be used for the payment of reasonable administrative costs and carrying charges related to the planning and execution of community development activities assisted in whole or in part with funds provided under this part. No more than 20 percent of the sum of any grant plus program income received shall be expended for activities described in this section and in §1003.205—Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management capacity building activities. This does not include staff and overhead costs directly related to carrying out activities eligible under §§1003.201 through 1003.204, since those costs are eligible as part of such activities. In addition, technical assistance costs associated with developing the capacity to undertake a specific funded activity are also not considered program administration costs. These costs must not, however, exceed 10% of the total grant award.
(a) General management, oversight and coordination. Reasonable costs of overall program management, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation. Such costs include, but are not necessarily limited to, necessary expenditures for the following:
(1) Salaries, wages, and related costs of the grantee's staff, the staff of local public agencies, or other staff engaged in program administration. In charging costs to this category the grantee may either include the entire salary, wages, and related costs allocable to the program of each person whose primary responsibilities with regard to the program involve program administration assignments, or the pro rata share of the salary, wages, and related costs of each person whose job includes any program administration assignments. The grantee may use only one of these methods during the grant period. Program administration includes the following types of assignments:
(i) Providing tribal officials and citizens with information about the program;
(ii) Preparing program budgets and schedules, and amendments thereto;
(iii) Developing systems for assuring compliance with program requirements;
(iv) Developing interagency agreements and agreements with subrecipients and contractors to carry out program activities;
(v) Monitoring program activities for progress and compliance with program requirements;
(vi) Preparing reports and other documents related to the program for submission to HUD;
(vii) Coordinating the resolution of audit and monitoring findings;
(viii) Evaluating program results against stated objectives; and
(ix) Managing or supervising persons whose primary responsibilities with regard to the program include such assignments as those described in paragraph (a)(1) (i) through (viii) of this section.
(2) Travel costs incurred for official business in carrying out the program;
(3) Administrative services performed under third party contracts or agreements, including such services as general legal services, accounting services, and audit services; and
(4) Other costs for goods and services required for administration of the program, including such goods and services as rental or purchase of equipment, furnishings, or other personal property (or the payment of depreciation or use allowances for such items in accordance with OMB Circulars A–21, A–87 or A–122, as applicable), insurance, utilities, office supplies, and rental and maintenance (but not purchase) of office space. (OMB Circulars are available from the Executive Office of the President, Publication Service, 725 17th Street, N.W., Suite G–2200, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone, 202–395–7332.)
(b) Public information. The provisions of information and other resources to residents and citizen organizations participating in the planning, implementation, or assessment of activities being assisted with ICDBG funds.
(c) Indirect costs. Indirect costs may be charged to the ICDBG program under a cost allocation plan prepared in accordance with OMB Circular A–21, A–87, or A–122 as applicable.
(d) Submission of applications for Federal programs. Preparation of documents required for submission to HUD to receive funds under the ICDBG program. In addition, ICDBG funds may be used to prepare applications for other Federal programs where the grantee determines that such activities are necessary or appropriate to achieve its community development objectives.
§ 1003.207 Ineligible activities.
The general rule is that any activity that is not authorized under the provisions of §§1003.201 through 1003.206 is ineligible to be assisted with ICDBG funds. This section identifies specific activities that are ineligible and provides guidance in determining the eligibility of other activities frequently associated with housing and community development.
(a) The following activities may not be assisted with ICDBG funds:
(1) Buildings or portions thereof used for the general conduct of government as defined at §1003.4 cannot be assisted with ICDBG funds. This does not include, however, the removal of architectural barriers under §1003.201(c) involving any such building. Also, where acquisition of real property includes an existing improvement which is to be used in the provision of a building for the general conduct of government, the portion of the acquisition cost attributable to the land is eligible, provided such acquisition meets the primary objective described in §1003.208.
(2) General government expenses. Except as otherwise specifically authorized in this subpart or under OMB Circular A–87, expenses required to carry out the regular responsibilities of the grantee are not eligible for assistance under this part.
