82_FR_32595 82 FR 32461 - Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: Implementation of Various Section 8 Voucher Provisions; Correction

82 FR 32461 - Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: Implementation of Various Section 8 Voucher Provisions; Correction

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 134 (July 14, 2017)

Page Range32461-32463
FR Document2017-14631

On January 18, 2017, HUD published a document in the Federal Register making several Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) provisions of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) effective and requesting comment. This document makes technical corrections to the January 18, 2017, document.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32461-32463]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14631]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Parts 982 and 983

[Docket No. FR-5976-C-06]


Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: 
Implementation of Various Section 8 Voucher Provisions; Correction

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Implementation and request for comments; correction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On January 18, 2017, HUD published a document in the Federal 
Register making several Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) provisions of the 
Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) effective 
and requesting comment. This document makes technical corrections to 
the January 18, 2017, document.

DATES: Effective date: The effective date for the implementation 
guidance of April 18, 2017 is unchanged.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: With respect to this supplementary 
document, contact Ariel Pereira, Associate General Counsel for 
Legislation and Regulations, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 10238, Washington, DC 20410; 
telephone number 202-708-1793 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons 
with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY 
by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
    Please direct all questions about the January 18, 2017 document to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Background Information

    On July 29, 2016, HOTMA was signed into law (Pub. L. 114-201, 130 
Stat. 782). HOTMA made numerous changes to statutes that govern HUD 
programs, including section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(1937 Act) (42 U.S.C. 1437f). HUD issued a notice on October 24, 2016, 
at 81 FR 73030, announcing to the public which of the statutory changes 
made by HOTMA could be implemented immediately, and which statutory 
changes required further guidance from HUD before owners, public 
housing agencies (PHAs), or other grantees may use the new statutory 
provisions.
    On January 18, 2017, HUD published a second document at 82 FR 5458, 
making multiple HOTMA provisions impacting the HCV program effective 
and requesting comments. Several of the comments pointed out the need 
for technical corrections or clarifications to the January 18, 2017, 
implementation document. This document makes several technical 
corrections and clarifications to the January 18, 2017, implementation 
document, in part based on the public comments. HUD also received 
comments recommending changes that were not technical corrections or 
clarifications, but rather suggested alternative approaches to 
implementing the HOTMA provisions. HUD will take those comments under 
consideration.

II. Explanation of Corrections

A. Units Owned by a PHA (HOTMA Sec.  105)--Controlling Interest

    HOTMA amended section 8(o) of the 1937 Act to provide a statutory 
definition of units owned by a PHA, overriding the regulatory 
definitions at 24 CFR 983.3 and 24 CFR 982.352. HOTMA establishes three 
categories under which a project is PHA-owned. A project is PHA-owned 
when the project is: (1) Owned by the PHA; (2) owned by an entity 
wholly controlled by the PHA; or (3) owned by a limited liability 
company (LLC) or limited partnership in which the PHA (or an entity 
wholly controlled by the PHA) holds a controlling interest in the 
managing member or general partner. The January 18, 2017, 
implementation document (page 5463, section B), used the phrase ``50 
percent or more'' to define a level of control that constitutes a 
controlling interest and would thus indicate PHA ownership. The 
threshold for control should be ``more than 50 percent'' rather than 
``50 percent or more.''
    This document also corrects a typographical error contained in the 
January 18, 2017, implementation document in the definition of 
``controlling interest'' for purposes of establishing PHA ownership. 
Specifically, the implementation document incorrectly refers to 
equivalent levels of control in other ``organizational'' structures. 
This document corrects the definition to refer to ``ownership'' 
structures.

B. Units Not Subject to Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Program Unit 
Limitation (HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(2)) and Projects Not Subject to Project 
Cap (HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(3))--Flexible Subsidy Projects

    HOTMA amended the 1937 Act to except certain units from both the 
PHA program unit percentage limitation at section 8(o)(13)(B) and the 
income-mixing requirement at section 8(o)(13)(D). Specifically, HOTMA 
excepts units of project-based assistance that ``are attached to units 
previously subject to federally required rent restrictions or receiving 
another type of long-term subsidy or project-based assistance provided 
by the Secretary.'' The January 18, 2017, implementation document (page 
5465, section C.2.C, and page 5467, section C.3.D, respectively) 
inadvertently excluded from the list of excepted units those units that 
have received assistance under section 201 of the Housing and Community 
Development Amendments of 1978. Therefore, HUD is correcting the 
January 18, 2017, implementation document to add the Flexible Subsidy 
Program in both lists.

