Credit Underwriting is a de novo review of all information supplied, received or discovered during or after any application scoring process, prior to the closing on funding, including the issuance of IRS Forms 8609 for Housing Credits. The success of an Applicant in being selected for funding is not an indication that the Applicant will receive a positive recommendation from the Credit Underwriter or that the Development team’s experience, past performance or financial capacity is satisfactory. The Credit Underwriting review shall include a comprehensive analysis of the Applicant, the real estate, the economics of the Development, the ability of the Applicant and the Development team to proceed, the evidence of need for affordable housing in order to determine that the Development meets the program requirements and determine a recommended Housing Credit Allocation amount, if any; and for any Development that has rehabilitation with or without acquisition, a capital needs assessment (‘CNA’) prepared in accordance with generally accepted industry investment grade standards shall be ordered by the Credit Underwriter, and its findings shall be used to determine rehabilitation that will be carried out and to set replacement reserves as outlined in paragraph (11)(b), below. Corporation funding will be based on appraisals of comparable developments, cost benefit analysis, and other documents evidencing justification of costs. As part of the Credit Underwriting review, the Credit Underwriter will consider the applicable provisions of this rule chapter.
    (1) Within 10 business days after the Non-Competitive Application is deemed complete, the Corporation shall offer Applicants that pass threshold an invitation to enter Credit Underwriting. If the Non-Competitive Housing Credits are awarded as a result of a competitive solicitation, the invitation to enter Credit Underwriting for the Non-Competitive Housing Credits will be in conjunction with the invitation for the other Corporation funding. The Corporation shall select the Credit Underwriter for each Development.
    (2) A response to the invitation to enter Credit Underwriting must be received by the Corporation and the Credit Underwriter not later than seven (7) Calendar Days after the date of the invitation. Failure to accept the invitation to enter Credit Underwriting within this time frame shall result in withdrawal of the invitation.
    (3) If the invitation to enter Credit Underwriting is accepted, all Applicants shall submit the Credit Underwriting fee to the Credit Underwriter within seven (7) Calendar Days of the date of the invitation to enter Credit Underwriting. The Credit Underwriting fee shall be determined pursuant to a contract between the Corporation and the Credit Underwriter.
    (4) The Credit Underwriter shall review all information in the Application, including information relative to the Applicant, Developer, Housing Credit Syndicator, General Contractor, and, if an assisted living facility, the service provider(s), as well as other members of the Development team based on information provided to the Credit Underwriter. The Credit Underwriter shall also request and review such other information as it deems appropriate to determine whether or not to provide a positive recommendation in connection with a proposed Development.
    (5) In determining whether or not to provide a positive recommendation in connection with a proposed Development, the Credit Underwriter will consider the prior and recent performance history of the Applicant, Developer, and any Financial Beneficiary of the Applicant or Developer in connection with any other affordable housing development. The performance history shall consider instances involving a foreclosure, deed in lieu of foreclosure, financial arrearage, or other event of material default in connection with any affordable housing development or the documents governing financing or operation of any such development.
    (a) Unless the Credit Underwriter determines that mitigating factors exist, or that underwriting conditions can be imposed, sufficient to mitigate or offset the risk, the existence of the following shall result in a negative recommendation of the proposed Development by the Credit Underwriter:
    1. Considering all affordable housing developments in which any party named above has been involved, if:
    a. During the period prior to August 1, 2010, 5 percent or more of that party’s developments have been the subject of a foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure, or in financial arrearage or other material default and such arrearage or material default remained uncured for a period of 60 days or more, or
    b. During the period beginning on or after August 1, 2010, any of that party’s developments have been the subject of a foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure, or in financial arrearage or other material default and such arrearage or material default is uncured at the present or, if cured, remained uncured for a period of 60 days or more.
    2. Mitigating factors to be considered by the Credit Underwriter, to the extent such information is reasonably available and verifiable, shall include the extent to which the party funded the operations of the development from that party’s own funds in an attempt to keep the development afloat, the election by a party to forego financial participation in a development in an attempt to keep the development afloat, the party’s satisfactory performance history over the last 10 years in connection with that party’s affordable housing developments, and any other extenuating circumstances deemed relevant by the Credit Underwriter in connection with the party’s involvement in a development.
