24 CFR 570.489 – Program administrative requirements
(a) Administrative and planning costs.—(1) State administrative and technical assistance costs. (i) The State is responsible for the administration of all CDBG funds. The State may use CDBG funds not to exceed $100,000, plus 50 percent of administrative expenses incurred in excess of $100,000. Amounts of CDBG funds used to pay administrative expenses in excess of $100,000 shall not, subject to paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section, exceed the sum of 3 percent of the State’s annual grant; 3 percent of program income received by units of general local government during each program year, regardless of the origin year in which the State grant funds that generate the program income were appropriated (whether retained by units of general local government or paid to the State); and 3 percent of funds reallocated by HUD to the State.
(ii) To pay the costs of providing technical assistance to local governments and nonprofit program recipients, a State may, subject to paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section, use CDBG funds received on or after January 23, 2004, in an amount not to exceed the sum of 3 percent of its annual grant; 3 percent of program income received by units of general local government during each program year, regardless of the origin year in which the State grant funds that generate the program income were appropriated (whether retained by units of general local government or paid to the State); and 3 percent of funds reallocated by HUD to the State during each program year.
(iii) The amount of CDBG funds used to pay the sum of administrative costs in excess of $100,000 paid pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section and technical assistance costs paid pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section must not exceed the sum of 3 percent of the State’s annual grant; 3 percent of program income received by units of general local government during each program year, regardless of the origin year in which the State grant funds that generate the program income were appropriated (whether retained by the unit of general local government or paid to the State); and 3 percent of funds reallocated by HUD to the State.
(iv) In calculating the amount of CDBG funds that may be used to pay State administrative expenses prior to January 23, 2004, the State may include in the calculation the following elements only to the extent that they are within the following time limitations:
(A) $100,000 per annual grant beginning with FY 1984 allocations;
(B) Two percent of the sum of a State’s annual grant and funds reallocated by HUD to the State within a program year, without limitation based on when such amounts were received;
(C) Two percent of program income returned by units of general local government to States after August 21, 1985; and
(D) Two percent of program income received and retained by units of general local government after February 11, 1991.
(v) In regard to its administrative costs, for grants before origin year 2015, the State has the option of selecting its approach for demonstrating compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. For grants beginning with origin year 2015 grants and subsequent grants, the State must use the approach in paragraph (a)(1)(v)(A) of this section. Any State whose matching cost contributions toward State administrative expense matching requirements are in arrears must bring matching cost contributions up to the level of CDBG funds expended for such costs. A State grant may not be closed out if the State’s matching cost contribution is not at least equal to the amount of CDBG funds in excess of $100,000 expended for administration. The two approaches for demonstrating compliance with this paragraph (a)(1) are:
(A) Year-to-year tracking and limitation on drawdown of funds. The State will calculate the maximum allowable amount of CDBG funds that may be used for State administrative expenses from the sum of each origin year grant, program income received during that associated program year and reallocations by HUD to the State during that associated program year. The State will draw down amounts of those funds only upon its own expenditure of an equal or greater amount of matching funds from its own resources after the expenditure of the initial $100,000 for State administrative expenses. The State will be considered to be in compliance with the applicable requirements if the actual amount of CDBG funds spent on State administrative expenses does not exceed the maximum allowable amount, and if the amount of matching funds that the State has expended for that grant year is equal to or greater than the amount of CDBG funds in excess of $100,000 spent during that same grant year. Under this approach, the State must demonstrate that it has paid from its own funds at least 50 percent of its administrative expenses in excess of $100,000 by the closeout of each grant.
