Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Multifamily Mortgage Insurance; Capturing Excess Bond Proceeds, 43929-43933 [2014-17742]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 145 / Tuesday, July 29, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
(ii) The AFUE of residential furnaces
shall not be less than the following
starting on the compliance date
indicated in the table below:
AFUE
(percent) 1
Product class
(A) Non-weatherized gas furnaces (not including mobile home furnaces) .................................................
(B) Mobile Home gas furnaces ....................................................................................................................
(C) Non-weatherized oil-fired furnaces (not including mobile home furnaces) ...........................................
(D) Mobile Home oil-fired furnaces .............................................................................................................
(E) Weatherized gas furnaces .....................................................................................................................
(F) Weatherized oil-fired furnaces ...............................................................................................................
(G) Electric furnaces ....................................................................................................................................
1 Annual
electrical standby mode power
consumption (PW,SB) and electrical off
80
80
83
75
81
78
78
mode power consumption (PW,OFF) not
more than the following:
Maximum off mode electrical power consumption, PW,OFF (watts)
11
10
11
10
(A) Non-weatherized oil-fired furnaces (including mobile home furnaces) .............................
(B) Electric furnaces ................................................................................................................
*
*
(i) * * *
*
*
(2) Vented home heating equipment
manufactured on or after April 16, 2013,
shall have an annual fuel utilization
efficiency no less than:
Annual fuel utilization efficiency, April 16, 2013
(percent)
Product class
*
wall fan type up to 42,000 Btu/h ..................................................................................................................................
wall fan type over 42,000 Btu/h ...................................................................................................................................
wall gravity type up to 27,000 Btu/h ............................................................................................................................
wall gravity type over 27,000 Btu/h up to 46,000 Btu/h ..............................................................................................
wall gravity type over 46,000 Btu/h .............................................................................................................................
floor up to 37,000 Btu/h ...............................................................................................................................................
floor over 37,000 Btu/h ................................................................................................................................................
room up to 20,000 Btu/h ..............................................................................................................................................
room over 20,000 Btu/h up to 27,000 Btu/h ................................................................................................................
room over 27,000 Btu/h up to 46,000 Btu/h ................................................................................................................
room over 46,000 Btu/h ...............................................................................................................................................
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2014–17876 Filed 7–28–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
24 CFR Part 207
[Docket No. FR–5583–F–02]
RIN 2502–AJ16
Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
Multifamily Mortgage Insurance;
Capturing Excess Bond Proceeds
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November 19, 2015.
November 19, 2015.
May 1, 2013.
September 1, 1990.
January 1, 2015.
January 1, 1992.
January 1, 1992.
Maximum standby mode
electrical power consumption, PW,SB (watts)
Product class
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Gas
Compliance date
Fuel Utilization Efficiency, as determined in § 430.23(n)(2) of this part.
(iii) Furnaces manufactured on or
after May 1, 2013, shall have an
*
43929
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing
Commissioner, HUD.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
This final rule amends HUD’s
regulations covering the contract rights
and obligations of mortgagees
SUMMARY:
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participating in FHA multifamily
mortgage insurance programs, to
address reimbursement to FHA of
excess bond proceeds. When a
mortgagee finances mortgages through
the issuance and sale of bonds or
through bond anticipation notes, the
mortgagee uses the funds from the
payment of a mortgage insurance claim
under HUD regulations addressing FHA
multifamily insurance claim payment to
pay off the remaining bond debts. At
times, the amount paid by the FHA
multifamily insurance claim is greater
than the remaining bond debts. This
final rule requires mortgagees that
finance a project using a project-specific
trust indenture agreement to include
language in the trust indenture to
require that excess bond funds that
remain after FHA’s multifamily
insurance claim payment is used to
satisfy the bonds are returned to FHA.
HUD requires similar payments of
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excess bond funds on obligations of
public housing agencies and, thus, the
final rule provides consistency in the
administration of HUD’s bond-financed
mortgages.
DATES:
Effective Date: August 28, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Claire T. Brolin, Management Analyst
(Directives), Office of the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Multifamily
Housing Programs, Program
Administration Office, Office of
Housing, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW.,
Room 6106, Washington, DC 20410;
telephone number 202–402–6634 (this
is not a toll-free number). Persons with
hearing or speech impairments may
access this number through TTY by
calling the Federal Relay Service, toll
free, at 800–877–8339.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On July 10, 2013 (78 FR 41339), HUD
published for public comment a
proposed rule that would amend HUD’s
regulations in 24 CFR part 207 that
cover the contract rights and obligations
of mortgagees participating in FHA
multifamily mortgage insurance
programs, to address reimbursement to
FHA of excess bond proceeds.1 FHA
provides mortgage insurance on loans
made by FHA-approved lenders for
single- family and multifamily homes.
The FHA multifamily insurance
program is authorized under applicable
sections of Title II of the National
Housing Act. HUD’s regulations in 24
CFR part 207 provide that upon an
assignment of the mortgage or a
conveyance of the property to FHA,
FHA will pay insurance benefits to the
mortgagee in accordance with a
regulatory formula 2 that is meant to
provide only the funds needed to pay
the FHA insurance claim.
However, when the loan is bond
financed, the amount FHA pays to the
lender may be greater than the funds
needed to pay the FHA insurance claim
and discharge all other obligations of
the trust indenture. When FHA pays an
insurance claim on a bond-financed
mortgage, the lender remits the payment
to the bond trustee who pays off the
bond debts, debt services on the bond,
and fees and expenses owed to parties
(such as the trustee or the bond issuer).
Most of the factors in determining the
amounts required to pay the FHA
insurance claim and satisfy servicer fees
required to be paid by the trust
indenture can be calculated with
precision, but the amount of funds in
the trust is not known prior to
accounting for the final interest earnings
on the invested trust fund balances.
Funds in the trust accounts earn interest
and, given the passage of time and
uncertainty of short-term interest rates,
it is difficult to project what the trust
fund balance will be at the time the
FHA multifamily insurance claim is
settled and all the trust indenture
obligations are finally paid. As a result,
the trustee is sometimes left with
additional funds, also known as ‘‘excess
bond funds.’’ Excess bond funds are
distributed by the bond trustee to the
mortgagor, the mortgagee, FHA, or other
third parties, according to the trust
indenture agreement. As a result, the
1 Regulations in 24 CFR part 207, subpart B,
particularly pertaining to payment of FHA
insurance claims, are applicable to other FHA
insurance programs and are incorporated by
reference where applicable.
