Section 355.103  Definitions

 

As used in this Part, the following words or terms mean:

 

"Act":  The Illinois Housing Development Act [20 ILCS 3805].

 

"Affordable Housing Project":  A housing project that is either:

 

a rental project in which at least 25% of the units that have rents (including tenant-paid heat) that do not exceed, on a monthly basis, 30% of the gross monthly income of a Household earning the maximum income for a Low-Income Household in the geographical area in which the Affordable Housing Project is located and that are occupied by persons and families who qualify as Low-Income Households; or

 

a unit for sale to Low-Income Households and who will pay no more than 30% of their gross household income for mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, and property insurance upon the purchase of the unit.

 

"Affordable Housing Restrictions":  The income and occupancy restrictions for an Affordable Housing Project required by Section 7.28 and this Part, or those set forth in the Application for the Affordable Housing Project, whichever are more stringent.

 

"Affordable Housing Tax Credits":  Affordable Housing Tax Credits, as authorized by Section 7.28 and Section 214 of the Illinois Income Tax Act.

 

"Affordable Housing Tax Credit Ceiling":  The aggregate amount of Affordable Housing Tax Credits available for Allocation in a State fiscal year.

 

"Agency":  The Authority, the City of Chicago or any other municipality that may subsequently be designated by law as an agency for the Allocation of Affordable Housing Tax Credits.

 

"Agency Affordable Housing Tax Credit Ceiling":  That portion of the  Affordable Housing Tax Credit Ceiling that is available for Allocation by an Agency.  That amount is 24.5% of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Ceiling for the City of Chicago, and 75.5% of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Ceiling for the Authority.

 

"Agency Head":  The Executive Director of the Authority or the Housing Commissioner of the City of Chicago.

 

"Allocation":  An award by an Agency of Affordable Housing Tax Credits in connection with an Affordable Housing Project, an Employer-Assisted Housing Project or Technical Assistance.

 

"Applicant":  The Sponsor (and any other affiliated entities) applying for an Allocation.

 

"Application":  An application to an Agency for a Reservation and an Allocation submitted by an Applicant, including the required supporting documentation.

 

"Authority":  The Illinois Housing Development Authority.

 

"Certificate":  The certificate issued by an Agency evidencing an  Allocation.  The Certificate shall state the effective date of the Allocation.

 

"Compliance Period":  The period during which an Affordable Housing Project is obligated to comply with the Affordable Housing Restrictions, as set forth in the Application.  The Compliance Period for each Affordable Housing Project shall be a minimum of 10 years from the date of the initial certificate of occupancy from the municipality in which the Affordable Housing Project is located, except for:

 

Single Family Projects in which a Sponsor provides construction subsidies or down payment and closing cost assistance to Low-Income Households or Employer-Assisted Housing Projects purchasing a Single Family Residence, in which case the Compliance Period shall be 5 years from the date of the closing of the purchase of the Single Family Residence, and

 

Hardship cases, as provided in Section 355.404 of this Part.

 

"Donation":  Money, securities, or real or personal property that is provided without consideration to a Sponsor and that is used for:

 

costs associated with purchasing, rehabilitating, constructing, or providing or obtaining financing for an  Affordable Housing Project, including fees for attorneys, architects, accountants, surveyors and appraisers;

 

Technical Assistance; or

 

General Operating Support of the Sponsor; or

 

an Employer-Assisted Housing Project.

 

"Donor":  An individual or entity, other than the Federal government, the State government, any local municipality or any agency, board commission, corporation or authority of the Federal government, the State government or any local government, except as provided in Section 355.311 of this Part, making a Donation.

 

"Employer-Assisted Housing Project": A project that involves Donations made to a Sponsor that are used for down payment and closing cost assistance, reduced-interest mortgages, mortgage guarantee programs, rental subsidies, or individual development account savings plans that are:

 

provided by the Sponsor to the employers' employees to assist them to secure housing near the employer's work place; and

 

restricted to housing near such work place; and

 

restricted to employees who qualify as Moderate-Income Households.

 

"General Operating Support":  Any cost incurred by a Sponsor, directly or indirectly, in connection with an Affordable Housing Project or an Employer-Assisted Housing Project.  Such costs may include a proportionate amount of the general overhead expenses of the Sponsor.

