Rural Housing Service 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) and Rural Development, henceforth collectively known as Rural Development, or individually as Housing and Community Programs, Business and Cooperative Programs, Utility Programs, to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of compliance with applicable acts for planning and performing construction and other development work.

This notice announces the Agency intent to prioritize $400 million in funding that was previously made available in the Federal Register on July 23, 2009, for the refinance program to achieve the maximum amount of debt relief to existing borrowers and keep the borrowers in their homes, thereby, achieving long-term financial stability consistent with the goals of the Recovery Act. Additional requirements for such refinancing will ensure that existing borrowers are achieving measureable financial savings in refinancing and that Recovery Act funds are spent wisely and have transparent results.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for 7 CFR part 1942, subpart F, ``Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of 7 CFR part 1951, subpart F, ``Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of Borrowers.''

On December 17, 2008, USDA Rural Development published an interim rule with request for comments establishing a unified guaranteed loan platform for the enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programsCommunity Facility; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects. Having considered the comments received on the interim rule and for the reasons explained below, Rural Development is withdrawing the interim rule for Rural Development Guaranteed Loans.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) published a document in the Federal Register on July 23, 2009, at 74 FR 36448. The document did not provide a date for the comment period for the collection of information under the DATES section or the ``Comments'' under the Paperwork Reduction Act section.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) are administered through USDA Rural Development (RD). This Notice announces the availability of stimulus assistance provided pursuant to Title 1 of Division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009, (Pub. L. 111-5) (February 17, 2009).

This NOFA supersedes the notice published January 21, 2009 (74 FR 3551-3558). Responses to the notice published January 21, 2009 (74 FR 3551-3558) will no longer be accepted.

In notice document Z9-10645 beginning on page 26365 in the issue of Tuesday June 2, 2009, make the following corrections:

Rural Development is delaying the effective date of the interim rule for Rural Development Guaranteed Loans, which was published on December 17, 2008, to October 1, 2009. The interim rule establishes a unified guaranteed loan platform for the enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programs: Community Facilities; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Rural Energy for America Program, formerly known as Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Program.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within Rural Development, announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private non- profit organizations, which may include, but not be limited to, faith- based and community organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with Agency regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require the Agency to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

This notice informs the public that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a demonstration Rural Development Voucher Program, as authorized under Section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended, (without regard to Section 542(b)), which is being administered by USDA. This notice informs the public that funding is now available for the Rural Development voucher program. The notice also sets forth the general policies and procedures for use of these vouchers. Rural Development Vouchers are only available to tenants of Rural Development-financed multifamily properties where the owner pays off the loan, either through prepayment or a foreclosure action prior to the loan's maturity date.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for the Housing Preservation Grant Program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for Rural Housing Site Loans Policies, Procedures and Authorizations.

Rural Development is further delaying the effective date of the interim rule for Rural Development Guaranteed Loans, which was published on December 17, 2008, to June 1, 2009. The interim rule establishes a unified guaranteed loan platform for the enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programs Community Facility; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Rural Energy for America Program, formerly known as Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects.

This is a request for proposals for loan guarantees under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2008 funding for the section 538 program was $129,090,000. For FY 2009, there are approximately $2 million in additional funds for GRRHP properties that are located in a presidentially declared disaster area. Disaster funds may be used for new construction or repair and rehabilitation. To be eligible for these disaster funds, a property must be located in a county affected by hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters occurring during 2008 for which the President declared a major disaster under Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford and Disaster and Emergency Assistance of 1974. Applicants must notify the Rural Development contact person for the respective state, as indicated in the ``Submission Address'' section of this notice, that their project is located in an eligible disaster zone and that they want the project considered for these funds. Applicants for both general program funding or disaster funds will submit proposals in the form of ``RESPONSES.'' The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. The following paragraphs outline the timeframes, eligibility requirements, lender responsibilities, and the overall response and application processes. The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and Servicing Handbook (HB-1-3565) is available to provide lenders and the general public with guidance on program administration. HB-1-3565, which contains a copy of 7 CFR part 3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the Agency's Instructions Web site address https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the new construction and the acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing. Also eligible is the revitalization, repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) of existing direct section 515 housing (transfer costs are subject to Agency approval and must be an eligible use of loan proceeds as listed in 7 CFR 3565.205), and properties involved in the Agency's multi-family preservation and revitalization program (MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with the transfer of existing direct section 515 housing, are an eligible use of guaranteed loan proceeds. In order to be considered, the transfer of direct section 515 housing and MPR projects must need repairs and undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. A Section 538 guaranteed loan used in conjunction with a section 515 transfer that includes an equity payment and that qualifies for an interest credit award, will receive interest credit according to the following schedule:

The Rural Housing Service is delaying the effective date of a direct final rule, which was published on November 4, 2008 to amend its existing income limit structure for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program.