# Presentation: 719672

## 49 CFR Part 24Subpart E

*Replacement Housing Payments*

## Key Topics

**<date/time>**

**Key Topics**

- Comparability.
- Computation basics.
- Income considerations.
- Housing payments.

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The materials previously talked about some changes in comparability in discussion in Subpart C.  This section covers some additional comparability issues.

## Comparability

**<date/time>**

**Comparability**

- New definition of dwelling site:
- In § 24.2(a)(11) – a land area that is typical in size for similar dwellings located in the same neighborhood or rural area.
- Reason – to clarify what to look for when looking for comparable properties, what to compare the displacement dwelling to.

**Notes:**
NOTES:  With regard to computation of a replacement housing payment, one new and two revised definitions are related to the computation process. The new definition in § 24.2(a)(11) for a dwelling site complements the guidance provided for residential carve outs. For additional information, see Appendix A, § 24.2(a)(11).

EXAMPLE:  A dwelling is located on a site of ten acres.  The typical residential sites in the area are one acre.  Therefore, one acre would be the “dwelling site”.

## Comparable Replacement Dwelling

**<date/time>**

**Comparable Replacement Dwelling**

- Slightly revised definition in § 24.2(a)(6):
- Removed “style of living” phrase.
- Reason – functionally equivalent, but not a “twin”.

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The changes to the definition of “comparable replacement dwelling” are minor. The “style of living” phrase was removed because it sometimes led to interpretations that comparable meant identical, even in unique features.

INSTRUCTOR NOTES:  Style of living has caused difficulties with Agencies over-interpreting the meaning.  It was not meant to restrict the selection of a comparable dwelling to only those possessing every feature of the subject.  Congress intended a reasonable standard for the criteria of comparability and not a duplication of every feature.  Thus a home with a wooden dance floor might be comparable to a home without such flooring but with adequate space and room count.  Or a dwelling on a “horse property” does not necessarily have to be similarly situated in the replacement.  The comparable home should serve the same functional purposes as the subject, but does not need to be a twin.  Short summary:  Functionally equivalent and substantially the same.

## Comparable Replacement Dwelling

- New § 24.2(a)(6)(ix) only applies to persons displaced from government-assisted housing.

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
NOTES:  New: § 24.2(a)(6)(ix) addresses the occupants of subsidized housing and indicates for them comparable will be determined by the family composition at the time of displacement and the current housing program criteria, not the size of the unit currently occupied.

## What is Income?	

**<date/time>**

**What is Income?****	**

- “Household income” applies to base monthly rental calculation.
- “Household income” required under revised § 24.402(b)(2)(ii) to compute replacement housing payment for 90-day, and less than 90-day, occupants.

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The revision in the rule when calculating benefits for tenants and occupants of less than 90 days was to limit the use of the 30% average monthly household income to only those situations in which the income falls below the low-income limit established by HUD for the area. 

Rental Subsidy Computations and Use of Income
The gross income of a tenant is sometimes used in the calculation of the Rental Assistance Payment.  Therefore it is important to accurately obtain this information. If the tenant is determined to be a “low income” person based on the applicable HUD schedule, then income is a consideration in the calculation of the “base monthly rental for the displacement dwelling”  and ultimately may affect the amount of rental payment due the tenant.
The term “base monthly rental for the displacement dwelling” (base rent) is the lesser of:
1.  The current rent and utilities of the displacement dwelling; or
2.  Thirty percent of gross household income, if the amount is classified as low income by the HUD Annual Survey of Income Limits; or
3.  The amount designated for shelter and utilities in certain welfare programs.
Once the base rent is known, then it can be subtracted from the lesser of the actual new rent plus utilities; or the rent plus utilities of the comparable replacement.  The resulting difference is them multiplied by 42 (the payment is paid for a period of forty-two months) to yield the total amount of the Rental Assistance Payment. 
See § 24.402 for additional detail and limitations. 

## Please refer to example entitled:

What is the Household Income?

**Please refer to example entitled:**
**What is the Household Income?**

**“****Let’s See How It Works”**

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
Instructor Note:  

## Income Considerations

**<date/time>**

**Income Considerations**

- New Definition – § 24.2(a)(14) Household Income means total gross income received for a 12-month period from all sources (earned and unearned).

**Notes:**
NOTES:  Another new definition is for the term “household income,” which is the foundation for establishing base monthly rent used in rent supplement calculations. The key is to ensure appropriate recognitions of elements of income the household may receive.  The twelve month period usually is the twelve months immediately preceding the initiation of negotiations.

## Income Considerations (cont.)	

- Including, but not limited to:
- Wages.
- Salary.
- Child support.
- Alimony.
- Unemployment benefits.
- Workers compensation.
- Social security.
- Net income from a business.

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- March 2005

## Income Considerations (cont.)	

- It does not include income received or earned by dependent children and full-time students under 18 years of age.

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
Notes:  The income of neither “dependent children”  nor “full time students” is considered when determining the family gross income.  Full time students over 18 may be considered as dependents, and income excluded from the total, but this is within the discretion of the Agency to determine.   

EXAMPLE:  Mr. Allan is an hourly employee.  His hours vary widely during the year – some weeks with overtime and some weeks at less than 40 hours.  His wife works helping a friend with a cleaning business.  She is paid as an independent contractor.  The Allan’s 22 year old son is a part-time college student and works part time.  The family provides you the following information:
Mr.  Allan – gross for 2004 is $12,300; Mrs. Allan—total income per her records is $4000; the adult son had W-2 income of $12,000; the family had food stamp assistance of $800.  
Suggested answer:  gross annual income is $28,300.  Monthly gross is $2,358.
.
Discussion:  Since Mr. and Mrs. Allan have employment incomes, all of their gross wages are considered as household income.  Further, their son’s income is considered since he is over 18 years old.  Food Stamps are excluded as income.

