Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 29963 CITY SECRETARY OqqL CONTRACT NO. AGREEMENT WITH FORT WORTH HOUSING AUTHORITY CONCERNING THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM This Agreement ("Agreement") concerning the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program is between the City of Fort Worth ("Fort Worth"), a home rule municipal corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas, acting by and through its duly authorized Assistant City Manager, and the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Worth, d/b/a/ the Fort Worth Housing Authority ("FWHA"), a Texas municipal housing authority, acting by and through its duly authorized Executive Director. (Sometimes Fort Worth and FWHA are referred to individually as a "Party" and collectively as the "Parties"). RECITALS Fort Worth and FWHA agree that the following statements are true and correct and constitute the basis on which they have entered into this Agreement. WHEREAS, Section 555 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 ("QHWRA")which amended the United States Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. 1437f(y) permits the FWHA to create a homeownership option for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders; WHEREAS, FWHA has created a Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program ("HCVHP") to convert certain eligible Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher recipients into homeowners; WHEREAS, the HCVHP requires applicant families to attend and satisfactorily complete a pre-assistance homeownership and counseling program; WHEREAS, Fort Worth offers pre-purchase and post-closing housing counseling and homebuyers assistance programs which provide the type of services needed to fulfill the HCVHP's requirements for pre-assistance counseling, including but not limited to outreach and marketing of the HCVHP to eligible FWHA families, client assessment, credit counseling, financial literacy counseling, homeownership training, lender training, real estate agent training and financial assistance for eligible first time homebuyers; and WHEREAS, an Applicant is defined as a person who is currently receiving rental assistance through the FWHA's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program and has expressed an interest in participating in the HCVHP; and WHEREAS, an Eligible Family. is defined as an Applicant who has met the eligibility requirements for the HCVHP, completed all required counseling services and received approval to pursue homeownership with the rental assistance voucher; and e ' HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP L 9�'�` � PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 J O xa8 t 11 -0elA10 : 32 ?CVL' WHEREAS, increasing homeownership and providing affordable housing for all income groups are among Fort Worth's housing policy goals and are affirmed in Fort Worth's Comprehensive Plan. NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows: 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE. The purpose of this Agreement is to set forth the terms and conditions under which Fort Worth will provide FWHA with housing counseling and homebuyer assistance services to Applicants and Eligible Families in the HCVHP. 2. TERM. This Agreement shall commence on the execution of this Agreement ("Effective Date") 6�- //-6 Z- and will expire unless terminated earlier in accordance with this Agreement. The Parties may renew this Agreement annually for additional twelve (12) month terms by mutual written agreement. The Parties shall execute such renewals no later than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the current term. In addition to termination for default pursuant to Section 5, either Party may terminate this Agreement without cause upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the other Party, and neither Party shall have any further responsibility or liability hereunder except for services previously rendered and payment for the same. 3. DUTIES OF THE PARTIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED. 3.1 FWHA will provide Fort Worth with: a. A copy of the relevant FWHA policies and procedures currently in place regarding the HCVHP and all future updates of such policies and procedures; b. A copy of the current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") regulations pertaining to the HCVHP, as amended from time to time, including but not limited to those regulations found at 24 C.F.R 982.1 et seq.; c. A list of Applicants from current participants in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program who meet HUD regulations and FWHA Administrative Plan guidelines for participation in the HCVHP; d. A list of Applicants who are current Family Self Sufficiency ("FSS") participants and the current balance of the participants' escrow accounts; and, e. A list of vacant houses owned by FWHA that are available for sale to Eligible Families. HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 l' I rge"2 3.2. Fort Worth will: a. Administer all functions of the HCVHP with respect to determining eligibility, providing counseling and training, and assisting Eligible Families through closing and post-closing counseling