    (b) A negative recommendation may also result from the review of:
    1. An Applicant, Developer, and any Financial Beneficiary of the Applicant or Developer in connection with any other affordable housing development,
    2. Financial capacity of an Applicant, Developer, and any Financial Beneficiary of the Applicant or Developer, or
    3. Any other relevant matters relating to an Applicant, Developer, and any Financial Beneficiary of the Applicant or Developer if, in the Credit Underwriter’s opinion, one or more members of the Development team do not possess the ability to proceed.
    (6) The Credit Underwriter shall report any inconsistencies or discrepancies or changes made to the Applicant’s Application during Credit Underwriting.
    (7) The Applicant will be responsible for all fees in connection with the documentation submitted to the Credit Underwriter.
    (8) If the Credit Underwriter determines that special expertise is required to review information submitted to the Credit Underwriter which is beyond the scope of the Credit Underwriter’s expertise, the fee for such services shall be borne by the Applicant.
    (9) An appraisal report conforming to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice in effect at the time of the appraisal and reported in a comprehensive format, and a separate market study shall be ordered by the Credit Underwriter, at the Applicant’s expense, from an appraiser qualified for the geographic area and product type not later than completion of Credit Underwriting. The Credit Underwriter shall review the appraisal to properly evaluate the proposed Development’s financial feasibility. If the Tax-Exempt Bonds are issued by the Corporation or by a County Housing Finance Authority, appraisals which have been ordered and submitted by third party credit enhancers, first mortgagors or Housing Credit Syndicators and which meet the above requirements and are acceptable to the Credit Underwriter may be used instead of the appraisal referenced above. If the Tax-Exempt Bonds are issued by an entity other than the Corporation or a County Housing Finance Authority, the appraisal must be ordered by the Credit Underwriter. The market study must be completed by a disinterested party who is approved by the Credit Underwriter. The Credit Underwriter shall consider the market study, the Development’s financial impact on Developments in the area previously funded by the Corporation, and other documentation when making its recommendation of whether to approve or disapprove a Housing Credit Allocation. The Credit Underwriter shall also review the appraisal and other market documentation to determine if the market exists to support both the demographic and income restriction set-asides committed to within the Application. For the Credit Underwriter to make a favorable recommendation, the submarket of the proposed Development must have:
    (a) An average physical occupancy rate of 92 percent or greater; and,
    (b) For Developments with new construction units, an average market rental rate, based on unit mix and annualized rent concessions, of 110 percent or greater of a 60 percent of Area Median Income rental rate.
    (10) The Corporation’s assigned Credit Underwriter shall require a guaranteed maximum price construction contract, acceptable to the Corporation, which may include change orders for changes in cost or changes in the scope of work, or both, if all parties agree, and shall order, at the Applicant’s sole expense, and review a pre-construction analysis for all new construction units or a CNA for rehabilitation units and review the Development’s costs.
    (11) In addition to operating expenses, the Credit Underwriter must include an estimate for replacement reserves and operating expense reserves deemed appropriate by the Credit Underwriter when calculating the final net operating income available to service the debt. A minimum amount of $300 per unit per annum must be used for all Developments. In the case of rehabilitation, with or without acquisition, the greater of $300 per unit per annum or the amount identified in the plan and cost review ordered by the Credit Underwriter will be used.
    (a) The initial replacement reserve will have limitations on the ability to be drawn upon during the following time periods:
    1. New construction or Redevelopment Developments shall not be allowed to draw during the first five (5) years or until the establishment of a minimum balance equal to the accumulation of five (5) years of replacement reserves per unit, or
    2. Preservation or Rehabilitation Developments (with or without acquisition) shall not be allowed to draw until the start of the scheduled replacement activities as outlined in the pre-construction CNA report subject to the activities completed in the scope of rehabilitation, but not sooner than the 3rd year.
