(a) Local. (1) Each local participating jurisdiction must, insofar as is feasible, distribute HOME funds geographically within its boundaries and among different categories of housing need, according to the priorities of housing need identified in its approved consolidated plan.

(2) The participating jurisdiction may only invest its HOME funds in eligible projects within its boundaries, or in jointly funded projects within the boundaries of contiguous local jurisdictions which serve residents from both jurisdictions. For a project to be jointly funded, both jurisdictions must make a financial contribution to the project. A jurisdiction's financial contribution may take the form of a grant or loan (including a loan of funds that comes from other federal sources and that are in the jurisdiction's control, such as CDBG program funds) or relief of a significant tax or fee (such as waiver of impact fees, property taxes, or other taxes or fees customarily imposed on projects within the jurisdiction).

(b) State. (1) Each State participating jurisdiction is responsible for distributing HOME funds throughout the State according to the State's assessment of the geographical distribution of the housing needs within the State, as identified in the State's approved consolidated plan. The State must distribute HOME funds to rural areas in amounts that take into account the non-metropolitan share of the State's total population and objective measures of rural housing need, such as poverty and substandard housing, as set forth in the State's approved consolidated plan. To the extent the need is within the boundaries of a participating unit of general local government, the State and the unit of general local government shall coordinate activities to address that need.

(2) A State may carry out its own HOME program without active participation of units of general local government or may distribute HOME funds to units of general local government to carry out HOME programs in which both the State and all or some of the units of general local government perform specified program functions. A unit of general local government designated by a State to receive HOME funds from a State is a State recipient.

(3)(i) A State that uses State recipients to perform program functions shall ensure that the State recipients use HOME funds in accordance with the requirements of this part and other applicable laws. The State may require the State recipient to comply with requirements established by the State or may permit the State recipient to establish its own requirements to comply with this part.

(ii) The State shall conduct such reviews and audit of its State recipients as may be necessary or appropriate to determine whether the State recipient has committed and expended the HOME funds in the United States Treasury account as required by § 92.500, and has met the requirements of this part, particularly eligible activities, income targeting, affordability, and matching contribution requirements.

(4) A State and local participating jurisdiction may jointly fund a project within the boundaries of the local participating jurisdiction. The State may provide the HOME funds to the project or it may provide the HOME funds to the local participating jurisdiction to fund the project.

(5) A State may fund projects on Indian reservations located within the State provided that the State includes Indian reservations in its consolidated plan.