Habitat LA and The City of Lancaster
Memorandum of Understanding
This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) dated October 14, 2025 is signed between Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (“Habitat LA”) , a California nonprofit corporation with an address of 8739 Artesia Boulevard, Bellflower, California, and the City of Lancaster (“City”), a California municipal corporation and charter city with an address of 44933 Fern Avenue, Lancaster, California (Habitat LA and City are referred to individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”).
In consideration of the mutual agreements set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree as follows:
1. Introduction
Habitat LA is a Californian-based non-profit organization qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. It is organized with the mission to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Over its 30 -year history, Habitat LA has built, repaired, or rehabilitated more than 1,200 homes across its service area, which includes more than 85% of Los Angeles County, including the City. Today, Habitat LA operates homeownership programs, critical home repair services, homebuyer edu cation workshops, one -on-one housing counseling, neighborhood revitalization programs, and veterans-focused programs, serving thousands of people annually. It also recruits and trains thousands of volunteers on its construction sites, ReStore social enterprise stores, and offices annually.
City is located in northern Los Angeles County. Incorporated in 1977, City is governed by a five- member City Council and operates under a Council/City Manager form of government.
2. Goal
This MOU aims to facilitate coordination and cooperation between the City and Habitat LA to operate the CalHome -funded Manufactured Housing Owner -Occupied Rehabilitation Program (“OOR Program”) within City’s jurisdiction. This MOU describes each Party’s responsibilities and commitments in managing the OOR Program.
Together, the Parties will accomplish the following:
- Create approved guidelines, loan servicing plan, and reuse account plan; - Identify at least 30 qualified owners of mobile homes or manufactured housing units to receive critical home repairs; and
- Issue loans made with OOR Program funds of no more than $200,000 per household, unless the home must be replaced, in which case the cap will increase to $250,000 per household.
3. California Housing and Community Development CalHome Program
On May 9, 2024, City received the Standard Agreement for contract 23 - CalHome-18023. The Contract awards City $5,000,000 to complete critical home repairs and replacements of mobile homes and manufactured housing units.
Of this funding, 10% of the total award will cover activity delivery fees ( “ADFs”), reimbursed on a per-loan basis. The per-loan basis reimbursement maximum will be 10% of the total award divided by the estimated number of Loans to be made under the contract. The Parties currently estimate that approximately $16,667 per loan will be available for ADFs.
4. Habitat LA’s Responsibilities:
As a Party to this MOU, Habitat LA will:
• Qualify applicant households:
o Review the household’s application in a timely manner; o Collect and review household income, ownership, and household size documents, ensuring that the household meets all OOR Program and any other applicable requirements;
o Collect and re-certify households, if necessary;
o Complete a whole-home assessment, identifying repairs needed and ensuring that requested repairs are completed; and
o Subcontract home assessment to outside parties when necessary. • Serve as the project manager for each project, receiving 10% of each loan issued and project completed.
• Qualify GC and qualified subcontractors to complete the work:
o Obtain bids as necessary; and
o Collect documentation verifying subcontractors’ C47 license. • Provide City with all information and documents required to issue and reconcile loans, including:
o Program Application;
o Confirmation of Ownership & Household Size;
o Verification of borrower’s citizenship or legal residency; o OOR Program Income Verification Worksheets;
o Paystubs;
o Credit Report;
o Benefits Letter(s), if applicable;
o Checking account statements;
o Savings account statements;
o Tax Returns;
o Documentation of other assets used to qualify applicant; o Property appraisal or valuation of before & after-rehab value; o Work write-up, cost estimate, and cost reasonableness;
o Notice of completion;
o Property Inspection;
o Work Write-Up;
o Cost Estimate;
o Bid Package;
o Verification of C47 License;
o Evidence of worker’s comp and employer liability insurance; o Onsite inspection records, progress inspection reports (as applicable); o Title insurance policy listing the City of Lancaster as insured; o Hazard/flood insurance; and
o Any other information or documents requested by City. • Quarterly and annual reports:
o Habitat LA will provide all information required for the OOR Program quarterly and annual reports, including:
▪ Number of households served;
▪ Number of applications received;
▪ Number of applications approved;
▪ Number of applications declined; and
▪ Narrative information.
