News & Updates
The 2024 Rental Compliance Manual is now published and may be downloaded by clicking on the link below. The update to the manual introduces the Boulder Regional Affordable Rental Housing Program, incorporates the new HOTMA rules and HUD guidance. In our ongoing efforts to seek out opportunities to reduce the administrative burden on property management, the City adopted the following new rules regarding income and asset determinations:
- Owners/Managers may accept Rental Subsidy Provider’s Income Determination for all households receiving rental assistance payments instead of conducting third party income verification.
- Owners/Managers may accept Safe Harbor Income Determination which allows property management to accept income determinations from TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, LIHTC and WIC instead of conducting third party income verification. This new rule will drastically reduce the administrative burden since there are many more applicants/residents that receive these types of benefits that may not receive rental assistance payments.
- Increase Asset Limit to 100,000 from 55,000 which aligns with the new HOTMA rule.
Background
The City of Boulder is an Entitlement Community administering HOME Investment Partnership and Community Development Block Grant funds.
The Department of Housing & Human Services also administers local funds that include CHAP, Affordable housing Funds in addition to assuring compliance with Inclusionary Housing requirements
Rental Compliance
The Housing & Human Services Department works with community partners to provide a variety of housing choices to households at all income levels. In Boulder the market provides housing choices for households with higher income levels. The Affordable Housing Program focuses its efforts on providing permanently affordable housing options to households with incomes at the lower end of the income spectrum.
City Council supports the goal of the city to have at least 15% of the overall housing stock be permanently affordable to households earning income up to ten percent above the HUD low-income limit. In addition, the City is attempting to create an affordable housing continuum that ensures housing choices at every income level. The preservation of existing affordable units is given equal importance to that of the creation of new units and the purchase of land for future development of affordable units.
Housing units produced or acquired through a grant allocation from the City of Boulder or provided through the Inclusionary Housing Program or Annexation are subject to compliance and eligibility requirements in perpetuity. These requirements are formally agreed to by the signing of a Low-Income Housing Covenant prior to the drawdown of any funds or issuance of building permits. These Covenants run with the land and may only be amended by agreement of all signing parties. All permanently affordable rental housing units/properties are subject to compliance with the Rental Compliance Manual which outlines the City’s policies and procedures for the Rental Housing Program.
Rental Compliance Orientation
The online Rental Compliance Orientation is now available for new owners and managers of permanently affordable rental housing, as well as new property management staff. View the video below.
Community Development Project Compliance
In addition to providing affordable housing opportunities in Boulder, the City is also committed to providing access to support services for low income residents of Boulder. The City accomplishes this effort by awarding Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to local nonprofit organizations which provide a valuable or necessary service to the community.
Learn more by reading the Community Development Policies & Procedures Compliance Manaul PDF.
Compliance Reports
As a recipient of funds, each Grantee has entered into an Agreement and/or Covenant which outlines the compliance requirements specific to the Grantee’s project, property, or program. Each funded project is subject to quarterly and annual reporting requirements. The Annual Reporting Guide provides guidance on the reporting requirements associated with city-supported projects, properties and programs. The guide is designed to help Grantees, Owners and Managers understand the reporting requirements that apply to specific activities, programs, and projects.
Specific questions related to funded projects, should be directed to Shelly Conley, Housing Sr Compliance Manager.
Quarterly Progress Reports
Quarterly Progress Reports are required for all “open” projects that have not fully expended the funds awarded to the project or until construction projects are complete and units area leased up.
Annual Reports
The Annual Reporting Guide describes the purpose of the following annual reports:
