Northwest Community Revitalization Corporation Privacy Policy

In order to provide the services that are the mission of NCRC, we must often request private information from clients. NCRC staff are fully aware of the fact that doing so may be felt as an invasion of privacy.
Please be assured that staff maintains privacy in every possible way. Our files are locked, and we do not share information with anyone who does not absolutely need it in order to certify applications or process mortgage loans.
We will necessarily be contacting your employer to verify employment, and now and then others as well. We suggest that you read carefully the attached two documents if you have any questions.

TENNESSEN WARNING AND PRIVACY ACT NOTICE AS ENDORSED BY MHFA ON FEBRUARY 2, 2007

Private data requested to enable processing of your application is legally required to determine if you qualify for participation in this Minnesota Housing program and to help Minnesota Housing manage the program.

Financial information, such as credit reports, financial statements and net worth calculations, is classified as private data on individuals by Minnesota Statutes 462A.065. You are not required to provide this information, but if you refuse to provide it, we will be unable to determine your eligibility for this program and approve your application. The information will be shared with the Minnesota Housing staff, its loan servicers and contractors whose jobs require them to see it. Where access to the data is authorized by state statute or federal law, it may be made available to others as so authorized.

Your Social e Number (SSN) is classified as private data by Minnesota Statutes 13.355. However, if you apply for a Community Revitalization Fund deferred loan, disclosure of your SSN is mandatory, as provided by the following authorities: (1) Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 405(c)(2)(C)(i), which permits the state to require the disclosure of your social security number to establish your identity for purposes of administering tax laws of the state, and, (2) Minnesota Statutes, Sections 270A.01 to 270A.12, which established the Revenue Recapture Act, enables the state to collect delinquent debts owed to it by capturing tax refunds and other payments that you may otherwise be entitled. Section 270A.04, subdivisions 3 and 4, require the disclosure of a debtor’s social security number for this purpose.

If you disclose your SSN, Minnesota Housing may share it with the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Revenue and the Minnesota Attorney General for the purposes of debt collection under the Revenue Recapture Act. If you do not disclose your SSN, you will not be eligible for this assistance.

Disclosure of your SSN for the purposes of verifying your income and credit is voluntary. However, if adequate verification of your income and credit is impossible without your SSN, we may be unable to determine your eligibility.

MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES ACT and FEDERAL PRIVACY ACT GUIDELINE

A. Disclosure and notices

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) requires that certain disclosures be made to individuals when requesting that they provide data the government has categorized as private. This disclosure is called a "Tennessen Warning." The warning informs the individual of the purpose and intended use of the data; whether the individual may refuse or is legally required to supply the data; any consequences of either supplying or refusing to supply the data; and the identify(sic) of other persons or entities that are authorized by law to receive the data.

In addition to MGDPA, the federal Privacy Act of 1974 governs when an individual’s social security number may be required.

Before requesting private data on an individual applying for assistance, the Administrator or its Processing Entity shall ensure that the individual receives the state-required Tennessen Warning and the notice required by the federal Privacy Act of 1974 regarding disclosure and use of Social Security Numbers. Administrators that are governmental entities shall use a form prescribed or approved by their Responsible Authority, as that position is defined in MGDPA, Section 13.02, subdivision 16. All other Administrators shall use the form provided by Minnesota Houasing, which combines the Tennessen Warning and Privacy Act notice.

If an Administrator has partnered with a Processing Entity, the Administrator shall ensure that the Processing Entity provides individuals the required Tennessen Warning and Privacy Act notices before requesting private data.

B. Privacy

The Minnesota Legislature, in Minnesota statutes 462A.065, provides that financial information, including but not limited to credit reports, financial statements and net worth calculations received or prepared by Minnesota Housing regarding any Minnesota Housing loan are "private data on individuals," pursuant to Section 13.02, subdivision 12 of Minnesota Statutes. Those statutes provide that the use of such private data is limited to that necessary for the administration and management of these programs by Minnesota Housing personnel or those under contract with Minnesota Housing, and, in instances where access to this data is authorized by state or federal law, it may be made available to other governmental entities. In accordance with the above, the Administrator is obligated to administer the private data on individuals made available to them in accordance with the provisions of the statutes cited above. Additionally, the Administrator shall ensure that its Processing Entity administers the private data on individuals made available to it in accordance with the provisions of the statutes cited above.