(3) Political activities. ICDBG funds shall not be used to finance the use of facilities or equipment for political purposes or to engage in other partisan political activities, such as candidate forums, voter transportation, or voter registration. However, a facility originally assisted with ICDBG funds may be used on an incidental basis to hold political meetings, candidate forums, or voter registration campaigns, provided that all parties and organizations have access to the facility on an equal basis, and are assessed equal rent or use charges, if any.
(b) The following activities may not be assisted with ICDBG funds unless authorized under provisions of §1003.203 or as otherwise specifically noted herein, or when carried out by a CBDO under the provisions of §1003.204.
(1) Purchase of equipment. The purchase of equipment with ICDBG funds is generally ineligible.
(i) Construction equipment. The purchase of construction equipment is ineligible, but compensation for the use of such equipment through leasing, depreciation, or use allowances pursuant to OMB Circular A–21, A–87 or A–122 as applicable for an otherwise eligible activity is an eligible use of ICDBG funds.
(ii) Furnishings and personal property. The purchase of equipment, fixtures, motor vehicles, furnishings, or other personal property not an integral structural fixture is generally ineligible. Exceptions to this general prohibition are set forth in §1003.201(o).
(2) Operating and maintenance expenses. The general rule is that any expense associated with repairing, operating or maintaining public facilities, improvements and services is ineligible. Specific exceptions to this general rule are operating and maintenance expenses associated with public service activities, interim assistance, and office space for program staff employed in carrying out the ICDBG program. For example, the use of ICDBG funds to pay the allocable costs of operating and maintaining a facility used in providing a public service would be eligible under §1003.201(e), even if no other costs of providing such a service are assisted with such funds. Examples of ineligible operating and maintenance expenses are:
(i) Maintenance and repair of streets, parks, playgrounds, water and sewer facilities, neighborhood facilities, senior centers, centers for persons with a disability, parking and similar public facilities; and
(ii) Payment of salaries for staff, utility costs and similar expenses necessary for the operation of public works and facilities.
(3) New housing construction. ICDBG funds may not be used for the construction of new permanent residential structures or for any program to subsidize or assist such new construction, except:
(i) As provided under the last resort housing provisions set forth in 24 CFR part 42; or
(ii) When carried out by a CBDO pursuant to §1003.204(a);
(4) Income payments. The general rule is that ICDBG funds may not be used for income payments. For purposes of the ICDBG program, income payments means a series of subsistence-type grant payments made to an individual or family for items such as food, clothing, housing (rent or mortgage) or utilities, but excludes emergency payments made over a period of up to three months to the provider of such items or services on behalf of an individual or family.
§ 1003.208 Criteria for compliance with the primary objective.
The Act establishes as its primary objective the development of viable communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income. Consistent with this objective, not less than 70 percent of the expenditures of each single purpose grant shall be for activities which meet the criteria set forth in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this section. Activities meeting these criteria as applicable will be considered to benefit low and moderate income persons unless there is substantial evidence to the contrary. In assessing any such evidence, the full range of direct effects of the assisted activity will be considered. (The grantee shall appropriately ensure that activities that meet these criteria do not benefit moderate income persons to the exclusion of low income persons.)
(a) Area benefit activities. (1) An activity, the benefits of which are available to all the residents in a particular area, where at least 51 percent of the residents are low and moderate income persons. Such an area need not be coterminous with census tracts or other officially recognized boundaries but must be the entire area served by the activity. An activity that serves an area that is not primarily residential in character shall not qualify under this criterion.
(2) For purposes of determining qualification under this criterion, activities of the same type that serve different areas will be considered separately on the basis of their individual service area.
(3) In determining whether there is a sufficiently large percentage of low and moderate income persons residing in the area served by an activity to qualify under paragraph (a) (1) or (2) of this section, the most recently available decennial census information shall be used to the fullest extent feasible, together with the Section 8 income limits that would have applied at the time the income information was collected by the Census Bureau. Grantees that believe that the census data does not reflect current relative income levels in an area, or where census boundaries do not coincide sufficiently well with the service area of an activity, may conduct (or have conducted) a current survey of the residents of the area to determine the percent of such persons that are low and moderate income. HUD will accept information obtained through such surveys, to be used in lieu of the decennial census data, where it determines that the survey was conducted in such a manner that the results meet standards of statistical reliability that are comparable to that of the decennial census data for areas of similar size. Where there is substantial evidence that provides a clear basis to believe that the use of the decennial census data would substantially overstate the proportion of persons residing there that are low and moderate income, HUD may require that the grantee rebut such evidence in order to demonstrate compliance with section 105(c)(2) of the Act.
