(a) Maximum per-unit subsidy amount. The total amount of HOME funds and ADDI funds that a participating jurisdiction may invest on a per-unit basis in affordable housing may not exceed the per-unit dollar limitations established under section 221(d)(3)(ii) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C.17151(d)(3)(ii)) for elevator- type projects that apply to the area in which the housing is located. HUD will allow the per-unit subsidy amount to be increased on a program-wide basis to an amount, up to 240 percent of the original per unit limits, to the extent that the costs of multifamily housing construction exceed the section 221(d)(3)(ii) limit.

(b) Underwriting and subsidy layering. Before committing funds to a project, the participating jurisdiction must evaluate the project in accordance with guidelines that it has adopted for determining a reasonable level of profit or return on owner's or developer's investment in a project and must not invest any more HOME funds, alone or in combination with other governmental assistance, than is necessary to provide quality affordable housing that is financially viable for a reasonable period (at minimum, the period of affordability in §92.252 or §92.254) and that will not provide a profit or return on the owner's or developer's investment that exceeds the participating jurisdiction's established standards for the size, type, and complexity of the project. The participating jurisdiction's guidelines must require the participating jurisdiction to undertake:

(1) An examination of the sources and uses of funds for the project and a determination that the costs are reasonable; and

(2) An assessment, at minimum, of the current market demand in the neighborhood in which the project will be located, the experience of the developer, the financial capacity of the developer, and firm written financial commitments for the project.

(3) For projects involving rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing pursuant to §92.254(b):

(i) An underwriting analysis is required only if the HOME-funded rehabilitation loan is an amortizing loan; and

(ii) A market analysis or evaluation of developer capacity is not required.

(4) For projects involving HOME-funded downpayment assistance pursuant to §92.254(a) and which do not include HOME-funded development activity, a market analysis or evaluation of developer capacity is not required.

[78 FR 44670, July 24, 2013]