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Initiated in 1982 as a pilot program, the Resi-
dential Energy Conservation Program was re-
placed in 1983 by the Home and Energy Loans
Program (HELP) . HELP provides loans for ener-
gy conservation, home improvements, and com-
bined energy conservation and home improve-
ments. Loans are made directly through the
Community Development Administration for
multi-family housing and by the Community De-
velopment Administration, local housing agencies,
and participating lenders in the single-family pro-
gram. Funds are generated by the sale of mort-
gage revenue bonds. Recipients of single-family
loans for improvements must meet income guide-
lines established by the Community Development
Administration. In multi-family developments, a
certain percentage of units must be rented to lim-
ited-income families.
In 1986 the General Assembly authorized
amendments to the MHRP statute to create five
new special rehabilitation programs to address the
housing needs of low-income households. These
programs are funded with State general funds. All
of the special rehabilitation programs provide low-
interest, no-interest, or deferred loans with 20-
year terms.
The Nonprofit Rehabilitation Program makes
loans to nonprofit organizations and local govern-
ments to rehabilitate buildings to provide rental
housing, congregate housing, group homes, shel-
ters, and other housing facilities that serve low-in-
come households. Borrowers may also receive
housing rehabilitation loans on behalf of income-
eligible homeowners.
Limited-income home owners and landlords of
rental properties who rent two-thirds of their
dwellings to limited-income households may qual-
ify for loans under the Indoor Plumbing Program,
the Residential Lead Paint Abatement Program,
and the Livability Code Rehabilitation Program.
The Indoor Plumbing Program provides loans to
finance indoor plumbing and related systems in
buildings that lack indoor plumbing or that have
existing failing plumbing systems. Loans through
the Residential Lead Paint Abatement Program fi-
nance the abatement of lead paint in residential
buildings and the Livability Code Rehabilitation
Program makes loans to fund rehabilitation that
brings residential properties into compliance with
local housing or livability codes.
The Accessory, Shared, and Sheltered Housing
Program provides loans to limited-income home
owners to modify existing housing to create acces-
sory dwelling units or to provide for shared hous-
ing arrangements. Home owners may also receive
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Housing and Community Development/25 3
loans to modify housing to provide sheltered
housing for up to fifteen income-eligible elderly,
handicapped, or disabled persons.
The Migratory Worker Housing Facilities Pro-
gram provides loans for owners of migratory labor
camps to make health and safety improvements.
The Group Home Acquisition Program (GHAP)
was authorized by the General Assembly in 1986
and is funded with special funds. GHAP provides
financing to nonprofit organizations to acquire
and modify existing housing to provide group
homes and temporary and emergency shelters that
substantially serve low-income persons.
Created in 1986 and funded by CDA, the Con-
struction Loan Program is a revolving loan fund
that provides construction loans to nonprofit orga-
nizations and local governments to finance the ac-
quisition, rehabilitation, or construction of single-
family and multi-family housing. Multi-family
housing developed under the program must be
rented to those of low and very low income, and
single-family housing must be sold to those whose
annual income does not exceed $20,000.
HOMEOWNERS EMERGENCY
MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assis-
tance Program (HEMAP) was created by the
General Assembly in 1984. The Program provides
mortgage assistance to help involuntarily unem-
ployed home owners. Working through housing
counseling agencies, short-term loans are provided
to eligible home owners. Funds for the Program
are provided from general obligation bonds.
RENTAL HOUSING PRODUCTION
PROGRAM
The Rental Housing Production Program was
created by the legislature in 1986 to stimulate pro-
duction of rental housing for lower-income house-
holds. Funds can be used for capital assistance to
cover costs of construction, rehabilitation, or ac-
quisition of rental housing, or for mortgage assis-
tance to reduce the operating costs of rental hous-
ing. Local governments must make a contribution
to reduce costs or otherwise support developments
financed through the program. Priority is given to
developments that serve households at 30 percent
or less of area median income.
The Market-Rate Rental Housing Program pro-
vides below-market rate construction and perma-
nent financing using taxable and tax-exempt
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