    (b) The amount established as a replacement reserve shall be adjusted based on a CNA prepared by an independent third party, ordered by a first mortgage lender, third party credit enhancer or a Housing Credit Syndicator, received by the Corporation or its servicers, and acceptable to the Corporation and its servicers at the time the CNA is required, beginning no later than the 10th year after the first residential building in the development receives a certificate of occupancy, a temporary certificate of occupancy, or is placed in service, whichever is earlier (‘Initial Replacement Reserve Date’). A subsequent CNA, meeting the parameters of this section, is required no later than the 15th year after the Initial Replacement Reserve Date and subsequently every five (5) years thereafter. If the Applicant does not provide a copy of a CNA to the Corporation or its servicers, prepared by an independent third party and acceptable to the Corporation and its servicers within the stated time frames, then one shall be ordered by the Corporation or its servicers at the Applicant’s expense. The only events allowed to drop the balance below the minimum are items related to life safety, structural and systems as approved by the Corporation and its servicers. In the event the first mortgage lender or a Housing Credit Syndicator requires replacement reserves with replacement reserve deposit requirements that include the same or higher deposits, the Corporation’s rights to hold replacement reserves and to disburse such funds shall be subject to the first mortgage lender or the Housing Credit Syndicator, as applicable. The replacement reserve funds are not to be used by the Applicant for normal maintenance and repairs, but shall be used for structural building repairs, major building systems replacements and other items included on the Eligible Reserve for Replacement Items list, effective October 15, 2010, which is incorporated by reference and available on the Corporation’s website under the Multifamily Programs link labeled Non-Competitive Funding Programs or from http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-02851, and/or such items that can be capitalized and depreciated over multiple years. An Applicant may choose to fund a portion of the replacement reserves at closing. Unless approved by the Corporation and the Credit Underwriter, the amount cannot exceed 50 percent of the required replacement reserves for two (2) years and must be placed in escrow at closing.
    (12) The Developer Fee and General Contractor fee shall be limited to:
    (a) The Developer Fee shall be limited to 18 percent of Development Cost, excluding land, operating deficit reserves, and any cash reserves/deposits associated with the acquisition of a Development, for proposed Developments qualified for Non-Competitive Housing Credits pertaining to Tax-Exempt Bond-Financed Developments. Consulting fees, if any, and any financial or other guarantees required for the financing must be paid out of the Developer Fee. Consulting fees include payments for Application consultants, construction management or supervision, Local Government consultants and property acquisition brokerage fees when in excess of the appropriate limit. The maximum brokerage fees shall be limited to the lesser of $300,000 or a percent of the acquisition price, which shall be set at 4 percent when the acquisition price is $5 million or less, 3 percent when the acquisition price is $10 million or less, and 2 percent when the acquisition price is in excess of $10 million. Brokerage fees paid to an Affiliate of the Applicant or Developer or to employees on the Developer’s payroll will be considered part of the Developer Fee; and,
    (b) The General Contractor’s fee shall be limited to a maximum of 14 percent of the actual construction costs. For the purpose of any necessity to prepare a HUD subsidy layering review, if there exists an Identity of Interest as defined herein between the Applicant or Developer and the General Contractor, the allowable fees shall in no case exceed the amount allowable pursuant to the HUD subsidy layering review requirements.
    (13) The General Contractor must meet the following conditions:
    (a) Employ a Development superintendent and charge the costs of such employment to the general requirements line item of the General Contractor’s budget;
    (b) Charge the costs of the Development construction trailer, if needed, and other overhead to the general requirements line item of the General Contractor’s budget inclusive of the general requirement items related to construction costs identified in The Final Cost Certification Application Package as set forth in subsection 67-21.027(6), F.A.C.;
    (c) Secure building permits, issued in the name of the General Contractor;
    (d) Ensure that none of the General Contractor duties to manage and control the construction of the Development are subcontracted;
    (e) Ensure that no construction or inspection work is performed by the General Contractor, with the following exceptions:
    1. The General Contractor may perform its duties to manage and control the construction of the Development; and
    2. The General Contractor may self-perform work of a de minimis amount, defined for purposes of this subparagraph as the lesser of $350,000 or 5 percent of the construction contract;
    (f) For Developments with a Development category of new construction, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development, ensure that not more than 20 percent of the construction cost, not to include the General Contractor fee or pass-through fees paid by the General Contractor, is subcontracted to any one entity or any group of entities that have common ownership or are Affiliates of any other subcontractor, with the exception of a subcontractor (or any group of entities that have common ownership or are Affiliates of any other subcontractor):
    1. Contracted to deliver the building shell of a building of less than five (5) stories which may not have more than 25 percent of the construction cost in a subcontract, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development; or
    2. Contracted to deliver the building shell of a building of at least five (5) stories which may not have more than 31 percent of the construction cost in a subcontract, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development; or
    3. Contracted to deliver the building shell of a Development located in the Florida Keys Area may not have more than 31 percent of the construction cost in a subcontract, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development.
