(1) There is authorized to be established by the corporation with a qualified public depository meeting the requirements of chapter 280 the HOME Investment Partnership Fund, which shall be administered by the corporation according to the provisions of the HOME Investment Partnership Program which is hereby created. Any amounts held in the HOME Partnership Trust Fund for such purposes as of January 1, 1998, must be transferred to the corporation for deposit in the HOME Investment Partnership Fund, whereupon the HOME Partnership Trust Fund must be closed. There shall be deposited into the fund moneys from the State Housing Trust Fund or moneys received from any other source for the purpose of this program, and all proceeds derived from the use of such moneys. In addition, all loan repayments, proceeds from the sale of any property, and any other proceeds that would otherwise accrue pursuant to the activities conducted under the provisions of the HOME Investment Partnership Program shall be deposited into the fund and shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund. Expenditures from the HOME Investment Partnership Fund shall not be required to be included in the corporation’s budget request or be subject to appropriation by the Legislature.

(2) The corporation shall make loans available to eligible housing providers or home buyers on the basis of the selection process established and described by corporation program rules. Such process must incorporate and provide incentives for welfare-to-work transitioning in coordination with applicable state and federal programs.

(3) The corporation may make loans to home buyers in connection with the corporation’s single-family mortgage revenue bond program on the basis of “first come, first served” or as described in the program rule.

(4) The corporation’s board of directors may approve projects located in a state or federally declared disaster area or demonstration projects based on selection criteria as approved by the board of directors. In addition, as approved by the corporation’s board of directors, disaster projects or demonstration projects may be granted or provided a HOME loan with forgivable terms.

(5) Loans made under this program shall be made for eligible applicants and activities as enumerated in 24 C.F.R. part 92, and as enumerated in the program rule approved by the corporation’s board of directors.

(6) Applications for loans under any competitive scoring process established by program rule must be approved by a review committee established by corporation rule which shall analyze factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Demographic targeting objectives of the corporation.

(b) Corporation portfolio diversification.

(c) Developer’s agreement to make units for the targeted group available for more than the minimum period required by rule.

(d) Leveraging of HOME funds.

(e) Local matching funds.

(f) The project’s feasibility and long-term economic viability.

(g) Demonstrated capacity of the proposed project’s development team.

(h) Conformance with the consolidated plan for the state and area in which the proposed project will be located.

(i) Other factors determined and approved by the corporation’s board of directors.

(7) The review committee established by corporation rule pursuant to this subsection shall make recommendations to the corporation board regarding program participation. The corporation board shall approve the final ranking and decide which applicants become program participants based on the scores received in the ranking. The actual loan amount shall be determined pursuant to rule and the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).

(8) The loan term shall be for a minimum period equal to the affordability period as stated in 24 C.F.R. part 92 or 15 years for rental rehabilitations and 20 years for rental or homeownership new construction loans. The corporation may renegotiate and extend the loan in order to extend the availability of housing for the targeted population.

(9) If a default on a loan occurs, the corporation may cause a foreclosure on any mortgage or security interest or commence any legal action to protect the interest of the corporation or the fund and recover the amount of the unpaid principal, accrued interest, and fees on behalf of the fund. The corporation may acquire real and personal property or any interest in the property if that acquisition is necessary to protect any loan; sell, transfer, and convey any such property to a buyer without regard to the provisions of chapters 253 and 270; and, if that sale, transfer, or conveyance cannot be effected within a reasonable time, lease such property for occupancy by eligible persons.

(10) All sums recovered from the sale, transfer, conveyance, or lease of such property shall be deposited into the HOME Investment Partnership Fund.

(11) The corporation shall monitor all projects funded under this section to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements. The corporation may inspect such projects or records pertaining to those projects at any reasonable time.

History.—s. 24, ch. 92-317; s. 15, ch. 97-167; s. 9, ch. 98-56.