C. Units Not Subject to PBV Program Unit Limitation (HOTMA Sec.  
106(a)(2))--Replacement Housing

    In discussing the units that are not subject to the PBV program 
unit limitation, the January 18, 2017, implementation document 
describes the circumstances under which PBV new construction units will 
qualify as replacement housing for the covered units and likewise are 
exempt from the program limitation (page 5465, section C.2.C(2)). One 
of the requirements is that the newly constructed unit is located on 
the same site as the unit it is replacing. In describing this 
requirement, the January 18 2017, implementation document inadvertently 
referred to the ``site of the original public housing development'' 
instead of ``site of the original development.'' To avoid any 
indication that this requirement is only applicable to former public 
housing units as opposed to all the covered forms of HUD assistance 
listed earlier in the January 18, 2017, implementation document, 
C.2.C(2)(b) is revised to strike ``public housing'' from the paragraph.

D. Changes to Income-Mixing Requirements for a Project (Project Cap) 
(HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(3))--Supportive Services Exception

    HOTMA amends the 1937 Act with respect to the threshold for 
exemption from the income-mixing requirement. The income mixing 
requirement

[[Page 32462]]

exception for supportive services now applies to dwelling units 
assisted under the contract that are exclusively made available to 
``households eligible for supportive services that are made available 
to the assisted residents of the project, according to the standards 
for such services the Secretary may establish.'' HOTMA requires that 
families must be ``eligible'' for the supportive services, rather than 
``receiving'' the supportive services, for the units made available to 
such families to be excluded from the income-mixing requirement. As 
clarified in the January 18, 2017, implementation document (page 5467, 
section C.3.B(2)), this HOTMA change means that a PHA may not require 
family participation in the supportive services as a condition of 
living in an excepted unit. Therefore, a PHA may not rely solely on a 
supportive services program that would require a family to engage in 
the supportive services once the family enrolls in the program, such as 
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS), for the unit to meet the supportive 
services exception.
    The January 18, 2017, implementation document states that ``if the 
FSS family fails to successfully complete the FSS contract of 
participation or supportive services objective and consequently is no 
longer eligible for the supportive services, the family must vacate the 
unit . . . and the PHA shall cease paying housing assistance payments 
on behalf of the ineligible family.'' Upon further consideration, HUD 
is concerned that the sentence may be misinterpreted to imply that a 
PHA could, under HOTMA, establish a supportive services exception based 
exclusively on participation in FSS (where participation in the 
supportive services is required as opposed to voluntary), rather than 
in combination with another supportive services option where 
participation in the supportive services is voluntary. Additionally, 
HUD has determined that this provision could be wrongly construed in a 
way that conflicts with current FSS requirements, which do not allow 
termination from the housing assistance program for failure to complete 
the FSS contract of participation. See the Federal Register notice 
entitled, ``Waivers and Alternative Requirements for the Family Self-
Sufficiency Program'', published on December 29, 2014, at 79 FR 78100.
    Therefore, HUD is correcting the language on page 5467 to remove 
the ambiguities and better express the requirements of the HOTMA 
changes.

E. Changes to Income-Mixing Requirements for a Project (Project Cap) 
(HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(3))--Units in Low-Poverty Census Tract Exception

    HOTMA amended the 1937 Act with respect to the types of units that 
are exempt from the income-mixing requirement. The January 18, 2017, 
implementation document (page 5467, section C.3.B(3)), noted that 
``projects that are in a census tract with a poverty rate of 20 percent 
or less'' are excluded from the cap. However, the January 18, 2017, 
implementation document should have clarified that while PBV projects 
located in a census tract with a poverty rate of 20 percent or less are 
excluded from the 25 percent unit cap, those projects are subject to an 
alternative income mixing requirement that is the greater of 25 units 
or 40 percent of the units. HUD is adding a sentence to this section as 
a clarification.

F. Changes to Income Mixing Requirements for a Project (Project Cap) 
(HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(3))--Grandfathering of Certain Properties

    There are two typographical errors in the last sentence of section 
C.3.C on page 5467. The word ``contact'' should be ``contract'' and the 
last word of the sentence should be ``project'' and not ``unit''.

G. Projects Not Subject to a Project Cap (HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(3))--
Replacement Housing

    HOTMA amended the language in section 8(o)(13)(D) to exempt certain 
types of units receiving PBV assistance from having a project cap 
entirely. These are PBV units that were previously subject to certain 
federal rent restrictions or receiving another type of long-term 
housing subsidy provided by HUD. The January 18, 2017, implementation 
document (page 5468, section C.3.D(2)), provided an incorrect 
definition of new construction units that qualify for the exception as 
replacement housing. The definition in section C.3.D(2)(b) was supposed 
to match the definition provided on page 5465, section C.2.C(2)(b).