(B) Cumulative accounting of administrative costs incurred by the State since its assumption of the CDBG program for grants before origin year 2015. Under this approach, the State will identify, for each grant it has received, the CDBG funds eligible to be used for State administrative expenses, as well as the minimum amount of matching funds that the State is required to contribute. The amounts will then be aggregated for all grants received. The State must keep records demonstrating the actual amount of CDBG funds from each grant received that was used for State administrative expenses, as well as matching amounts that were contributed by the State. The State will be considered to be in compliance with the applicable requirements if the aggregate of the actual amounts of CDBG funds spent on State administrative expenses does not exceed the aggregate maximum allowable amount and if the aggregate amount of matching funds that the State has expended is equal to or greater than the aggregate amount of CDBG funds in excess of $100,000 (for each annual grant within the subject period) spent on administrative expenses during its 3- to 5-year Consolidated Planning period. If the State grant for any grant year within the 3- to 5-year period has been closed out, the aggregate amount of CDBG funds spent on State administrative expenses, the aggregate maximum allowable amount, the aggregate matching funds expended, and the aggregate amount of CDBG funds in excess of $100,000 (for each annual grant within the subject period) will be reduced by amounts attributable to the grant year for which the State grant has been closed out.
(2) The State may not charge fees of any entity for processing or considering any application for CDBG funds, or for carrying out its responsibilities under this subpart.
(3)(i) Administrative costs are those described at § 570.489(a)(1) for States and, for units of general local government, are those described at sections 105(a)(12) and (a)(13) of the Act.
(ii) The combined expenditures by the State and its funded units of general local government for planning, management, and administrative costs shall not exceed 20 percent of the aggregate amount of the origin year grant, any origin year grant funds reallocated by HUD to the State, and the amount of any program income received during the program year.
(iii) For origin year 2015 grants and subsequent grants, no more than 20 percent of any annual grant (excluding program income) shall be expended by the State and its funded units of general local government for planning, management, and administrative costs. In addition, the combined expenditures by the States and its unit of general local government for planning, management, and administrative costs shall not exceed 20 percent of any origin year grant funds reallocated by HUD to the State.
(iv) Funds from a grant of any origin year may be used to pay planning and program administrative costs associated with any grant of any origin year.
(b) Reimbursement of pre-agreement costs. The State may permit, in accordance with such procedures as the State may establish, a unit of general local government to incur costs for CDBG activities before the establishment of a formal grant relationship between the State and the unit of general local government and to charge these pre-agreement costs to the grant, provided that the activities are eligible and undertaken in accordance with the requirements of this part and 24 CFR part 58. A State may incur costs prior to entering into a grant agreement with HUD and charge those pre-agreement costs to the grant, provided that the activities are eligible and are undertaken in accordance with the requirements of this part, part 58 of this title, and the citizen participation requirements of part 91 of this title.
(c) Federal grant payments. The State’s requests for payment, and the Federal Government’s payments upon such requests, must comply with 31 CFR part 205. The State must use procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of grant funds and disbursement of funds by the State to units of general local government. States must also have procedures in place, and units of general local government must use these procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds by the State and disbursement for CDBG activities.
(d) Fiscal controls and accounting procedures. (1) A State shall have fiscal and administrative requirements for expending and accounting for all funds received under this subpart. These requirements must be available for Federal inspection and must:
(i) Be sufficiently specific to ensure that funds received under this subpart are used in compliance with all applicable statutory and regulatory provisions and the terms and conditions of the award:
(ii) Ensure that funds received under this subpart are only spent for reasonable and necessary costs of operating programs under this subpart; and
(iii) Ensure that funds received under this subpart are not used for general expenses required to carry out other responsibilities of State and local governments.
(2) A State may satisfy this requirement by:
(i) Using fiscal and administrative requirements applicable to the use of its own funds;
(ii) Adopting new fiscal and administrative requirements; or
(iii) Applying the provisions in 2 CFR part 200.
(A) A State that opts to satisfy this requirement for fiscal controls and administrative procedures by applying the provisions of 2 CFR part 200 must comply with the requirements therein.
(B) A State that opts to satisfy this requirement for fiscal controls and administrative procedures by applying the provisions of 2 CFR part 200 must also ensure that recipients of the State’s CDBG funds comply with 2 CFR part 200.
