As part of the city's ongoing work to promote affordable housing options, property managers are encouraged to promote their units on the Aurora Housing Locator tool.
The Aurora Housing Locator tool lists housing options for rent in Aurora. The tool allows property managers to list rentals at no cost and helps individuals and families find housing in Aurora that fits their needs and income. The tool includes live chat and phone assistance from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Questions? Call 1.877.428.8844 or email contactHL@emphasys-software.com.
The Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used for federally funded infrastructure projects are produced in the United States (unless exemption or waiver applies). Infrastructure projects of greater than $250,000 are subject to BABA. These requirements, also referred to as the "Buy America Preference" (BAP), are set forth in 2 CFR Part 184.
BABA ensures that no federal funds made available for a federal financial assistance program for infrastructure projects (the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of infrastructure) may be obligated for a project unless all the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States. BABA terms, including the definitions for all materials used in infrastructure products (and where BABA would apply), are defined in 2 CFR Part 184.3:
- Iron or Steel products
- Manufactured products
- Construction materials
Owners/Developers must comply with BABA unless there is a waiver in the Act for the project or a waiver has been awarded by HUD (see CPD-2023-12 for more information and for the implementation schedule). The frequency of reporting is subject to change as amended by federal regulations or the city of Aurora.
Owners/Developers must complete required forms to demonstrate compliance with BABA:
- BABA Product Compliance Tracker: Records of the material used to complete the product, including product description, product purchase date, product cost, quantity required/used, and product category (i.e., iron, steel, manufactured product, or construction material)
- BABA Certification Letter: Completed by manufacturers to certify manufacturer information or material certifications and that the products meet BABA requirements.
Learn more about BABA FAQs and visit HUD Exchange for more information
The Department of Labor provides guidance on the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) Regulations which set forth rules for the administration and enforcement of labor standards for federally-assisted construction projects. The Davis-Bacon Act (also known as DBA) directs the Department of Labor to determine prevailing wages and applies to contractors and subcontractors performing work on federal contracts. Learn more about Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requirements from the Department of Labor.
DBRA applies to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally-assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. The city of Aurora incorporates DBRA in all procurements generated for use with HUD funding where these standards are met. 29 CFR Part 5 stipulates federal guidance on and compliance with DBRA and includes definitions for key terms for Davis-Bacon. All general contactors (e.g., prime contractors) and subcontractors are required to meet regulatory requirements throughout the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases, which includes advertising the workers’ rights sign and meeting compliance reporting requirements. The frequency of reporting is subject to change as amended by federal regulations or the city of Aurora.
Davis-Bacon compliance documents, including training, required reports and forms are available for download:
Learn more about Davis-Bacon and Labor Standards and Related Forms
Environmental Assessments (also referred to as environmental reviews) are the process of reviewing a project and its potential environmental impacts to determine whether it meets federal, state, and local environmental standards. Environmental assessments must be completed before HUD funds can be committed, before agreement execution, and before construction can begin when using HUD funds. The timeline for completing environmental assessments will vary.
Visit Public Notices to review the impacts of the city's completed environmental assessments and learn more from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development about Environmental Assessments.
Minority Business Enterprise and Women's Business Enterprise (MBE and WBE) are terms that refer to businesses owned by minorities and women.
A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) means a business enterprise that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more minority or socially disadvantaged persons. A Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) is an independent business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women who meet qualifications as defined by HUD.
The city of Aurora incorporates MBE/WBE outreach and recordkeeping in/for all procurements generated for use with HUD funding and to ensure contracting with MBE/WBE businesses as set forth by the requirements from HUD. The frequency of reporting is subject to change as amended by federal regulations or the city of Aurora.
All contractors/businesses must complete certifications to report MBE/WBE and business status:
Learn more about Small Business Enterprises (SBE) Table of size standards| U.S. Small Business Administration
Learn more about HUD Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Review Income Limits for more information on MBE qualification based on chronic economic circumstances or other similar circumstances
Quarterly Performance Reports may be required by the city and per the written agreements to report the status of ongoing construction projects and funded programs. Typically these reports must be submitted within the calendar month following the applicable quarter/reporting period:
- Quarter 1 (January 1-March 31) -- due by April 30
- Quarter 2 (April 1-June 30) -- due by July 31
- Quarter 3 (July 1-September 30) -- due by October 31
- Quarter 4 (October 1-December 31) -- due by January 31 (of the following calendar year)
Reimbursement draws are processed on a scheduled basis throughout the construction period. All required compliance material such as DBA and Section 3 information, and a payment request form detailing the amount requested for reimbursement, must be submitted via email at comdev@auroragov.org and approved before reimbursement payments occur. Backup documentation such as invoices and copies of cancelled checks must be submitted with all pay requests.
Section 3 requirements help promote training, employment, contracting, and other economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons. Learn more about Section 3 requirements from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The city of Aurora incorporates Section 3 in all procurements generated for use with HUD funding and follows goal requirements set forth in 24 CFR Part 75 for awarding contracts to Section 3 Business Concerns. All contractors/businesses seeking Section 3 preference are required to complete certifications before submitting bids/proposals to the city, as appropriate, as acknowledgment of the Section 3 contracting and employment provisions required by this section. Such certifications for businesses, Section 3 workers, and Targeted Section 3 workers shall be adequately supported with appropriate documentation. Businesses are also required to submit reports throughout the pre-construction, construction, and post-constructions phases to meet regulatory compliance reporting requirements. The frequency of reporting is subject to change as amended by federal regulations or the city of Aurora.
Section 3 compliance documents, including required reports and forms, must be completed:
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2024-2027 city of Aurora Section 3 Plan: Outlines the city’s efforts to ensure that to the greatest extent feasible, opportunities for training, employment, and contracting are directed to low or very low-income persons in the city of Aurora.
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Exhibit A Section 3 Technical Assistance Guide: For pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases, this resource provides an overview of the Section 3 program, the Section 3 plan that developers are required to submit, initial reporting requirements, and a checklist for meeting compliance requirements throughout the project.
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Exhibit B Section 3 Certification Forms: Includes Section 3 Business Concern Certification for Contracting, HUD Form 4736-A Section 3 Worker Employer Certification Form, and HUD Form 4736-C Section 3 Worker Self-Certification Form.
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Section 3 Sign: For the construction phase, this sign should be enlarged and posted at the project site, in full public view, for the duration of the project.
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Initial, Quarterly, and Final Workforce Statement and Quarterly Efforts Reports: For pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases, these required reports demonstrate the project’s efforts to meet Section 3 benchmark requirements and hire Section 3 workers, and Targeted Section 3 workers.
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HUD Form 4737 and HUD Form 4737-A: For the construction and post-construction phases, these documents must be used to track business labor hours and labor hours worked on the project, respectively.
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Section 3 Resource List: A non-exhaustive list of resources for more information on Section 3.