2 See 24 CFR 207.259.
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mortgagor or the mortgagee may receive
excess bond funds after redeeming the
bonds with the FHA multifamily
insurance claim proceeds.
HUD’s July 10, 2013, rule proposed to
establish, in the 24 CFR part 207
regulations, a new § 207.261 that would
require mortgagees to remit to FHA the
excess bond funds that remain after the
FHA multifamily insurance claim
payment is used to satisfy the bonds,
which represents the funds that FHA’s
regulatory formula is unable to account
for at the time the FHA multifamily
insurance claim was settled, due to the
nature of bond financing. Interested
readers should refer to the preamble of
the July 10, 2013, proposed rule for
additional information on the proposed
regulatory change.
II. This Final Rule
This final rule follows publication of
the July 10, 2013, proposed rule and
takes into consideration the public
comments received on the proposed
rule. The public comment period on the
proposed rule closed on September 9,
2013, and HUD received public
comments from two commenters.
Section IV of this preamble discusses
the comments received on the proposed
rule.
At the final rule stage, HUD has
decided to amend the scope of the
proposed rule, to provide clarifications
in response to public comments, to
correct an incorrect citation, and to
make some editorial changes.
Specifically, HUD is limiting the
application of the rule to mortgagees
that finance a project through bonds and
use a project-specific trust indenture
agreement. This action is consistent
with how HUD treats bonds governed by
HUD’s regulations in 24 CFR part 811,
which apply only to bonds financing
single projects. Although this final rule
does not relieve mortgagees that finance
a project through multiple-project parity
bonds from being responsible for
returning excess bond funds that are
identified, HUD recognizes the burden
that would be borne if the specific trust
indenture language was applied to
multiple-project parity bond structures.
HUD is also clarifying that the contract
rights and obligations being amended
under 24 CFR part 207 apply to all FHA
multifamily mortgage insurance
programs, including loans on healthcare
facilities insured under Sections 232,
241, and 242 of the National Housing
Act.
In addition to limiting the rule’s
scope, the proposed rule included a
parenthetical referencing ‘‘the date of
issuance of the refunding bonds’’ as the
cut-off date for exempting the originally-
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deposited funds. HUD takes the
opportunity afforded by this rule to
replace the phrase ‘‘refunding bonds’’
with simply ‘‘bonds’’ so as to not create
confusion, and to clarify that the date
for exempting the originally-deposited
funds is limited to the bonds used to
secure the FHA-insured multifamily
mortgage that the mortgagee has
submitted an FHA multifamily
insurance claim for. HUD’s proposed
rule also incorrectly referenced
§ 207.258 as the provision in which
FHA pays a FHA insurance claim, HUD
at the final rule stage replaces the
incorrect citation with the correct
reference to § 207.259.
Lastly, HUD clarifies the exact
language to be included in the trust
agreement and makes some editorial
changes at this final rule stage. HUD
incorporates the definition of ‘‘rebate
fund’’ into the new § 207.261 as
paragraph (b) to ease implementation for
FHA multifamily insurance programs
that cross-reference to the provisions in
24 CFR part 207, subpart B, but exclude
the subpart B definitions in 207.251.
Consistent with HUD’s proposed rule,
new § 207.261(a) requires mortgagees
that finance housing insured under Title
II of the National Housing Act through
the issuance and sale of bonds or bond
anticipation notes, and use a projectspecific trust indenture agreement that
clearly outlines the project and
identifies by project the trust funds
established by and administered in
accordance with the terms of the trust
indenture, to meet the requirements set
out in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this
section.
Paragraph (1) requires that the
mortgagee include in the bond trust
indenture language that, upon a
conveyance or assignment of the
mortgage to the FHA Commissioner, the
bond trustee must remit to the
mortgagee all remaining excess bond
funds. Excess bond funds mean (1)
money remaining in all funds and
accounts other than a rebate fund,3 and
(2) any other funds remaining under the
trust indenture after payment, or
provision for payment, of debt service
on the bonds and the fees and expenses
of the credit enhancer, issuer, trustee,
and other such parties unrelated to the
mortgagor (other than funds originally
deposited by the mortgagor or related
3 A rebate fund, also referred to as an arbitrage
rebate fund is a fund typically established under the
bond contract for tax-exempt bonds in which
arbitrage earnings from investments in various
funds and accounts holding bond proceeds are
accumulated in order to make arbitrage rebate
payments to the Federal Government. See https://
www.msrb.org/msrb1/glossary/view_
def.asp?param=ARBITRAGEREBATEFUND. See
also https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/part2e02.pdf.
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parties on or before the date of issuance
of the bonds).
Paragraph (2) requires that the
mortgagee, upon the FHA
Commissioner’s payment of an FHA
mortgage insurance claim under
§ 207.259, shall legally enforce the trust
indenture to collect all of the excess
bond funds; and the mortgagee must
remit to FHA all excess bond funds that
result from FHA’s payment of an FHA
insurance claim after a conveyance or
assignment of the mortgage to FHA, no
later than 6 months following the date
of the final settlement on the FHA
mortgage insurance claim.
New paragraph (b) includes the
definition of ‘‘rebate fund’’ consistent
with the proposed rule, and defines
‘‘rebate fund’’ as a separate fund
established under a contract or
agreement for tax-exempt bonds in
which amounts (excess interest earnings
from the tax-exempt bonds) must be
deposited to make rebate payments to
the federal government under the
Internal Revenue Code.
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III. HUD’s Responses to Key Issues
Raised by Public Commenters
The following section presents a
summary of the public comments in
response to the July 10, 2013, proposed
rule, and HUD’s responses.
Comment: Make the rule effective
only prospectively: Commenters
requested that the rule apply only to
future financings and questioned HUD’s
legal authority to require the changes to
existing trust indentures.
Response: The rule is effective
prospectively and does not create any
obligations to amend existing trust
indentures.
Comment: The rule should not apply
to the Risk-Sharing Programs (Section
542): Commenters requested that HUD
add commentary in the final rule to
clarify the rule does not apply to the
Risk-Sharing Program, authorized by
Section 542(c) of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1992.
Response: This rule applies only to
those multifamily loans insured under
Title II of the National Housing Act that
authorizes payment of the FHA
insurance claim pursuant to Section
207, and does not apply to the RiskSharing Program.
