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474A.047 Residential rental bonds; limitations.

Subdivision 1. Eligibility. (a) An issuer may only use the proceeds from residential rental bonds if the proposed project meets one of the following:

(1) the proposed project is a single room occupancy project and all the units of the project will be occupied by individuals whose incomes at the time of their initial residency in the project are 50 percent or less of the greater of the statewide or county median income adjusted for household size as determined by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(2) the proposed project is a multifamily project where at least 75 percent of the units have two or more bedrooms and at least one-third of the 75 percent have three or more bedrooms; or

(3) the proposed project is a multifamily project that meets the following requirements:

(i) the proposed project is the rehabilitation of an existing multifamily building which meets the requirements for minimum rehabilitation expenditures in sections 42(e)(2) and 42(e)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(ii) the proposed project involves participation by the Minnesota housing finance agency or a local unit of government in the financing of the acquisition or rehabilitation of the project. For purposes of this subdivision, "participation" means an activity other than the issuance of the bonds; and

(iii) the proposed project must be occupied by individuals or families whose incomes at the time of their initial residency in the project meet the requirements of section 42(g) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) The maximum rent for a proposed single room occupancy unit under paragraph (a), clause (1), is 30 percent of the amount equal to 30 percent of the greater of the statewide or county median income for a one-member household as determined by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The maximum rent for at least 75 percent of the units of a multifamily project under paragraph (a), clause (2), is 30 percent of the amount equal to 50 percent of the greater of the statewide or county median income as determined by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development based on a household size with 1.5 persons per bedroom.

(c) The proceeds from residential rental bonds may be used for a project for which project-based federal rental assistance payments are made only if:

(1) the owner of the project enters into a binding agreement with the Minnesota housing finance agency under which the owner is obligated to extend any existing low-income affordability restrictions and any contract or agreement for rental assistance payments for the maximum term permitted, including any renewals thereof; and

(2) the Minnesota housing finance agency certifies that project reserves will be maintained at closing of the bond issue and budgeted in future years at the lesser of:

(i) the level described in Minnesota Rules, part 4900.0010, subpart 7, item A, subitem (2), effective May 1, 1997; or

(ii) the level of project reserves available prior to the bond issue, provided that additional money is available to accomplish repairs and replacements needed at the time of bond issue.

Subd. 2. 15-year agreement. Prior to the issuance of residential rental bonds, the developer of the project for which the bond proceeds will be used must enter into a 15-year agreement with the issuer that specifies the maximum rental rates of the units in the project and the income levels of the residents of the project. The rental rates and income levels must be within the limitations established under subdivision 1. The developer must annually certify to the issuer over the term of the agreement that the rental rates are within the limitations under subdivision 1. The issuer may request individual certification of the income of all residents of the project. The commissioner may request from the issuer a copy of the annual certification prepared by the developer. The commissioner may require the issuer to request individual certification of all residents of the project.

Subd. 3. Penalty. The issuer shall monitor project compliance with the rental rate and income level requirements under subdivision 1. The issuer may issue an order of noncompliance if a project is found by the issuer to be out of compliance with the rental rate or income level requirements under subdivision 1. The owner or owners of the project shall pay a penalty to the issuer equal to one-half of one percent of the total amount of bonds issued for the project under this chapter if the issuer issues an order of noncompliance. For each additional year a project is out of compliance, the annual penalty must be increased by one-half of one percent of the total amount of bonds issued under this chapter for the project. The issuer may waive insubstantial violations.

HIST: 1990 c 552 s 7; 1991 c 346 s 13,14; 1992 c 545 art 1 s 5; 1993 c 164 s 4; 1994 c 527 s 6; 1997 c 169 s 4

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes