STANDARDS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP APPLICATION REJECTION

Failure to meet any of the following criteria will be grounds for rejection of the application. The determination regarding whether or not an applicant meets these standards shall be at the sole discretion of NHSH staff and/or board members:

  1. Inability to Meet Financial Requirements
    Applicants whose combined household income exceeds 200% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Knox County, Maine, as per MaineHousing guidelines, are ineligible. Applicants must provide financial documentation (e.g., tax returns, asset details, liabilities) to verify eligibility.

  2. Inadequate Ability to Pay for the Home
    A failure to provide sufficient financial documentation to demonstrate the ability to afford the home, including proof of mortgage prequalification from a recognized lender, will result in rejection.

  3. Substantial Risk of Interfering with the Community
    Applicants whose history indicates a potential risk of disrupting the peace and safety of the community, including criminal history or past behavior leading to violent criminal activity, illegal drug use, or destruction of property, will be ineligible.

  4. Failure to Maintain Primary Residence Requirement
    Applicants must agree to live in the NHSH home as their primary, year-round residence. If the applicant already owns another home on North Haven or intends to use the home as a second residence, they will be rejected.

  5. Failure to Meet the Residency Requirement
    At least one household member must have been a full-time resident of North Haven for a minimum of 24 consecutive months before submitting an application. This also applies to individuals employed as teachers or administrators who must demonstrate two academic years of residence.

  6. Failure to Sign Affordability Covenants and Resale Restrictions
    Applicants must agree in writing to NHSH’s affordability covenants, including the resale pricing formula and offering NHSH the right of first refusal for future sales. Failure to agree to these terms will result in application rejection.

  7. Incomplete Application
    Incomplete applications will not be processed. Applicants must provide all required documentation, including tax returns, asset and liability records, mortgage prequalification letters, and agreement to the affordability covenants.

  8. Failure to Attend First-Time Homebuyer Education
    Applicants who are first-time homebuyers must agree to attend an NHSH-approved homebuyer education course before the time of sale. Failure to attend the course will result in disqualification.

  9. Failure to Provide Required Documentation
    Any misrepresentation or intentional omission of the requested information on the application will lead to automatic rejection. This includes missing financial documentation, incomplete household information, or failure to agree to the NHSH Affordability Covenant.

  10. Failure to Meet Asset Limits
    Applicants whose household non-retirement assets exceed $500,000, including real estate, investment accounts, business assets, or securities, will be deemed ineligible for homeownership.

  11. Lifetime Sex Offender Registration
    Any applicant who is required to register as a sex offender under state law will be automatically rejected.

  12. Any Other Misrepresentation
    If misrepresentation is discovered after the application has been approved, NHSH reserves the right to cancel the application and revoke eligibility. This includes false or misleading information regarding income, assets, or residency.

APPEAL PROCESS

If an applicant is rejected based on any of the above standards, they have the right to appeal the decision. The appeal process is as follows:

  1. Submission Deadline
    Rejected applicants must submit an appeal within one week of receiving the rejection notification.

  2. Appeal Submission
    Appeals must be submitted in writing to NHSH's designated appeal committee via email or mail. The appeal should clearly state the reason(s) the applicant believes the rejection decision should be reconsidered, along with any supporting documentation.

  3. Appeal Review
    The appeal committee will review the submitted appeal and documents as soon as possible.

  4. Decision Notification
    NHSH will notify the applicant of the decision within 10 business days. The decision will either uphold the rejection or overturn it.

  5. Final Decision
    The committee's decision is final and not subject to further review. Applicants who successfully appeal will be placed on the waiting list or given priority status, depending on the nature of the appeal.

NOTES

  • NHSH reserves the right to adjust standards or consider mitigating factors, such as changes in the applicant’s circumstances, or specific cases where an applicant may not meet all criteria but has shown a good faith effort to comply with the eligibility guidelines.

  • All documentation, including appeals, must be submitted to the appropriate staff NHSH contact, and applicants will be notified of updates in writing.