Grants: HOME Investment Partnerships Program; correction,

[Federal Register: March 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 42)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 10160-10161]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr04mr03-9]

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 92

[Docket No. FR-4111-C-04]

RIN 2501-AC30

HOME Investment Partnerships Program; Correction

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HUD.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY: On October 1, 2002, HUD published a final rule making several streamlining and clarifying amendments to the regulations for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The final rule inadvertently removed the 36-month timeframe for purchasing a home under lease-purchase programs assisted with HOME funds. This document makes the necessary correction to the final rule.

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Virginia Sardone, Director, Program Policy Division, Office of Affordable Housing Programs, Room 7164, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410. Telephone: (202) 708-2470. (This is not a toll-free number.) A telecommunications device for hearing- and speech-impaired persons (TTY) is available at 1-800-877- 8339 (Federal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 1, 2002 (67 FR 61752), HUD published a final rule making several streamlining and clarifying amendments to the regulations for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Among other changes, the final rule amended Sec. 92.254(a)(7), which establishes the income eligibility requirements for lease-purchase agreements, to reflect a statutory change made by section 599B of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-276, approved October 21, 1998) (QHWRA). Section 599B of QHWRA eliminated the requirement that HOME-assisted homebuyers qualify as income eligible at the time of occupancy or when the HOME funds are invested, whichever is later. In the case of a lease-purchase agreement, section 599B requires the homebuyer to qualify as low-income at the time the agreement is signed.

In amending Sec. 92.254(a)(7) to implement section 599B of QHWRA, the October 1, 2002 final rule inadvertently removed the 36-month timeframe for purchasing a home under lease-purchase programs assisted with HOME funds. This provision requires that the home must be purchased by the homebuyer within 36 months of signing the lease- purchase agreement. This document makes the necessary correction to the October 1, 2002 final rule.

[[Page 10161]]

Accordingly, rule FR Doc. 02-24820 published on October 1, 2002 (67 FR 61752) is corrected as follows:

1. On page 61756, in the third column, Sec. 92.254(a)(7) is corrected to read as follows:

Sec. 92.254 Qualification as affordable housing: Homeownership.

(a) * * *

(7) Lease-purchase. HOME funds may be used to assist homebuyers through lease-purchase programs for existing housing and for housing to be constructed. The housing must be purchased by a homebuyer within 36 months of signing the lease'purchase agreement. The homebuyer must qualify as a low-income family at the time the lease-purchase agreement is signed. If HOME funds are used to acquire housing that will be resold to a homebuyer through a lease-purchase program, the HOME affordability requirements for rental housing in Sec. 92.252 shall apply if the housing is not transferred to a homebuyer within forty-two months after project completion. * * * * *

Dated: February 20, 2003. Roy A. Bernardi, Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

[FR Doc. 03-4941 Filed 3-3-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210-29-P