Member Bulletin

• December 22, 2020
• Bulletin No: 2020-35

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (Bank) is pleased to announce its 2021 Community Investment offerings.

Community Investment Program (CIP)
The Community Investment Program (CIP) provides advances to assist members in financing owner-occupied and rental housing by providing a favorably priced, match-funding source. Funds are available year-round and can be used for a variety of purposes including: (1) the purchase or rehabilitation of owner-occupied and rental housing for income-qualified families; (2) the purchase of mortgage-backed securities representing a pool of loans that could be funded directly with CIP advances; and/or (3) investment in low-income housing tax credits.

Economic Development Program (EDP)
The Economic Development Program (EDP) provides members with favorably priced advances to support qualified economic and commercial development projects that benefit their surrounding communities. EDP advances may be used for new construction, renovation, small business financing, public works projects and historic preservation. Hospitals, nursing homes, locally owned restaurants and retail shops are just a few examples of the types of community-centric businesses that have benefited from EDP advances. The EDP is noncompetitive, and funds are available year-round. All member institutions eligible to obtain standard advances from the Bank may apply for EDP advances.

Disaster Relief Program (DRP)
The Disaster Relief Program (DRP) helps finance any project that assists in recovery efforts in communities that have been declared disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Bank’s five-state District. Individuals and business owners located within federally declared disaster areas may apply for the funds through the Bank’s member financial institutions. For more information, visit fhlb.com/disaster.  

Disaster Rebuilding Assistance 
Disaster Rebuilding Assistance is designed to support households in the Bank’s member communities that have been declared disaster areas eligible for individual assistance by FEMA. The program provides homeowners who are at or below 80 percent of the area median income with up to $10,000 for repair and construction costs that are not covered by insurance or federal or state emergency assistance. For 2021, the Bank has set aside $500,000 in Disaster Rebuilding Assistance funds. 

Affordable Housing Program (AHP) General Fund
The Affordable Housing Program (AHP) General Fund is the Bank’s competitive housing subsidy program. AHP subsidies are available up to $750,000 and may be used to purchase, build or rehabilitate owner-occupied and rental housing that serves income-qualified households. AHP subsidies are awarded once a year through the Bank’s member institutions. The Bank will accept AHP subsidy applications from April 1, 2021 through May 13, 2021. The funding level for 2021 will be announced in the first quarter. All applications for AHP subsidies must be submitted through the Bank’s GrantConnect system, which will be available during the application period. Please check fhlb.com/ahp for additional details and program announcements. Detailed information about the AHP General Fund is available in the Bank’s Affordable Housing Program 2021 Implementation Plan, which can be found under Helpful Resources in the Community Investment section of fhlb.com. 

Homebuyer Equity Leverage Partnership (HELP)
The Homebuyer Equity Leverage Partnership (HELP) program provides subsidies up to $10,000 for down payment and/or closing cost assistance for eligible first-time homebuyers. Members interested in participating in HELP must submit a one-time enrollment application and agreement; thereafter, they will be eligible to request HELP funds during each annual offering. Members that have previously enrolled for HELP do not need to enroll again. For 2021, the Bank has set aside $4.5 million of its annual AHP funds for HELP subsidies. The Bank will begin accepting member requests for HELP funds on Monday, January 4, 2021. Members may use up to $112,500 (half of the member cap, which has increased to $225,000) to support homebuyers residing out-of-District. 

Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) provides subsidies up to $7,000 for housing rehabilitation to meet the needs of households containing a resident with special needs. Members interested in participating in SNAP must submit a one-time enrollment application and agreement; thereafter, they will be eligible to request SNAP funds during each offering. Please refer to the Bank’s Implementation Plan for more detailed information about SNAP. For 2021 SNAP subsidies, the Bank has set aside $2.5 million from its AHP funds. SNAP-assisted properties must be located within the Bank’s District. Applications will be available and accepted beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT on Monday, January 11, 2021 through 5:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.  

Housing Assistance for Veterans (HAVEN)
Housing Assistance for Veterans (HAVEN) is a unique housing program designed to provide grants to households of veterans or active service members who were disabled as a result of an injury during their active military service since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The program supports necessary home modifications or offsets new construction costs. 

Grant recipients must have a household member who qualifies as disabled by the Veteran’s Administration, a branch of the U.S. military, the federal government or other acceptable source. Alternatively, the funds can be awarded to Gold Star Families impacted during this time frame for home repairs/rehabilitation. Under HAVEN, the Bank grants recipients up to $10,000 toward the modification/rehabilitation/new construction of a qualifying property located anywhere in the United States. The Bank will make available $300,000 in HAVEN funds beginning Monday, January 4, 2021.  

Partnership Grant Program (PGP)
The Partnership Grant Program (PGP) provides funding for the operational needs of community-based organizations (CBOs), which are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations involved in affordable housing, local community development and small business technical assistance within the District. Annual revenues for the CBO must be less than $600,000 to qualify. The Bank partners with its members by matching member contributions to eligible CBOs at a 3:1 ratio up to $12,000. The lifetime PGP award per eligible CBO is $60,000 excluding grants received during the 2020 Special PGP offering. The Bank has allocated $400,000 in PGP funds for 2021. PGP applications will be accepted beginning Monday, April 26, 2021 through Friday, May 21, 2020.

Small Business Boost Program (SBB)
Small Business Boost (SBB) provides recoverable assistance to finance the startup or expansion of qualified small businesses. SBB funds are intended to help participating members provide financing for qualified small businesses by filling the gap between what the member can finance and the loan request made by an eligible small business. SBB is provided to members as a secondary, unsecured loan in conjunction with a loan made by the member to the small business. For example, SBB can fill the financing gap due to lack of equity, a shortfall in collateral or initial cash flow challenges. No payments are due on the SBB loan during the first year. Principal amortization begins in year two at which time the member may charge up to 3 percent interest on the SBB loan. The Bank charges 3 percent interest beginning in the third year of the loan. 

SBB funds will be made available in two funding rounds on a first-come, first-served basis. Beginning Monday, January 4, 2021, $1.5 million will be available in SBB funds. Any funds that remain at the end of the first funding round on Friday, July 2, 2021 will roll into the next funding round which will begin on Monday, July 19, 2021 with an additional $1.5 million until funds are exhausted or Friday, December 3, 2021, whichever is earlier.

How to Apply
Detailed information on each of these programs, including applications and enrollment forms, guidelines and other information may be found at fhlb.com/community. 

Please check fhlb.com periodically for program announcements. For questions regarding AHP, HELP, SNAP, PGP, Disaster Rebuilding Assistance, SBB or HAVEN, please contact Community Investment at 800.362.2944. For questions regarding CIP, DRP or EDP, please contact Member Services at 844.FHL.BANK (844.345.2265).

I hope you will use our affordable housing and economic development programs in 2021.

Sincerely,
 

Sanjay K. Bhasin
President and Chief Executive Officer