Comment: Eliminate the ‘‘Refunding
Bond’’ reference: A commenter queried
whether ‘‘refunding’’ should be
removed from the parenthetical phrase
at the end of the new Section
207.261(a).
Response: HUD concurs with this
suggestion and, as discussed above in
Section II, HUD has removed the
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reference to ‘‘refunding bonds’’ from
section 207.261.
Comment: HUD should limit the rule
to prevent excess bond funds from going
to mortgagors: A commenter stated that
if it is HUD’s intent to prohibit the
mortgagor from receiving excess bond
proceeds then HUD should limit the
regulation to that purpose.
Response: HUD does not believe that
the rule should specifically target
mortgagors. The FHA multifamily
mortgage insurance program was
created to increase the availability of
affordable housing or provision of
healthcare facilities. The payment of an
FHA multifamily insurance benefit
upon an assignment of the mortgage or
a conveyance of the property to FHA is
meant to provide only the funds needed
to settle the FHA multifamily insurance
claim. In all non-bond financed
transactions, FHA’s formula results in
payment of the exact funds needed to
settle the FHA mortgage insurance
claim. This rule considers the specific
nature of a bond-financed transaction
and requires the mortgagee to adopt
procedures that equalizes the result
with non-bond financed transactions.
Comment: The analogy to 24 CFR part
811 bonds is inappropriate because the
single project bond financing structure
is not always used in FHA-insured
multifamily projects: A commenter
wrote that the reference to single project
bond financings for Section 8 assisted
projects under 24 CFR part 811 fails to
recognize the scope of financing done
by state and local housing finance
agencies (HFAs) in FHA-insured
multifamily bond-financed projects.
Two commenters stated that the rule
inaccurately assumes that bonds are
issued under a bond resolution (or trust
indenture) to finance only one FHAinsured multifamily mortgage loan and
to fund a reserve fund, similar to section
811 bond-financed projects, but that
state HFAs normally finance
multifamily developments on a pooled
basis. The commenters stated that HFAs
finance a group of mortgage loans under
one general bond resolution, which may
or may not have a reserve fund, and if
there is a reserve fund, it typically
would secure all of the series of bonds
issued under the general bond
resolution. The commenters further
stated that the series of bonds financing
an FHA-insured multifamily mortgage
loan, as well as other mortgage loans,
are not typically structured on a passthrough basis, but rather may have
annual, semi-annual, or sinking fund
payment terms. The commenters
continued, stating that upon the
payment in full of any mortgage loan,
the resolution continues in effect unless
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43931
all of the bonds issued under the general
bond resolution have been paid in full.
The commenters concluded stating that
given the variety and complexity of
these structures, when FHA makes an
FHA insurance claim payment, the
principal amount of outstanding bonds
may not be equal to the FHA insurance
claim payment.
Response: HUD agrees with the
commenters that this rule should be
based on the use of a project-specific
trust indenture as commonly used in
Section 8 housing under Part 811
regulations. Therefore, the final rule
adds language to clarify the types of
transactions to which this rule applies.
Comment: The requirement that an
HFA pay multi-project remaining funds
to FHA that are distinct from those
contributed by HUD is inequitable. A
commenter objected to the requirement
that the HFA pay to FHA the amount
that an FHA multifamily insurance
claim payment exceeded the principal
balance on multi-project unredeemed
bonds, to include excess funds that
result from the application of the HFA’s
own funds to retire bonds. The
commenter urged that all rights to this
excess amount should be retained by the
HFA.
Response: HUD acknowledges the
concerns made by the commenters and,
as discussed in Section II of this
preamble, the final rule should not
impact HFA’s funds contributed on
parity bond issue multiple-project
funds.
Comment: This rule would require
state HFAs to liquidate the bond
resolution for a single claim and
accomplish the impractical task of
tracking funds on each project, resulting
in higher costs and risks: A commenter
stated that to remit all monies held in
the ‘‘funds and accounts’’ to FHA in the
event of a single FHA multifamily
insurance claim, a state HFA would
need to liquidate the bond resolution,
which is contrary to the provisions of
the resolution that require continuation
until all bonds issued under the
resolution are paid. The commenter
stated that a single FHA multifamily
insurance claim usually accounts for a
small portion of these monies, but the
regulation as written would require the
liquidation of the entire bond resolution
for one FHA multifamily insurance
claim, and that even if the HFA
liquidated the bond resolution, it may
not be possible for the HFA to
determine the amount, if any, that
would be payable to FHA under the
rule.
Commenters stated that the rule
would create the practical problem of
how to track the ‘‘excess bond funds’’
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over the life of the mortgage loan. The
commenters stated that the pooled
arrangement and transactions
subsequent to the financing of the FHAinsured multifamily mortgage loan make
it difficult if not impossible to track the
funds specific to a single mortgage loan.
The commenters stated that a pro rata
allocation of the reserve fund would be
unworkable because reserve fund
deposits are partly based on the
creditworthiness of each loan, and that
due to the complexity of tracking, an
HFA would probably choose not to
utilize the parity general trust
indenture, but would instead use pass
through financing that has higher rates
and costs, and is a potentially riskier
bond.
Response: The change made at the
final rule, as discussed in section II, will
not require the tracking of ‘‘excess bond
funds’’ in multiple-project parity bond
issue structures.
Comment: The increase costs provide
little benefits to FHA: A commenter
wrote that the new structure required by
this rule would place a higher burden
on HFAs and FHA, but would come
with relatively little anticipated
financial benefit. The commenter stated
that bond issuers are already limited to
amounts they may hold and recover and
excess funds are marginal given the
complex rules of tax-exempt financing.
Response: HUD understands that
when considering each transaction
individually, the financial gain to bond
issuers appears to be minimal. However,
as discussed in Section IV, when
viewing the transactions in the
aggregate, the savings for FHA proves to
be greater.
Comment: The rule could result in a
loss of affordable housing units and
increase FHA multifamily insurance
claims if the rule includes payments of
the federally-permitted 1.5 percent
annual spread: A commenter wrote that
if the rule required HFAs to remit the
1.5 percent annual spread authorized by
the Internal Revenue Code to FHA, then
FHA could see higher multifamily
insurance claims. The commenter stated
that, currently, HFAs maintain an
accumulated annual spread as
additional security for the bonds and
use the spread to assist troubled projects
to avoid loan defaults and the loss of
affordable housing units. The
commenter stated that if HFAs
withdraw their annual spread, it could
increase the incidence (and possibly the
size) of FHA multifamily insurance
claims, and that therefore applying the
rule to the 1.5 percent spread would
significantly disincentivize an HFA
from maintaining the spread.
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Response: The 1.5 percent annual
spread authorized by the Internal
Revenue Code to help state HFAs meet
the costs of operating affordable housing
programs is an ongoing operating fee,
not a bond reserve fund residual, which
is the subject of this rule.
IV. Cost and Benefits of the Final Rule
This final rule directs mortgagees
participating in FHA multifamily
insurance programs and using taxexempt bonds under section 103 of the
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 4 to return
to FHA the proceeds remaining after
bond debts have been paid off using
amounts received in connection with an
FHA mortgage insurance claim
payment. The existence and possible
value of any excess bond funds to
individual private entities is limited and
cannot be precisely stated, as such
measures are dependent on the
following: The occurrence and timing of
a default (which is by definition an
unforeseen result of any non-fraudulent
lending in the program); the current
interest rate environment; 5 the trust
indenture; and, then, on the
independent actions that HUD and the
trustee take. Approximately 3 percent of
projects for which FHA multifamily
insurance claims were paid were
financed by issuing section 103 taxexempt bonds. In 2012, there were $189
million in claims and 3 percent of this
number, $5.67 million, provides an
estimate of the total claims for taxexempt bond-financed projects. HUD
estimates that about 1.16 percent of
outstanding balances are subject to
recapture; therefore, in 2012 there
would have been an estimated $66,000
of funds in excess of that required to
discharge the lien of the trust indenture.
The 2012 data pertaining to FHA
multifamily insurance claims for taxexempt bond-financed projects suggests
the aggregate amount of funds is well
below the amount that would make this
rule economically significant.
The transfer of excess bond funds to
FHA by this final rule makes explicit
that FHA’s payment of a multifamily
mortgage insurance claim for bond debts
must not result in an amount above
actual expenses being retained by the
mortgagee, the mortgagor, or any third
party. Given the inherently unexpected
nature and uncertain dollar amount of
any excess bond funds, the final rule is
not expected to have a significant
4 Under section 103, payments of interest on State
or local bonds are excludable from gross income.
(See 26 U.S.C. 103.)
5 Reserve funds may grow more slowly due to low
interest rates and the low rates on taxable financing
have made tax-exempt financing less advantageous
to developers.
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impact on future mortgagees’ interest or
behavior in the program. The final rule
is also unlikely to affect how future
mortgagors or others experience the
program. It should be noted that, while
the impact of the final rule on any
individual entity is likely to be
inconsequential, there is value to FHA
from the change. The occurrence of
defaults and resulting excess bond
funds are statistically likely events, and
the aggregate amount of program funds
currently expended across all FHA
multifamily insurance claims over time
is sufficient to justify the final rule.
V. Findings and Certifications
Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection
requirements contained in this rule have
been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520) and assigned
OMB control number 2502–0418. In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act, an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of
information, unless the collection
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 605(b)) generally requires an
agency to conduct regulatory flexibility
analysis of any rule subject to notice
and comment rulemaking requirements,
unless the agency certifies that the rule
will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities. This rule would not impose any
economic burdens on FHA-approved
multifamily mortgagees. The regulatory
amendments would not modify the
terms of FHA multifamily mortgage
insurance through which mortgagees are
made financially whole in the case of a
mortgage default and filing of a FHA
multifamily mortgage insurance claim.
The rule ends the possibility that a
mortgagor or mortgagee may profit from
a multifamily mortgage default, which is
inconsistent with HUD’s public housing
bond financing regulations, the purpose
of the FHA insurance programs, and the
proper administration of the FHA
mortgage insurance funds. Accordingly,
the undersigned certifies that this rule
will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities.
Executive Order 13132, Federalism
Executive Order 13132 (entitled
‘‘Federalism’’) prohibits an agency from
publishing any rule that has federalism
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implications if the rule either (1)
imposes substantial direct compliance
costs on state and local governments
and is not required by statute, or (2)
preempts state law, unless the agency
meets the consultation and funding
requirements of section 6 of the
Executive Order. This rule would not
have federalism implications and would
not impose substantial direct
compliance costs on state and local
governments or preempt state law
within the meaning of the Executive
Order.
Environmental Review
This final rule does not direct,
provide for assistance or loan and
mortgage insurance for, or otherwise
govern, or regulate, real property
acquisition, disposition, leasing,
rehabilitation, alteration, demolition, or
new construction, or establish, revise, or
provide for standards for construction or
construction materials, manufactured
housing, or occupancy. Accordingly,
under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this final rule
is categorically excluded from
environmental review under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531–
1538) (UMRA) establishes requirements
for Federal agencies to assess the effects
of their regulatory actions on state,
local, and tribal governments, and the
private sector. This final rule does not
impose any Federal mandates on any
state, local, or tribal government, or the
private sector within the meaning of
UMRA.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
The Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance number for FHA mortgage
insurance for the purchase or
refinancing of existing multifamily
housing projects is 14.155.
List of Subjects in 24 CFR Part 207
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with RULES2
Manufactured homes, Mortgage
insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Solar energy.
Accordingly, for the reasons stated in
the preamble, HUD amends 24 CFR part
207 as follows:
PART 207—MULTIFAMILY HOUSING
MORTGAGE INSURANCE
1. The authority citation for part 207
continues to read as follows:
■
■
2. Add § 207.261 to read as follows:
§ 207.261 Capturing excess bond
proceeds.
(a) A mortgagee that finances
multifamily housing or healthcare
facilities insured under Title II of the
National Housing Act through the
issuance and sale of bonds or bond
anticipation notes and uses a projectspecific trust indenture agreement, that
clearly outlines the project and
identifies by project the trust funds
established by and administered in
accordance with the terms of the trust
indenture, shall:
(1) Include the following clause in the
trust indenture: In the event of an
assignment or conveyance of the
mortgage to the Commissioner,
subsequent to the issuance of the bonds,
all money remaining in all funds and
accounts other than the rebate fund, and
any other funds remaining under the
trust indenture after payment or
provision for payment of debt service on
the bonds and the fees and expenses of
the credit enhancer, issuer, trustee, and
other such parties unrelated to the
mortgagor (other than funds originally
deposited by the mortgagor or related
parties on or before the date of issuance
of the bonds) shall be returned to the
mortgagee.
