HUD Housing Notice § 2013-03

                        U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
                                      WASHINGTON, DC 20410-8000


ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING-
FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER


Special Attention of:                                 Notice H 2013-03
All Multifamily Hub Directors
All Program Center Directors
All Project Managers
All Field Office Directors

                                             Issued: January 31, 2013
                                             Expires: This Notice remains in effect until
                                             amended, superseded or rescinded.
                                             ___________________________________
                                             Cross Reference:
______________________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT: HUD Office of Multifamily Development Radon Policy

 I.     PURPOSE

       The purpose of this Housing Notice (HN) is to supplement the Environmental review
requirements of Chapter 9 of the Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Guide by including a
radon assessment.

II.     LEGAL AUTHORITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND
        BACKGROUNDS

        All Federal agencies are required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA), and the implementing procedures issued by the
Council on Environmental Quality at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508. HUD regulations implementing
NEPA are contained in 24 CFR Part 50, “Protection and Enhancement of Environmental
Quality.” One of the tenets of HUD’s Environmental policy is stated at § 50.3(i)(1) which
requires that property proposed for HUD programs be free of “radioactive substances where
[they] could affect the health and safety of occupants.”

        Recently HUD’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC)
participated on a team of Federal Agency representatives that drafted the Federal Radon Action
Plan (the Plan) (see: http://www.epa.gov/radon/action_plan.html). The effort was led by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Plan was released to the public by EPA at the
National Healthy Homes conference in June 2011. One of the primary goals of the Plan is the
incorporation of radon testing and mitigation into HUD programs.

        The Office of Multifamily Development reviewed industry practices, including Lending
programs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, for the detection of radon and remediation. The
resulting process presented in this document adapts industry best practices to Multifamily
Housing Insurance Programs in such a manner as to improve the health and safety of housing
residents while not creating excessive demands on project development.


                                   www.hud.gov       espanol.hud.gov
III.   HOUSING AND RADON

        One common constituent of soil and rock is the unstable natural element uranium which
decays into other elements, which themselves decay further. One of the decay products is radon,
a colorless, odorless gas. Under certain natural conditions, the radon gas can enter surface soils
and become part of the “soil gas” environment, which then can enter the air, including air inside
of buildings. While the amount of uranium, as well as the likelihood that radon will become a
soil gas that can be released into the air rather than be retained (adsorbed) on soil particles, varies
depending on geologic conditions, there is no part of the country that is immune from its
presence. When soil gas that contains radon enters a building, radon and its decay products are
either directly inhaled, or attached to dust on walls, floors and in the air, which then can be
inhaled. These decay products then undergo further decay, resulting in the release of subatomic
alpha particles. This alpha particle radiation can cause mutations in lung tissue which can lead to
lung cancer. The risk of contracting lung cancer from radon increases with an increase in the
concentration of radon in the air that is breathed by building occupants. In fact, radon exposures
are estimated to cause 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.1

        EPA recommends mitigation for residences with radon concentrations at or above
4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).2 The best way to mitigate radon is to prevent it from
entering a building in the first place. Radon generally poses the greatest risk to occupants living
at or below ground level. Occupants on the lower levels of structures are at risk of excess
exposure if radon levels are elevated and these structures are not appropriately mitigated, or if
they occupy new construction in areas with high radon that is not built using radon resistant
construction methods.

       The following requirements discuss the process for identification and mitigation of radon
in new FHA Multifamily Insured mortgage applications.

IV.    REQUIREMENTS

    A. General

           1. Radon Report.

                   a. The Radon Report shall be required for all MAP or TAP (Traditional
                      Application Processing) applications, unless an exception listed in
                      Section IV.A.3 applies.
                   b. The Radon Report shall be included in the pre-application, or application,
                      as applicable, as an addendum to the Environmental Report required at
                      Section 9.5 of the MAP Guide.

1
  EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes, June 2003, publication number EPA 402-R-03-
003, available at http:www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/assessment/402-r-03-003.pdf.
2
  EPA. A Citizen’s Guide To Radon, May 2012, publication number EPA 402/K-12/002, available
at http://www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/citizensguide.pdf.
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       c. Contents. The Radon Report shall include the results of any testing
          performed, the details of any mitigation deemed necessary, and the timing
          of any such mitigation. An amended Radon Report must be issued if the
          testing and/or mitigation must occur after application according to the
          requirements below.

2. Radon Professional.

       a. All testing and mitigation must be performed under the supervision of a
          Radon Professional.
       b. Radon Certification/License of the Radon Professional is required as
          follows:
              1. Certification from either the American Association of Radon
                  Scientists and Technologists (AARST) National Radon Proficiency
                  Program (NRPP) or the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB), and
              2. Certification/License from the state in which the testing or mitigation
                  work is being conducted if the state has this requirement.

3. Exception to the requirements of this Notice.

       a. A Radon Report is not required if a Radon Professional concludes that
          neither testing nor mitigation is necessary based on a physical inspection of
          the property, the characteristics of the buildings, and other valid
          justifications. An example of a valid justification is having only a garage
          on the surface level that is open to the air and is fully ventilated. Any such
          justifications as to why neither testing nor mitigation is necessary must be
          provided in the Environmental Report required at Section 9.5 of the MAP
          Guide.
       b. A Radon Report is not required for Section 223(f) refinance project
          applications that have a low radon risk. To determine whether the project’s
          radon risk is low, the lender must first establish that the project is located in
          Zone 3 of the EPA Map of Radon Zones (available at:
          http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html). Then the lender must consult any
          published and readily available state or local radon potential data or maps to
          confirm the radon risk is low. If such information indicates a low radon risk,
          the lender must provide appropriate documentation in the Environmental
          Report that a Radon Report is not required.
       c. A Radon Report is not required for Section 223(a)(7) project applications.
       d. Applicants are encouraged to test for radon even if a Radon Report is not
          required per the exceptions in IV.A.3.a, b, or c. Any such testing must
          follow the Testing Protocols of IV.A.4 and Resident Notification protocols
          of IV.A.5 and must then be incorporated within a Radon Report as described
          within this Notice. If the results of such testing indicate levels of radon
          above the threshold for unacceptability, mitigation per this Notice is
          required, with the mitigation requirements for Section 223(a)(7) projects the
          same as those for Section 223(f) projects.

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4. Testing Protocols.

       a. Radon testing must follow the protocols set by the American Association
          of Radon Scientists and Technologists, Protocol for Conducting Radon and
          Radon Decay Product Measurements in Multifamily Buildings (ANSI-
          AARST MAMF-2010, Section III (or similar section in the most recent
          addition) (available at http://www.aarst.org/bookstore.shtml).
              1. Exception: With reference to Section III.3.1 of ANSI-AARST
                  MAMF-2010 (or similar section in the most recent edition), the
                  minimum number of apartments to be tested shall be at least
                  twenty-five percent of randomly selected ground level units.
       b. Threshold for unacceptability: 4.0 picocuries per liter (4.0 pCi/L) based
          on initial and any confirmatory testing, if performed.

5. Resident Notification.

       a. Testing. Residents of all new applications for Multifamily MAP and TAP
          programs shall be informed of forthcoming testing in the manner
          described in ANSI-AARST MAMF-2010, Section II.B and
          Section III.2.2.1 (or similar sections in the most recent edition).
       b. Mitigation. Residents shall be informed both prior to and after mitigation
          activities. In the case of new construction, incoming residents shall be
          informed of radon mitigation activities.

6. Mitigation Standards. The Radon Professional must assure that mitigation, when
   required, conforms to the following standards.

       a. Existing buildings: ASTM E 2121-11 (or most recent edition), Standard
          Practice for Installing Radon Mitigation Systems in Existing Low-Rise
          Residential Buildings (available at
          http://www.astm.org/Standards/E2121.htm).
       b. New construction: ASTM E 1465-08a (or most recent edition), Standard
          Practice for Radon Control Options for the Design and Construction of
          New Low-Rise Residential Buildings (available at
          http://www.astm.org/Standards/E1465.htm).

7. High-rise residential buildings. The ASTM mitigation standards at IV.A.6 apply
   to all high-rise applications subject to this policy. Note: HUD is aware that an
   ANSI-AARST Radon Mitigation Standard for Multifamily Buildings is being
   drafted. HUD will consider revising this notice if and when that standard is
   issued.

8. Mitigation timing. For new construction and substantial rehabilitation properties,
   all mitigation, including follow-up testing, must be completed prior to Final
   Endorsement. Radon mitigation included as part of Section 223(f) project repairs

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        must be completed as quickly as practicable, and in any event, no later than 12
        months after Initial Endorsement.

     9. Certificate of completion. A certificate of completion must be submitted and
        appended to the Radon Report once radon testing and/or mitigation are
        completed.

     10. Cost estimate. Use detailed plans and specifications supplied by lender’s
         architectural analyst as required by MAP Guide, Section 5.5, as a basis for the cost
         estimate. Estimates must reflect the general level of construction costs in the locality
         where construction takes place. Costs must be projected to the estimated
         construction start date.

B.   Section 223(f) Refinancing.

     1. All Section 223(f) refinancing projects located within high risk (Radon Zone 1)
        and medium risk (Radon Zone 2) zones must be tested for radon.

            a. Testing must be performed no earlier than 1 year prior to application
               submission.
            b. Exception: The applicant may elect to proceed directly to mitigation
               without testing.

     2. Mitigation.

            a. Mitigation must follow ASTM E 2121-11(or most recent edition).
            b. If estimated costs exceed the allowable cost for the Section 223(f)
               program, the application cannot be approved but may be considered under
               the substantial rehabilitation program.

C.   Substantial Rehabilitation and Conversions.
     (Applies to all Radon Zones)

     1. Testing prior to substantial rehabilitation or conversion.

            a. Early testing not feasible. For some proposals, such as a conversion of an
               existing structure from non-residential to residential, the building envelope
               may change to such an extent that early testing would not be appropriate
               and in some cases not possible. If this is the case, proceed directly to
               mitigation as discussed at IV.C.2.
            b. Early testing when feasible.
                   1. Must be performed no earlier than 1 year prior to application
                       submission.
                   2. If test results are below the threshold, no mitigation is required.
                   3. If test results are at or above the threshold, mitigation must be built
                       into the project design per IV.C.2a.
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     2. Mitigation.

            a. If mitigation is built into project design, it must be conducted in
               accordance with ASTM E 2121-11 (or most recent edition).
            b. If mitigation is not built into project design, after construction is complete
               but prior to Final Endorsement, radon testing must be conducted. If
               testing results are at or above the threshold, retrofit pursuant to ASTM E
               2121-11 (or most recent edition) is required.

D.   New Construction.

     1. Radon resistant construction is required for all radon zones.

     2. Radon Zone 1

            a. Construction Requirements. All new construction in Radon Zone 1 must
               meet all of the requirements of ASTM E 1465-08a (or most recent edition)
               for installation of passive systems.
            b. Post-construction testing is required prior to Final Endorsement, except as
               provided at IV.A.3. If testing results are at or above the threshold,
               conversion from a passive system to a fan-powered system pursuant to
               ASTM E 1465-08a (or most recent edition) is required.

     3. Radon Zones 2 and 3

            a. Construction requirements.
                  1. Gas permeable layer. The coarse aggregate permeable layer below
                      the concrete slabs that would carry any radon away from the
                      structure’s interior must meet all of the requirements of ASTM E
                      1465-08a, Section 6.4 (or similar section in the most recent
                      edition).
                  2. Ground cover. The concrete slabs and plastic membranes that seal
                      the top of the gas permeable layer must meet all of the requirements
                      of ASTM E 1465-08a, Section 6.2 (or similar section in the most
                      recent edition).
                  3. Foundation walls. Foundation walls must meet all of the
                      requirements of ASTM E 1465-08a, Section 6.3 (or similar section
                      in the most recent edition).

            b. Post-construction testing is required, except as provided at IV.A.3.
                  1. Radon testing must be performed after construction is complete,
                      but prior to Final Endorsement.
                  2. If testing results are at or above the threshold, retrofit based on
                      ASTM E 2121-11 (or most recent edition) is required, with
                      installation of a passive system. If testing results remain above

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                             threshold, a fan-powered system pursuant to ASTM E 1465-08a
                             (or most recent edition) is required.

       This Housing Notice is effective for Firm Commitment or Pre-application packages
submitted after 120 days from the date of publication.

       If there are any questions regarding this Housing Notice, please contact Thomas Goade at
(202) 402-2727. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via
TDD/TTY by calling 1-800-877-8339.




                                           _______________________________________
                                           Carol J. Galante
                                           Assistant Secretary for Housing –
                                            Federal Housing Commissioner




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