• Regular progress meetings:
o Habitat LA will meet with City monthly to provide program updates. • Habitat LA will be responsible for marketing:
▪ City will provide Habitat LA with a list of prospective clients to be served;
▪ Habitat LA will attend community meetings, as necessary, to inform residents of the OOR Program loan opportunity;
▪ Habitat LA will share posts to its social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X) to market the OOR Program , as needed; and
▪ Habitat LA will distribute flyers to residents of identified mobile home parks as needed.
5. City’s Responsibilities:
As a Party to this MOU, City will:
• Provide OOR Program funding in a timely manner:
o Requests for Funds (“RFFs”) will be submitted when new applicant reservations are established and at least 66% of previous RFFs have been spent. Approval will take up to one week, after which processing time for HCD will be 4 -6 weeks.
Habitat LA will close loans once applicants are certified and funding is received from HCD.
• Provide references to qualified C47 Contractors.
• Provide references to interested households.
• Submit quarterly and annual reports.
• Submit annual reuse account reports.
• Submit RFFs and reconciliation documents.
• Provide Habitat LA OOR Program funds within 35 business days of submitted RFFs, subject to HCD approving the applicable request and City actually receiving the requested OOR Program funds.
• Serve as the main point of contact for HCD.
6. Principal Contacts
Darrell Simien
Senior Vice President of Community Development
Phone (310) 749-7685
[email protected]
Naomi Zahler
Public Funding Coordinator
Phone: 562-332-4356
[email protected]
HCD Contact:
Jason Watson
Housing and Community Dev Rep II
916-820-1988
[email protected]
Key City of Lancaster Contacts:
Becky Bartlett
Housing Manager – Community Development
Phone: 661-723-6176
[email protected]
7. Use of Intellectual Property*
Parties agree that any intellectual property, which is jointly developed through activities covered under this MOU, can be used by either Party for non-profit, noncommercial purposes without obtaining consent from the other and without any need to account to the other. All other intellectual property used in implementing this MOU will remain the property of the Party that provided it. This property can be used by either Party for purposes covered by the MOU, but consent will be obtained from the owner of the property before using it for purposes not covered by the MOU.
8. Effective Dates and Amendments
This MOU shall take effect upon signing by both Parties and shall remain in effect until mutual agreement by the Parties or until the end of the OOR Program contract term, whichever is earlier.
9. Limitation of Liability
CITY’S ENTIRE AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO HABITAT LA FOR ANY CLAIM OR LIABILITY
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL OOR PROGRAM disbursement(s) made by HCD to, and actually received by, city. IN NO EVENT SHALL CITY BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS
OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, GOODWILL OR PROFITS OR CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION OR OTHER INFORMATION, BUSINESS INTER RUPTION, LOSS OF
PRIVACY, CORRUPTION, DAMAGE AND LOSS OF DATA OR PROGRAMS, DUTY OF GOOD
FAITH OR DUTY OF REASOANBLE CARE, ECONOMIC LOSS, AND FOR ANY OTHER
PECUNIARY OR OTHER LOSS WHATSOEVER) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY
RELATED TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MOU, EVEN IF THE DAMAGES WERE FORESEEABLE OR CITY HAD BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE DAMAGES.
THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY APPLIES WHETHER SUCH CLAIM OR LIABILITY ARISE
UNDER CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING GROSS NEGLIGENCE), EQUITY, STATUTE OR OTHERWISE. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT LIMITS OR EXCLUDES ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE LIMITED OR EXCLUDED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Memorandum of Understanding to be executed and attested by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
CITY OF LANCASTER
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA
By:
Trolis Niebla, City Manager
Dated:
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER LOS
ANGELES
By:
Dated:
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
DEPARTMENT HEAD APPROVAL
Department Director