(b) Limited clientele activities. (1) An activity which benefits a limited clientele, at least 51 percent of whom are low or moderate income persons. (The following kinds of activities may not qualify under paragraph (b) of this section: Activities, the benefits of which are available to all the residents of an area; activities involving the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of property for housing; or activities where the benefit to low and moderate income persons to be considered is the creation or retention of jobs except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.) To qualify under paragraph (b) of this section, the activity must meet one of the following tests:
(i) Benefit a clientele who are generally presumed to be principally low and moderate income persons. Activities that exclusively serve a group of persons in any one of the following categories may be presumed to benefit persons, 51 percent of whom are low-and moderate-income: abused children, battered spouses, elderly persons, adults meeting the Bureau of the Census' current Population Reports definition of “severely disabled”, homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant workers; or
(ii) Require information on family size and income so that it is evident that at least 51 percent of the clientele are persons whose family income does not exceed the low and moderate income limit; or
(iii) Have income eligibility requirements which limit the activity exclusively to low and moderate income persons; or
(iv) Be of such nature and be in such location that it may be concluded that the activity's clientele will primarily be low and moderate income persons.
(2) An activity that serves to remove material or architectural barriers to the mobility or accessibility of elderly persons or adults meeting the Bureau of the Census' Current Population Reports definition of “severely disabled” will be presumed to qualify under this criterion if it is restricted, to the extent practicable, to the removal of such barriers by assisting:
(i) The reconstruction of a public facility or improvement, or portion thereof, that does not qualify under §1003.208(a); or
(ii) The rehabilitation of a privately-owned nonresidential building or improvement that does not qualify under §1003.208 (a) or (d); or
(iii) The rehabilitation of the common areas of a residential structure that contains more than one dwelling unit.
(3) A microenterprise assistance activity carried out in accordance with the provisions of §1003.201(l) with respect to those owners of microenterprises and persons developing microenterprises assisted under the activity during the grant period who are low and moderate income persons. For purposes of this paragraph, persons determined to be low and moderate income may be presumed to continue to qualify for up to a three year period.
(4) An activity designed to provide job training and placement and/or other employment support services, including but not limited to, peer support programs, counseling, child care, transportation, and other similar services, in which the percentage of low and moderate income persons assisted is less than 51 percent may qualify under this paragraph in the following limited circumstance:
(i) In such cases where such training or provision of supportive services assists business(es), the only use of ICDBG assistance for the project is to provide the job training and/or supportive services; and
(ii) The proportion of the total cost of the project borne by ICDBG funds is no greater than the proportion of the total number of persons assisted who are low or moderate income.
(c) Housing activities. An eligible activity carried out for the purpose of providing or improving permanent residential structures which, upon completion, will be occupied by low and moderate income households. This would include, but not necessarily be limited to, the acquisition or rehabilitation of property, conversion of non-residential structures, and new housing construction. Funds expended for activities which qualify under the provisions of this paragraph shall be counted as benefiting low and moderate income persons but shall be limited to an amount determined by multiplying the total cost (including ICDBG and non-ICDBG costs) of the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation by the percent of units in such housing to be occupied by low and moderate income persons. If the structure assisted contains two dwelling units, at least one must be occupied by low and moderate income households, and if the structure contains more than two dwelling units, at least 51 percent of the units must be so occupied. Where two or more rental buildings being assisted are or will be located on the same or contiguous properties, and the buildings will be under common ownership and management, the grouped buildings may be considered for this purpose as a single structure. For rental housing, occupancy by low and moderate income households must be at affordable rents to qualify under this criterion. The grantee shall adopt and make public its standards for determining “affordable rents” for this purpose. The following shall also qualify under this criterion:
(1) When less than 51 percent of the units in a structure will be occupied by low and moderate income households, ICDBG assistance may be provided in the following limited circumstances:
(i) The assistance is for an eligible activity to reduce the development cost of the new construction of a multifamily, non-elderly rental housing project;
(ii) Not less than 20 percent of the units will be occupied by low and moderate income households at affordable rents; and
(iii) The proportion of the total cost of developing the project to be borne by ICDBG funds is no greater than the proportion of units in the project that will be occupied by low and moderate income households.
