(a) Methods of determining annual income. The HOME program has income targeting requirements for the HOME program and for HOME projects. Therefore, the participating jurisdiction must determine each family is income eligible by determining the family's annual income.

(1) If a family is applying for or living in a HOME-assisted rental unit, and the unit is assisted by a Federal or State project-based rental subsidy program, then a participating jurisdiction must accept the public housing agency, owner, or rental subsidy provider's determination of the family's annual income and adjusted income under that program's rules.

(2) If a family is applying for or living in a HOME-assisted rental unit, and the family is assisted by a Federal tenant-based rental assistance program (e.g., housing choice vouchers, etc.), then a participating jurisdiction may accept the rental assistance provider's determination of the family's annual income and adjusted income under that program's rules.

(3) In all other cases, the participating jurisdiction must calculate annual income in accordance with paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section and calculate adjusted income in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section.

(b) Required documentation for annual income calculations. (1) For families who are tenants in HOME-assisted housing and not receiving HOME tenant-based rental assistance, the participating jurisdiction must initially determine annual income using the method in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section. For subsequent income determinations during the period of affordability, the participating jurisdiction may use any one of the following methods in accordance with § 92.252(h):

(i) Examine at least 2 months of source documents evidencing annual income (e.g., wage statement, interest statement, unemployment compensation statement) for the family.

(ii) Obtain from the family a written statement of the amount of the family's annual income and family size, along with a certification that the information is complete and accurate. The certification must state that the family will provide source documents upon request.

(iii) Obtain a written statement from the administrator of a government program under which the family receives benefits and which examines each year the annual income of the family. The statement must indicate the tenant's family size and state the amount of the family's annual income; or alternatively, the statement must indicate the current dollar limit for very low- or low-income families for the family size of the tenant and state that the tenant's annual income does not exceed this limit.

(2) For all other families (i.e., homeowners receiving rehabilitation assistance, homebuyers, and recipients of HOME tenant-based rental assistance), the participating jurisdiction must determine annual income by examining at least 2 months of source documents evidencing annual income (e.g., wage statement, interest statement, unemployment compensation statement) for the family.

(c) Defining income for eligibility. When determining whether a family is income eligible, the participating jurisdiction must use one of the following two definitions of “annual income”:

(1) Annual income as defined at §§ 5.609(a) and (b) of this title (except when determining the income of a homeowner for an owner-occupied rehabilitation project, the value of the homeowner's principal residence may be excluded from the calculation of net family assets, as defined in § 5.603 of this title); or

(2) Adjusted gross income as defined for purposes of reporting under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040 series for individual Federal annual income tax purposes.

(d) Using income definitions. The participating jurisdiction may use only one definition of annual income for each HOME-assisted program (e.g., downpayment assistance program) that it administers and only one definition for each rental housing project. A participating jurisdiction may use either of the definitions of “annual income” permitted in paragraph (c) of this section. For rental housing projects containing units assisted by a Federal or State project-based rental subsidy program or for rental housing projects where a participating jurisdiction is accepting a public housing agency, owner, or rental assistance provider's determination of annual and adjusted income for tenants receiving Federal tenant-based rental assistance, the participating jurisdiction must calculate annual income in accordance with paragraph (c)(i) of this section so that only one definition of annual income is used in the rental housing project.

(e) Determining family composition and projecting income. (1) The participating jurisdiction must calculate the annual income of the family by projecting the prevailing rate of income of the family at the time the participating jurisdiction determines that the family is income eligible. Annual income includes income from all persons in the household, except live-in aides, foster children, and foster adults. Income or asset enhancement derived from the HOME-assisted project shall not be considered in calculating annual income. Families may use the certification process in § 5.618 of this title to certify that their net family assets are below the threshold for imputing income used in § 5.609(a)(2) of this title, as applicable. Families using the certification process in § 5.618 of this title that are homeowners applying for an owner-occupied rehabilitation project may also exclude the value of the homeowner's principal residence from the calculation of their Net Family Assets for purposes of the certification. For families living in HOME-assisted rental housing units, any rental assistance provided to the family under a Federal tenant-based rental assistance program or any Federal or State project-based rental subsidy provided to the HOME rental housing unit shall not be counted as tenant income for purposes of determining annual income.

(2) The participating jurisdiction is not required to re-examine the family's income at the time the HOME assistance is provided, unless more than six months has elapsed since the participating jurisdiction determined that the family qualified as income eligible.

(3) The participating jurisdiction must follow the requirements in § 5.617 of this title when making subsequent income determinations of persons with disabilities who are tenants in HOME-assisted rental housing or who receive HOME tenant-based rental assistance. This paragraph (e)(3) will lapse on January 1, 2026.

(f) Determining Adjusted Income. (1) The three cases where a participating jurisdiction must calculate a tenant's adjusted income are as follows:

(i) A participating jurisdiction must calculate the adjusted income of a family receiving tenant-based rental assistance to determine the amount of assistance in accordance with § 92.209(h). To calculate the family's adjusted income for a family in tenant-based rental assistance, the participating jurisdiction must apply the deductions in § 5.611(a) of this title and may choose to grant financial hardship exemptions in accordance with the process described in §§ 5.611(c) through (e) of this title.

(ii) A participating jurisdiction must calculate a tenant's adjusted income if the tenant is living in a Low HOME Rent unit and is subject to the provisions of § 92.252(b)(2)(i). To calculate a family's adjusted income to determine the Low HOME Rent in accordance with § 92.252(b)(2)(i), a participating jurisdiction must apply the deductions in § 5.611(a) of this title and may choose to grant financial hardship exemptions in accordance with the process described in §§ 5.611(c) through (e) of this title.

(iii) A participating jurisdiction must calculate a tenant's adjusted income if the tenant is over-income, and rent must be recalculated in accordance with § 92.252(i)(2). To calculate the family's adjusted income for an over-income family, the participating jurisdiction must apply the deductions in § 5.611(a) of this title.

(2) If a unit is assisted by a Federal or State project-based rental subsidy program, then a participating jurisdiction is not required to calculate the family's adjusted income and must accept the public housing agency, owner, or rental subsidy provider's determination of adjusted income under that program's rules.

[88 FR 9662, Feb. 14, 2023]