A premise of the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, which authorized the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, is that providing affordable housing to low-income persons is the responsibility of all levels of government.

Therefore, matching contributions are required as the state and local government stake in the HOME Program.

"Match" is a permanent contribution made by a PJ to the HOME partnership for affordable housing. The HOME Program requires PJs to provide match in an amount equal to no less than 25 percent of the total HOME funds drawn down for project costs.

• The match obligation, or "match debit," is incurred by drawing down HOME funds for a project.
  
  
• The match contribution, or "match credit," can be made from numerous sources.
  
  
• Match is not leveraging. Match is the PJ's permanent contribution to the HOME Program--the local, non-Federal contribution to the partnership.