Qualifications of Community Housing Development Organization
Last Updated: March 2025
Instructions: Qualification forms must be completed by an authorized officer of the appropriate development team's organization. Submit this completed qualification form through the Secure Upload Tool. More information on how to submit qualification forms can be found on Minnesota Housing’s Partner Login webpage.
Minnesota Housing is required to review each proposed Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) according to the HOME Program regulations. By completing this form, the CHDO certifies the following is accurate and truthful to the best of its knowledge.
Do not submit qualification forms from a prior funding round. To help ensure you are submitting the correct form, verify the qualification form you submit has March 2025 at the top of the document and in the lower left corner of the footer of each page.
Contact Information
CHDO Full Legal Name:      
CHDO Street Address:      
CHDO City, State ZIP Code:      
CHDO Website:      
CHDO Telephone Number:      
CHDO Contact Person Name:      
CHDO Contact Person Email Address:      
The information contained in this form refers to the definition of CHDOs in Code of Federal Regulations, title 24, subtitle A, Part 92.2. Additional definitions and requirements can be found in the 2025 HOME Final Rule.
Legal Status
1.	Organized under state or local laws, as evidenced by , page      .
2.	No part of its net earnings inures to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual, as evidenced by , page      .
3.	Has a tax exemption ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under Section 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as evidenced by (select one):
	 A 501(c)(3) or (4) Certificate from the IRS.
	 Is classified as a subordinate of a central organization nonprofit under Section 905 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or, if the private nonprofit organization is a wholly owned entity that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for tax purposes, the owner organization has a tax exemption ruling from the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and meets the definition of, “community housing development organization,” as determined by Minnesota Housing.
4.	Has among its purposes the provision of decent housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income people, as evidenced by a statement in the CHDO’s , page      .
Capacity
1.	Conforms to the financial accountability standards of 24 C.F.R. part 84.21, “Standards for Financial Management Systems,” as evidenced by (select one):
	 A notarized statement by the president or chief financial officer of the organization.
	 A certification from a certified public accountant.
	 A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved audit summary.
2.	An organization that will own housing must demonstrate capacity to act as owner of a project and meet the requirements of 24 C.F.R. part 92.300(a)(2), as evidenced by a notarized statement by the president or chief financial officer of the organization documenting the ownership and management experience of key staff.
3.	A designated organization undertaking development activities as a developer or sponsor must have a demonstrated capacity for carrying out activities assisted with federal funds, Low-Income Housing Credits (26 U.S.C. 42), Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program (12 U.S.C. 1430) funds, or local and state affordable housing funds, as evidenced by (select one):
	 Résumés and/or statements that describe the experience of key staff members who have successfully completed projects similar to those to be assisted with HOME funds.
	 Where the paid employees of the organization do not demonstrate capacity to develop a HOME-assisted project alone, the experience of paid employees may be supplemented by board members or officers of the organization that are volunteers.
	 During its first year of funding as a CHDO, an organization may satisfy this requirement through a contract(s) with a consultant who has housing development experience to train appropriate key paid staff of the organization.
4.	The organization must be able to show it has a history of serving the community within which housing to be assisted with HOME funds is to be located. Has a history of serving the community within which housing to be assisted with HOME funds is to be located, as evidenced by (select one):
	 Documents demonstrating at least one year of experience in serving the community. In general, an organization must be able to show one year of serving the community before HOME funds are reserved for the organization.
	 For newly created organizations formed by local church, service, or community organizations, a statement that documents that its parent organization has at least one year of experience in serving the community. In the statement, the organization must outline its history (or its parent organization’s history) of serving the community by describing activities that it provided (or its parent organization provided), such as an owner or developer of new or existing housing, manager of existing housing, or as a sponsor. The statement must be signed by the president or other officer of the organization.
Organizational Structure
1.	Maintains at least one-third of its governing board’s membership for low-income residents, low-income beneficiaries of HUD programs, other low-income community residents, designees of low-income neighborhood organizations, or designees of nonprofit organizations in the community that address the housing or supportive service needs of low-income residents or residents of low-income neighborhoods as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
2.	Provides a formal process for low-income, program beneficiaries to advise the organization in all of its decisions regarding the design, siting, development, and management of affordable housing projects, as evidenced by (select one):
	 The CHDO’s Bylaws, page      .
	 The CHDO’s Resolutions.
	 A written statement of operating procedures approved by the governing body.
3.	Answer the following questions about the last years’ efforts:
a.	In what ways was the input of low-income residents sought and implemented, and what were the results?
	     
b.	How have the low-income residents and program beneficiaries in your service area been involved with the organization on policies and procedures, program design, site location(s), and the development and management of affordable housing decisions?
	     
c.	What unique approaches you have taken to get feedback from low- and moderate-income residents?
	     
d.	What options will be pursued to overcome any barriers to obtaining low- and moderate-income resident input?
	     