(2) Upon the Commissioner’s payment
of an FHA mortgage insurance claim
under § 207.259, the mortgagee shall
take all legally-entitled actions to
enforce the clause required by
paragraph (a)(1) of this section and pay
the Commissioner any trust funds
remaining after discharge by the trustee
of all obligations of the trust indenture,
no later than 6 months after the date of
the Commissioner’s final settlement of
the FHA mortgage insurance claim.
(b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of
this section, the term ‘‘rebate fund’’
means a separate fund established under
a contract or agreement for tax-exempt
bonds in which amounts (excess interest
earnings from the tax-exempt bonds)
must be deposited to make rebate
payments to the federal government
under the Internal Revenue Code.
Dated: July 17, 2014.
Carol J. Galante,
Assistant Secretary for Housing, Federal
Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2014–17742 Filed 7–28–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1701z–11(e),
1709(c)(1), 1713, and 1715(b); 42 U.S.C.
3535(d).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:29 Jul 28, 2014
Jkt 232001
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
43933
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 100
[Docket Number USCG–2013–0789]
RIN 1625–AA08
Special Local Regulation; Suncoast
Offshore Grand Prix; Gulf of Mexico,
Sarasota, FL
Coast Guard, DHS.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Coast Guard is amending
the permanent special local regulations
for the Suncoast Offshore Challenge and
the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix in the
Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota, Florida.
Reflected in the existing permanent
special local regulations, these two races
have nearly identical course and time
characteristics, however, one event used
to be held annually on the first Saturday
of July and the other event is held
annually on the first Sunday of July.
The sponsor has decided to combine the
events into a single day, reduce the
length of the racecourse, and modify the
time of the event. Due to recent shoaling
north of New Pass, it is necessary to
amend the existing language to close
New Pass and open Big Sarasota Pass to
traffic. The changes are necessary to
provide for the safety of life on
navigable waters during the event.
DATES: This rule is effective August 28,
2014.
ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in
this preamble are part of docket USCG–
2013–0789. To view documents
mentioned in this preamble as being
available in the docket, go to https://
www.regulations.gov, type the docket
number in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box and click
‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on Open Docket
Folder on the line associated with this
rulemaking. You may also visit the
Docket Management Facility in Room
W12–140 on the ground floor of the
Department of Transportation West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this rule, call or
email Marine Science Technician First
Class Hector I. Fuentes, Sector Saint
Petersburg Waterways Management
Branch, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone
(813) 228–2191, email
Hector.I.Fuentes@uscg.mil. If you have
questions on viewing or submitting
material to the docket, call Cheryl
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29JYR1.SGM
29JYR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43929-43933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17742]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
24 CFR Part 207
[Docket No. FR-5583-F-02]
RIN 2502-AJ16
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Multifamily Mortgage
Insurance; Capturing Excess Bond Proceeds
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing
Commissioner, HUD.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This final rule amends HUD's regulations covering the contract
rights and obligations of mortgagees participating in FHA multifamily
mortgage insurance programs, to address reimbursement to FHA of excess
bond proceeds. When a mortgagee finances mortgages through the issuance
and sale of bonds or through bond anticipation notes, the mortgagee
uses the funds from the payment of a mortgage insurance claim under HUD
regulations addressing FHA multifamily insurance claim payment to pay
off the remaining bond debts. At times, the amount paid by the FHA
multifamily insurance claim is greater than the remaining bond debts.
This final rule requires mortgagees that finance a project using a
project-specific trust indenture agreement to include language in the
trust indenture to require that excess bond funds that remain after
FHA's multifamily insurance claim payment is used to satisfy the bonds
are returned to FHA. HUD requires similar payments of excess bond funds
on obligations of public housing agencies and, thus, the final rule
provides consistency in the administration of HUD's bond-financed
mortgages.
DATES: Effective Date: August 28, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Claire T. Brolin, Management Analyst
(Directives), Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily
Housing Programs, Program Administration Office, Office of Housing,
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room
6106, Washington, DC 20410; telephone number 202-402-6634 (this is not
a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may
access this number through TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service,
toll free, at 800-877-8339.
[[Page 43930]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On July 10, 2013 (78 FR 41339), HUD published for public comment a
proposed rule that would amend HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 207
that cover the contract rights and obligations of mortgagees
participating in FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs, to
address reimbursement to FHA of excess bond proceeds.\1\ FHA provides
mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders for single-
family and multifamily homes. The FHA multifamily insurance program is
authorized under applicable sections of Title II of the National
Housing Act. HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 207 provide that upon an
assignment of the mortgage or a conveyance of the property to FHA, FHA
will pay insurance benefits to the mortgagee in accordance with a
regulatory formula \2\ that is meant to provide only the funds needed
to pay the FHA insurance claim.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulations in 24 CFR part 207, subpart B, particularly
pertaining to payment of FHA insurance claims, are applicable to
other FHA insurance programs and are incorporated by reference where
applicable.
\2\ See 24 CFR 207.259.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
However, when the loan is bond financed, the amount FHA pays to the
lender may be greater than the funds needed to pay the FHA insurance
claim and discharge all other obligations of the trust indenture. When
FHA pays an insurance claim on a bond-financed mortgage, the lender
remits the payment to the bond trustee who pays off the bond debts,
debt services on the bond, and fees and expenses owed to parties (such
as the trustee or the bond issuer). Most of the factors in determining
the amounts required to pay the FHA insurance claim and satisfy
servicer fees required to be paid by the trust indenture can be
calculated with precision, but the amount of funds in the trust is not
known prior to accounting for the final interest earnings on the
invested trust fund balances. Funds in the trust accounts earn interest
and, given the passage of time and uncertainty of short-term interest
rates, it is difficult to project what the trust fund balance will be
at the time the FHA multifamily insurance claim is settled and all the
trust indenture obligations are finally paid. As a result, the trustee
is sometimes left with additional funds, also known as ``excess bond
funds.'' Excess bond funds are distributed by the bond trustee to the
mortgagor, the mortgagee, FHA, or other third parties, according to the
trust indenture agreement. As a result, the mortgagor or the mortgagee
may receive excess bond funds after redeeming the bonds with the FHA
multifamily insurance claim proceeds.
