970.9—Resident participation—consultation and opportunity to purchase.
(a) Resident consultation.
PHAs must consult with residents who will be affected by the proposed action with respect to all demolition or disposition applications. The PHA must provide with its application evidence that the application was developed in consultation with residents who will be affected by the proposed action, any resident organizations for the development, PHA-wide resident organizations that will be affected by the demolition or disposition, and the Resident Advisory Board (RAB). The PHA must also submit copies of any written comments submitted to the PHA and any evaluation that the PHA has made of the comments.
(b) Resident organization offer to sell—applicability.
In the situation where the PHA applies to dispose of a development or portion of a development:
(1)
The PHA shall, in appropriate circumstances as determined by the Assistant Secretary, initially offer the property proposed for disposition to any eligible resident organization, eligible resident management corporation as defined in 24 CFR part 964, or to a nonprofit organization acting on behalf of the residents at any development proposed for disposition, if the resident entity has expressed an interest in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing. The entity must make the request in writing to the PHA, no later than 30 days after the resident entity has received the notification of sale from the PHA;
(2)
If the resident entity has expressed an interest in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing, the entity, in order for its purchase offer to be considered, must:
(i)
In the case of a nonprofit organization, be acting on behalf of the residents of the development; and
(ii)
Demonstrate that it has obtained a firm commitment for the necessary financing within 60 days of serving its written notice of interest under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(3)
The requirements of this section do not apply to the following cases, which have been determined not to present an appropriate opportunity for purchase by a resident organization:
(i)
A unit of state or local government requests to acquire vacant land that is less than two acres in order to build or expand its public services (a local government wishes to use the land to build or establish a police substation); or
(ii)
A PHA seeks disposition outside the public housing program to privately finance or otherwise develop a facility to benefit low-income families (e.g., day care center, administrative building, mixed-finance housing under 24 CFR part 941 subpart F, or other types of low-income housing);
(iii)
Units that have been legally vacated in accordance with the HOPE VI program, the regulations at 24 CFR part 971, or the mandatory conversion regulations at 24 CFR part 972, excluding developments where the PHA has consolidated vacancies;
(iv)
Distressed units required to be converted to tenant-based assistance under section 33 of the 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437z-5 ); or
(v)
Disposition of non-dwelling properties, including administration and community buildings, and maintenance facilities.
(4)
If the requirements of this section are not applicable, as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the PHA may proceed to submit to HUD its application under this part to dispose of the property, or a portion of the property, without affording an opportunity for purchase by a resident organization. However, PHAs must consult with their residents in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. The PHA must submit documentation with date and signatures to support the applicability of one of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Examples of appropriate documentation include, but are not limited to: a letter from the public body that wants to acquire the land, copies of memoranda or letters approving the PHA's previous application under part 970 or mandatory conversion plan, and the HUD transmittal document approving the proposed revitalization plan.
(c) Established eligible organizations.
Where there are eligible resident organizations, eligible resident management corporations as defined in 24 CFR part 964, or nonprofit organizations acting on behalf of the residents as defined in 24 CFR part 964 (collectively, “established eligible organizations”), that have expressed an interest, in writing, to the PHA within 30 days of the date of notification of the proposed sale, in purchasing the property for continued use as low-income housing at the affected development, the PHA shall follow the procedures for making the offer described in § 970.11.