Statement of activity by grantee; submission; contents; availability; consultations; evaluation by Secretary; criteria applicable; maximum amounts

Eligible grantees may submit a statement of activity to the Secretary at the time specified by the program administrator, containing a description of its proposed preservation program. The statement shall consist of the activities each entity proposes to undertake for the fiscal year, and the projected progress in carrying out those activities. The statement of activities shall be made available to the public for comment.

The Secretary shall evaluate the merits of each statement on the basis of such criteria as the Secretary shall prescribe, including the extent—

(A) to which the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement activities will assist persons of low income who lack adequate shelter, with priority given to applications assisting the maximum number of persons and families whose incomes do not exceed 50 per centum of the area median income;

(B) to which the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement activities include the participation of other public or private organizations in providing assistance, in addition to the assistance provided under this section, in order to lower the costs of such activities or provide for the leveraging of available funds to supplement the rural housing preservation grant program;

(C) to which such activities will be undertaken in rural areas having populations below 10,000 or in remote parts of other rural areas;

(D) to which the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement activities may be expected to result in achieving the greatest degree of repair or improvement for the least cost per unit or dwelling;

(E) to which the program would minimize displacement;

(F) to which the program would alleviate overcrowding in rural residences inhabited by low- and very low-income persons and families;

(G) to which the program would minimize the use of grant funds for administrative purposes; and

(H) to which the owner agrees to meet the requirement of subsection (e)(1)(B)(iv) for a period longer than 5 years;

and shall assess the demonstrated capacity of the grantee to carry out the program as well as the financial feasibility of the program.

A grantee may use housing preservation grant funds under this section for replacement housing only after providing documentation to the Secretary that—

(A) the existing housing is in such poor condition that rehabilitation is not economically feasible;

(B) the owner of the housing lacks the income or repayment ability necessary to qualify for a loan under section 1472 of this title ; and

(C) the grantee will extend assistance to the owner of the housing under terms that the owner can afford.