(a) General. This section applies to Development Owners that agreed to offer a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) to a Qualified Entity or as applicable a Qualified Nonprofit Organization, as memorialized in the applicable LURA. For the purposes of this section, a Qualified Nonprofit Organization also includes an entity 100% owned by a Qualified Nonprofit Organization pursuant to §42(h)(5)(C) of the Code and operated in a similar manner. The purpose of this section is to provide administrative procedures and guidance on the process and valuation of properties under the LURA. All requests for ROFR submitted to the Department, regardless of existing regulations, must adhere to this process.
  (1) The Development Owner may market the Property for sale and enter into an agreement to sell the Property to a Qualified Entity, or as applicable a Qualified Nonprofit Organization without going through the ROFR process outlined in this section, unless otherwise restricted or prohibited and only in the following circumstances:
    (A) The LURA includes a 90-day ROFR and the Development Owner is selling to a Qualified Nonprofit Organization;
    (B) The LURA includes a two-year ROFR and the Development Owner is selling to a Qualified Nonprofit Organization that meets the definition of a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) under 24 CFR Part 92, as approved by the Department; or
    (C) The LURA includes a 180-day ROFR, and the Development Owner is selling to a Qualified Entity that meets the definition of a CHDO under 24 CFR Part 92, or to an entity that includes a CHDO as one of its controlling members, as approved by the Department, or to the public housing authority or public facility corporation that owns the fee title to the Development Owner's leasehold estate.
  (2) A ROFR request must be made in accordance with the LURA for the Development. If there is a conflict between the Development's LURA and this subchapter, every effort will be made to harmonize the provisions. If the conflict cannot be resolved, requirements in the LURA will supersede this subchapter. If there is a conflict between the Development's LURA and Tex. Gov't Code Chapter 2306, every effort will be made to harmonize the provisions. A Development Owner may request a LURA amendment to make the ROFR provisions in the LURA consistent with Tex. Gov't Code Chapter 2306 at any time.
  (3) If a LURA includes the ROFR provision, the Development Owner may not request a Preliminary Qualified Contract (if such opportunity is available under the applicable LURA and §10.408 of this Subchapter) until the requirements outlined in this section have been satisfied.
  (4) The Department reviews and approves all ownership transfers pursuant to §10.406 of this subchapter. Thus, if a proposed purchaser is identified by the Owner in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection or in the ROFR process, the Development Owner and proposed purchaser must complete the ownership transfer process. A Development Owner may not transfer a Development to a Qualified Nonprofit Organization or Qualified Entity that is considered an ineligible entity under the Department's rules. In addition, ownership transfers to a Qualified Entity or as applicable a Qualified Nonprofit Organization pursuant to the ROFR process are subject to Chapter 1, Subchapter C of this title (relating to Previous Participation and Executive Award Review and Advisory Committee).
  (5) Satisfying the ROFR requirement does not terminate the LURA or the ongoing application of the ROFR requirement to any subsequent Development Owner.
  (6) If there are multiple buildings in the Development, the end of the 15th year of the Compliance Period will be based upon the date the last building(s) began their credit period(s). For example, if five buildings in the Development began their credit periods in 2007 and one in 2008, the 15th year would be 2022. The ROFR process is triggered upon:
    (A) The Development Owner's determination to sell the Development to an entity other than as permitted in paragraph (1) of this subsection; or
    (B) The simultaneous transfer or concurrent offering for sale of a General Partner's and limited partner's interest in the Development Owner's ownership structure.
  (7) The ROFR process is not triggered if a Development Owner seeks to transfer the Development to a newly formed entity:
    (A) That is under common control with the Development Owner; and
    (B) The primary purpose of the formation of which is to facilitate the financing of the rehabilitation of the Development using assistance administered through a state financing program.
  (8) This section applies only to a Right of First Refusal memorialized in the Department's LURA. This section does not authorize a modification of any other agreement between the Development Owner and a Qualified Nonprofit Organization or Qualified Entity. The enforceability of a contractual agreement between the Development Owner and a Qualified Nonprofit Organization or Qualified Entity may be impacted by the Development Owner's commitments at Application and recorded LURA.
(b) Right of First Refusal Offer Price. There are two general expectations of the ROFR offer price identified in the outstanding LURAs. The descriptions in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection do not alter the requirements or definitions included in the LURA but provide further clarification as applicable:
  (1) Fair Market Value is established using either a current appraisal (completed within three months prior to the ROFR request and in accordance with §11.304 of this title (relating to Appraisal Rules and Guidelines)) of the Property or an executed purchase offer that the Development Owner would like to accept. In either case the documentation used to establish Fair Market Value will be part of the ROFR property listing on the Department's website. The purchase offer must contain specific language that the offer is conditioned upon satisfaction of the ROFR requirement. If a subsequent ROFR request is made within six months of the previously approved ROFR posting, the lesser of the prior ROFR posted value or new appraisal/purchase contract amount must be used in establishing Fair Market Value;
  (2) Minimum Purchase Price, pursuant to §42(i)(7)(B) of the Code, is the sum of the categories listed in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph:
    (A) The principal amount of outstanding indebtedness secured by the project (other than indebtedness incurred within the five year period immediately preceding the date of said notice); and
    (B) All federal, state, and local taxes incurred or payable by the Development Owner as a consequence of such sale. If the Property has a minimum Applicable Fraction of less than one, the offer must take this into account by multiplying the purchase price by the applicable fraction and the fair market value of the non-Low-Income Units. Documentation submitted to verify the Minimum Purchase Price calculation will be part of the ROFR property listing on the Department's website.
(c) Required Documentation. Upon establishing the ROFR offer price, the ROFR process is the same for all types of LURAs. To proceed with the ROFR request, documentation must be submitted as directed in the Post Award Activities Manual, which includes:
  (1) ROFR fee as identified in §11.901 of this title (relating to Fee Schedule);
  (2) A notice of intent to the Department;
  (3) Certification that the Development Owner has provided, to the best of their knowledge and ability, a notice of intent to all additional required persons and entities in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and that such notice includes, at a minimum the information in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph;
    (A) Copies of the letters or emailed notices provided to all persons and entities listed in clauses (i) to (vi) of this subparagraph as required by this paragraph and applicable to the Development at the time of the submission of the ROFR documentation must be attached to the Certification:
      (i) All tenants and tenant organizations, if any, of the Development;
      (ii) Mayor of the municipality (if the Development is within a municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction);
      (iii) All elected members of the Governing Body of the municipality (if the Development Site is within a municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction);
      (iv) Presiding officer of the Governing Body of the county in which the Development is located;
      (v) The local housing authority, if any; and
      (vi) All prospective buyers maintained on the Department's list of prospective buyers.
    (B) Letters must include, at a minimum, all of the information required in clauses (i) to (vii) of this subparagraph and must not contain any statement that violates Department rules, statute, Code, or federal requirements:
      (i) The Development's name, address, city, and county;
Cont'd...