With regard to said approval, the Corporation shall require an analysis from the Credit Underwriter and consider the facts and circumstances of each Applicant’s request, inclusive of construction costs and the General Contractor’s fees. For purposes of paragraph (f), “”Affiliate”” has the meaning given in subsection 67-21.002(5), F.A.C., except that the term “”Applicant”” therein shall mean “”subcontractor””;
    (g) For Developments with a Development category of Rehabilitation or Substantial Rehabilitation, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development, ensure that not more than 20 percent of the construction cost, not to include the General Contractor fee or pass-through fees paid by the General Contractor, is subcontracted to any one entity or any group of entities that have common ownership or are Affiliates of any other subcontractor, with the exception of a subcontractor (or any group of entities that have common ownership or are Affiliates of any other subcontractor) contracted to perform work on both the HVAC and electrical components of a building of at least seven (7) stories which may not have more than 31 percent of the construction cost in a subcontract, unless otherwise approved by the Corporation for a specific Development. With regard to said approval, the Corporation shall require an analysis from the Credit Underwriter and consider the facts and circumstances of each Applicant’s request, inclusive of construction costs and the General Contractor’s fees. For purposes of this paragraph, “”Affiliate”” has the meaning given in subsection 67-21.002(5), F.A.C., except that the term “”Applicant”” therein shall mean “”subcontractor””; and,
    (h) Ensure that no construction cost is subcontracted to any entity that has common ownership or is an Affiliate of with the General Contractor, Developer, or Applicant. For purposes of this paragraph, “”Affiliate”” has the meaning given it in subsection 67-21.002(5), F.A.C., except that the term “”Applicant”” therein shall mean “”General Contractor.””
    (14) Contingency reserves which total no more than 5 percent of total actual construction costs (hard costs) and total general development costs (soft costs) for Redevelopment and Developments where 50 percent or more of the units are new construction may be included within the Total Development Cost for Application and underwriting purposes, unless otherwise recommended by the Credit Underwriter. Contingency reserves which total no more than 15 percent of total actual construction costs (hard costs) and no more than 5 percent of total general development costs (soft costs) for Rehabilitation and Preservation may be included within the Total Development Cost for Application and underwriting purposes, unless otherwise recommended by the Credit Underwriter; however, in the event financing is obtained through a federal government rehabilitation program, a contingency reserve up to 20 percent may be utilized if required by the program.
    (15) The Credit Underwriter will review and determine if the number of loans and construction commitments of the Applicant and its Principals will impede its ability to proceed with the successful development of each proposed Corporation-funded Development.
    (16) If the Credit Underwriter requires additional clarifying materials in the course of the underwriting process, the Credit Underwriter shall request same from the Applicant and shall specify deadlines for the submission of same.
    (17) The Credit Underwriter shall complete its analysis and submit a written draft report and recommendation to the Corporation. Upon receipt, the Corporation shall provide to the Applicant the section of the written draft report consisting of supporting information and schedules. The Applicant shall review and provide written comments to the Corporation and Credit Underwriter within 48 hours of receipt. After the 48 hour period, the Corporation shall provide to the Credit Underwriter comments on the draft report and, as applicable, on the Applicant’s comments. Then, the Credit Underwriter shall review and incorporate, if deemed appropriate, the Corporation’s and Applicant’s comments and release the revised report to the Corporation and the Applicant. Any additional comments from the Applicant shall be received by the Corporation and the Credit Underwriter within 72 hours of receipt of the revised report. Then, the Credit Underwriter will provide a final report, which will address comments made by the Applicant, to the Corporation.
