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Mobile Home Dislocation Assistance Program
Program Description
The Mobile Home Dislocation Assistance Program’s (MHDAP) objective resides in aiding the owners of mobile homes who are slated to move their homes from mobile home parks due to redevelopment and rezoning. The types of assistance available consist of rehabilitation for building code regulations and rehabilitation for improvements needed to successfully move the trailer to another site. In addition, eligible trailers will receive assistance from the Municipality’s Weatherization program. For those with trailers that are beyond the scope of rehabilitation assistance and must be abandoned, the program will provide rental assistance through the Municipality’s Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program or homeownership assistance through the AnCHOR program.
Program Income Eligibility
To qualify for MHDAP, the total household income may not exceed United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) established low-income limits, according to family size.
Household income will be determined as the adjusted gross income as defined for reporting on IRS Form 1040 for individual federal annual income tax purposes.
“Family Size” will include all people occupying the property as their permanent residence, whether related or not. College age children, who reside at a college, can be included if counted as a dependent on the federal tax returns of the homeowner. The definition of family may also contain estranged spouses without legal separations or divorce, or other legal family members not currently residing in the home. However, the final judgment of family for these types of cases rests with the Municipality. (Top)
AnCHOR and TBRA Policies
Applicants seeking assistance through the AnCHOR and TBRA programs will apply through the normal processes, using the current policies for each program. For AnCHOR, applicants will contact Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (ANHS) at 677-8450. ANHS resides at 480 West Tudor Road. TBRA applicants will apply through the Municipality’s Safe City Program. Safe City’s telephone number is 343-6746. The program is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, Social Services Division. It is located at 825 L. Street, Second floor. The following is the AnCHOR and TBRA policies: (Top)
Maximum/Minimum dollar amount of assistance - The maximum grant amount is $5,000. TBRA assistance may be granted for up to 6 months. Assistance from the AnCHOR program consists of up to $25,000 for down payments or closing costs (or both).
The minimum amount is $1,000. (Policy List)
Repayment of the assistance - Rehabilitation: No repayment of the rehabilitation grant is required as long as the property remains owner (the grant recipient) occupied for 3 years after final disbursement of the grant funds. Upon vacating the residence or transfer of deed or title within the 3-year grant period, including moving and renting the property, the grant becomes immediately due and payable.
TBRA: There is no repayment of the TBRA assistance.
AnCHOR There are no monthly payments associated with the AnCHOR loan. The AnCHOR loan has a 10-year forgiveness period as described below.
Ten percent of the AnCHOR loan amount will be forgiven at the end of each year (e.g., on the first anniversary of the closing date 10% of the original AnCHOR loan amount will be forgiven, then on the second anniversary another 10% of the original AnCHOR loan amount will be forgiven, etc.).
For closing-cost assistance loans on homes outside the Renaissance Zone, the forgiveness period will be 5 years, with 20% forgiven each year.
There is no proration of the amount forgiven during the year (i.e., if the property is sold at any time during the year, the amount due and payable will be the amount due on the previous anniversary date).
The property must remain the borrowers’ primary residence throughout the forgiveness period. If the property ceases to be the primary residence for any reason, the forgiveness provision will end and the full amount of the assistance will be due and payable. To maintain this policy, the Municipality may, at its discretion, require home owners utilizing AnCHOR funds to certify their occupancy. HUD is very specific with this issue and leaves no latitude.
For the purposes of MHDAP and the AnCHOR program, a property qualifies as the borrower’s primary residence if the following conditions are satisfied.
- The property will be occupied by the borrower(s) for more than six (6) months of the year.
- The property is located relatively convenient to the place of employment of the borrower(s). If the property is not located relatively convenient to the borrower’s place of employment, the provision may be satisfied if:
- The borrower(s) will always return to the property immediately upon completion of employment shifts; or
- The dependent members of the borrower’s family will occupy the property as their primary residence.
The property will become the borrower’s address of record for reporting federal income tax; voter registration; hunting, fishing, and driver’s licenses; motor vehicle registration; occupational licenses; employment, unemployment, military service, or educational purposes; and similar functions. (Policy List)
Fees - There are no fees charged to the applicant for the rehabilitation and TBRA assistance. Applicants will be assessed a $150 fee for the AnCHOR program.
Outstanding Taxes - Recipients and property owners shall have paid all municipal taxes currently due and owing by the recipient or property owner.
Homeownership and Occupancy Requirements - Grant recipients must own and occupy the home as their primary residence throughout the 3-year grant period, or repay grant. Applicants must bring in a DMV title for a mobile home showing ownership.
