Multifamily Consolidated Request for Proposals/Housing Tax Credits Funding Rounds

You are invited to attend a virtual HUD Section 811 PRA Program Pre-Application technical assistance session on May 23, 2024. All 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 applicants interested in submitting a HUD Section 811 PRA Program Pre-Application are encouraged to attend.

HUD Section 811 PRA Program
Technical Assistance Session

Thursday, May 23, 2024

11 a.m. – noon Central Time

This session will provide technical assistance to all owners who are interested in and intend to apply for HUD Section 811 Program funds. The session will give owners that are less familiar with the HUD Section 811 PRA Program a chance to better understand the program and if it’s a good fit.

Stay up to date on 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 funding round news and updates by signing up to receive our eNews or email mhfa.consolidated.rfp@state.mn.us.

Minnesota Housing is excited to announce the following RFP process improvement to the market study requirement for HTC applications

What’s New?

• Projects applying for funding for the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Rounds 1 and 2, will no longer be required to submit a market study at application. This applies to projects applying as a 9% HTC or deferred with a 4% HTC financial structure.
• Market studies are now only required for selected projects and will be collected as a post selection checklist item.

NOTE: For projects applying through the 4% HTC Only round, the market study will still be required at application/42M.

Purpose

• Reduced upfront application costs: By delaying the expense of a market study until projects are selected for funding.
• Simplified application process: To reduce the number of checklist items needed for application allowing applicants to focus on the required core elements.

Minnesota Housing remains committed to supporting your success. We believe this update will ease your journey and allow you to concentrate on bringing your affordable housing project to fruition.

Questions?

For questions about HTC visit the Housing Tax Credits webpage or email the Housing Tax Credit team at htc.mhfa@state.mn.us

Last year, many of the Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC application documents transitioned from annual to biennial forms to align with the two-year Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and Self-Scoring Worksheet. Refer to the instructions on each application form to identify if it is applicable for both 2023 and 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFPs/2024 and 2025 HTC funding rounds.

For application forms applicable to both 2023 and 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFPs/2024 and 2025 HTC funding rounds. Returning applicants from the 2023 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2024 HTC Round 1 may reuse the same application forms for this 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1. Some supporting documents from 2023 may also be resubmitted unless the checklist or scoring item has a specific timing requirement.

For application forms identified as an annual application form, a new application form and supporting document must be completed; outdated forms and/or supporting documents may have a negative impact on the project or considered ineligible for further processing.

Minnesota Housing is excited to implement a new tool, the estimated scores report. At Intent to Apply (ITA), prospective applicants will be required to input data, including the project location, estimated project type and the estimated score from the Self-Scoring Worksheet. Using all prospective applications’ ITA information, the Estimated Scores tab will populate.
The purpose of the estimated scores report is to assist prospective applicants in determining their application’s competitiveness, which may result in applicants restructuring their project’s characteristics and/or altering their application submittal timeline.
The estimated scores report is for information purposes only and are in no way binding or a guarantee of final scores or awards. Estimated scores are created by perspective applicants, not Minnesota Housing. Final scores will be validated by Minnesota Housing during the evaluation process.

Questions?

To learn more about determining the project type, see the Multifamily RFP Standards and attend the first and second sessions of the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 Virtual Kickoff Event for more information.

Capital funding and program resources vary from year-to-year. Generally, the Multifamily Consolidated RFP offers the following: 

Housing Tax Credits are allocated twice per year through a competitive process:

• Round 1, this is Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC funding round, when much of our other funding is also available, and
• Round 2, a smaller round of HTC but uses the same application materials from the Multifamily Consolidated RFP; HTC Round 2 generally does not offer the deferred loans.

Amortizing mortgages and Bridges Loans, may include but are not limited to:

• Low and Moderate Income Rental (LMIR) Program
• Bridge Loan Product

Deferred Loans, may include but are not limited to:

• Economic Development and Housing Challenge (EDHC), including the American Indian set-aside
• Flexible Financing for Capital Costs (FFCC)
• Housing Infrastructure Program, including Housing infrastructure Appropriations (HIA) and Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIB
• Preservation Affordable Rental Investment Fund (PARIF)
• HOME Investment Partnership (HOME)
• National housing Trust Fund (NHTF)

U.S. Department of Housing Urban Development (HUD) Section 811 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PRA) Program

Funding Partners include:

• Metropolitan Council Local Housing Incentives Account (LHIA)
• Saint Paul Public Housing Authority Project-Based Vouchers (PBV)

The policy and guidance documents listed are the foundation to the Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC funding rounds. All projects must meet the requirements of these policy and guidance documents. The program-specific resources listed are supplemental to the policy and guidance documents and may provide further requirements and/or guidance.

