by the Administration. HELP—MF is administered
under the same funding as HELP—SE

Through the Energy Bank Program (EBP), funds
from the federal Solar Energy and Energy Conser-
vation Bank Program are used to prepay interest on
basic energy conservation improvement loans or to
match grants in conjunction with other grant pro-
grams. Eligible recipients must meet income guide-
lines established by the Community Development
Administration.

HOUSING SUBSWr PROGRAMS
Phillip Katzung, Dirtttor 974-2076

The Community Development Administration
administers federal funds to subsidize rental hous-
ing under the Section 8 Existing Program. These
funds come to the State through the U.S. Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development under
the Federal Housing Act of 1937 (42 USC 1437,
as amended).

Under the Section 8 Existing Program, partici-
pating landlords make available to low-income fam-
ilies rental housing that meets occupancy standards.
To qualify, total family income must be 50 percent
or less of the median income for the area in which
the housing is located. As an administering local
agency, the Community Development Administra-
tion accepts and reviews applications from prospec-
tive tenants for participation in the program.
Families that qualify are issued Certificates of Family
Participation.

Owners who agree to rent to qualifying families
sign a contract with the Community Development
Administration or the local administering agency
that guarantees payments to the owner as long as
the housing and lease adhere to federal standards.
Through the Community Development Adminis-
tration, the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development subsidizes that part of the rent
that exceeds 30 percent of the family's total income.
Individual applicants must find their own housing.
In this way, families may select neighborhoods that
best suit their needs.

Other than the elderly, disabled, or handi-
capped, the only single persons automatically eligi-
ble for the Section 8 Existing Program are those
displaced from their previous housing by govern-
mental actions, or those who are a remaining mem-
ber of a tenant family

The Regional Planning Council administers the
Section 8 Existing Program in Anne Arundel, Bal-
timore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties, and
in Annapolis and Baltimore City

The Moderate Rehabilitation Program helps im-
prove existing multi-family rental units that need
repair or renovation. Under the Program, the land-

Department of Housing & Community Development/295

lord rehabilitates the unit, often with Community
Development Administration financing. The Ad-
ministration, on behalf of the tenants, then commits
rent subsidies to the unit for a period of fifteen years.
These rent subsidies are funded by the federal gov-
ernment. The Program is part of the Section 8
Existing Program.

The Rental Rehabilitation Program is directed at
rental housing in need of repair. The Program en-
courages owners of such housing to renovate the
structures. It also helps owners rehabilitate rental
housing by providing the owner with half the cost
of rehabilitating each unit, or $5,000, whichever is
less. In addition, the Program provides federal
housing subsidies to families unable to pay market-
rate rents on renovated housing or helps them find
alternate housing.

The Rental Allowance Program (RAP) was cre-
ated by the General Assembly in 1986 and was first
funded in 1987. For low-income households of the
homeless or those in need of emergency housing,
the Program provides short-term rent subsidies. It
also makes grants to local governments for monthly
payments to eligible households. Funding is pro-
vided through State general funds.

HOUSING MANAGEMENT
Gloria Jackson, Director 974-2178

The Community Development Administration
oversees the management by private firms of hous-
ing developments financed by CDA or adminis-
tered under Section 8 allocations. CDA oversees
120 developments containing over 15,100 units of
rental housing. This includes Section 8 contracts for
69 developments containing over 6,200 units of
rental housing. Tenants in these subsidized units
pay 30 percent of their monthly income in rent. The
difference between the tenant's share and the fair-
market rent is subsidized by the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM
Richard L. Hillman, Director 974-3821

The Infrastructure Loan Program was created by
the General Assembly in 1985 and began operation
: in 1987. The Program provides Maryland's local
governments with an efficient and economic alter-
native means of access to capital markets and
thereby reduces the interest and issuance costs. The
Administration operates a bond pool to finance
[ infrastructure projects. Each loan is a general obli-
gation of the local government.