HUD's July 10, 2013, rule proposed to establish, in the 24 CFR part
207 regulations, a new Sec. 207.261 that would require mortgagees to
remit to FHA the excess bond funds that remain after the FHA
multifamily insurance claim payment is used to satisfy the bonds, which
represents the funds that FHA's regulatory formula is unable to account
for at the time the FHA multifamily insurance claim was settled, due to
the nature of bond financing. Interested readers should refer to the
preamble of the July 10, 2013, proposed rule for additional information
on the proposed regulatory change.
II. This Final Rule
This final rule follows publication of the July 10, 2013, proposed
rule and takes into consideration the public comments received on the
proposed rule. The public comment period on the proposed rule closed on
September 9, 2013, and HUD received public comments from two
commenters. Section IV of this preamble discusses the comments received
on the proposed rule.
At the final rule stage, HUD has decided to amend the scope of the
proposed rule, to provide clarifications in response to public
comments, to correct an incorrect citation, and to make some editorial
changes. Specifically, HUD is limiting the application of the rule to
mortgagees that finance a project through bonds and use a project-
specific trust indenture agreement. This action is consistent with how
HUD treats bonds governed by HUD's regulations in 24 CFR part 811,
which apply only to bonds financing single projects. Although this
final rule does not relieve mortgagees that finance a project through
multiple-project parity bonds from being responsible for returning
excess bond funds that are identified, HUD recognizes the burden that
would be borne if the specific trust indenture language was applied to
multiple-project parity bond structures. HUD is also clarifying that
the contract rights and obligations being amended under 24 CFR part 207
apply to all FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs, including
loans on healthcare facilities insured under Sections 232, 241, and 242
of the National Housing Act.
In addition to limiting the rule's scope, the proposed rule
included a parenthetical referencing ``the date of issuance of the
refunding bonds'' as the cut-off date for exempting the originally-
deposited funds. HUD takes the opportunity afforded by this rule to
replace the phrase ``refunding bonds'' with simply ``bonds'' so as to
not create confusion, and to clarify that the date for exempting the
originally-deposited funds is limited to the bonds used to secure the
FHA-insured multifamily mortgage that the mortgagee has submitted an
FHA multifamily insurance claim for. HUD's proposed rule also
incorrectly referenced Sec. 207.258 as the provision in which FHA pays
a FHA insurance claim, HUD at the final rule stage replaces the
incorrect citation with the correct reference to Sec. 207.259.
Lastly, HUD clarifies the exact language to be included in the
trust agreement and makes some editorial changes at this final rule
stage. HUD incorporates the definition of ``rebate fund'' into the new
Sec. 207.261 as paragraph (b) to ease implementation for FHA
multifamily insurance programs that cross-reference to the provisions
in 24 CFR part 207, subpart B, but exclude the subpart B definitions in
207.251.
Consistent with HUD's proposed rule, new Sec. 207.261(a) requires
mortgagees that finance housing insured under Title II of the National
Housing Act through the issuance and sale of bonds or bond anticipation
notes, and use a project-specific trust indenture agreement that
clearly outlines the project and identifies by project the trust funds
established by and administered in accordance with the terms of the
trust indenture, to meet the requirements set out in paragraphs (1) and
(2) of this section.
Paragraph (1) requires that the mortgagee include in the bond trust
indenture language that, upon a conveyance or assignment of the
mortgage to the FHA Commissioner, the bond trustee must remit to the
mortgagee all remaining excess bond funds. Excess bond funds mean (1)
money remaining in all funds and accounts other than a rebate fund,\3\
and (2) any other funds remaining under the trust indenture after
payment, or provision for payment, of debt service on the bonds and the
fees and expenses of the credit enhancer, issuer, trustee, and other
such parties unrelated to the mortgagor (other than funds originally
deposited by the mortgagor or related
[[Page 43931]]
parties on or before the date of issuance of the bonds).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ A rebate fund, also referred to as an arbitrage rebate fund
is a fund typically established under the bond contract for tax-
exempt bonds in which arbitrage earnings from investments in various
funds and accounts holding bond proceeds are accumulated in order to
make arbitrage rebate payments to the Federal Government. See https://www.msrb.org/msrb1/glossary/view_def.asp?param=ARBITRAGEREBATEFUND. See also https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/part2e02.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paragraph (2) requires that the mortgagee, upon the FHA
Commissioner's payment of an FHA mortgage insurance claim under Sec.
207.259, shall legally enforce the trust indenture to collect all of
the excess bond funds; and the mortgagee must remit to FHA all excess
bond funds that result from FHA's payment of an FHA insurance claim
after a conveyance or assignment of the mortgage to FHA, no later than
6 months following the date of the final settlement on the FHA mortgage
insurance claim.
New paragraph (b) includes the definition of ``rebate fund''
consistent with the proposed rule, and defines ``rebate fund'' as a
separate fund established under a contract or agreement for tax-exempt
bonds in which amounts (excess interest earnings from the tax-exempt
bonds) must be deposited to make rebate payments to the federal
government under the Internal Revenue Code.
III. HUD's Responses to Key Issues Raised by Public Commenters
The following section presents a summary of the public comments in
response to the July 10, 2013, proposed rule, and HUD's responses.
Comment: Make the rule effective only prospectively: Commenters
requested that the rule apply only to future financings and questioned
HUD's legal authority to require the changes to existing trust
indentures.
Response: The rule is effective prospectively and does not create
any obligations to amend existing trust indentures.
Comment: The rule should not apply to the Risk-Sharing Programs
(Section 542): Commenters requested that HUD add commentary in the
final rule to clarify the rule does not apply to the Risk-Sharing
Program, authorized by Section 542(c) of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1992.
Response: This rule applies only to those multifamily loans insured
under Title II of the National Housing Act that authorizes payment of
the FHA insurance claim pursuant to Section 207, and does not apply to
the Risk-Sharing Program.
Comment: Eliminate the ``Refunding Bond'' reference: A commenter
queried whether ``refunding'' should be removed from the parenthetical
phrase at the end of the new Section 207.261(a).
Response: HUD concurs with this suggestion and, as discussed above
in Section II, HUD has removed the reference to ``refunding bonds''
from section 207.261.
Comment: HUD should limit the rule to prevent excess bond funds
from going to mortgagors: A commenter stated that if it is HUD's intent
to prohibit the mortgagor from receiving excess bond proceeds then HUD
should limit the regulation to that purpose.