• 2024 Multifamily Request for Proposals (RFP) Standards
• 2024-2025 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP)
• 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet
• Methodology Guide: 2024 Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC
• Community Profiles - Interactive Geographic Scoring Map
• Methodology Guide: 2023 Consolidated RFP/2024 HTC 
• Scoring Guide: 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Funding Round
• 2023-2024 Underwriting Standards 
• 2023 Underwriting Standards Release Notes
• Building Standards
• Tax-Exempt Bond Information Guide
• Market Study Guidelines and Authorized Market Analyst List
• Temporary Relocation Principles
• Multifamily Loan Programs and Housing Tax Credit Fee Schedule

• Deferred Loan and Grant Programs - Reference all program guides for each Capital Funding and Program Resources Offered. Though applicants generally do not request a specific program, each program may have different eligibilities and requirements.
• Housing Tax Credits - Awards and allocates federal tax credits to owners of qualified affordable rental housing projects. These HTCs, which offer a 10-year reduction in tax liability, are sold to investors in exchange for capital to build eligible affordable rental housing units in new construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition with rehabilitation.
• Preservation - Prioritizes properties for preservation that are at risk of losing federal rental assistance due to poor physical condition, diminished owner capacity or owner commitment, or at risk of conversion to market (opting out of the rental assistance program).
• Rent and Income Limits - HTC Rent and Income Limits, Fair Market Rents (FMR), Area Median Income (AMI)
• Supportive Housing - Ending Long-Term Homelessness Initiative, reports and studies on homelessness, service models, Minnesota Departments of Human Services (DHS) programs, Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS).

Two pre-applications are available for this 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 and are now open in the Multifamily Customer Portal. Pre-applications are optional and are not required. Only applicants interested in HUD Section 811 PRA or preference for Innovative Construction Techniques scoring points must apply. Refer to the details for each pre-application. Pre-applications must be submitted through the Multifamily Customer Portal.

The HUD Section 811 PRA Program is designed to expand the supply of supportive housing that promotes and facilitates community integration for people with significant and long-term disabilities. HUD Section 811 PRA Program funds will be available for units for people with disabilities through the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1.

Applicants must submit a HUD Section 811 PRA pre-application by noon Central Time on Thursday, May 30 to determine eligibility for the program prior to submitting a full Multifamily Consolidated RFP application. Applicants will be notified about eligibility for the program on or before June 12.

Applicants need to apply and be selected for capital funding through the Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC Round 1 funding round to be eligible for HUD Section 811 PRA. Applicants cannot apply for only HUD Section 811 PRA funding in the Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC Round 1 or HTC Round 2. Awards are contingent on funding availability.

Pre-Application Materials for HUD Section 811 PRA:

1. HUD Section 811 PRA Pre-Application - revised
2. HUD Section 811 PRA Workbook

For more information about the program, visit Minnesota Housing’s Section 811 webpage.

Minnesota Housing is offering a selection preference for projects that will use Innovative Construction Techniques (ICT). Proposed projects must achieve, or pilot a technique to achieve, one or both of the following goals:

• Reduce total construction cost by at least 10%
• Reduce the time a project is under construction by at least 20%

All six of the conditions a proposed project must meet are outlined in the Innovation Construction Techniques Pre-Application Requirements. 

Applicants are required to submit a pre-application by noon Central Time on Thursday, May 30 to be eligible for this selection preference. Pre-applications must be submitted through the Multifamily Customer Portal. Refer to the 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet for additional details on how the preference will be used to evaluate different project proposal types that apply in the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP, and in accordance with the 2024-2025 Qualified Allocation Plan and the 2024 Multifamily RFP Standards. Applicants will be notified about eligibility for the preference on or before June 12.

Pre-Application Materials for ICT:

1. Innovative Construction Techniques Pre-Application

• Partially Supportive Housing: Less than 50% of the total units will serve HPH, PWD, or other homeless households*. 
• Primarily Supportive Housing: 50% or more of the total units will serve HPH, PWD, or other homeless households*.

*Other homeless households include (i) individuals leaving institutions that do not have a permanent residence or (ii) other homeless populations not referred by the Coordinated Entry System.

• Partially Supportive Housing Certification Form
• Notification to the Continuum of Care (CoC) and county or Tribal human services office - this is different from the CoC Confirmation form required for Primarily Supportive Housing and does not require a meeting with CoC

The required submission forms will be listed on the applicable checklist for Primarily Supportive Housing or Partially Supportive Housing and HUD Section 811 PRA Units in the Multifamily Customer Portal.