AnCHOR recipients must live in their home throughout the 10-year forgiveness period.
There is no homeownership requirement for TBRA assistance. However, TBRA recipients must live in the rented units throughout the period of assistance. (Policy List)
Homeownership and Occupancy Monitoring - All recipients will complete and submit an annual monitoring letter declaring their ownership and occupancy during their 3-year grant period for rehabilitation assistance or 10-year forgiveness period for AnCHOR assistance. These letters will be due January 31 each year and mailed to the following address:
Municipality of Anchorage
Community Development Division
Planning Department
Housing Programs Manager
P.O. Box 196650, Suite 230
Anchorage, AK 99519-6650
The Municipality of Anchorage will begin mailing the form letter January 1.
TBRA recipients must re-qualify annually.
In addition, Community Development Division staff will conduct random site inspections confirming ownership and occupancy compliance.
Lastly, the Municipality of Anchorage retains the right to alter its monitoring policies as the programs evolve and requires more efficient methods. (Policy List)
Eligible Activities - Rehabilitation Eligible repairs will include rehabilitation work to ensure structural integrity during movement, general moving preparations, installation activities, and code compliance repairs (including inspection fees and permitting).
TBRA The Mobile Home Dislocation Assistance Program will also provide help to those whose trailer cannot be moved due to severe structural decay. This activity will utilize the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program as administered by the Municipality’s Safe City program, utilizing the existing policies and procedures. Assistance will consist of a maximum of six months rent.
AnCHOR In addition, qualified applicants seeking to be homeowners may receive up to $25,000 of down-payment and closing-cost assistance through the AnCHOR program. The process for obtaining an AnCHOR loan begins with prequalifying with a 1st mortgage-loan originator. A list of approved lenders may be obtained from Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. After locating a home and signing a buy/sell agreement, the 1st mortgage lender will forward the application to Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. for processing. Processing will be in accordance with the AnCHOR Program Policies and the AnCHOR Program Procedures. (Policy List)
Scope of Work for Mobile Home Rehabilitation - After the eligibility of the homeowner has been verified, the property will be inspected to determine the scope of work to be performed and to confirm that the work meets program eligibility requirements as established by HUD and The Municipality of Anchorage.
The Administrator will subcontract all work. The will require a bid process. The scope of work will be prepared with enough details to ensure that the Administrator’s bids can be uniform. The Administrator will obtain at least three bids from building contractors, licensed by the State of Alaska.
For some types of subcontractor services, it is permissible for the Administrator to procure a subcontractor for multiple jobs, as long as the Administrator secures the subcontractor through the approved Municipal and federal purchasing processes. (Policy List)
Self Help Work - The applicant may not perform the repair work. The work must be bid out to, and performed by, an independent licensed contractor.
Grant and Loan Approval - The Municipality of Anchorage will review all completed grant and loan application packages for compliance before any work may begin, or any rent assistance or loan is approved.
Notice to Proceed - The Notice to Proceed must be signed by the grant applicant and the Rehabilitation Administrator.
Construction Stage and Payment Disbursements - The Municipality will pay invoices directly. No money will flow through the applicant. When the Administrator requests payment, a bill will be presented with a description of the work completed to date.
Each draw request will be reviewed by the Administrator for conformance with the scope of work and the cost estimate or bid.
For each disbursement, the Administrator will inspect the site to ensure that the work has been finished satisfactorily.
The final 10% of the grant amount will not be disbursed until after all of the work is completed and a final inspection is performed. (Policy List)
Final Payment - When all of the work is finished, the property will be inspected by the Administrator, the contractor, and the grant applicant, and the entire project will be reviewed to ensure that all work covered in the scope of work has been satisfactorily completed.
A Final Inspection form will be signed by a representative of the Administrator, the contractor, and by the grant applicant prior to the final disbursement.
Conflict of Interest - A conflict of interest exists if a grant applicant is an employee, agent, consultant, officer, elected
official or appointed official of the Municipality of Anchorage, and if the applicant
- exercises or has exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to funds for this program, or
- participates in the decision-making process related to funds for this program, or
- is in a position to gain inside information with regard to program activities.
If a conflict of interest exists, the applicant may not obtain a grant under this program. If there is any doubt of the conflict of interest, a written waiver may be obtained from The Municipality of Anchorage.
The Municipality of Anchorage retains the ability to revise the Mobile Home Dislocation Assistance Program’s policies at its sole discretion. (Top)
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