(e) Program income. (1) For the purposes of this subpart, “program income” is defined as gross income received by a State, a unit of general local government, or a subgrantee of the unit of general local government that was generated from the use of CDBG funds, regardless of when the CDBG funds were appropriated and whether the activity has been closed out, except as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section. When income is generated by an activity that is only partially assisted with CDBG funds, the income must be prorated to reflect the percentage of CDBG funds used (e.g., a single loan supported by CDBG funds and other funds; or a single parcel of land purchased with CDBG funds and other funds). Program income includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(i) Proceeds from the disposition by sale or long-term lease of real property purchased or improved with CDBG funds, except as provided in paragraph (e)(2)(v) of this section;
(ii) Proceeds from the disposition of equipment purchased with CDBG funds;
(iii) Gross income from the use or rental of real or personal property acquired by the unit of general local government or subgrantee of the unit of general local government with CDBG funds, less the costs incidental to the generation of the income;
(iv) Gross income from the use or rental of real property, owned by the unit of general local government or other entity carrying out a CDBG activity that was constructed or improved with CDBG funds, less the costs incidental to the generation of the income;
(v) Payments of principal and interest on loans made using CDBG funds, except as provided in paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section;
(vi) Proceeds from the sale of loans made with CDBG funds, less reasonable legal and other costs incurred in the course of such sale that are not otherwise eligible costs under sections 105(a)(13) or 106(d)(3)(A) of the Act;
(vii) Proceeds from the sale of obligations secured by loans made with CDBG funds, less reasonable legal and other costs incurred in the course of such sale that are not otherwise eligible costs under sections 105(a)(13) or 106(d)(3)(A) of the Act;
(viii) Interest earned on funds held in a revolving fund account;
(ix) Interest earned on program income pending disposition of the income;
(x) Funds collected through special assessments made against nonresidential properties and properties owned and occupied by households not of low and moderate income, if the special assessments are used to recover all or part of the CDBG portion of a public improvement; and
(xi) Gross income paid to a unit of general local government or subgrantee of the unit of general local government from the ownership interest in a for-profit entity acquired in return for the provision of CDBG assistance.
(2) “Program income” does not include the following:
(i) The total amount of funds, which does not exceed $35,000 received in a single year from activities, other than revolving loan funds that is retained by a unit of general local government and its subgrantees (all funds received from revolving loan funds are considered program income, regardless of amount);
(ii) Amounts generated by activities eligible under section 105(a)(15) of the Act and carried out by an entity under the authority of section 105(a)(15) of the Act;
(iii) Payments of principal and interest made by a subgrantee carrying out a CDBG activity for a unit of general local government, toward a loan from the local government to the subgrantee, to the extent that program income received by the subgrantee is used for such payments;
(iv) The following classes of interest, which must be remitted to HUD for transmittal to the Department of the Treasury, and will not be reallocated under section 106(c) or (d) of the Act:
(A) Interest income from loans or other forms of assistance provided with CDBG funds that are used for activities determined by HUD to be not eligible under § 570.482 or section 105(a) of the Act, to fail to meet a national objective in accordance with the requirements of § 570.483, or to fail substantially to meet any other requirement of this subpart or the Act;
(B) Interest income from deposits of amounts reimbursed to a State’s CDBG program account prior to the state’s disbursement of the reimbursed funds for eligible purposes; and
(C) Interest income received by units of general local government on deposits of grant funds before disbursement of the funds for activities, except that the unit of general local government may keep interest payments of up to $100 per year for administrative expenses otherwise permitted to be paid with CDBG funds.
(v) Proceeds from the sale of real property purchased or improved with CDBG funds, if the proceeds are received more than 5 years after expiration of the grant agreement between the State and the unit of general local government.
(3) The State may permit the unit of general local government which receives or will receive program income to retain it, subject to the requirements of paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, or may require the unit of general local government to pay the program income to the State. The State, however, must permit the unit of general local government to retain the program income if it will be used to continue the activity from which it was derived. The State will determine when an activity is being continued.
(i) Program income paid to the State. Except as described in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, the State may require the unit of general local government that receives or will receive program income to return the program income to the State. Program income that is paid to the State is treated as additional CDBG funds subject to the requirements of this subpart. Except for program income retained and used by the State for administrative costs or technical assistance under paragraph (a) of this section, program income paid to the State must be distributed to units of general local government in accordance with the method of distribution in the action plan under 24 CFR 91.320(k)(1)(i) that is in effect at the time the program income is distributed. To the maximum extent feasible, the State must distribute program income before it makes additional withdrawals from the United States Treasury, except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section.
