256.14—What are the steps that must be taken to process my application for the Housing Improvement Program?

(a) The servicing housing office must review your application for completeness. If your application is incomplete, the office will notify you, in writing, what is needed to complete your application and the date it must be submitted. If you do not return your application by the deadline date, you will not be considered for assistance in that program year.

(b) The servicing housing office will use your completed application to determine if you are eligible for the Housing Improvement Program.

(1) If you are found ineligible for the Housing Improvement Program or otherwise do not qualify for the program, the servicing housing office will advise you in writing within 45 days of receipt of your completed application.

(2) If you are found eligible for the Housing Improvement Program, the servicing housing office will assess your application for need, according to the factors and numeric values shown in the following table.

Factor	Ranking factor and definition	Randing description	Point descriptors
1	Annual Household Income: Must include income of all persons counted in Factors 2, 3, 4. Income includes earned income, royalties, and one-time income	Income/125% FPG 1 (% of 125% FPC) 1	Points (maximum=40):
		0-25	40
		26-50	30
		51-75	20
		76-100	10
		101-125	0
2	Aged Persons: For the benefit of persons age 55 or older, and Must be living in the dwelling	Years of Age:	Points:
		Less than 5555 and older	01 point per year of age over 54
3	Disabled Individual: Any one (1) disabled person living in the dwelling. (The percentage of disability must be based on the average (mean) of the percentage of disabilities identified from two sources (A B) of statements of conditions which may include a physician's certification, Social Security or Veterans Affairs determination, or similar determination)	% of Disability—(A% B%/2):	Points (Maximum=20):
		100%or	20
		Less than 100%	10
4	Dependent Children: Must be under the age of 18 or such other age established for purposes of parental support by tribal or state law (if any). Must live in the dwelling and not be married	Dependent Child—(Number of Children):	Points (Maximum = 5):
		1	0
		2	1
		3	2
		4	3
		5	4
		6 or more	5
1 FPG means Federal Poverty Guidelines.

(c) The servicing housing office will develop a list of the applications considered and/or received for the Housing Improvement Program for the current program year. The list will include, at a minimum, sufficient information to determine:

(1) The current program year;

(2) The number of applications considered and/or received;

(3) The eligible applicants, ranked in order of need, from highest to lowest, based on the total numeric value assigned according to the factors shown in table B. (In the case of a tie, the family with the lower income will be listed first);

(4) The estimated allowable costs of the improvements, repairs or replacement projects for the eligible applicants and the “Priority List,” identifying which applicants will be served based on the amount of available funding, starting with the most needy applicant and continuing until the amount of available funding is depleted; and

(5) The applicants not ranked, with an explanation (such as reason for ineligibility or reason for incomplete application).

(d) Your servicing housing office will inform you in writing within 45 days of completion of the listing whether funding is available to provide Housing Improvement Program services to you in that program year.

(1) If funding is available, you will be provided appropriate information concerning the availability of Housing Improvement Program services.

(2) If funding is not available, you will be advised, in writing, and provided appropriate information concerning submission for the next available program year. At the option of your servicing housing office and when extenuating circumstances exist, your application can be carried forward, for one year, into the next program year. You will be advised that you must provide written confirmation that the information in your application is still accurate and that you must provide current income documentation for that application to be considered in the next program year.

(e) Your servicing housing office will prepare an annual report identifying construction work undertaken during the fiscal year and related construction expenditures. The annual report is due to the servicing regional office on the fifteenth day after the end of the fiscal year. The report, at a minimum, will contain:

(1) Number of Eligible Applicants;

(2) Number of Applicants Provided Service;

(3) Names of Applicants Provided Service;

(4) For Each Applicant Provided Service:

(i) Date of Construction Start;

(ii) Date of Construction Completion, if applicable;

(iii) Cost;

(iv) HIP Category.

Code of Federal Regulations

[63 FR 10134, Mar. 2, 1998, as amended at 67 FR 77921, Dec. 20, 2002]

CFR

256.14—What are the steps that must be taken to process my application for the Housing Improvement Program?

Code of Federal Regulations