Response: HUD does not believe that the rule should specifically
target mortgagors. The FHA multifamily mortgage insurance program was
created to increase the availability of affordable housing or provision
of healthcare facilities. The payment of an FHA multifamily insurance
benefit upon an assignment of the mortgage or a conveyance of the
property to FHA is meant to provide only the funds needed to settle the
FHA multifamily insurance claim. In all non-bond financed transactions,
FHA's formula results in payment of the exact funds needed to settle
the FHA mortgage insurance claim. This rule considers the specific
nature of a bond-financed transaction and requires the mortgagee to
adopt procedures that equalizes the result with non-bond financed
transactions.
Comment: The analogy to 24 CFR part 811 bonds is inappropriate
because the single project bond financing structure is not always used
in FHA-insured multifamily projects: A commenter wrote that the
reference to single project bond financings for Section 8 assisted
projects under 24 CFR part 811 fails to recognize the scope of
financing done by state and local housing finance agencies (HFAs) in
FHA-insured multifamily bond-financed projects. Two commenters stated
that the rule inaccurately assumes that bonds are issued under a bond
resolution (or trust indenture) to finance only one FHA-insured
multifamily mortgage loan and to fund a reserve fund, similar to
section 811 bond-financed projects, but that state HFAs normally
finance multifamily developments on a pooled basis. The commenters
stated that HFAs finance a group of mortgage loans under one general
bond resolution, which may or may not have a reserve fund, and if there
is a reserve fund, it typically would secure all of the series of bonds
issued under the general bond resolution. The commenters further stated
that the series of bonds financing an FHA-insured multifamily mortgage
loan, as well as other mortgage loans, are not typically structured on
a pass-through basis, but rather may have annual, semi-annual, or
sinking fund payment terms. The commenters continued, stating that upon
the payment in full of any mortgage loan, the resolution continues in
effect unless all of the bonds issued under the general bond resolution
have been paid in full. The commenters concluded stating that given the
variety and complexity of these structures, when FHA makes an FHA
insurance claim payment, the principal amount of outstanding bonds may
not be equal to the FHA insurance claim payment.
Response: HUD agrees with the commenters that this rule should be
based on the use of a project-specific trust indenture as commonly used
in Section 8 housing under Part 811 regulations. Therefore, the final
rule adds language to clarify the types of transactions to which this
rule applies.
Comment: The requirement that an HFA pay multi-project remaining
funds to FHA that are distinct from those contributed by HUD is
inequitable. A commenter objected to the requirement that the HFA pay
to FHA the amount that an FHA multifamily insurance claim payment
exceeded the principal balance on multi-project unredeemed bonds, to
include excess funds that result from the application of the HFA's own
funds to retire bonds. The commenter urged that all rights to this
excess amount should be retained by the HFA.
Response: HUD acknowledges the concerns made by the commenters and,
as discussed in Section II of this preamble, the final rule should not
impact HFA's funds contributed on parity bond issue multiple-project
funds.
Comment: This rule would require state HFAs to liquidate the bond
resolution for a single claim and accomplish the impractical task of
tracking funds on each project, resulting in higher costs and risks: A
commenter stated that to remit all monies held in the ``funds and
accounts'' to FHA in the event of a single FHA multifamily insurance
claim, a state HFA would need to liquidate the bond resolution, which
is contrary to the provisions of the resolution that require
continuation until all bonds issued under the resolution are paid. The
commenter stated that a single FHA multifamily insurance claim usually
accounts for a small portion of these monies, but the regulation as
written would require the liquidation of the entire bond resolution for
one FHA multifamily insurance claim, and that even if the HFA
liquidated the bond resolution, it may not be possible for the HFA to
determine the amount, if any, that would be payable to FHA under the
rule.
Commenters stated that the rule would create the practical problem
of how to track the ``excess bond funds''
[[Page 43932]]
over the life of the mortgage loan. The commenters stated that the
pooled arrangement and transactions subsequent to the financing of the
FHA-insured multifamily mortgage loan make it difficult if not
impossible to track the funds specific to a single mortgage loan. The
commenters stated that a pro rata allocation of the reserve fund would
be unworkable because reserve fund deposits are partly based on the
creditworthiness of each loan, and that due to the complexity of
tracking, an HFA would probably choose not to utilize the parity
general trust indenture, but would instead use pass through financing
that has higher rates and costs, and is a potentially riskier bond.
Response: The change made at the final rule, as discussed in
section II, will not require the tracking of ``excess bond funds'' in
multiple-project parity bond issue structures.
Comment: The increase costs provide little benefits to FHA: A
commenter wrote that the new structure required by this rule would
place a higher burden on HFAs and FHA, but would come with relatively
little anticipated financial benefit. The commenter stated that bond
issuers are already limited to amounts they may hold and recover and
excess funds are marginal given the complex rules of tax-exempt
financing.
Response: HUD understands that when considering each transaction
individually, the financial gain to bond issuers appears to be minimal.
However, as discussed in Section IV, when viewing the transactions in
the aggregate, the savings for FHA proves to be greater.
Comment: The rule could result in a loss of affordable housing
units and increase FHA multifamily insurance claims if the rule
includes payments of the federally-permitted 1.5 percent annual spread:
A commenter wrote that if the rule required HFAs to remit the 1.5
percent annual spread authorized by the Internal Revenue Code to FHA,
then FHA could see higher multifamily insurance claims. The commenter
stated that, currently, HFAs maintain an accumulated annual spread as
additional security for the bonds and use the spread to assist troubled
projects to avoid loan defaults and the loss of affordable housing
units. The commenter stated that if HFAs withdraw their annual spread,
it could increase the incidence (and possibly the size) of FHA
multifamily insurance claims, and that therefore applying the rule to
the 1.5 percent spread would significantly disincentivize an HFA from
maintaining the spread.
Response: The 1.5 percent annual spread authorized by the Internal
Revenue Code to help state HFAs meet the costs of operating affordable
housing programs is an ongoing operating fee, not a bond reserve fund
residual, which is the subject of this rule.
