[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 10146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03780]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5851-N-01]


Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)--Alternative Requirements 
or Waivers: Waiving and Specifying Alternative Requirements for the 20 
Percent Portfolio Cap on Project-Basing and Certain Tenant Protection 
and Participation Provisions for the San Francisco Housing Authority's 
RAD Projects

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The RAD statute gives HUD authority to establish waivers and 
alternative requirements. Pursuant to this authority, HUD has waived, 
to date, the statutory 20 percent cap on project-basing of a PHA's 
tenant-based voucher funding for RAD-converted units. This notice 
advises that HUD is waiving for the San Francisco Housing Authority 
(SFHA), to a limited extent and subject to certain conditions, the 20 
percent cap on project-basing and certain other provisions governing 
project-based assistance with respect to an identified portfolio that 
includes RAD funding. These waivers are in response to plans submitted 
by SFHA to address capital needs of the portfolio and preserve 
available affordable housing for the SFHA's jurisdiction. Without this 
waiver, SFHA states that its plan for improving its affordable housing 
portfolio with RAD would not be workable, and the conversion of units 
under RAD would not be effective for its purpose.

DATES: Effective Date: March 9, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Golrick, Acting Director of the 
Office of Recapitalization, Office of Housing, Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410-7000; 
telephone number 202-708-0001 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Hearing- and speech-impaired persons may access these numbers through 
TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 (this is a 
toll-free number).

Background and Action

    The RAD statute (Pub. L. 112-55, approved November 18, 2011) gives 
HUD authority to waive or specify alternative requirements for, among 
other things, section 8(o)(13) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(the 1937 Act). In order to utilize this authority, the RAD statute 
requires HUD to publish by notice in the Federal Register any waiver or 
alternative requirement no later than 10 days before the effective date 
of such notice. This notice meets this publication requirement.
    On July 2, 2013, notice 2012-32 Rev-1(as corrected by the technical 
correction issued February 6, 2014) (``the revised notice'') superseded 
PIH Notice 2012-32. The revised notice is found at the following URL: 
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/publications/notices/2012.
    The revised notice at section 1.9, paragraph F, entitled 
``Portfolio Awards,'' also sets forth a new option of a ``portfolio 
award,'' which allows PHAs to apply for RAD conversions affecting a 
group of projects. This type of award is meant to enable PHAs to create 
a comprehensive revitalization plan for multiple buildings they 
oversee. SFHA has submitted an application for a portfolio award under 
RAD.
    The revised notice contains a waiver of 8(o)(13)(B) and other 
sections of the 1937 Act. Section 1.6, ``Special Provisions Affecting 
Conversions to PBVs,'' at paragraph A.1, allows a project that converts 
from one form of rental assistance to another under RAD to exceed the 
20 percent project-basing cap. Section 1.6.A.2 allows sets alternate 
requirements for the percent limitation on the number of units in a 
project that may receive PBV assistance. Section 1.6.C. sets forth 
alternative requirements for resident rights and participation. 
(Collectively, the waivers and alternative requirements set forth in 
Sections 1.6.A.1, 1.6.A.2 and 1.6.C are referred to herein as the 
``Applicable Alternative Tenanting Requirements.'')
    As part of its application for a portfolio award, SFHA's 
comprehensive revitalization planning contemplates not only the 
conversion of assistance pursuant to RAD, but also to supplement such 
converted projects by project-basing additional voucher assistance. 
SFHA has submitted a waiver request that seeks permission to apply the 
Applicable Alternative Tenanting Requirements to all units in those 
projects with assistance converted under RAD. HUD has granted that 
request, subject to certain conditions which SFHA has agreed to carry 
out.

    Dated: February 13, 2015.
Jemine A. Bryon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
Biniam T. Gebre,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2015-03780 Filed 2-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P