H. Attaching PBVs to Structures Owned by PHAs (HOTMA Sec.  106(a)(9))

    HOTMA amended the 1937 Act to add a new section 8(o)(13)(N), which 
allows a PHA that is engaged in an initiative to improve, develop, or 
replace a public housing property or site to attach PBVs to projects in 
which the PHA has an ownership or controlling interest, without 
following a competitive process. In the January 18, 2017, 
implementation document (page 5471, section C.6), HUD stated that, in 
order to avail itself of this exemption from the competitive award of 
PBVs, a PHA must ``be planning rehabilitation or construction on the 
project with a minimum of $25,000 per unit in hard costs.'' However, 
this minimum per unit cost would not be applicable in a situation where 
a PHA is replacing a public housing property or site with existing 
housing owned or controlled by the PHA.
    Accordingly, in FR Doc. 2017-0091, beginning on page 5458 of the 
Federal Register of Wednesday, January 18, 2017, the following 
corrections are made:
    1. On page 5463, in the first column, the final sentence of 
paragraph (3) is corrected to read as follows:

    A ``controlling interest'' is--
    (A) holding more than 50 percent of the stock of any 
corporation;
    (B) having the power to appoint more than 50 percent of the 
members of the board of directors of a non-stock corporation (such 
as a non-profit corporation);
    (C) where more than 50 percent of the members of the board of 
directors of any corporation also serve as directors, officers, or 
employees of the PHA;
    (D) holding more than 50 percent of all managing member 
interests in an LLC;
    (E) holding more than 50 percent of all general partner 
interests in a partnership; or
    (F) equivalent levels of control in other ownership structures.

    2. On page 5465, beginning in the first column, paragraph 
C(1)(b)(i) is corrected by adding at the end a new paragraph, to read 
as follows:

    (VII) Flexible Subsidy Program (section 201 of the Housing and 
Community Development Amendments of 1978).

    3. On page 5465, beginning in the second column, paragraph (b) is 
corrected by removing ``public housing'' in the second sentence.
    4. On page 5467, in the second column, the last two paragraphs of 
paragraph B(2) are corrected to read as follows:

    A PHA may not require participation in the supportive services 
as a condition of living in an excepted unit, although the family 
must be eligible to receive the supportive services, and the 
supportive services must be offered to the family. As such, a PHA 
may not rely solely on a supportive services program that would 
require the family to engage in the services once enrolled, such as 
FSS, for the unit to qualify for the supportive services exception. 
In the case of a family that chooses to participate in the 
supportive services, as described by the PHA in the administrative 
plan, and successfully completes the supportive services objective, 
the unit continues to be an excepted unit for as long as the family 
resides in the unit even though the family is no longer eligible for 
the service.

[[Page 32463]]

    However, if a family becomes ineligible for the supportive 
services during their tenancy (for reasons other than successfully 
completing the supportive services objective), the unit will no 
longer be considered an excepted unit under this category. If the 
PHA does not want to reduce the number of excepted units in their 
project-based portfolio, the PHA may: (i) Substitute the excepted 
unit for a non-excepted unit if it is possible to do so in 
accordance with 24 CFR 983.207(a), so that the unit does not lose 
its excepted status, or (ii) temporarily remove the unit from the 
PBV HAP contract and provide the family with tenant-based 
assistance. Note that the family would have to be ineligible for all 
the supportive services made available for the unit to lose its 
excepted status. For example, consider a project where the 
supportive services made available to assisted families in the 
project include both FSS supportive services (for families that 
voluntarily join the FSS program) and non-FSS supportive services 
(where, unlike FSS, participation in supportive services is not 
mandatory). If a family joined the FSS program but later dropped out 
of the FSS program, the unit would continue to be an exception unit 
provided the family is eligible for the non-FSS supportive services.

    5. On page 5467, in the second column, paragraph B(3) is corrected 
by adding a new sentence at the end, to read as follows:

    ``For these projects, the project cap is the greater of 25 units 
or 40 percent (instead of 25 percent) of the units in the project.''

    6. On page 5467, in the third column, the last sentence of 
paragraph (C) is corrected to read as follows:

    The PBV HAP contract may not be changed to the HOTMA requirement 
if the change would jeopardize an assisted family's eligibility for 
continued assistance at the project (e.g., excepted units at the 
project included units designated for the disabled, and changing to 
the HOTMA standard would result in those units no longer being 
eligible as an excepted unit unless the owner will make supportive 
services available to all assisted families in the project.

    7. On page 5467, beginning in the third column, paragraph 
D(1)(b)(i) is corrected by adding at the end a new paragraph, to read 
as follows:

    (VII) Flexible Subsidy Program (section 201 of the Housing and 
Community Development Amendments of 1978).

    8. On page 5468, in the second column, the second sentence of 
paragraph (b) is corrected by removing the parentheses and correcting 
it to read as follows:

    An expansion of or modification to the prior project's site 
boundaries as a result of the design of the new construction project 
is acceptable as long as a majority of the replacement units are 
built back on the site of the original development and any units 
that are not built on the existing site share a common border with, 
are across a public right of way from, or touch that site.

