Rural Housing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agencies' 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.''

The Rural Housing Service, an agency within the USDA Rural Development mission area, provides housing loan guarantees to rural residents through its Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Program. The Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Act), Pub. L. 109-148 (12/30/05) provides USDA Rural Development with additional authorities and resources to address the damage caused by hurricanes that occurred during the 2005 calendar year. The intent of this NOFA is to introduce a temporary Mortgage Recovery Advance Program for existing Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Program borrowers impacted by certain 2005 hurricanes.

The Rural Housing Service is correcting a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday, April 17, 2006. This action is taken to correct a State Office address referenced in the contact information of the application and submission portion of the notice. This correction will insure that the applicant receives the most current and accurate information necessary for the submission of the proposal packages. Accordingly, the notice published on April 17, 2006 (71 FR 19682- 19690), is corrected as follows: On page 19685, in the third column under the heading, ``Where to file,'' the Delaware & Maryland State Office address is corrected to read as follows: Delaware & Maryland State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE 19904-8724. (302) 857-3600, TDD (302) 857- 3585, W. Drew Clendaniel.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agencies' intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for 7 CFR part 1942, subpart A, ``Community Facility Loans.''

The Rural Housing Service is correcting a notice published March 20, 2006 [71 FR 14056-14070]. The action is taken to correct the listing of the State Office addresses on pages 14062 and 14063. The list is attached at the end of the document.

The Rural Housing Service, (RHS), an Agency under USDA Rural Development, announces the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications for loans to private non-profit organizations, or such non-profit organizations' affiliate loan funds and State and local housing finance agencies, to carry out a housing demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the preservation and revitalization of low-income multi-family housing. Housing that is assisted by this demonstration program must be financed by USDA Rural Development through its multi-family housing loan program under section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949. This demonstration program will be achieved through loans made to intermediaries that establish programs for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for the preservation and revitalization of section 515 multi-family housing as affordable housing.

This NOFA announces the timeframe to submit applications for section 515 Rural Rental Housing (RRH) loan funds, including applications for the nonprofit set-aside for eligible nonprofit entities, the set-aside for the most Underserved Counties and Colonias (Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act), and the set-aside for Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs) and Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) zones. This document describes the methodology that will be used to distribute funds, the application process, submission requirements, and areas of special emphasis or consideration.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of housing funds for fiscal year 2006 (FY 2006). This action is taken to comply with 42 U.S.C. 1490p, which requires that RHS publish in the Federal Register notice of the availability of any housing assistance.

The Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities programs are administered through USDA Rural Development. This Notice is intended to announce the availability of hurricane disaster assistance provided pursuant to chapter 1 of title I of Division B of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 with respect to programs and activities of the Rural Development Mission Area of USDA.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the regulation for Account Servicing Policies.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of Form RD 410-8 ``Applicant Reference Letter.''

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) 2006 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2006 funding for the section 538 program is $99 million. Applicants 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. The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation, to the extent an appropriation act provides funding for GRRHP for FY 2006. 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 Rural Development Instructions Web site address https:// www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the development or acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rental housing to serve rural America. In addition, this fiscal year, guarantees will be available for the revitalization, repair, and transfer cost 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). In order to be considered, direct section 515 housing projects must need repairs and/or undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) will review responses submitted by eligible lenders, on the lender's letterhead, and signed by both the prospective borrower and lender. Although a complete application is not required in response to this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. However, submitting a complete application will not have an effect on the response's score.

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 ``Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants'' (7 CFR part 1944, subpart I).

The Agencies are revising their disbursement of funds regulations. This action is necessary since existing regulations do not accurately reflect the current disbursement methodologies employed by the Agencies. The intended effect is to simplify and update the regulations; to eliminate reference to the obsolete Loan Disbursement System; clarify Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insurance coverage; and eliminate reference to the now defunct Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC). These amended regulations are to ensure the Agencies' field offices have current guidance on the disbursement methods available and supervised bank accounts.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for 7 CFR Part 3550, Direct Single Family Housing Loans and Grants and its accompanying Handbooks.

This Notice announces the availability of approximately $6 million of grant funds for the RCDI program through the Rural Housing Service (RHS), herein referred to as the Agency. 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 Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending its regulations to update the list of designated counties for Housing Application Packaging Grants (HAPG). Under section 509 of the Housing Act of 1949, grants are provided to package housing applications for loans under sections 502, 504, 514, 515, and 524 and grants under section 533 in colonias and designated underserved counties. The intended effect is to make eligible applicants, including public and private nonprofit organizations and State and local governments, aware of the new list of designated counties, which was based on the 2000 census data.