(ii) Program income retained by a unit of general local government. A State may permit a unit of general local government that receives or will receive program income to retain it. Alternatively, a State may require that the unit of general local government pay any such income to the State unless the exception in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) of this section applies.
(A) A State must permit the unit of general local government to retain the program income if the program income will be used to continue the activity from which it was derived. A State will determine when an activity is being continued. In making such a determination, a State may consider whether the unit of general local government is or will be unable to comply with the requirements of paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(B) of this section or other requirements of this part, and the extent to which the program income is unlikely to be applied to continue the activity within the reasonably near future. When a State determines that the program income will be applied to continue the activity from which it was derived, but the amount of program income held by the unit of general local government exceeds projected cash needs for the reasonably near future, the State may require the local government to return all or part of the program income to the State until such time as it is needed by the unit of general local government. When a State determines that a unit of local government is not likely to apply any significant amount of program income to continue the activity within a reasonable amount of time, or that it is not likely to apply the program income in accordance with applicable requirements, the State may require the unit of general local government to return all of the program income to the State for disbursement to other units of local government. A State that intends to require units of general local government to return program income in accordance with this paragraph must describe its approach in the State’s action plan required under 24 CFR 91.320 of this title or in a substantial amendment if the State intends to implement this option after the action plan is submitted to and approved by HUD.
(B) Program income that is received and retained by the unit of general local government is treated as additional CDBG funds and is subject to all applicable requirements of this subpart, regardless of whether the activity that generated the program income has been closed out. If the grant between the State and the unit of general local government that generated the program income is still open when it is generated, program income permitted to be retained will be considered part of the unit of general local government’s grant that generated the program income. If the grant between the State and the unit of general local government is closed out, program income permitted to be retained will be considered to be part of the unit of general local government’s most recently awarded open grant. If the unit of general local government has no open grants with the State, the program income retained by the unit of general local government will be counted as part of the State’s program year in which the program income was received. A State must employ one or more of the following methods to ensure that units of general local government comply with applicable program income requirements:
(1) Maintaining contractual relationships with units of general local government for the duration of the existence of the program income;
(2) Closing out the underlying activity, but requiring as a condition of closeout that the unit of general local government obtain advance State approval of either a unit of general local government’s plan for the use of program income or of each use of program income by grant recipients via regularly occurring reports and requests for approval;
(3) Closing out the underlying activity, but requiring as a condition of closeout that the unit of general local government report to the State when new program income is received; or
(4) With prior HUD approval, other approaches that demonstrate that the State will ensure compliance with the requirements of this subpart by units of general local government.
(iii) Transfer of program income to Entitlement program. A unit of general local government that becomes eligible to be an Entitlement grantee may request the State’s approval to transfer State CDBG grant-generated program income to the unit of general local government’s Entitlement program. A State may approve the transfer, provided that the unit of general local government:
(A) Has officially elected to participate in the Entitlement grant program;
(B) Agrees to use such program income in accordance with Entitlement program requirements; and
(C) Has set up Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS) access and agrees to enter receipt of program income into IDIS.
(iv) Transfer of program income of grantees losing Entitlement status. Upon entry into the State CDBG program, a unit of general local government that has lost or relinquished its Entitlement status must, with respect to program income that a unit of general local government would otherwise be permitted to retain, either:
(A) Retain program income generated under Entitlement grants and continue to comply with Entitlement program requirements for program income; or
(B) Retain the program income and transfer it to the State CDBG program, in which case the unit of general local government must comply with the State’s rules for program income and the requirements of this paragraph (e).
(4) The State must report on the receipt and use of all program income (whether retained by units of general local government or paid to the State) in its annual performance and evaluation report.