    9. On page 5471, in the third column, the second paragraph of 
section 6 is corrected to read as follows:

    In order to be subject to this non-competitive exception, the 
PHA must be planning: (A) rehabilitation or construction of the 
project or site with a minimum of $25,000 per unit in hard costs; or 
(B) replacement of the project or site with existing housing that 
substantially complies with HUD's housing quality standards. The PHA 
must detail in its administrative plan how it intends to use PBVs to 
improve, develop, or replace any public housing property or site, 
and, if applicable, must detail what works it plans to do on the 
property or site and how many units of PBV it is planning an adding 
to the site.

    Dated: June 28, 2017.
Jemine A. Bryon,
General Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 2017-14631 Filed 7-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P



                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 134 / Friday, July 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                        32461

                                                *      *     *       *       *                           which statutory changes required                      B. Units Not Subject to Project-Based
                                                  Dated: July 10, 2017.                                  further guidance from HUD before                      Voucher (PBV) Program Unit Limitation
                                                Chuck Rosenberg,                                         owners, public housing agencies                       (HOTMA § 106(a)(2)) and Projects Not
                                                                                                         (PHAs), or other grantees may use the                 Subject to Project Cap (HOTMA
                                                Acting Administrator.
                                                                                                         new statutory provisions.                             § 106(a)(3))—Flexible Subsidy Projects
                                                [FR Doc. 2017–14878 Filed 7–13–17; 8:45 am]
                                                BILLING CODE 4410–09–P                                      On January 18, 2017, HUD published                   HOTMA amended the 1937 Act to
                                                                                                         a second document at 82 FR 5458,                      except certain units from both the PHA
                                                                                                         making multiple HOTMA provisions                      program unit percentage limitation at
                                                DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND                                impacting the HCV program effective                   section 8(o)(13)(B) and the income-
                                                URBAN DEVELOPMENT                                        and requesting comments. Several of the               mixing requirement at section
                                                                                                         comments pointed out the need for                     8(o)(13)(D). Specifically, HOTMA
                                                24 CFR Parts 982 and 983                                 technical corrections or clarifications to            excepts units of project-based assistance
                                                                                                         the January 18, 2017, implementation                  that ‘‘are attached to units previously
                                                [Docket No. FR–5976–C–06]                                                                                      subject to federally required rent
                                                                                                         document. This document makes
                                                Housing Opportunity Through                              several technical corrections and                     restrictions or receiving another type of
                                                Modernization Act of 2016:                               clarifications to the January 18, 2017,               long-term subsidy or project-based
                                                Implementation of Various Section 8                      implementation document, in part                      assistance provided by the Secretary.’’
                                                Voucher Provisions; Correction                           based on the public comments. HUD                     The January 18, 2017, implementation
                                                                                                         also received comments recommending                   document (page 5465, section C.2.C, and
                                                AGENCY:  Office of the Assistant                                                                               page 5467, section C.3.D, respectively)
                                                                                                         changes that were not technical
                                                Secretary for Public and Indian                                                                                inadvertently excluded from the list of
                                                Housing, HUD.                                            corrections or clarifications, but rather
                                                                                                                                                               excepted units those units that have
                                                                                                         suggested alternative approaches to
                                                ACTION: Implementation and request for                                                                         received assistance under section 201 of
                                                                                                         implementing the HOTMA provisions.                    the Housing and Community
                                                comments; correction.
                                                                                                         HUD will take those comments under                    Development Amendments of 1978.
                                                SUMMARY:   On January 18, 2017, HUD                      consideration.                                        Therefore, HUD is correcting the
                                                published a document in the Federal                                                                            January 18, 2017, implementation
                                                                                                         II. Explanation of Corrections
                                                Register making several Housing Choice                                                                         document to add the Flexible Subsidy
                                                Voucher (HCV) provisions of the                          A. Units Owned by a PHA (HOTMA                        Program in both lists.
                                                Housing Opportunity Through                              § 105)—Controlling Interest
                                                Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA)                                                                              C. Units Not Subject to PBV Program
                                                effective and requesting comment. This                      HOTMA amended section 8(o) of the                  Unit Limitation (HOTMA § 106(a)(2))—
                                                document makes technical corrections                     1937 Act to provide a statutory                       Replacement Housing
                                                to the January 18, 2017, document.                       definition of units owned by a PHA,                      In discussing the units that are not
                                                DATES: Effective date: The effective date                overriding the regulatory definitions at              subject to the PBV program unit
                                                for the implementation guidance of                       24 CFR 983.3 and 24 CFR 982.352.                      limitation, the January 18, 2017,
                                                April 18, 2017 is unchanged.                             HOTMA establishes three categories                    implementation document describes the
                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                         under which a project is PHA-owned. A                 circumstances under which PBV new
                                                With respect to this supplementary                       project is PHA-owned when the project                 construction units will qualify as
                                                document, contact Ariel Pereira,                         is: (1) Owned by the PHA; (2) owned by                replacement housing for the covered
                                                Associate General Counsel for                            an entity wholly controlled by the PHA;               units and likewise are exempt from the
                                                Legislation and Regulations, Department                  or (3) owned by a limited liability                   program limitation (page 5465, section
                                                of Housing and Urban Development,                        company (LLC) or limited partnership                  C.2.C(2)). One of the requirements is
                                                451 7th Street SW., Room 10238,                          in which the PHA (or an entity wholly                 that the newly constructed unit is
                                                Washington, DC 20410; telephone                          controlled by the PHA) holds a                        located on the same site as the unit it
                                                number 202–708–1793 (this is not a toll-                 controlling interest in the managing                  is replacing. In describing this
                                                free number). Persons with hearing or                    member or general partner. The January                requirement, the January 18 2017,
                                                speech impairments may access this                       18, 2017, implementation document                     implementation document inadvertently
                                                number through TTY by calling the toll-                  (page 5463, section B), used the phrase               referred to the ‘‘site of the original
                                                free Federal Relay Service at 800–877–                   ‘‘50 percent or more’’ to define a level              public housing development’’ instead of
                                                8339.                                                    of control that constitutes a controlling             ‘‘site of the original development.’’ To
                                                   Please direct all questions about the                 interest and would thus indicate PHA                  avoid any indication that this
                                                January 18, 2017 document to                             ownership. The threshold for control                  requirement is only applicable to former
                                                HOTMAquestionsPIH@hud.gov.                               should be ‘‘more than 50 percent’’ rather             public housing units as opposed to all
                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION                                than ‘‘50 percent or more.’’                          the covered forms of HUD assistance
                                                                                                                                                               listed earlier in the January 18, 2017,
                                                I. Background Information                                   This document also corrects a                      implementation document, C.2.C(2)(b)
                                                   On July 29, 2016, HOTMA was signed                    typographical error contained in the                  is revised to strike ‘‘public housing’’
                                                into law (Pub. L. 114–201, 130 Stat.                     January 18, 2017, implementation                      from the paragraph.
                                                782). HOTMA made numerous changes                        document in the definition of
                                                to statutes that govern HUD programs,                    ‘‘controlling interest’’ for purposes of              D. Changes to Income-Mixing
                                                                                                                                                               Requirements for a Project (Project Cap)
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES




                                                including section 8 of the United States                 establishing PHA ownership.
                                                Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act) (42                       Specifically, the implementation                      (HOTMA § 106(a)(3))—Supportive
                                                U.S.C. 1437f). HUD issued a notice on                    document incorrectly refers to                        Services Exception
                                                October 24, 2016, at 81 FR 73030,                        equivalent levels of control in other                    HOTMA amends the 1937 Act with
                                                announcing to the public which of the                    ‘‘organizational’’ structures. This                   respect to the threshold for exemption
                                                statutory changes made by HOTMA                          document corrects the definition to refer             from the income-mixing requirement.
                                                could be implemented immediately, and                    to ‘‘ownership’’ structures.                          The income mixing requirement


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:00 Jul 13, 2017   Jkt 241001   PO 00000   Frm 00015   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\14JYR1.SGM   14JYR1


                                                32462                Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 134 / Friday, July 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                                exception for supportive services now                    E. Changes to Income-Mixing                           order to avail itself of this exemption
                                                applies to dwelling units assisted under                 Requirements for a Project (Project Cap)              from the competitive award of PBVs, a
                                                the contract that are exclusively made                   (HOTMA § 106(a)(3))—Units in Low-                     PHA must ‘‘be planning rehabilitation
                                                available to ‘‘households eligible for                   Poverty Census Tract Exception                        or construction on the project with a
                                                supportive services that are made                          HOTMA amended the 1937 Act with                     minimum of $25,000 per unit in hard
                                                available to the assisted residents of the               respect to the types of units that are                costs.’’ However, this minimum per unit
                                                project, according to the standards for                  exempt from the income-mixing                         cost would not be applicable in a
                                                such services the Secretary may                          requirement. The January 18, 2017,                    situation where a PHA is replacing a
                                                establish.’’ HOTMA requires that                         implementation document (page 5467,                   public housing property or site with
                                                families must be ‘‘eligible’’ for the                    section C.3.B(3)), noted that ‘‘projects              existing housing owned or controlled by
                                                supportive services, rather than                         that are in a census tract with a poverty             the PHA.
                                                ‘‘receiving’’ the supportive services, for               rate of 20 percent or less’’ are excluded                Accordingly, in FR Doc. 2017–0091,
                                                the units made available to such                         from the cap. However, the January 18,                beginning on page 5458 of the Federal
                                                families to be excluded from the                         2017, implementation document should                  Register of Wednesday, January 18,
                                                income-mixing requirement. As                            have clarified that while PBV projects                2017, the following corrections are
                                                clarified in the January 18, 2017,                       located in a census tract with a poverty              made:
                                                                                                         rate of 20 percent or less are excluded                  1. On page 5463, in the first column,
                                                implementation document (page 5467,
                                                                                                         from the 25 percent unit cap, those                   the final sentence of paragraph (3) is
                                                section C.3.B(2)), this HOTMA change
                                                                                                         projects are subject to an alternative                corrected to read as follows:
                                                means that a PHA may not require
                                                family participation in the supportive                   income mixing requirement that is the                   A ‘‘controlling interest’’ is—
                                                                                                         greater of 25 units or 40 percent of the                (A) holding more than 50 percent of the
                                                services as a condition of living in an
                                                                                                         units. HUD is adding a sentence to this               stock of any corporation;
                                                excepted unit. Therefore, a PHA may
                                                                                                         section as a clarification.                             (B) having the power to appoint more than
                                                not rely solely on a supportive services                                                                       50 percent of the members of the board of
                                                program that would require a family to                   F. Changes to Income Mixing                           directors of a non-stock corporation (such as
                                                engage in the supportive services once                   Requirements for a Project (Project Cap)              a non-profit corporation);
                                                the family enrolls in the program, such                  (HOTMA § 106(a)(3))—Grandfathering                      (C) where more than 50 percent of the
                                                as Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS), for the                of Certain Properties                                 members of the board of directors of any
                                                unit to meet the supportive services                                                                           corporation also serve as directors, officers,
                                                                                                            There are two typographical errors in
                                                                                                                                                               or employees of the PHA;
                                                exception.                                               the last sentence of section C.3.C on                   (D) holding more than 50 percent of all
                                                   The January 18, 2017, implementation                  page 5467. The word ‘‘contact’’ should                managing member interests in an LLC;
