Rural Housing Service 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

USDA Rural Development, which administers the programs of the Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), announces the availability of up to $19.9 million in program dollars, and the timeframe to submit applications to participate in a demonstration program to preserve and revitalize existing rural rental housing projects under Section 515, Section 514, and Section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended. Under the demonstration program existing Section 515 Multi-Family Housing (MFH) loans and Section 514/516 Off-Farm Labor Housing loans will be restructured to ensure that sufficient resources are available to preserve the ability of rental projects to provide safe and affordable housing for very low-, low- or moderate-income residents. Projects participating in this program will be expected to be revitalized to extend their affordable use without displacing tenants because of increased rents. No additional Agency Rental Assistance (RA) units will be made available under this program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of USDA 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 Request for Proposal (RFP) announces an availability of funds and the timeframe to submit proposals for Farm Labor Housing Technical Assistance (FLH-TA) grants. Section 516(i) of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended (Act), authorizes the Rural Housing Service (RHS) to provide financial assistance (grants) to eligible private and public non-profit agencies to encourage the development of domestic and migrant farm labor housing projects. This RFP requests proposals from qualified private and public non-profit agencies to provide technical assistance to groups who qualify for FLH loans and grants. Work performed under these grants is expected to result in an increased submission of quality applications for FLH loans and grants under the section 514 and 516 programs and as a result an increase in the availability of decent, safe, and sanitary housing for farm laborers.

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.

This Notice announces the timeframe to submit pre-applications for Section 514 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) loans and Section 516 FLH grants for the construction of new off-farm FLH units and related facilities for domestic farm laborers and for the purchase and substantial rehabilitation of an existing non-farm labor housing (FLH) property. The intended purpose of these loans and grants is to increase the number of available housing units for domestic farm laborers. This Notice describes the method used to distribute funds, the application process, and submission requirements.

Rural Development is amending its regulations to address the change in the standard maximum deposit insurance amount under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Through this action, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending its regulation to change the Reserve Account for new construction for the Sections 514/516 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) program and the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing (RRH) program. This action will not affect reserve accounts for existing portfolios.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) proposes to amend the regulations utilized to service the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program by amending the regulation in two separate sections, in order to clarify the types of projects that are eligible for a Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan. The intended effect of this action is to strengthen the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program by limiting the risk to the guaranteed loan portfolio. RHS is seeking to prohibit the financing of facilities in which the operation of such facilities have not been supported by the community and have resulted in significant default and loan losses to the agency.

The Rural Housing Service (Agency) is amending regulations on Community Facility Loans, to maintain consistency with standard industry contracts and to make minor revisions to streamline processing applications. These revisions are needed to conform to market and industry changes by updating, clarifying, and modifying the regulatory requirements for community facility construction and development. The amendments to the regulation will streamline current processes and provide for faster reviews of alternate construction contract methods (such as Design/Build and Construction Management) by the Agency's National Office.

This Notice announces the availability of $8,611,000 of FYs 2011 and 2012 funding of competitive grant funds for the RCDI program through the Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within the USDA Rural Development mission area (Agency). Appropriation Acts made available $4,990,000 in FY 2011 and $3,621,000 in FY 2012 for the RCDI program for a total of $8,611,000 for the two fiscal years. The RCDI grant program includes an initiative called the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge. For FY 2011 and the FY 2012 RCDI funds will be divided between the traditional RCDI Program and the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge as follows: $2,500,000 of the FY 2011 funds and $1,811,000 of the FY 2012 funds will be available for the traditional RCDI program and $2,490,000 of the FY 2011 funds and $1,810,000 of the FY 2012 will be reserved for awards through a Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement in partnership with the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge. An application for ``Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge'' funds must be submitted to both USDA and EDA by an organization or a team of organizations that is individually or collectively eligible to receive funding from USDA and EDA. Additional information regarding the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge can be found in Part VI and Part VII of this NOFA. Requirements outlined in Parts II, III, VIII, IX, X, and XI of this NOFA apply to both the Traditional RCDI Program and the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge. All applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the Federal grant. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. This Notice lists the information needed to submit an application for these funds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Fiscal Year 2006 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)). This Notice informs the public that funding is available for the Rural Development Voucher Program. The notice also sets forth the general policies and procedures for use of these vouchers for Fiscal Year 2012. Pursuant to the requirements in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-55 (November 18, 2011), Rural Development Vouchers are only available to low income tenants of Rural Development-financed multifamily properties where the Section 515 loan has been prepaid, either through prepayment or a foreclosure action, prior to the loan's maturity date and after September 30, 2005.