January 29, 2025

Note: Any questions on the content of this message must be directed to OHFA’s Compliance and DevCo Helpdesk.

New 2025 HOME Rule

The 2025 HOME Rule is out! HUD has issued a draft pending final publication in the Federal Register. The Federal Register webpage for the final rule is found here.

The new regulations are intended to update, simplify, or streamline requirements; better align the program with other federal housing programs, and implement recent amendments to the HOME statute. 

The following are some highlights: 

• HUD did not extend the notice to evict to 60 days as originally proposed. The 30-day notice required by the HOME statute continues to apply.

• When a family receives rental assistance, whether tenant- or project-based, the other program rent is acceptable for HOME. The HOME low and high rents do not apply. This is an improvement over the proposed rules that would have required the tenant portion of the rent to be capped at HOME rent limits.

• LIHTC rents are acceptable for low HOME units. This removes the low HOME cap on LIHTC units that are low HOME units.

• Incorporates HOTMA safe harbors for other means-tested programs, such as TANF and LIHTC. This is a change of policy from past-stated HUD intent.

• Adopts NSPIRE protocols for HOME units.

• Allows the PHA utility allowance to be used for HOME units. The 2025 HOME Rule also allows HUD’s Utility Schedule Model, estimates, and an engineer’s consumption model for HOME units.

• Strengthens tenant rights and protections for occupants of HOME-assisted rental units and recipients of HOME tenant-based rental assistance.

OHFA continues to review the 2025 HOME Rule and will issue additional guidance soon.  

Reminder: Annual Owner Certification Reporting Is Here!

The 2024 reporting year annual owner certifications (AOCs) are due March 1, 2025. Owners/management agents may submit AOCs now rather than waiting until March. Below are a few reminders to help prepare for AOCs submissions:

• All tenant events must be updated in DevCo no later than the 10th of each month for the previous month in preparation for submitting AOCs. Management agents also need to update all tenant events when notified of an upcoming file audit.

• Utility allowance (UA) information must be updated in DevCo annually. Here are instructions (Section V) on how to update your project’s UAs.

• Additional information on the submission process may be found here: Multifamily Annual Owner Certification Requirements.

• Information on .XML uploads may be found here: XML Uploads Features Summary. 

• Ensure necessary staff members responsible for completing AOCs have access to DevCo. Here are instructions on how to get access to the DevCo database. If any assistance is needed, contact OHFA’s Compliance and DevCo Help Desk.

Code Violations

Pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.42-5(c)(1), owners/management agents must submit AOCs annually to OHFA, and these certifications are made under penalties of perjury. Code violations must be reported in the AOC. Further information is found here: Reminder: Annual Owner Certification – Code Violations.

Stay Informed! 

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