The Metropolitan Council announced a total of $2.5 million was approved for the Local Housing Incentives Account (LHIA) on February 14, 2024. These dollars will be available in the multifamily deferred pool of financing in the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1. Only projects located in participating cities that have enrolled in the Metropolitan Council’s LHIA program are eligible for these funds. Applications are due by noon Central Time on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

Visit the LHIA website for more information about the program, including matching requirements, eligible uses and more.

What You Need to Know 

• LHIA may be awarded without Minnesota Housing funding. However, a complete 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 application must be submitted to be considered.
• LHIA funds require that the local government entity (city or county) in which the project is located serve as the applicant for the LHIA portion of the funding. This is achieved by the local government completing a Receptivity Form on behalf of the developer/sponsor. The local government entity will serve as the grant recipient (Grantee) for the LHIA Funds.
• Grantees (local government entity) must match LHIA awards on a dollar-for-dollar basis with a source of funding that is either directly from, or is designated by, the participating city or development authority; sources include CDBG, HOME, TIF, Housing Trust Fund dollars, tax abatements, local housing revenue bonds; and the appraised value of donated land.
• LHIA grants support primarily hard costs related to the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing. Land acquisition costs may be an eligible use of grant funds. LHIA grants do not pay for work done before the grant is awarded with the exception of reimbursement of qualifying land acquisition costs incurred no more than 12 months prior to the date of award.

How to be Considered for LHIA

• Create a project within the 2024 Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 funding round in the Multifamily Customer Portal.
• Go to the Characteristics tab and select the “Met Council’s LHIA Funds” characteristic. This will add the “General: Met Council LHIA Receptivity Form” to your application checklist.  
• Reach out to your local government entity (city or county) in which the project is located, and request that they serve as the applicant, by completing the “Met Council LHIA Receptivity Form” for the LHIA portion of the funding.
• Upload the completed “Met Council LHIA Receptivity Form” to your application checklist prior to 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 application submission. The “General: Met Council LHIA Receptivity Form” checklist item is required to be considered for Met Council's LHIA deferred funding.
• New to the Multifamily Customer Portal or need a refresher? Please review the Multifamily Customer Portal Resources webpage.

For LHIA information visit the Metropolitan Council or contact Ashleigh Johnson, Senior Planner, at ashleigh.johnson@metc.state.mn.us.

For technical assistance from Minnesota Housing, email mhfa.app@state.mn.us or complete the Technical Assistance Request Form. 

Saint Paul Public Housing Agency (PHA) is making available up to 150 Project Based Vouchers (PBV)! Of the total 150 PBVs, 100 PBVs are available under the “mixed-income” criteria and the remaining 50 are available to the following special populations and circumstances:

• Homeless families, as defined under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act;
• Veterans, as defined by Saint Paul PHA;
• Units that offer supportive housing to persons with disabilities or elderly persons, as defined by Saint Paul PHA;
• Units that are located in a census tract with a poverty rate of 20 percent or less.

Applications will open on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in the Multifamily Customer Portal.

What You Need to Know

All PBV Requests:

• Applicants may mix-match vouchers for each project submitted. However, must request at minimum, 10 vouchers per project. There may be a limit to the number of vouchers requested per project, please see the PBV Program Guide.
• The PBV Program Guide available on the Saint Paul PHA website.

PBV Only Requests:

• Applicants do not need to apply for capital funding through the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 funding round to be eligible for vouchers. The "2024 Saint Paul PHA PBV Application” may be submitted by itself through the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP Process through the Multifamily Customer Portal.

PBV Requests with Minnesota Housing Capital Funding:

• Applicants who are applying for capital funding in conjunction with a voucher request must apply separately for PBVs in the “2024 Saint Paul PHA PBV Application” in the funding round in the Multifamily Customer Portal as a checklist item. PBV awards are contingent on Minnesota Housing capital funding.

How to Apply

• After logging into the Minnesota Housing’s Multifamily Customer Portal, select the “2024 Saint Paul PHA PBV Application” funding round to create the application checklists.
• A checklist will display, select the checklist, complete and upload the “2024 Saint Paul PHA PBV Application.” The “2024 Saint Paul PHA PBV Application” is where applicants may request one or more PBV options and a provide brief narrative.
• Applications for the Saint Paul PHA PBVs are due on Thursday, July 11 at noon Central Time. 

For information on PBVs, visit the Saint Paul PHA website or contact Corina Serrano at corina.serrano@stpha.org.  

For technical assistance from Minnesota Housing, email mhfa.app@state.mn.us.  

New to the Multifamily Customer Portal or need a refresher?  Please review the Multifamily Customer Portal Resources webpage.

Important application materials updates can be found in the 'What's New!' section. Application materials may be downloaded but must be uploaded to the Multifamily Customer Portal.