                                                document states that ‘‘if the FSS family                 be ‘‘contract’’ and the last word of the                (E) holding more than 50 percent of all
                                                fails to successfully complete the FSS                   sentence should be ‘‘project’’ and not                general partner interests in a partnership; or
                                                contract of participation or supportive                  ‘‘unit’’.                                               (F) equivalent levels of control in other
                                                                                                                                                               ownership structures.
                                                services objective and consequently is                   G. Projects Not Subject to a Project Cap
                                                no longer eligible for the supportive                    (HOTMA § 106(a)(3))—Replacement                         2. On page 5465, beginning in the first
                                                services, the family must vacate the unit                Housing                                               column, paragraph C(1)(b)(i) is corrected
                                                . . . and the PHA shall cease paying                       HOTMA amended the language in                       by adding at the end a new paragraph,
                                                housing assistance payments on behalf                    section 8(o)(13)(D) to exempt certain                 to read as follows:
                                                of the ineligible family.’’ Upon further                 types of units receiving PBV assistance                 (VII) Flexible Subsidy Program (section 201
                                                consideration, HUD is concerned that                     from having a project cap entirely.                   of the Housing and Community Development
                                                the sentence may be misinterpreted to                    These are PBV units that were                         Amendments of 1978).
                                                imply that a PHA could, under HOTMA,                     previously subject to certain federal rent              3. On page 5465, beginning in the
                                                establish a supportive services                          restrictions or receiving another type of             second column, paragraph (b) is
                                                exception based exclusively on                           long-term housing subsidy provided by                 corrected by removing ‘‘public housing’’
                                                participation in FSS (where                              HUD. The January 18, 2017,                            in the second sentence.
                                                participation in the supportive services                 implementation document (page 5468,                     4. On page 5467, in the second
                                                is required as opposed to voluntary),                    section C.3.D(2)), provided an incorrect              column, the last two paragraphs of
                                                rather than in combination with another                  definition of new construction units that             paragraph B(2) are corrected to read as
                                                supportive services option where                         qualify for the exception as replacement              follows:
                                                participation in the supportive services                 housing. The definition in section
                                                                                                                                                                 A PHA may not require participation in the
                                                is voluntary. Additionally, HUD has                      C.3.D(2)(b) was supposed to match the
                                                                                                                                                               supportive services as a condition of living
                                                determined that this provision could be                  definition provided on page 5465,                     in an excepted unit, although the family must
                                                wrongly construed in a way that                          section C.2.C(2)(b).                                  be eligible to receive the supportive services,
                                                conflicts with current FSS requirements,                 H. Attaching PBVs to Structures Owned                 and the supportive services must be offered
                                                which do not allow termination from                      by PHAs (HOTMA § 106(a)(9))                           to the family. As such, a PHA may not rely
                                                the housing assistance program for                                                                             solely on a supportive services program that
                                                                                                            HOTMA amended the 1937 Act to                      would require the family to engage in the
                                                failure to complete the FSS contract of
                                                                                                         add a new section 8(o)(13)(N), which                  services once enrolled, such as FSS, for the
                                                participation. See the Federal Register                                                                        unit to qualify for the supportive services
                                                                                                         allows a PHA that is engaged in an
                                                notice entitled, ‘‘Waivers and                           initiative to improve, develop, or                    exception. In the case of a family that
                                                Alternative Requirements for the Family                                                                        chooses to participate in the supportive
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                                                                                                         replace a public housing property or site
                                                Self-Sufficiency Program’’, published on                 to attach PBVs to projects in which the               services, as described by the PHA in the
                                                December 29, 2014, at 79 FR 78100.                                                                             administrative plan, and successfully
                                                                                                         PHA has an ownership or controlling                   completes the supportive services objective,
                                                   Therefore, HUD is correcting the                      interest, without following a                         the unit continues to be an excepted unit for
                                                language on page 5467 to remove the                      competitive process. In the January 18,               as long as the family resides in the unit even
                                                ambiguities and better express the                       2017, implementation document (page                   though the family is no longer eligible for the
                                                requirements of the HOTMA changes.                       5471, section C.6), HUD stated that, in               service.



