Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA) is committed to encouraging the development and preservation of affordable rental housing for Alabamians with Special Needs. Beginning in 2016, AHFA expanded multifamily programs to provide additional funding and incentives for the creation of affordable rental housing for Alabama’s extremely low-income, homeless, and special needs populations. AHFA encourages ongoing partnerships between the development community and the Alabama Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC), its member agencies and other service providers to house these populations at the local and regional level.
How AHFA Programs Can Help:
- AHFA designed a point preference for developers to set aside at least 5% of HOME and/or Housing Credit-financed units for people who are homeless and/or have disabilities.
- The units must be actively marketed and rented to households with at least one tenant with a disability or a tenant transitioning from being homeless.
- If a project is selected for funding, an approved marketing and preference plan must be provided along with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the owner, management company and service provider.
- Through the point preference incentive for the HOME and Housing Credit programs and the targeted funding of the National Housing Trust Fund, AHFA is promoting a statewide commitment to provide affordable rental housing to these populations and bringing together those in need of housing and those providing housing.
- Thus far, developers have committed to set aside more than 268 newly constructed or rehabilitated units to house disabled and homeless households throughout the state.
How Special Needs Residents Can Benefit:
- The MOU is a firm agreement which encourages cooperation between the parties and outlines their intention to work together to provide clearly defined supportive services to eligible residents and enhance their ability to maintain independent living.
- Services must address the special needs of people who are homeless and/or who have disabilities.
- Services may be provided directly by CoC or member agency, or via arrangement with other providers.
- As part of the MOU, the CoC, member agency, or other provider will provide reasonable accommodation and continuity of services throughout the duration of the development’s compliance period.
Additional information including an Interactive Map of newly constructed and renovated developments that have set-aside units with management contact information, local service providers, and Alabama Coc office locations throughout the state can be found on our website at http://www.ahfa.com/multifamily/development-resources.