 

"Gross Household Income":  The total annualized income of a  Household from whatever source derived and before taxes or withholdings.

 

"Household":  A single person, family or unrelated persons living together.

 

"Initial Closing Date":  The date on which all legal requirements for the funding of an Affordable Housing Project have been met, as determined by the funding sources for the Affordable Housing Project, and the funds are made available to the Affordable Housing Project for distribution.

 

"Low-Income Household":  A Household whose adjusted income is less than or equal to 60% of the median income of the geographical area of the Household's prospective residence, adjusted for family size, as such adjusted income and median income for the geographical area are determined from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for purposes of Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 USC 1437).

 

"Material Participation":  An individual or entity that provides personal services to tenants or prospective tenants of a Multifamily Housing Project or rental Single Family Project, or professional services to a Multifamily Housing Project, on a regular, continuous, and substantial basis for more than 300  hours during each year during the Compliance Period.  This requirement will be satisfied if the Sponsor is the owner, or holds a controlling interest in the entity that is the owner, of the project; or is the managing general partner, or holds a controlling interest in the entity that is the managing general partner, of a limited partnership that is the owner of the project; or is the managing member, or holds a controlling interest in the entity that is the managing member, of the limited liability company that is the owner of the project.

 

"Members":  The Members of the Authority.

 

"Moderate-Income Household":  A Household whose adjusted income is less than 120% of the median income of the geographical area of the Household's Employer-Assisted  Housing Project, adjusted for family size, as such adjusted income and median income for the geographical area are determined from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for purposes of Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 USC 1437).

 

"Multifamily Housing Project":  An Affordable Housing Project comprised of one or more buildings (other than Single Family Residences) containing an aggregate of five or more rental units.

 

"Program":  The Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program.

 

"Regulatory Agreement": The Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit Regulatory Agreement to be recorded against rental Affordable Housing Projects and Employer Assisted Housing Projects.

 

"Reservation":  An Agency's conditional reservation of Affordable Housing Tax Credits for a Sponsor.  A Reservation shall be valid for a period no longer than 24 months from the date of the Reservation Letter.  If the Affordable Housing Tax Credits so reserved have not been allocated within that 24 month period, the Reservation shall expire and shall not be renewed.

 

"Reservation Letter":  The letter from an Agency to a Sponsor conditionally reserving Affordable Housing Tax Credits.

 

"Section 7.28":  Section 7.28 of the Act.

 

"Single Family Project":  An Affordable Housing Project consisting of:

 

the construction of Single Family Residences; or

 

the rehabilitation of a 2, 3, or 4 unit building; upon completion of rehabilitation, the units are sold or rented; or

 

the rehabilitation of Single Family Residences, which are then sold or rented; or

 

the rehabilitation of buildings containing more than 4 units; upon completion of rehabilitation, the units are sold as condominiums; or

 

the financing of Single Family Residences using junior mortgages with a below market interest rate; or

 

construction subsidies to lower the purchase price of Single Family Residences.

 

"Single Family Residence":  A house, condominium, townhouse or other residence used for occupancy by a single Household as its primary residence.

 

"Sponsor":  A not-for-profit organization that is:

 

organized under the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986 [805 ILCS 105] for the purpose of constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing units in this State; or

 

organized for the purpose of constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing units and has been issued a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service of the United States Department of the Treasury that the organization is exempt from income taxation under provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; or

 

an organization designated as a community development corporation by the United States Government under Title VII of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964; or

 

a limited liability company that has a not-for-profit organization as its sole member.

 

"State":  The State of Illinois.

 

"Technical Assistance":  Any cost incurred by a Sponsor for:

 

planning for an Affordable Housing Project or an Employer-Assisted Housing Project, or

 

assistance with an Application, or

 

counseling services provided to prospective purchasers of a Single Family Residence in connection with a Single Family Project or an Employer-Assisted Housing Project, except as provided in Section 355.408 of this Part.

 

"Very Low-Income Household":  A Household whose adjusted income is less than or equal to 50% of the median income of the geographical area of the Household's prospective residence, adjusted for family size, as such adjusted income and median income for the geographical area are determined from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for purposes of Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 USC 1437).

 

(Source:  Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 5797, effective March 30, 2007)