## Income Considerations (cont.) § 24.402(b)(2)(ii) 

- Use 30% of monthly household income only when tenants and occupants are considered “low income.”

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- March 2005

## Exclusions from Income

**<date/time>**

**Exclusions from Income**

- § 24.2(a)(14) excludes earnings of  dependent children under 18.
- Appendix A refers to a HUD published list of Federally Mandated Exclusions From Income.
- Available on FHWA’s Web site at:

- _[http://](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/exclusions.h)__[www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/exclusions.h](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/exclusions.h)__[tm](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/exclusions.htm)_

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The FHWA Web site provides a link to HUD’s most recent publication listing the Mandated Exclusions. The guidance in the rule, and especially in the Appendix A, points out that the Agency should also contact the Federal Agency if they encounter a subsidy that may come from a program starting later than the last published list. 

Examples of funds excluded from income:
Food stamps.
Alaska Native claims settlements payments.
Scholarships funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Agent Orange Settlement Funds.
Earned Income Tax Credits.

## Finding Income Exclusions and Low Income Limits

**<date/time>**

**Finding Income Exclusions and Low Income Limits**

- Access is available on the FHWA Realty homepage.

- _[http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/index.htm](http://www/fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/index.htm)_

**Notes:**
NOTES:  Access to needed information is available through the FHWA’s Realty home page. This page provides links to the related sites you will need to visit once you have determined the household income.  Items in the yellow portion of the page are subject to change and as the title indicates will display the “Real Estate Topics of Special Interest”.

Low-income levels for each area are available by referring to the latest HUD-compiled tables. The new 2005 limits were effective February 11, 2005.  Calculation examples are in the appendix.

INSTRUCTOR NOTES: This process is one that lends itself to the use of handouts to step through the calculation process.

## “Let’s See How it Works”

**“****Let’s See How it Works”**

**Please refer to example entitled:**
**Rental Replacement Housing Calculations for Low Income Tenants**

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- March 2005

## 90 Day Occupants Downpayment Assistance § 24.402(c)

- Agency can elect maximum $5,250 downpayment and apply uniformly.
- Downpayment no longer limited to conventional loan downpayment amount.

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
NOTES:  In the case of the first bullet, there was only a minor clarification of the language of the regulation with no change in meaning or implementation.

The second bullet, in the new Appendix language, does make a change in that the downpayment is no longer limited by the minimum downpayment amount required for obtaining a conventional loan.

IMPLEMENTATION:  This potentially would benefit purchasers of lower value DSS replacement properties.  It would also tend to lessen administrative burden of Agencies to implement the downpayment program.

## Cost of Comparable Dwelling § 24.403(a)(1)

- Adjustment of asking price 	no longer allowed

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
NOTES:  Former rule forced homeowner to become a negotiator.  Change will reduce chance of appeal of replacement housing calculation.  The new procedure will reduce administrative burden for acquiring Agencies and give relocatees “the benefit of the doubt” when the replacement housing allowance is calculated.

## Incidental Expenses § 24.401(e)(4)

- Professional home inspection is now specifically eligible for reimbursement.

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The reimbursement of a home inspection fee is an added benefit for those displaced.

## Housing Options

**<date/time>**

**Housing Options**

- § 24.401(f) 180-day owner who rents:

**Eligible for**
**Purchase RHP**
**$19,500**

**Market Rental **
**Computation**
** **
**$12,500**

**Prior Limit**
**$5,250**

- NEW LIMIT

**Notes:**
NOTES:  The owner who rents can now receive more than was available under the prior rule if the market supports a higher rental amount. The owner could get “up to” the amount of the purchase RHP if the rental computation supports the supplement.  Income is not considered when calculating a rental assistance payment for an 180-day owner electing to rent.

## “Let’s See How it Works”

**Please refer to example entitled:**
**180-day Owners Who Rent**

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- March 2005

## Last Resort

- Payment limits ($5,250 - $22,500) are set aside.
- Less than 90 day occupants could receive rental assistance.

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- March 2005

**Notes:**
NOTES:  FHWA uses “protective rents” to protect re-occupying; HUD uses “move in notice” to avoid this type of tenancy.  Effective use of these strategies will reduce if not eliminate situations where less than 90 day occupants  are encountered.

Q: How does the change in § 24.2(a)(6)(vii)(C) [part of the definition of comparable replacement dwelling] change the treatment of “less than 90-day occupants” or “subsequent occupants”?
A: Displaced persons failing to meet the length of occupancy requirements continue to be eligible for relocation benefits under last resort housing. What has changed is how the benefit is calculated. Benefits for low-income tenants still will be calculated using the 30% of income rule contained in § 24.402(b)(2). For others, the calculation will be rent-to-rent. The reason for the change, as noted in the Preamble to the final rule, is to ensure consistent treatment of displacees. Across an agency’s programs, the net effect of the change in the 30% rule is expected to be a reduction in financial liability. However, with respect to some individual displacees who do not meet the length of occupancy requirements, the calculation of benefits may result in a higher payment under the final rule than under the former rule. Agencies may wish to consider using loss-of-rent agreements to limit and manage financial liability when they believe that there is substantial risk that a subsequent occupant situation will occur.

## “Let’s See How it Works”

**Please refer to example entitled:**
**Less Than 90-Day Tenant**

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- March 2005