(f) Revolving funds. (1) The State may permit units of general local government to establish revolving funds to carry out specific, identified activities. A revolving fund, for this purpose, is a separate fund (with a set of accounts that are independent of other program accounts) established to carry out specific activities which, in turn, generate payments to the fund for use in carrying out such activities. These payments to the revolving fund are program income and must be substantially disbursed from the revolving fund before additional grant funds are drawn from the Treasury for revolving fund activities. Such program income is not required to be disbursed for non-revolving fund activities.
(2) The State may establish one or more State revolving funds to distribute grants to units of general local government throughout a State or a region of the State to carry out specific, identified activities. A revolving fund, for this purpose, is a separate fund (with a set of accounts that are independent of other program accounts) established to fund grants to units of general local government to carry out specific activities which, in turn, generate payments to the fund for additional grants to units of general local government to carry out such activities. Program income in the revolving fund must be disbursed from the fund before additional grant funds are drawn from the Treasury for payments to units of general local government which could be funded from the revolving fund.
(3) A revolving fund established by either the State or unit of general local government shall not be directly funded or capitalized with grant funds.
(g) Procurement. When procuring property or services to be paid for in whole or in part with CDBG funds, the State shall follow its procurement policies and procedures. The State shall establish requirements for procurement policies and procedures for units of general local government, based on full and open competition. Methods of procurement (e.g., small purchase, sealed bids/formal advertising, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals) and their applicability shall be specified by the State. Cost plus a percentage of cost and percentage of construction costs methods of contracting shall not be used. The policies and procedures shall also include standards of conduct governing employees engaged in the award or administration of contracts. (Other conflicts of interest are covered by § 570.489(h).) The State shall ensure that all purchase orders and contracts include any clauses required by Federal statutes, Executive orders, and implementing regulations. The State shall make subrecipient and contractor determinations in accordance with the standards in 2 CFR 200.330.
(h) Conflict of interest—(1) Applicability. (i) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by the States, units of local general governments, and subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in paragraph (g) of this section shall apply.
(ii) In all cases not governed by paragraph (g) of this section, this paragraph (h) shall apply. Such cases include the acquisition and disposition of real property and the provision of assistance with CDBG funds by the unit of general local government or its subrecipients, to individuals, businesses and other private entities.
(2) Conflicts prohibited. Except for eligible administrative or personnel costs, the general rule is that no persons described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section who exercise or have exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to CDBG activities assisted under this subpart or who are in a position to participate in a decisionmaking process or gain inside information with regard to such activities, may obtain a financial interest or benefit from the activity, or have an interest or benefit from the activity, or have an interest in any contract, subcontract or agreement with respect thereto, or the proceeds thereunder, either for themselves or those with whom they have family or business ties, during their tenure or for one year thereafter.
(3) Persons covered. The conflict of interest provisions for paragraph (h)(2) of this section apply to any person who is an employee, agent, consultant, officer, or elected official or appointed official of the State, or of a unit of general local government, or of any designated public agencies, or subrecipients which are receiving CDBG funds.
(4) Exceptions: Thresholds requirements. Upon written request by the State, an exception to the provisions of paragraph (h)(2) of this section involving an employee, agent, consultant, officer, or elected official or appointed official of the State may be granted by HUD on a case-by-case basis. In all other cases, the State may grant such an exception upon written request of the unit of general local government provided the State shall fully document its determination in compliance with all requirements of paragraph (h)(4) of this section including the State’s position with respect to each factor at paragraph (h)(5) of this section and such documentation shall be available for review by the public and by HUD. An exception may be granted after it is determined that such an exception will serve to further the purpose of the Act and the effective and efficient administration of the program or project of the State or unit of general local government as appropriate. An exception may be considered only after the State or unit of general local government, as appropriate, has provided the following:
(i) A disclosure of the nature of the conflict, accompanied by an assurance that there has been public disclosure of the conflict and a description of how the public disclosure was made; and
(ii) An opinion of the attorney for the State or the unit of general local government, as appropriate, that the interest for which the exception is sought would not violate State or local law.