(2) When ICDBG funds are used for housing services eligible under §1003.201(j), such funds shall be considered to benefit low-and moderate-income persons if the housing for which the services are provided is to be occupied by low-and moderate-income households.
(d) Job creation or retention activities. An activity designed to create or retain permanent jobs where at least 51 percent of the jobs, computed on a full time equivalent basis, involve the employment of low and moderate persons. For purposes of determining whether a job is held by or made available to a low or moderate income person, the person may be presumed to be a low or moderate income person if: he/she resides within a census tract (or block numbering area) where not less than 70 percent of the residents have incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median; or, if he/she resides in a census tract (or block numbering area) which meets the Federal Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community eligibility criteria; or, if the assisted business is located in and the job under consideration is to be located in such a tract or area. As a general rule, each assisted business shall be considered to be a separate activity for purposes of determining whether the activity qualifies under this paragraph. However, in certain cases such as where ICDBG funds are used to acquire, develop or improve a real property (e.g., a business incubator or an industrial park) the requirement may be met by measuring jobs in the aggregate for all the businesses which locate on the property, provided such businesses are not otherwise assisted by ICDBG funds. Where ICDBG funds are used to pay for the staff and overhead costs of a CBDO under the provisions of §1003.204 making loans to businesses from non-ICDBG funds, this requirement may be met by aggregating the jobs created by all of the businesses receiving loans during any one year period. For an activity that creates jobs, the grantee must document that at least 51 percent of the jobs will be held by, or will be available to, low and moderate income persons. For an activity that retains jobs, the grantee must document that the jobs would actually be lost without the ICDBG assistance and that either or both of the following conditions apply with respect to at least 51 percent of the jobs at the time the ICDBG assistance is provided: The job is known to be held by a low or moderate income person; or the job can reasonably be expected to turn over within the following two years and that steps will be taken to ensure that it will be filled by, or made available to, a low or moderate income person upon turnover. Jobs will be considered to be available to low and moderate income persons for these purposes only if:
(1) Special skills that can only be acquired with substantial training or work experience or education beyond high school are not a prerequisite to fill such jobs, or the business agrees to hire unqualified persons and provide training; and
(2) The grantee and the assisted business take actions to ensure that low and moderate income persons receive first consideration for filling such jobs.
(e) Additional criteria. (1) Where the assisted activity is acquisition of real property, a preliminary determination of whether the activity addresses the primary objective may be based on the planned use of the property after acquisition. A final determination shall be based on the actual use of the property, excluding any short-term, temporary use.
(2) Where the assisted activity is relocation assistance that the grantee is required to provide, such relocation assistance shall be considered to address the primary objective as addressed by the displacing activity.
(3) In any case where the activity undertaken for the purpose of creating or retaining jobs is a public improvement and the area served is primarily residential, the activity must meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section as well as those of paragraph (d) of this section in order to qualify as benefiting low and moderate income persons.
(4) Expenditures for activities meeting the criteria for benefiting low and moderate income persons shall be used in determining the extent to which the grantee's overall program benefits such persons. In determining the percentage of funds expended for such activities:
(i) Costs of administration and planning, eligible under §1003.205 and §1003.206 respectively, will be assumed to benefit low and moderate income persons in the same proportion as the remainder of the ICDBG funds and, accordingly, shall be excluded from the calculation.
(ii) Funds expended for the acquisition, new construction or rehabilitation of property for housing those qualified under §1003.208(c) shall be counted for this purpose, but shall be limited to an amount determined by multiplying the total cost (including ICDBG and non-ICDBG costs) of the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation by the percent of units in such housing occupied by low and moderate income persons.
(iii) Funds expended for any other activity which qualifies under §1003.208 shall be counted for this purpose in their entirety.
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