261—25.5 (15) Application procedure. All potential housing fund applicants are encouraged, but not required, to complete and submit a HART form describing the proposed housing activity prior to the submittal of a formal housing fund application. If the proposal is determined to be appropriate for housing fund assistance, IDED shall inform the applicant of the appropriate application procedure by mail.
	 25.5(1) HART forms shall be available upon request from IDED, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50309; telephone (515)242-4825; and at iowalifechanging.com/community.
	 25.5(2) HART forms are accepted year-round.
	 25.5(3) Applicants may request technical assistance from staff contacts in the preparation of housing fund applications.
	  a.   	 If an applicant does not submit an application by the next application deadline, IDED will determine the proposal inactive and remove it from the HART files.
	  b.   	 Upon the submission of a housing fund application, no additional staff assistance shall be provided during the review period.
	 25.5(4) Housing fund applications shall be reviewed through an annual competition. Once funds have been allocated, IDED will not accept applications seeking funding for review until the next established deadline.
	 25.5(5) For applicants requesting funding for both the housing fund and low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) programs, the applicant may request application forms and related materials from the Iowa finance authority (IFA). IFA will make available an application package to a potential applicant. The applicant must submit the completed application, with required housing fund attachments, to IFA by the deadline established in the application package.
	  a.   	 IDED and IFA shall appoint a joint review team to discuss and review applications for housing fund and LIHTC funds. Staff for each agency may communicate frequently regarding common projects. Information contained in each application may be shared with each agency.
	  b.   	 IDED staff shall review applications for eligibility and for activity threshold requirements. The joint review team shall meet to compare and discuss each common project. Final decisions regarding funding recommendations will be made in accordance with IFA’s qualified allocation plan. Staff from each agency will make recommendations for funding to their respective decision makers. A decision by one agency does not bind the other agency to fund a project.
	  c.   	 An applicant for the housing fund must meet the threshold requirements outlined in rules 25.4(15) and 25.6(15) and subrule 25.7(3) in order to be considered for an award under this subrule.