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

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications for loans to private non-profit organizations, or such non-profit organizations' affiliate loan funds and State housing finance agencies, to carry out a housing demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the preservation and revitalization of low-income multi-family housing. Housing that is assisted by this demonstration program must be financed by RHS through its multi-family housing loan program under Section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949. This demonstration program will be achieved through loans made to intermediaries that establish programs for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for the preservation and revitalization of Section 515 multi-family housing as affordable housing.

The Agency is revising its disbursement of funds regulations. This action is necessary since existing regulations do not accurately reflect the current disbursement methodologies employed by the Agency. The intended effect is to simplify and update the regulations. These amended regulations are to ensure the Agencies' field offices have current guidance on the disbursement methods available.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) 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 nonprofit 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 pre-applications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

This NOFA announces the timeframe to submit applications for section 515 Rural Rental Housing (RRH) loan funds, including applications for the nonprofit set-aside for eligible nonprofit entities, the set-aside for the most Underserved Counties and Colonias (Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act), and the set-aside for Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs) and Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) zones. This document describes the methodology that will be used to distribute funds, the application process, submission requirements, and areas of special emphasis or consideration.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is withdrawing the direct final rule to change the threshold for surety requirements, published on January 7, 2005 (70 FR 1325-26). RHS stated in the direct final rule that if it received adverse comments by March 8, 2005, the agency would publish a timely notice of withdrawal in the Federal Register. RHS subsequently received adverse comments and, therefore, is withdrawing the direct final rule.

The Rural Housing Service is delaying implementation of selected sections of the interim final rule published on November 26, 2004 (69 FR 69032-69176). The interim final rule contains requirements regarding citizenship eligibility about which the Agency received several comments. The comments suggested that Agency procedures unnecessarily imposed more requirements than those required under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) procedures for similar programs. As a result the Agency has decided to delay implementation of the sections listed below in order to harmonize its procedures with HUD under 42 U.S.C. 1436a.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is correcting a notice published October 27, 2004 (69 FR 62639-62648). This action is taken to correct the program requirement and eligibility criteria for the location of the low-income rural community office that will be receiving the financial and technical assistance. This correction provides clarification to applicants on how to determine 80 percent of the median household income for a low-income community location. This correction also extends the application deadline date from January 25, 2005, to February 25, 2005. Accordingly, the notice published October 27, 2004 (69 FR 62639- 62648), is corrected as follows: On page 62640, in the second column, under the heading Program Requirements, number 1 should read: ``1. The recipient and beneficiary, but not the intermediary must be located in an eligible rural area. The location of the low-income rural community office that will be receiving the financial and technical assistance must be in a community with a median household income at or below, 80 percent of the State or national median household income. The applicable Rural Development State Office can assist in determining the eligibility of an area. A listing of Rural Development State Offices is included in this Notice.'' On page 62640, in the third column, under the heading Program Requirements, number 3 should read: ``3. Documentation must be submitted to verify recipient eligibility. Acceptable documentation varies depending on the type of recipient: Private nonprofit community- based housing and development organizations must provide a letter confirming its tax-exempt status from the IRS, a certificate of incorporation and good standing from the Secretary of State, or other similar and valid documentation of nonprofit status; for low-income rural community recipients, the Agency requires: (a) evidence the entity is a public body, and (b) census data verifying that the median household income of the community where the office receiving the financial and technical assistance is located is at, or below, 80 percent of the State or national median household income; for federally recognized tribes, the Agency needs the page listing their name from the current Federal Register list of tribal entities recognized and eligible for funding services (see the definition of federally recognized tribes for details on this list).'' On page 62639, in the second column, under the heading Dates paragraph should read: ``The deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. eastern time February 25, 2005. The application date and time are firm. The Agency will not consider any application received after the deadline.'' On page 62642, in the third column, under the heading Submission Dates and Times the second paragraph should read: ``The deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. eastern time on February 25, 2005. The application deadline date and hour are firm and apply to submission of the original application to the National Office in Washington, DC. The Agency will not consider any application received after the deadline. A listing of Rural Development State Offices, their addresses, telephone numbers, and person to contact is provided elsewhere in this Notice.''