SECTION 23.24. Administrative Deficiency Process

(a) The administrative deficiency process allows staff to request that an Applicant provide clarification, correction, or non-material missing information to resolve inconsistencies in the original Application or to assist staff in evaluating the Application. Staff will request such information via a deficiency notice. Staff will send the deficiency notice via an email or if an email address is not provided in the Application, by facsimile to the Applicant. Responses must be submitted electronically to the Department. A review of the Applicant's response may reveal that issues initially identified as an administrative deficiency are actually determined to be beyond the scope of an administrative deficiency process, meaning that they are in fact matters of a material nature not susceptible to being resolved. Department staff may, in good faith, provide an Applicant confirmation that an administrative deficiency response has been received or that such response is satisfactory. Communication from staff that the response was satisfactory does not establish any entitlement to points, eligibility status, or to any presumption of having fulfilled any requirements. Final determination regarding the sufficiency of documentation submitted to cure an administrative deficiency as well as the distinction between material and non-material missing information are reserved for the Executive Director or authorized designee, and Board, as applicable.

(b) An Applicant may not change or supplement any part of an Application in any manner after submission to the Department, and may not add any set-asides, except in response to a direct request from the Department to remedy an administrative deficiency or by amendment of an Application after the Board approval of a HOME award. An administrative deficiency may not be cured if it would, in the Department's determination, substantially change an Application, or if the Applicant provides any new unrequested information to cure the deficiency.

(c) The time period for responding to a deficiency notice commences on the first day following the deficiency notice date. If an administrative deficiency is not resolved to the satisfaction of the Department by 5:00 p.m., central time, on the seventh day following the date of the deficiency notice, the application may be terminated. The Department may accept a corrected Board Resolution submitted after the deficiency deadline on the condition that the corrected Board Resolution resolves the deficiencies to the satisfaction of the Department, but the Board Resolution must be received and deemed satisfactory by the Department before the RSP Agreement or Contract start date. Applicants that have been terminated may reapply.

Source Note: The provisions of this §23.24 adopted to be effective November 26, 2020, 45 TexReg 8327