Home Purchase Assistance FundAmendment Act of 1998Bill 12-617

Chairman Linda W. Cropp at the request of the Mayor

A PROPOSED BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Chairman Linda W. Cropp, at the request of the Mayor, introduced the following bill,
which was referred to the Committee on Economic Development.

To amend the District of Columbia Home Purchase Assistance Fund Act of 1978 to
eliminate the residency requirement for participation in the Home Purchase Assistance
Program (HPAP) to allow persons and families who reside outside of the District access to
the program; to provide access to HPAP for persons and families who have higher income
levels; and to provide priority access to the HPAP program for persons or families who are
residents of the District of Columbia.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this act may be cited as
the "Home Purchase Assistance Fund Amendment Act of 1998".

Sec. 2. The Home Purchase Assistance Fund Act of 1978, effective
September 12, 1978, D.C. Law 2-103, D.C. Code §45-2201 (1996 Repl.), as amended, is
amended as follows:

(a) Section 2 (D.C. Code §45-2201) is amended by striking the phrase "the
residents of the District of Columbia of lower and moderate incomes" and inserting
the phrase "low and moderate income persons and families seeking to purchase homes in
the District of Columbia," in its place.

(b) Section 5(b)(D.C. Code §45-2204(b)) is amended as follows:

(1) Subsection 1 (D.C. Code §45-2204(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

"(l) All applicants for and recipients of financial assistance from the Funds
shall be tenant organizations (as defined in Section §45-1603(18)) or households seeking
to purchase housing in the District of Columbia as a primary residence including, but not
limited to, single family homes, condominium units, or occupancy rights to cooperative
housing. For purposes of this section, the term "household" means either an
individual or 2 or more persons who reside together in a housing unit."

(2) A new subsection (1A) is added to read as follows:

"(1A) Priority in the allocation of assistance under the Fund shall be given to
residents of the District of Columbia and District of Columbia residents who are low
income, elderly, handicapped, disabled, or displaced applicants." (3) Subsection 3
(D.C. Code §45-2204(b)(3)) is deleted in its entirety.

Sec. 3 Fiscal Impact.

The Fiscal Impact Statement is attached as a separate document and incorporated herein.

Sec. 4 Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by
the Mayor, action by the Council of the District of Columbia to override the veto),
approval by the Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act as provided in
section 203(a) of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management
Assistance Authority Act of 1995, approval April 17,1995 (109 Stat. 116; D.C. Code
§47-392.3(a)), and a 30-day Congressional review period as provided in section 602(c)(1)
of the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; (D.C. Code, sec 1-233(c)(1)) and publication in the
District of Columbia Register.

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Government of the District of Columbia

OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL

JUDICIARY SQUARE

441 FOURTH ST N W

WASHINGTON D 20001

MEMORANDUM

Attached is the final proposed legislation to amend the District of Columbia Home
Purchase Assistance Fund Act of 1978. I have incorporated all of the changes we discussed
and agreed upon. The draft amends the Act to eliminate District Residency as a requirement
to participate in the program as long as the participant purchases a home in the District
to live in as their primary residence. District residents are, however, given priority
placement in the program, as well as low income, elderly, handicapped, disabled or
displaced applicants.

The proposed legislative amendment is legally sufficient. Your memorandum transmitting
this legislation to the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs should note that the
legislation was prepared by the Office of the Corporation Counsel so that OIA will not be
expecting a legal sufficiency review. I look forward to working with you as we work
through amending the Act. As always, I remain at your service.

DCR

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OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PLANNING

1. SPONSOR Department of Housing and Community Development

2. BILL NUMBER

3. TITLE Home Purchase Assistance Fund Act of 1978

4. OVERVIEW:

The Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) enables low and moderate
income District residents to purchase affordable housing located in Washington, D.C. HPAP
provides financial assistance to qualified applicants for the purchase of a home.

What does the proposed legislation expect to accomplish or change, and
which agency(s) is affected?

The amendment of the Home Purchase Assistance Fund of 1978 will eliminate
the residency requirement for participation in the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)
to allow individuals and families who reside outside of the District access to the
program; to provide access to HPAP for individuals who have higher income levels and to
provide priority access to the HPAP program for applicants who are residents of the
District of Columbia.

ANALYSIS:

FTS(s), volumes of units to bed processed, unit costs, duration,
specifics, limits, etc.?

The implementation of the amendment will not require additional funds
during fiscal year 1998, however, the program will generate tax revenue for the District.

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Council of the District of Columbia Office of the Budget Fiscal
Impact Statement

not available on-line