(5) Factors to be considered for exceptions. In determining whether to grant a requested exception after the requirements of paragraph (h)(4) of this section have been satisfactorily met, the cumulative effect of the following factors, where applicable, shall be considered:
(i) Whether the exception would provide a significant cost benefit or an essential degree of expertise to the program or project which would otherwise not be available;
(ii) Whether an opportunity was provided for open competitive bidding or negotiation;
(iii) Whether the person affected is a member of a group or class of low or moderate income persons intended to be the beneficiaries of the assisted activity, and the exception will permit such person to receive generally the same interests or benefits as are being made available or provided to the group or class;
(iv) Whether the affected person has withdrawn from his or her functions or responsibilities, or the decisionmaking process with respect to the specific assisted activity in question;
(v) Whether the interest or benefit was present before the affected person was in a position as described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section;
(vi) Whether undue hardship will result either to the State or the unit of general local government or the person affected when weighed against the public interest served by avoiding the prohibited conflict; and
(vii) Any other relevant considerations.
(i) Closeout of grants to units of general local government. The State shall establish requirements for timely closeout of grants to units of general local government and shall take action to ensure the timely closeout of such grants.
(j) Change of use of real property. The standards described in this section apply to real property within the unit of general local government’s control (including activities undertaken by subrecipients) which was acquired or improved in whole or in part using CDBG funds in excess of the threshold for small purchase procurement (2 CFR 200.88). These standards shall apply from the date CDBG funds are first spent for the property until five years after closeout of the unit of general local government’s grant.
(1) A unit of general local governments may not change the use or planned use of any such property (including the beneficiaries of such use) from that for which the acquisition or improvement was made, unless the unit of general local government provides affected citizens with reasonable notice of and opportunity to comment on any proposed change, and either:
(i) The new use of the property qualifies as meeting one of the national objectives and is not a building for the general conduct of government; or
(ii) The requirements in paragraph (j)(2) of this section are met.
(2) If the unit of general local government determines, after consultation with affected citizens, that it is appropriate to change the use of the property to a use which does not qualify under paragraph (j)(1) of this section, it may retain or dispose of the property for the changed use if the unit of general local government’s CDBG program is reimbursed or the State’s CDBG program is reimbursed, at the discretion of the State. The reimbursement shall be in the amount of the current fair market value of the property, less any portion of the value attributable to expenditures of non-CDBG funds for acquisition of, and improvements to, the property, except that if the change in use occurs after grant closeout but within 5 years of such closeout, the unit of general local government shall make the reimbursement to the State’s CDBG program account.
(3) Following the reimbursement of the CDBG program in accordance with paragraph (j)(2) of this section, the property no longer will be subject to any CDBG requirements.
(k) Accountability for real and personal property. The State shall establish and implement requirements, consistent with State law and the purposes and requirements of this subpart (including paragraph (j) of this section) governing the use, management, and disposition of real and personal property acquired with CDBG funds.
(l) Debarment and suspension. The requirements in 2 CFR part 2424 are applicable. CDBG funds may not be provided to excluded or disqualified persons.
(m) Subrecipient monitoring and management. The provisions of 2 CFR 200.330 through 200.332 are applicable.
(n) Audits. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, audits of a State and units of general local government shall be conducted in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F, which implements the Single Audit Act. States shall develop and administer an audits management system to ensure that audits of units of general local government are conducted in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F.
(o) Grant Closeout.—HUD will close grants to States in accordance with the grant closeout requirements of 2 CFR 200.343.
(p) Cost principles and prior approval. A State must ensure that costs incurred by the State and by its recipients are in conformance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart E. All cost items described in 2 CFR part 200, subpart E, that require Federal agency approval are allowable without prior approval of HUD, to the extent that they otherwise comply with the requirements of 2 CFR part 200, subpart E, and are otherwise eligible, except for the following:
(1) Depreciation methods for fixed assets shall not be changed without the express approval of the cognizant Federal agency (2 CFR 200.436).
(2) Fines, penalties, damages, and other settlements are unallowable costs to the CDBG program (2 CFR 200.441).
(3) Costs of housing (e.g., depreciation, maintenance, utilities, furnishings, rent), housing allowances, and personal living expenses (goods or services for personal use) regardless of whether reported as taxable income to the employees (2 CFR 200.445).
(4) Organization costs (2 CFR 200.455).