In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Family of limited income” means a family or individual that qualifies under § 4-1706 of this subtitle. “Owner-builder” means an individual or family that provides all, or a substantial amount, as the Department determines, of the labor to build a dwelling that will be the principal residence of the individual or family. “Program” means the Self-Help Homeownership Technical Assistance Program. “Project” means six or more dwellings near one another that are built or rehabilitated by owner-builders or self-help rehabilitators who use self-help methods and work as a team on each other’s dwellings. “Self-help rehabilitator” means an individual or family that provides all, or a substantial amount, as the Department determines, of the labor to rehabilitate, renovate, or improve the principal residence of the individual or family. “Technical assistance grant” means a grant under the Program.

The General Assembly finds that: homeownership is a stabilizing factor for communities and families and is the best way for families of limited income to build equity and move out of poverty; homeownership has become less affordable over time because incomes have not kept pace with the rising costs of homeownership; self-help housing helps families of limited income to become homeowners, increasing their financial stability; families working together in groups to build their homes help to create stronger communities; and there have been three successful federally financed self-help programs in the State, and modeling a State self-help ownership program on a well-tested federal program will increase homeownership opportunities for families of limited income across the State.

There is a Self-Help Homeownership Technical Assistance Program.

The purpose of the Program is to make technical assistance grants to expand: the production of decent and affordable housing for families of limited income through self-help in rehabilitation and construction; homeownership opportunities for those who would not have these opportunities without the cost savings achieved by self-help; and self-reliance, pride of ownership, and sense of community for participants.

The Department shall: administer the Program; establish guidelines to determine eligibility of applicants for technical assistance grants; and adopt regulations to carry out the Program.

A family or individual qualifies as a family of limited income if the income of the family or individual does not exceed the upper income limit that the Secretary establishes. Factors that the Secretary shall consider in setting the upper income limit under subsection (a) of this section include: the total amount of family or individual income deemed available for housing; the size of the family; the ability of the family or individual to compete successfully in the private housing market; the cost and condition of available housing; and standards and definitions under related federal and State housing programs.

The Department may establish standards to determine eligibility for a technical assistance grant, which may include: the number of families of limited income that the requested grant will serve; the extent to which the applicant will use federal, State, and local programs and resources in the project; the organizational ability of the applicant to carry out the project; the feasibility of the project; the cost in self–help housing fund money per unit of the project; and the extent to which project participants will use self–help labor.

The Department may award a technical assistance grant to a political subdivision or nonprofit organization to help families of limited income that are owner–builders or self–help rehabilitators. A technical assistance grant under this section shall be used to: help, train, and supervise owner–builders and self–help rehabilitators in self–help construction activities and techniques; help in project development, including: preparing plans for self–help housing; preparing contracts for professional services; applying for financing; packaging applications for assistance; preparing subdivision maps; reviewing engineering plans and specifications for construction and rehabilitation projects; and complying with the requirements of political subdivisions and funding entities; and pay the administrative costs of providing technical assistance for the activity that the Department finances. A technical assistance grant may not be: used to purchase land, materials, tools, or construction equipment or to pay for construction costs; or awarded for a project of fewer than six dwellings.

The Department may award a technical assistance grant to a political subdivision, public entity, or nonprofit organization to provide owner–builders and self–help rehabilitators with information and technical assistance about any topic that the Department finds will further the purpose of the Program, including: cost savings by owner–builders in constructing a principal residence and by self–help rehabilitators in rehabilitating, renovating, or improving a principal residence; construction materials and methods; local material sources; local technical resources; financing requirements and opportunities; site acquisition; insurance and legal requirements; building and housing codes and standards; and other available housing alternatives.

The Department may award a technical assistance grant only if the applicant agrees to: a budget that states the types and amounts of expenditures that may be made with the grant; the manner, timing, and conditions for disbursement of money to the grantee; a timetable to complete each stage of the project and for final project completion; and terms to ensure compliance with regulations, special conditions imposed by grant approval, and any other terms or conditions that the Department specifies. The amount of a technical assistance grant may not exceed 20% of the average purchase price, over the last 3 fiscal years for which data are available, of a home: financed by a mortgage loan that the Administration purchased under § 4–239 of this title; and located in the region where the technical assistance grant is to be awarded. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a technical assistance grant recipient shall complete the project within 2 years after the effective date of the grant. The Department may extend the term of a technical assistance grant because of delays beyond the reasonable control of the recipient. The Department may require that all or part of a technical assistance grant be repaid when conditions that the Department specifies occur.