IV. Cost and Benefits of the Final Rule
This final rule directs mortgagees participating in FHA multifamily
insurance programs and using tax-exempt bonds under section 103 of the
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) \4\ to return to FHA the proceeds remaining
after bond debts have been paid off using amounts received in
connection with an FHA mortgage insurance claim payment. The existence
and possible value of any excess bond funds to individual private
entities is limited and cannot be precisely stated, as such measures
are dependent on the following: The occurrence and timing of a default
(which is by definition an unforeseen result of any non-fraudulent
lending in the program); the current interest rate environment; \5\ the
trust indenture; and, then, on the independent actions that HUD and the
trustee take. Approximately 3 percent of projects for which FHA
multifamily insurance claims were paid were financed by issuing section
103 tax-exempt bonds. In 2012, there were $189 million in claims and 3
percent of this number, $5.67 million, provides an estimate of the
total claims for tax-exempt bond-financed projects. HUD estimates that
about 1.16 percent of outstanding balances are subject to recapture;
therefore, in 2012 there would have been an estimated $66,000 of funds
in excess of that required to discharge the lien of the trust
indenture. The 2012 data pertaining to FHA multifamily insurance claims
for tax-exempt bond-financed projects suggests the aggregate amount of
funds is well below the amount that would make this rule economically
significant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Under section 103, payments of interest on State or local
bonds are excludable from gross income. (See 26 U.S.C. 103.)
\5\ Reserve funds may grow more slowly due to low interest rates
and the low rates on taxable financing have made tax-exempt
financing less advantageous to developers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The transfer of excess bond funds to FHA by this final rule makes
explicit that FHA's payment of a multifamily mortgage insurance claim
for bond debts must not result in an amount above actual expenses being
retained by the mortgagee, the mortgagor, or any third party. Given the
inherently unexpected nature and uncertain dollar amount of any excess
bond funds, the final rule is not expected to have a significant impact
on future mortgagees' interest or behavior in the program. The final
rule is also unlikely to affect how future mortgagors or others
experience the program. It should be noted that, while the impact of
the final rule on any individual entity is likely to be
inconsequential, there is value to FHA from the change. The occurrence
of defaults and resulting excess bond funds are statistically likely
events, and the aggregate amount of program funds currently expended
across all FHA multifamily insurance claims over time is sufficient to
justify the final rule.
V. Findings and Certifications
Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection requirements contained in this rule have
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and assigned OMB
control number 2502-0418. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information, unless the collection
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 605(b)) generally requires
an agency to conduct regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule
subject to notice and comment rulemaking requirements, unless the
agency certifies that the rule will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities. This rule would not
impose any economic burdens on FHA-approved multifamily mortgagees. The
regulatory amendments would not modify the terms of FHA multifamily
mortgage insurance through which mortgagees are made financially whole
in the case of a mortgage default and filing of a FHA multifamily
mortgage insurance claim. The rule ends the possibility that a
mortgagor or mortgagee may profit from a multifamily mortgage default,
which is inconsistent with HUD's public housing bond financing
regulations, the purpose of the FHA insurance programs, and the proper
administration of the FHA mortgage insurance funds. Accordingly, the
undersigned certifies that this rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Executive Order 13132, Federalism
Executive Order 13132 (entitled ``Federalism'') prohibits an agency
from publishing any rule that has federalism
[[Page 43933]]
implications if the rule either (1) imposes substantial direct
compliance costs on state and local governments and is not required by
statute, or (2) preempts state law, unless the agency meets the
consultation and funding requirements of section 6 of the Executive
Order. This rule would not have federalism implications and would not
impose substantial direct compliance costs on state and local
governments or preempt state law within the meaning of the Executive
Order.
Environmental Review
This final rule does not direct, provide for assistance or loan and
mortgage insurance for, or otherwise govern, or regulate, real property
acquisition, disposition, leasing, rehabilitation, alteration,
demolition, or new construction, or establish, revise, or provide for
standards for construction or construction materials, manufactured
housing, or occupancy. Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this
final rule is categorically excluded from environmental review under
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C.
1531-1538) (UMRA) establishes requirements for Federal agencies to
assess the effects of their regulatory actions on state, local, and
tribal governments, and the private sector. This final rule does not
impose any Federal mandates on any state, local, or tribal government,
or the private sector within the meaning of UMRA.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for FHA mortgage
insurance for the purchase or refinancing of existing multifamily
housing projects is 14.155.
List of Subjects in 24 CFR Part 207
Manufactured homes, Mortgage insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Solar energy.
Accordingly, for the reasons stated in the preamble, HUD amends 24
CFR part 207 as follows:
PART 207--MULTIFAMILY HOUSING MORTGAGE INSURANCE
0
1. The authority citation for part 207 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1701z-11(e), 1709(c)(1), 1713, and 1715(b);
42 U.S.C. 3535(d).
0
2. Add Sec. 207.261 to read as follows:
Sec. 207.261 Capturing excess bond proceeds.
(a) A mortgagee that finances multifamily housing or healthcare
facilities insured under Title II of the National Housing Act through
the issuance and sale of bonds or bond anticipation notes and uses a
project-specific trust indenture agreement, that clearly outlines the
project and identifies by project the trust funds established by and
administered in accordance with the terms of the trust indenture,
shall:
(1) Include the following clause in the trust indenture: In the
event of an assignment or conveyance of the mortgage to the
Commissioner, subsequent to the issuance of the bonds, all money
remaining in all funds and accounts other than the rebate fund, and any
other funds remaining under the trust indenture after payment or
provision for payment of debt service on the bonds and the fees and
expenses of the credit enhancer, issuer, trustee, and other such
parties unrelated to the mortgagor (other than funds originally
deposited by the mortgagor or related parties on or before the date of
issuance of the bonds) shall be returned to the mortgagee.
(2) Upon the Commissioner's payment of an FHA mortgage insurance
claim under Sec. 207.259, the mortgagee shall take all legally-
entitled actions to enforce the clause required by paragraph (a)(1) of
this section and pay the Commissioner any trust funds remaining after
discharge by the trustee of all obligations of the trust indenture, no
later than 6 months after the date of the Commissioner's final
settlement of the FHA mortgage insurance claim.
(b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the term
``rebate fund'' means a separate fund established under a contract or
agreement for tax-exempt bonds in which amounts (excess interest
earnings from the tax-exempt bonds) must be deposited to make rebate
payments to the federal government under the Internal Revenue Code.
Dated: July 17, 2014.
Carol J. Galante,
Assistant Secretary for Housing, Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2014-17742 Filed 7-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P