4.	A CHDO may be created by a governmental entity, but the following restrictions apply: 
a.	The governmental entity may not have the right to appoint more than one-third of the membership of the organization’s governing body as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
b.	The board members appointed by the governmental entity may not, in turn, appoint the remaining two-thirds of the board members as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
c.	No more than one-third of the governing board members may be public officials or employees of Minnesota Housing or the governmental entity that created the CHDO as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
d.	The officers or employees of a governmental entity may not be officers or employees of a CHDO as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
5.	If the CHDO is sponsored or created by a for-profit entity, the for-profit entity may not have the right to appoint more than one-third of the membership of the CHDO’s governing body, and the board members appointed by the for-profit entity may not, in turn, appoint the remaining two-thirds of the board members, as evidenced by the CHDO’s , page      .
Relationship with For-Profit Entities
1.	The CHDO is not controlled by nor receives directions from individuals or entities seeking profit from the organization, as evidenced by , page      .
2.	A CHDO may be sponsored or created by a for-profit entity; however:
a.	The for-profit entity’s primary purpose does not include the development or management of housing such as builder, developer, or real estate management firm, as evidenced in the for-profit entity’s Bylaws, page       and Articles of Incorporation.
b.	The CHDO is free to contract for goods and services from vendor(s) of its own choosing, as evidenced in the CHDO’s , page      .
c.	The officers and employees of the for-profit entity may not be officers or employees of the CHDO as evidenced in the CHDO’s , page      .
Additional Information
1.	Complete Table 1 pertaining to functions of the CHDO.
Rental housing is “owned” by the CHDO if the CHDO is the owner in fee simple absolute of multifamily or single-family housing (or has a long-term ground lease) for rental to low-income families in accordance with 24 C.F.R. part 92.252. If the housing is to be rehabilitated or constructed, the CHDO hires and oversees the developer that rehabilitates or constructs the housing. Refer to 24 C.F.R. part 92.300 for the full definition. Additional definitions and requirements can be found in the 2025 HOME Final Rule.
Rental housing is “developed” by the CHDO if the CHDO is the owner of multifamily or single-family housing in fee simple absolute (or has a long-term ground lease) and the developer of new housing that will be constructed or existing substandard housing that will be rehabilitated for rent to low-income families in accordance with 24 C.F.R. part 92.252. To be the “developer,” the CHDO must be in sole charge of all aspects of the development process, including obtaining zoning, securing non-HOME financing, selecting architects, engineers, and general contractors, overseeing the progress of the work, and determining the reasonableness of costs. Refer to 24 C.F.R. part 92.300 for the full definition. Additional definitions and requirements can be found in the 2025 HOME Final Rule.
Rental housing is “sponsored” by the CHDO if it is rental housing “owned” or “developed” by a wholly owned subsidiary of a CHDO, a limited partnership of which the CHDO or its subsidiary is the sole general partner, or a limited liability company of which the CHDO or its subsidiary is the sole managing member. HOME-assisted rental housing is also “sponsored” by a CHDO if the CHDO “developed” the rental housing project that it agrees to convey to an identified private nonprofit organization at a predetermined time after completion of the development of the project. Refer to 24 C.F.R. part 92.300 for the full definition. Additional definitions and requirements can be found in the 2025 HOME Final Rule.
Table 1: Functions of the CHDO
Function	Provided by the CHDO	Number of Units	Number of Years Provided	
Asset Management		     	     	
Property Management		     	     	
Planning		     	     	
Project Management		     	     	
Owner; specify: 		     	     	
Developer		     	     	
Sponsor		     	     	
Architecture		     	     	
Construction		     	     	
Other; specify:      		     	     	
2.	Summarize the CHDO’s purpose and strategic goals.
	     
3.	Was the CHDO created by a for-profit or governmental entity? 
a.	If yes, provide the name of the entity:      
4.	Provide the CHDO’s mission statement.
	     
5.	Does the CHDO have a current business plan? 
a.	If yes, describe its primary goals and primary line of business:      
6.	Complete the following table pertaining to the CHDO’s board member roster.
Table 2: Board Member Roster
Board Member Name	Years Served on Board	Professional Affiliations	Specific Skill	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	

7.	Complete the following table pertaining to the CHDO’s board member composition.
Table 3: Board Member Composition
Board Member Name	Low-Income Community Resident	Low-Income Resident	Low-Income Beneficiary of HUD Programs	Low-Income Organization Designee	Public or Elected Official	Designee of a Nonprofit Organization	
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
     							
8.	Has there been stability/continuity of board members over the last five years? 
a.	If no, explain:      
9.	Does the board have a committee structure or other means of overseeing planning and development? 
10.	Attach a copy of the CHDO’s current operating budget.
11.	Who maintains the CHDO’s accounting records and what are their qualifications?
	     
12.	Is the CHDO audited by a certified public accountant as evidenced by audit reports? 
a.	If yes, attach the last two years of audit reports.
b.	If no, attach three years of financial reports.
13.	Attach copies of the CHDO’s three most current IRS Form 990s.
14.	Complete the following table pertaining to the CHDO’s senior leadership and development staff composition.
Table 4: Senior Leadership and Development Staff Information
Staff Name	Job Title	Number of Years with the CHDO	Individual’s Qualifications	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
15.	Does the CHDO have staff training and evaluation procedures in place? 
a.	If yes, describe:      
b.	If no, explain why and describe a plan to implement training and evaluation procedures:      
16.	Have there been significant changes to services or programs since the CHDO began? 
a.	If yes, describe:      
17.	List the types and amounts of insurance the CHDO maintains.
	     
18.	Is the CHDO the ownership entity or mortgagor? 
a.	If no, state the type of entity to be formed and its proposed name:      
19.	Is the CHDO required to file periodic reports with the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission or any state agency? 
20.	Has there ever been a petition of involuntary bankruptcy filed against the CHDO? 
21.	Has the CHDO ever made an assignment for the benefit of creditors? 
22.	Are there any unsatisfied judgments outstanding against the CHDO and/or any of the officers? 
23.	Has the CHDO been a party to any litigation within the last five years? 
24.	Is the CHDO currently debarred from any Minnesota program, other states’ program(s), or any federal programs? 
25.	If any of the questions 19-24 above have been answered "Yes", provide details.
	     
26.	Complete and attach Schedules A and B.

Certification
I,      , hereby certify that the information set forth, and in any supporting attachments, is true, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
     
Name of Community Housing Development Organization
     	     
Authorized Signatory Printed Name	Title
     	     
Authorized Signature	Date