in compliance with FWHA's Section 8 Administrative Plan and HUD regulations as set forth in 24 CFR Part 982.1 et seq.; b. Provide FWHA a copy of Fort Worth's existing guidelines for the pre- assistance homeownership and housing counseling program, as amended from time to time; c. Develop and implement a marketing and training plan for lenders and real estate agents including outreach and distribution of printed materials to those lenders and real estate agents who will participate in the HCVHP; d. Develop and distribute written materials about the HCVHP to Applicants and Eligible Families; e. Provide each Applicant with an individual, initial counseling session to describe the counseling process and the schedule of all necessary appointments, and to review the intake form completed by the Applicant prior to the initial counseling session; f. Provide an assessment of each Applicant's qualifications to continue in the HCVHP which will include an initial assessment of Applicant's credit worthiness and employment and income history; g. Provide each Applicant with information on Applicant's eligibility and a preliminary action plan to enable the Applicant to become a homeowner under the HCVHP; h. Review all documents furnished by the Applicant which are necessary to verify information provided on the intake form; i. Coordinate with FWHA to resolve any discrepancies found in the initial intake form; j. Determine whether an Applicant is ready to apply for a mortgage, or whether further counseling is needed; k. Assist Eligible Families in the selection of a mortgage lender and provide copies of the Eligible Family's intake form to the selected mortgage lender and FWHA; 1. Provide Eligible Families with follow up session(s) on financial literacy; m. Develop financial goals and an action plan for each Eligible Family; n. Work with each Eligible Family and the family's mortgage lender to resolve any credit issues; o. Provide Homeownership Training Seminars to Applicants and Eligible Families; p. Assist Eligible Families in the selection of a real estate agent and sales contract negotiations; HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 ;=` Page 3 r q. Provide FWHA and each Eligible Family's mortgage lender with a copy of the sales contract entered into with a seller; r. Complete a homeownership housing quality standard ("HQS") inspection and counsel the Eligible Family on the HQS inspector's findings; s. Assist in the selection of a licensed residential real estate inspector and review the real estate inspector's findings with the Eligible Family; t. Assist the Eligible Family in re-negotiating the sales contract with the seller, if necessary; u. Provide homeownership subsidy under Fort Worth's homeownership program to eligible HCVHP participants; v. Provide continued assistance to Eligible Families through closing; w. Review the Eligible Family's closing documents for accuracy to ensure that any homeownership down payment requirements have been met, and appropriate financing and information have been utilized by the mortgage lender; x. Provide a complete copy of the file on each Eligible Family to FWHA; y. Follow- up with each Eligible Family quarterly for a period of one year from the closing; and Z. Provide monthly activity reports to FWHA on Eligible Families participating in the pre-assistance homeownership and housing counseling program and those participating in post-closing counseling. 4. CONSIDERATION. FWHA agrees to provide a grant up to, but not to exceed, $100,000.00 and Fort Worth agrees to provide in-kind services valued up to, but not to exceed, $60,000.00 for the costs of the operation of the pre-assistance and post-closing homeownership and housing counseling program for the HCVHP as follows: FWHA $100,000.00 Fort Worth (in kind services) 60,000.00 Total $160,000.00 FWHA shall pay its portion of the costs to Fort Worth as follows: $25,000.00 upon execution of this Agreement; $25,000.00 on September 30, 2004; $25,000.00 on December 31, 2004 and $25,000.00 on March 31, 2005. Fort Worth will provide FWHA with a quarterly accounting of the monies used by Fort Worth and the in- kind services provided by Fort Worth in the administration of the HCVHP. During any renewals of this Agreement, FWHA shall provide Fort Worth with funds in accordance with the terms of any renewal agreement. i HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 Page 4 5. DEFAULT. If either FWHA or Fort Worth fails, for any reason, to perform any provision or condition of this Agreement, this Agreement may be terminated if the default continues for a period of thirty (30) days after the notifying Party notifies the defaulting Party in writing of the default and its intention to declare this Agreement terminated for cause. If the defaulting Party does not cure or correct such breach within the thirty (30) day. period, the notifying Party shall have the right to declare this Agreement immediately terminated, and neither Party shall have any further responsibility or liability hereunder except for services previously rendered and payment for the same. 6. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 6.1 Request for Information. FWHA and Fort Worth agree to provide each other any information on the Eligible Families within two (2) business days of the request. 