    (18) For Housing Credit Applications, the Credit Underwriter shall use the following procedures during the credit underwriting evaluation:
    (a) The Credit Underwriter, in determining the amount of Housing Credits a Development is eligible for when using the qualified basis calculation, shall use a Housing Credit percentage of 15 basis points over the percentage as of the date of invitation to enter Credit Underwriting when the actual percentage exceeds the minimum of 4 percent for Developments receiving Tax-exempt Bonds, unless the Applicant has previously locked in the percentage at a different rate, in which case the Credit Underwriter shall use the locked-in Housing Credit percentage.
    (b) Costs such as syndication fees cannot be included in eligible basis. All consulting fees and any financial or other guarantees required for the financing must be paid out of the Developer Fee. Consulting fees cannot cause the Developer Fee to exceed the maximum allowable fee as set forth in subsection (12), above.
    (c) All contracts for hard or soft Development Costs must be itemized for each cost component.
    (d) The allocation amount for acquisition Housing Credits shall be limited to the lesser of the sale price or the appraised value of the building(s).
    (e) For a Non-Competitive Housing Credit Allocation, the recommendation will be the lesser of the qualified basis calculation result or the gap calculation result.
    (f) As part of the process the Corporation uses to determine financial feasibility as set forth in Section 42(m)(2) of the IRC, the Corporation will base all calculations of the minimum net Housing Credit equity contribution available to the Development on the assumption that a minimum of 99.99 percent of the Housing Credit Allocation is being sold in exchange for Housing Credit equity contribution at the greater of the syndication rate or market rate pricing, as depicted by the price per dollar of Housing Credit Allocation available to the Development, as determined by using sales of comparable Housing Credit Allocations and the Corporation’s evaluation of market trends. In determining the financial feasibility set forth above, the Corporation will utilize the calculated Housing Credit equity contribution based on the criteria provided above.
    (g) Any Housing Credit Allocation that is not necessary for the financial feasibility of the Development and its viability as a qualified Housing Credit Development throughout the Housing Credit Period, as determined by the Corporation, will be withheld from being allocated to the Applicant.
    (h) As part of the Final Cost Certification Application Package set forth in subsection 67-21.027(6), F.A.C., the Applicant shall have documentation provided to the Corporation by the Housing Credit Syndicator (for Housing Credits that are syndicated) or by the Applicant (for any Housing Credits that are not syndicated) that details, for each source of Housing Credit equity, the following information:
    1. The net dollar amount of funding provided to the Housing Credit Syndicator or the Applicant, as applicable, that will be passed along to the Applicant as Housing Credit equity for the benefit of paying Total Development Costs; and,
    2. The annual dollar amount of Housing Credit allocation sold to each investor in exchange for the funding provided.
    (19) If the Credit Underwriter recommends that Housing Credits be allocated to the Development, the Corporation shall determine the credit amount, if any, necessary to make the Development financially feasible and viable throughout the Housing Credit Extended Use Period and shall issue a Preliminary Determination of Housing Credits in the case of Tax-Exempt Bond-Financed Developments. If the Credit Underwriter recommends that no credits be allocated to the Development and the Executive Director accepts the recommendation, the Applicant shall be notified that no Housing Credits will be allocated to the Development. All contingencies required in the Preliminary Determination shall be met or satisfied by the Applicant within 45 Calendar Days from the date of issuance or as otherwise indicated on the certificate unless an extension of this deadline is requested in writing by the Applicant and is granted by the Corporation in writing for good cause.
Rulemaking Authority 420.507, 420.508 FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 420.5099. History-New 7-16-13, Amended 2-2-15, 9-15-16, 5-24-17, 7-8-18, 7-11-19, 6-23-20, 5-18-21, 7-6-22, 6-28-23.