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                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 134 / Friday, July 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                32463

                                                   However, if a family becomes ineligible for           a common border with, are across a public             are used for paying benefits under
                                                the supportive services during their tenancy             right of way from, or touch that site.                terminating single-employer plans
                                                (for reasons other than successfully                                                                           covered by the pension insurance
                                                                                                           9. On page 5471, in the third column,
                                                completing the supportive services
                                                                                                         the second paragraph of section 6 is                  system administered by PBGC.
                                                objective), the unit will no longer be
                                                considered an excepted unit under this                   corrected to read as follows:                         DATES: Effective August 1, 2017.
                                                category. If the PHA does not want to reduce                In order to be subject to this non-                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                the number of excepted units in their project-           competitive exception, the PHA must be                Deborah C. Murphy (Murphy.Deborah@
                                                based portfolio, the PHA may: (i) Substitute             planning: (A) rehabilitation or construction          pbgc.gov), Assistant General Counsel for
                                                the excepted unit for a non-excepted unit if             of the project or site with a minimum of              Regulatory Affairs, Pension Benefit
                                                it is possible to do so in accordance with 24            $25,000 per unit in hard costs; or (B)
                                                CFR 983.207(a), so that the unit does not lose                                                                 Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street
                                                                                                         replacement of the project or site with
                                                its excepted status, or (ii) temporarily remove          existing housing that substantially complies          NW., Washington, DC 20005, 202–326–
                                                the unit from the PBV HAP contract and                   with HUD’s housing quality standards. The             4400 ext. 3451. (TTY/TDD users may
                                                provide the family with tenant-based                     PHA must detail in its administrative plan            call the Federal relay service toll-free at
                                                assistance. Note that the family would have              how it intends to use PBVs to improve,                1–800–877–8339 and ask to be
                                                to be ineligible for all the supportive services         develop, or replace any public housing                connected to 202–326–4400 ext. 3451.)
                                                made available for the unit to lose its                  property or site, and, if applicable, must            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PBGC’s
                                                excepted status. For example, consider a                 detail what works it plans to do on the
                                                project where the supportive services made                                                                     regulation on Benefits Payable in
                                                                                                         property or site and how many units of PBV
                                                available to assisted families in the project            it is planning an adding to the site.                 Terminated Single-Employer Plans (29
                                                include both FSS supportive services (for                                                                      CFR part 4022) prescribes actuarial
                                                families that voluntarily join the FSS                     Dated: June 28, 2017.                               assumptions—including interest
                                                program) and non-FSS supportive services                 Jemine A. Bryon,                                      assumptions—for paying plan benefits
                                                (where, unlike FSS, participation in                     General Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Public        under terminating single-employer
                                                supportive services is not mandatory). If a              and Indian Housing.                                   plans covered by title IV of the
                                                family joined the FSS program but later                  [FR Doc. 2017–14631 Filed 7–13–17; 8:45 am]           Employee Retirement Income Security
                                                dropped out of the FSS program, the unit
                                                would continue to be an exception unit
                                                                                                         BILLING CODE 4210–67–P                                Act of 1974. The interest assumptions in
                                                provided the family is eligible for the non-                                                                   the regulation are also published on
                                                FSS supportive services.                                                                                       PBGC’s Web site (http://www.pbgc.gov).
                                                                                                         DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND                             PBGC uses the interest assumptions in
                                                  5. On page 5467, in the second                         URBAN DEVELOPMENT                                     Appendix B to Part 4022 to determine
                                                column, paragraph B(3) is corrected by
                                                                                                                                                               whether a benefit is payable as a lump
                                                adding a new sentence at the end, to                     24 CFR Parts 982 and 983                              sum and to determine the amount to
                                                read as follows:
                                                                                                         [Docket No. FR–5976–N–03]                             pay. Appendix C to Part 4022 contains
                                                  ‘‘For these projects, the project cap is the                                                                 interest assumptions for private-sector
                                                greater of 25 units or 40 percent (instead of            Housing Opportunity Through                           pension practitioners to refer to if they
                                                25 percent) of the units in the project.’’               Modernization Act of 2016;                            wish to use lump-sum interest rates
