e.
All interest accrued in the housing trust fund shall only be used on eligible affordable housing purposes approved by the Court.
8. Use of Funds
a.
The expenditure of all funds shall conform to a Spending Plan approved by Superior Court. Funds deposited in the municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund may be used for any activity approved by the Court to address the fair share obligation and may be set up as a grant or revolving loan program. Such activities include, but are not limited to: preservation or purchase of housing for the purpose of maintaining or implementing affordability controls; housing rehabilitation; new construction of affordable housing units and related costs; accessory apartments; a market-to-affordable program; conversion of existing non-residential buildings to create new affordable units; green building strategies designed to be cost-saving and in accordance with accepted national or state standards; purchase of land for affordable housing; improvement of land to be used for affordable housing; extensions or improvements of roads and infrastructure to affordable housing sites; financial assistance designed to increase affordability; administration necessary for implementation of the Housing Element and Fair Share Plan; and/or any other activity permitted by Superior Court and specified in the approved Spending Plan.
b.
Funds shall not be expended to reimburse the municipality or activities that occurred prior to the authorization of a municipality to collect development fees.
c.
At least a portion of all development fees collected and interest earned shall be used to provide affordability assistance to very low-, low- and moderate-income households in affordable units included in the municipal Fair Share Plan. A portion of the development fees which provide affordability assistance shall be used to provide affordability assistance to very low-income households.
i.
Affordability assistance programs may include down payment assistance, security deposit assistance, low-interest loans, rental assistance, assistance with homeowners association or condominium fees and special assessments, infrastructure assistance, and assistance with emergency repairs. The specific programs to be used for affordability assistance shall be identified and described within the Spending Plan.
ii.
Affordability assistance for very low income households may include producing very low-income units or buying down the cost of low- or moderate-income units in the municipal Fair Share Plan to make them affordable to households earning 30% or less of median income.
d.
No more than 20% of all affordable housing trust funds, exclusive of those collected to fund an RCA prior to July 17, 2008, shall be expended on administration, including, but not limited to, salaries and benefits for municipal employees or consultants’ fees necessary to develop or implement a new construction program, prepare and implement a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, administer an Affirmative Marketing Program and for compliance with the Superior Court and the Program including the costs to the municipality of resolving a challenge.
9. Monitoring