6.2. No Waiver. The failure of either Party to insist upon the performance of any provision or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right granted herein shall not constitute a waiver of that Party's right to insist upon appropriate performance or to assert any such right on any future occasion. 6.3. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. 6.4. Force Maieure. The Parties shall exercise their best efforts to meet their respective duties and obligations hereunder, but shall not be held liable for any delay in or omission of performance due to force majeure or other causes beyond their reasonable control, including, but not limited to, compliance with any state or federal law or regulation, acts of God, fires, strikes, lockouts, national disasters, wars, riots, material or labor restrictions, transportation problems or existing contractual obligations directly related to the subject matter of this Agreement. 6.5 Venue and Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas. Venue for any action brought on the basis of this Agreement shall lie exclusively in state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas. In any such action, the prevailing party HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 Page 5 1 shall recover from the other all reasonable attorneys' fees, court costs and other reasonable expenses incurred as a result of the action. 6.6 Entirety of Agreement. This Agreement, including all Exhibits attached hereto and any documents incorporated herein by reference, contains the entire understanding and agreement between Fort Worth and FWHA as to the work and services to be performed. Any prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreement is hereby declared null and void to the extent in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement. 6.7 Compliance with Laws, Ordinances, Rules and Rep-ulations. This Agreement is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, including but not limited to all provisions of Fort Worth's charter. 6.8 Independent Contractors. Fort Worth shall operate hereunder as an independent contractor and not as an officer, agent, servant or employee of FWHA. FWHA shall operate hereunder as an independent contractor and not as an officer, agent, servant, or employee of Fort Worth. Fort Worth shall have the exclusive control of, and the exclusive right to control the work designated to be performed by Fort Worth under the terms of this Agreement, and of all persons performing the same and shall be solely responsible for the acts and omissions of its officers, members, agents and employees. Neither Fort Worth nor FWHA shall be responsible under the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior for the acts or omissions of its officers, members, agents, employees or officers of the other. No partnership or joint venture is intended or formed between Fort Worth and FWHA by this Agreement. 6.9 Immunity and Third Parties. It is expressly agreed that, in the execution and performance of this Agreement, neither Fort Worth nor FWHA waives, nor shall be deemed to waive, any immunity or defense that would otherwise be available to it against claims arising in the exercise of their respective powers and functions. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to benefit any third party other than an employee or officer of Fort Worth or FWHA while in the performance of this Agreement. This Agreement may not be construed to expand the liability of Fort Worth or FWHA beyond the scope of Chapter 101 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, unless specifically stated herein. PF HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIPPROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 6.10 Amendment. No amendment, modification or alteration of this Agreement shall be binding unless the same is in writing, dated subsequent to the date hereof and executed by the Parties. 7. NOTICES. All notices required by this Agreement shall be addressed to the Parties at the following address, or at such other address as either Party designates in writing, by certified mail, postage prepaid or hand delivery: Fort Worth: Jerome C. Walker, Director Fort Worth Housing Department 908.Monroe St. Fort Worth, TX 76102 FWHA: Betty Bjork Director of Assisted Housing Fort Worth Housing Authority 1201 E. 13`h Street Fort Worth, TX 76102 EXECUTED in multiple originals as of the last date indicated below: CITY OF FORT WORTH: FORT WORTH HOUSING r AUTHORITY: / i By: /7"W fil"�r By: 13 a&� Reid Rector Barbara Holston Assistant City Manager Executive Director f' I Date: ��/���� Date: 06-- �S— D ` ATTEST: ;. 'TTEST• '-7 i By: L.,L.4) By: SylvA Glover Name: yl Acting City Secretary Title: Contract Authorf/iz(\yyaVltioa Date HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP -..�u PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004, ;"s r ► °P;�ge 7 APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: By: 15- Vicki S. Ganske Senior Assistant City Attorney M&C: L 7 Browz seman, Liser,Proctor & Hart, L.L.P By: AFort Worth Housing Authority HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AGREEMENT 4/30/2004 Page 8