*Tip: All Required checklist items will populate once applications, including Funding Partner(s) applications, are created in the Multifamily Customer Portal.

All development team members must have current qualification forms on file for each funding round for which they apply.  Qualification forms are valid for 12 months. Learn more about the qualification forms and how to submit them.

For most funding types, the application process is facilitated through our Multifamily Customer Portal. If you do not have a Portal account, refer to the Multifamily Customer Portal Resources Webpage so that you can learn how to access our Common Application.

Training Opportunities are available!  Scroll up to the Events Calendar and register today. Sign up to receive our eNews notifications when program changes and training opportunities are posted. Recorded trainings will be posted here as they become available.

The virtual Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC Round 1 Kickoff Events occurred on April 16th and 17th. These events are not a replacement for project-specific technical assistance. Complete and submit a Technical Assistance Request Form.

Virtual Session 1: Covers who Minnesota Housing is and provides an introductory overview of the Multifamily Consolidated Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes the process, programs and funding resources and selection considerations. (Hosted April 16)
Session 1 recording (01:07:09) | Presentation Slides 

Virtual Session 2: Covers updates regarding the Multifamily Consolidated RFP process and programs and will provide tips and tricks to help applicants submit an application. (Hosted April 17)

Session 2 recording (01:34:43) | Presentation Slides

Topics Covered:

• Consolidated RFP Updates (minute 09:42)
• Methodology Updates (minute 34:30)
• Technology Updates (minute 36:46)
• Funding Partner Updates 
  • LHIA (minute 40:45)
  • Saint Paul PHA (minute 44:35)
• Programs and Funding Resources Updates
  • HTC Funding Rounds (minute 48:38)
  • EDHC (minute 53:47)
  • Housing Infrastructure Program (minute 57:17)
  • Federal Programs (minute 63:13)
  • HUD Section 811 PRA Program (minute 67:56)
  • State Housing Tax Credit Program (minute 69:07)
• Project Teams Updates and Tips and Tricks
  • Technical Assistance (minute 73:23)
  • Underwriting (minute 77:40)
  • Architecture (minute 82:30)
  • Asset Management (minute 85:08)
  • Supportive Housing (minute 88:50)

The 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet is applicable for both the 2023 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2024 HTC Funding Rounds and the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Funding Rounds. The Self-Scoring Worksheet contains the selection criteria that applicants use to score their application in the Scoring Wizard found in the Multifamily Customer Portal.

• 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet Training recording (01:23:15) | Presentation slides [PDF] - Held in 2023, this training was an overview of each selection criteria for the 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet.
• 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet Training Updates: (recording coming soon) | Presentation slides [PDF] - Held April 23, 2024. Clarifications to common mistakes made in the 2024-2025 Self-Scoring Worksheet selection criteria and tips and tricks to how to complete.

For Multifamily funding, the application process is facilitated through our Multifamily Customer Portal(Portal). If you do not have a Portal account, refer to the Multifamily Customer Portal Resources webpage so that you can learn how to access.

• Apply for Funding - Learn how to get started in the Portal. This tutorial also walks through how to find open funding rounds, create a project using the Apply for Funding Wizard and request project team access.
• Intent to Apply - Learn what the Intent to Apply is and the steps you need to complete to meet the deadline. This tutorial also covers how to withdraw a project from consideration.
• Project Checklist - Learn how to select project characteristics, manage checklist items, and submit a checklist.
• Scoring Wizard - Learn how to use the Scoring Wizard to complete the self-scoring process.

• 2023 Multifamily Consolidated RFP TA Kickoff Event: Day 1 (01:51:05) | Presentation Slides [PDF]
• 2023 Multifamily Consolidated RFP TA Kickoff Event: Day 2 (02:15:58) | Presentation slides [PDF]
• How Awards are Sized (5:19) - PowerPoint Slides
• Rent and Income Restrictions (11:14) - PowerPoint Slides
• Sponsor Qualification Forms (9:26) - PowerPoint Slides

• Last Chance to Register for the 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 Virtual Kickoff Events and Self-Scoring Worksheet Training! (April 15, 2024)
• 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 Application Release (April 10, 2024)
• 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 Early Release (March 20, 2024)
• 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP and HTC Round 1 Application Dates, Save the Dates for Trainings and Application Materials Information (March 5, 2024)
• Final Reminder: 2024 HTC Round 2 Applications Due and 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 HTC Round 1 Updates (February 20, 2024)
• Final Reminder for HUD Section 811 PRA Program Pre-Application Deadline, Selections and Final Scores for 2023 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2024 HTC Round 1 Now Available and Other Updates and Reminders (February 6, 2024)
• 2024 HTC Round 2 Reminders, Market Study Updates and 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC Round 1 Information (January 18, 2024)