HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Down Payment …

RFA #914-5052-19 ? Down Payment Assistance

State of Oregon Housing and Community Services Department

Request for Applications (RFA) #5052

HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Down Payment Assistance

RFA Issued Date: December 10, 2019 Application Due Date: January 23, 2020

Application Due Time: 3:00 PM Grant Agreement Begin Date (Approx.): May 1, 2020 Grant Agreement End Date (Approx.): November 1, 2021

Single Point of Contact (SPC): Alisha Schultz

Address: City, State, Zip E-mail:

725 Summer Street NE, Suite B Salem, Oregon 97301 OHCS.contracts@

Page 1 of 18 (AS)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.2 Purpose and Objectives 1.3 Definitions 1.4 Funding Guidelines 1.5 Reporting Requirements 1.6 Schedule

2.0 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 2.1 Application Submission 2.1.1 Oregon Public Records Law 2.1.2 Costs and Fees 2.1.3 Errors and Omissions 2.2 Application Completeness 2.3 Eligible Applicants 2.4 Capacity to Comply with Program Requirements 2.5 Responsive Applications 2.6 RFA Inquiries, Responses, and Protests 2.6.1 Inquiries to RFA 2.6.2 Responses; Addenda 2.6.3 Protests to RFA 2.6.4 Protests to Addenda; Reservations; and Grant Agreement Changes 2.6.5 Protests Requirements: 2.6.6 Protest Responses

3.0 SELECTION, RESERVATION, AND REPORTING 3.1 Application Rejection 3.2 Opening of Applications 3.3.1 Clarifications; Supplementations 3.3.2 Scoring Criteria 3.3.3 Review Process; Preference Points; Ranking of Applications

4.0 SCORED QUESTIONS

5.0 GENERAL TERMS 5.1 Submission ? No Agreement; Negotiation; Termination 5.2 Negotiations 5.3 Applicant Responsible for All Costs 5.4 Reservation of Rights 5.5 Treatment of Non-Responsive and Responsive Applications 5.6 Oregon Public Records Law 5.7 Other Rights; No Liability 5.8 No Representations 5.9 Choice of Law; Venue; No Waiver 5.10 Apparent Successful Applicant Submission Requirements

Page 2 of 18

ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1 ? Cover Sheet Attachment 2 ? Sample Grant Agreement (includes the following Exhibits)

Exhibit A ? Data Collection Sample Template Exhibit B ? DPA Invoice Template Exhibit C ? DPA Quarterly Report Summary Template Exhibit D ? DPA Program Guidelines Exhibit E ? Insurance Requirements Attachment 3 ? Tax Affidavit

[The balance of this page is intentionally left blank.]

Page 3 of 18

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The State of Oregon, acting by and through its Housing and Community Services Department ("OHCS"), is seeking applications ("Applications") in this Request for Applications (RFA) for grant funding to provide down payment assistance for first time homebuyers. The funding is through OHCS's Home Ownership Assistance Program ("HOAP") and local government Construction Excise Tax ("CET") funds directed to OHCS for distribution. The funding will be awarded to qualified organizations that will then provide down payment and closing costs assistance. The Down Payment Assistance Program ("DPA") within HOAP serves statewide qualified first time homebuyers earning below area median income ("AMI"). OHCS intends to make grants aggregating approximately $8,000, 000.00 to eligible organizations that provide down payment assistance. The estimated grants are expected to be allocated as follows: HOAP-DPA ($4,000,000.00), HOAP-Veterans DPA ($1,800,000.00) and CET (approximately $2,317,316.00).

All entities submitting Applications responsive to this RFA are herein referred to as "Applicant(s)". Applicants, if any that OHCS determines to provide a Reservation of Funding ("Reservation") pursuant to this RFA, will be designated as Awardees in the reservation letter issued to them by OHCS. All Reservations are conditional commitments, contingent upon the terms upon which they are made, approval by the Director, the continuing availability to OHCS of the described funds ("Funds"), the continuing authority of OHCS to disburse or allocate such funds, and the successful negotiation, execution, and recording (if required) of relevant documents in a manner satisfactory to OHCS at its sole discretion.

1.1 Background

OHCS is Oregon's state housing finance agency, providing financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of lower and moderate income. OHCS administers, federal and state antipoverty, homeless, energy assistance, and community services programs. OHCS also administers other affordable housing programs including programs to increase capacity throughout Oregon to address the need for safe, sanitary, and habitable affordable housing. OHCS also administers bond, tax credit, and other financial assistance programs designed to assist in the purchase financing of single-family homes and in the new construction or rehabilitation of multifamily affordable housing developments.

Oregon Administrative Rules ("OAR") 813-044-000 to 813-044-0055, establishes and OHCS administers the Home Ownership Assistance Program ("HOAP"); its purpose is to expand the percentage of home ownership for Oregonians and provide home ownership housing for families and individuals, including persons over 65 years of age, persons with disabilities, minorities, veterans and farmworkers with below area median income.

1.2 Purpose and Objectives

DPA is made possible through funding from the document recording and filing fees under ORS 294.187. DPA aligns with OHCS's strategic plan of seeking opportunities to preserve and promote affordable home ownership in Oregon.

The purpose of the DPA is to grant funds to eligible organizations that provide down payment assistance for Oregon households with below area median income, and decrease the gap in minority

Page 4 of 18

homeownership. DPA funds are limited to down payment assistance (mortgage reduction) and closing costs only. No DPA funds may go directly to the Homebuyer or be used for repairs.

1.3 Definitions

Terms defined in this RFA (including those provided in this subsection), as well as terms defined in other Program Requirements, shall be construed in this RFA consistently with those definitions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The following terms shall have the following meanings:

AMI: "Area median income" means the median family income for the area, subject to adjustment for areas with unusually high or low incomes or housing costs, all as determined by the Oregon Housing Stability Council based on information from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Authorized Signer: the person/individual who has the authority to sign on behalf of and/or legally bind the organization.

Communities of Color: identity-based communities that hold a primary racial identity that describes the racial characteristics of the community that its members share (such as being African American) that supports self-definition by community members, and that typically denotes a shared history and current/historic experiences of racism. The community may or may not also be a geographic community. Given that race is a socially-defined construct, the definitions of these communities are dynamic and evolve across time. For the purpose of this RFA, OHCS defines communities of color to include Native Americans, Latinos, Asian and Pacific islanders (further disaggregated according to local preferences), African Americans, African Immigrants and Refugees, Middle Eastern, and Slavic communities.

Diversity: includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another.

Equity: when race does not determine or predict the distribution of resources, opportunities, and burdens for group members in society.

Performance Period: the period of time during which the performance goals must be met, and program delivery funds must be expended to clients.

First Time Homebuyer: an individual who has not held an ownership interest in a principle residence at any time during the three-year period ending on the date of purchase of the property.

Household income: the total annual income of all household members, before taxes and deductions, from all sources. Household income earned by household members who are under the age of 18 or are 18 and older and enrolled in high school is not included. Income that exchanges hands within the household is not included in household income.

Inclusion: authentically bringing traditionally excluded individuals and/or groups into processes, activities, and decision/policy making in a way that shares power.

National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling ("NISHEC"): set of guidelines for quality homeownership and counseling services. Homeownership education and counseling is a critical step in producing an informed consumer who is better equipped to sustain homeownership, and these standards help practitioners and organizations serve families and communities

Page 5 of 18

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download