(a) Definition and categories of monthly operating expense. The term “monthly operating expense” means the monthly amount needed for the following purposes:

(1) Administration. Administrative salaries, travel, legal expenses, office supplies, postage, telephone and telegraph, etc.;

(2) Homebuyer services. LHA expenses in the achievement of social goals, including costs such as salaries, publications, payments to the HBA to assist its operation, contract and other costs;

(3) Utilities. Those utilities (such as water), if any, to be furnished by the LHA as part of operating expense;

(4) Routine maintenance—common property. For community building, grounds, and other common areas, if any. The amount required for routine maintenance of common property depends upon the type of common property included in the development and the extent of the LHA's responsibility for maintenance (see also § 904.109(c));

(5) Protective services. The cost of supplemental protective services paid by the LHA for the protection of persons and property;

(6) General expense. Premiums for fire and other insurance, payments in lieu of taxes to the local taxing body, collection losses, payroll taxes, etc.;

(7) Nonroutine maintenance—common property (Contribution to operating reserve). Extraordinary maintenance of equipment applicable to the community building and grounds, and unanticipated items for non-dwelling structures (see § 904.112).

(b) Monthly operating expense rate. The monthly operating expense rate for each fiscal year shall be established on the basis of the LHA's HUD-approved operating budget for that fiscal year. The operating budget may be revised during the course of the fiscal year in accordance with HUD requirements. If it is subsequently determined that the actual operating expense for a fiscal year was more or less than the amount provided by the monthly operating expense established for that fiscal year, the rate of monthly operating expenses to be established for the next fiscal year may be adjusted to account for the difference (see § 904.112(b)). Such adjustment may result in a change in the required monthly payment, see § 904.107(j)(3).

(c) Provision for common property maintenance. During the period the LHA is responsible for the maintenance of common property, the annual operating budget and the monthly operating expense rate shall include the amount required for routine maintenance of all common property in the development, even though a number of the homes may have been acquired by homebuyers. During such period, this amount shall be computed on the basis of the total number of homes in the development (i. e., the annual amount budgeted for routine maintenance of common property shall be divided by the number of homes in the development, resulting in the annual amount for each home; this figure shall in turn be divided by 12 to determine the monthly amount to be included in the monthly operating expense (and in the break-even amount) for routine maintenance of common property). After the home owners association assumes responsibility for maintenance of common property, the monthly operating expense (and break-even amount) shall include an amount equal to the monthly assessment by the homeowners association for the remaining homes owned by the LHA (see § 904.112(b) for nonroutine maintenance of common property).

(d) Posting of monthly operating expense statement. A statement showing the budgeted monthly amount allocated in the current operating budget to each operating expense category shall be provided to the HBA and copies shall be provided to homebuyers upon request.