                                                  6. On page 5467, in the third column,                  Implementation of Various Section 8                   determined using PBGC’s historical
                                                the last sentence of paragraph (C) is                    Voucher Provisions                                    methodology. Currently, the rates in
                                                corrected to read as follows:                            Correction                                            Appendices B and C of the benefit
                                                   The PBV HAP contract may not be changed                                                                     payment regulation are the same.
                                                to the HOTMA requirement if the change
                                                                                                           Rule document 17–00911 was                             The interest assumptions are intended
                                                would jeopardize an assisted family’s                    inadvertently published in the Proposed               to reflect current conditions in the
                                                eligibility for continued assistance at the              Rules section of the issue of Wednesday,              financial and annuity markets.
                                                project (e.g., excepted units at the project             January 18, 2017, beginning on page                   Assumptions under the benefit
                                                included units designated for the disabled,              5458. It should have appeared in the                  payments regulation are updated
                                                and changing to the HOTMA standard would                 Rules section.                                        monthly. This final rule updates the
                                                result in those units no longer being eligible           [FR Doc. C1–2017–00911 Filed 7–13–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                               benefit payments interest assumptions
                                                as an excepted unit unless the owner will                BILLING CODE 1505–01–D
                                                make supportive services available to all                                                                      for August 2017.1
                                                assisted families in the project.                                                                                 The August 2017 interest assumptions
                                                                                                                                                               under the benefit payments regulation
                                                  7. On page 5467, beginning in the                      PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY                              will be 0.75 percent for the period
                                                third column, paragraph D(1)(b)(i) is                    CORPORATION                                           during which a benefit is in pay status
                                                corrected by adding at the end a new                                                                           and 4.00 percent during any years
                                                paragraph, to read as follows:                           29 CFR Part 4022                                      preceding the benefit’s placement in pay
                                                  (VII) Flexible Subsidy Program (section 201                                                                  status. In comparison with the interest
                                                of the Housing and Community Development                 Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-
                                                                                                         Employer Plans; Interest Assumptions                  assumptions in effect for July 2017,
                                                Amendments of 1978).                                                                                           these assumptions represent a decrease
                                                                                                         for Paying Benefits
                                                  8. On page 5468, in the second                                                                               of 0.25 percent in the immediate rate
                                                column, the second sentence of                           AGENCY:  Pension Benefit Guaranty                     and are otherwise unchanged.
                                                paragraph (b) is corrected by removing                   Corporation.                                             PBGC has determined that notice and
                                                the parentheses and correcting it to read                ACTION: Final rule.                                   public comment on this amendment are
                                                as follows:                                                                                                    impracticable and contrary to the public
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                                                                                                         SUMMARY:   This final rule amends the
                                                  An expansion of or modification to the                 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s                  1 Appendix B to PBGC’s regulation on Allocation
                                                prior project’s site boundaries as a result of
                                                the design of the new construction project is
                                                                                                         regulation on Benefits Payable in                     of Assets in Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part
                                                                                                         Terminated Single-Employer Plans to                   4044) prescribes interest assumptions for valuing
                                                acceptable as long as a majority of the                                                                        benefits under terminating covered single-employer
                                                replacement units are built back on the site             prescribe interest assumptions under                  plans for purposes of allocation of assets under
                                                of the original development and any units                the regulation for valuation dates in                 ERISA section 4044. Those assumptions are
                                                that are not built on the existing site share            August 2017. The interest assumptions                 updated quarterly.



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Document Created: 2018-10-24 11:16:38
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 11:16:38
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionImplementation and request for comments; correction.
DatesEffective date: The effective date for the implementation guidance of April 18, 2017 is unchanged.
ContactWith respect to this supplementary document, contact Ariel Pereira, Associate General Counsel for Legislation and Regulations, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 10238, Washington, DC 20410; telephone number 202-708-1793 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
FR Citation82 FR 32461 
CFR Citation24 CFR 982
24 CFR 983

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