Department of Housing and Urban Development 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) is a processing system introduced in 2000 as a pilot program to facilitate the accelerated processing of loan applications for FHA multifamily mortgage insurance, which generally involve the refinance, purchase, new construction, or rehabilitation of multifamily properties. These transactions are costly, complicated, and time-consuming to process. Prior to MAP, HUD field offices were encouraged to develop and test individual fast-track processing systems for use by qualified FHA- approved lenders that were experienced in processing loan applications for multifamily mortgages. The intent was to considerably reduce the processing time of applications. These test procedures included providing qualified lenders with the option of preparing FHA forms and undertaking preliminary underwriting for certain types of loan applications. Fast-track processing procedures developed by individual HUD offices that facilitated processing applications without sacrificing quality or increasing risk were consolidated into a national test of fast-track style processing of multifamily mortgage insurance applications under the name ``MAP.'' MAP has been administered to date through direct instructions to FHA-approved lenders under a MAP Guide. Given its experience to date with MAP, HUD believes the MAP accelerated processing procedures have been successful. To ensure the continued quality and efficiency of MAP procedures, HUD is codifying in regulations key provisions of MAP and introducing new provisions to strengthen MAP, to assure the integrity and competency of FHA-approved lenders as directed by the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The Department's collection of this information is in compliance with statutory provisions of the Cranston Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 that requires participating jurisdictions to submit a Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (Section 105(b)); the 1974 Housing and Community Development Act, as amended, that requires states and localities to submit a Community Development Plan (Section 104(b)(4) and Section 104(m)); and statutory provisions of these Acts that requires states and localities to submit applications and reports for these formula grant programs. The information is needed to provide HUD with preliminary assessment as to the statutory and regulatory eligibility of proposed grantee projects and for informing citizens of intended uses of program funds.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The PHA Plan is a comprehensive guide to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. The PHA Plan informs HUD, residents, and the public of the PHA's mission for serving the needs of low, very low-income, and extremely low-income families and its strategy for addressing those needs. This data allows HUD to monitor the performance of programs and the performance of public housing agencies that administer the programs. The PHA Plan is being revised to address, clarify and provide additional guidance on the submission requirements for qualified and nonqualified PHAs, as well as to address previous public comments. Section 2702 of Title VIISmall Public Housing Authorities Paperwork Reduction Act, of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008 amends section 5A(b) of the 1937 Act by establishing ``qualified public housing agencies,'' a category of PHAs with less than 550 public housing units and tenant-based vouchers combined that are provided substantial paperwork relief, primarily with respect to the PHA Annual Plan requirements in section 5(A)(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937. The paperwork relief exempts qualified PHAs from the requirement to prepare and submit an annual PHA plan to HUD for review. This Act impacts approximately seventy-four percent, or 2,994 of the 4,053 PHAs that are required to submit an annual PHA plan. In addition to the exemption from submitting annual plans for qualified agencies, because of the different annual plan submission requirements of agencies that are considered standard, high-performer, Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) only, small, and troubled within 24 CFR part 903, the existing approved forms were determined to be incompatible with the program requirements. Therefore, some previously approved forms have been separated into new forms that will be completed by different classes of PHAs. These changes also reflect recommendations made by the public in a previous information collection. Specifically, this information collection revises previously approved OMB forms HUD-50077- SL and HUD-50077-CR; adds Certifications of Compliance with PHA Plans and Related Regulations (form HUD-50077-SM-HP and HUD-50077-ST-HCV) formerly appearing on form HUD 50077 as separate documents; deletes approved OMB form HUD-50075, and replaces that form with five new forms (form HUD-50075-5Y, HUD-50075-ST, HUD-50075-SM-HP, HUD-50075-HCV, and HUD-50075-QA). Qualified PHAs no longer submit information on discretionary programs (demolition or disposition, HOPE VI, Project- based vouchers, required or voluntary conversion, homeownership, or capital improvements, etc.) as part of an Annual PHA Plan submission. However, Qualified PHAs that intend to implement these activities are still subject to the full application and approval processes that exist for demolition or disposition, designated housing, conversion, homeownership, and other special application processes that will no longer be tied to prior authorization in an Annual PHA Plan for a Qualified PHA. All PHAs, including the PHAs identified as Qualified PHAs under HERA, must continue to submit any demolition or disposition, public housing conversion, homeownership, or other special applications as applicable to HUD's Special Applications Center (SAC) in Chicago for review and approval or to HUD Headquarters for CFFP proposals. It is expected that Qualified PHAs, as a matter of good business practice, continue to keep their residents, the general public, and the local HUD office apprised of any plans to initiate these types of programs and activities.

In accordance with HUD regulations, this notice announces changes of the mortgage insurance premiums (MIPs) for certain Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Multifamily Housing, Health Care Facilities, and Hospital Mortgage Insurance programs for commitments to be issued or reissued in FY 2013. The MIP for market-rate New Construction/Substantial Rehabilitation loans under Sections 207, 213, 220, 221(d)(4), 231, 232, and 242 is proposed to increase by 20 basis points and 223(a)(7) loans by 5 basis points; with a 15 basis point increase for all other market-rate multifamily housing, health care facility, and hospital loans. The increases will not apply to Low Income Housing Tax Credit Loans, other affordable housing loans for HUD-assisted properties, or loans insured under FHA's Risk Sharing programs. These MIP increases will not only provide additional protection for the GI/SRI fund and increase receipts to the Treasury, but will also encourage private lending to return to the market by ensuring FHA is not under-pricing its risk. In addition to announcing MIPs for FY 2013, this notice also announces that a positive credit subsidy obligation will not be required in FY 2013 for loans under any of the active mortgage insurance programs for multifamily housing or health care facilities.

In accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-05, approved February 17, 2009) (Recovery Act), and implementing guidance of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), this notice advises that certain exceptions to the Buy American requirement of the Recovery Act have been determined applicable for work using Capital Fund Recovery Formula and Competition (CFRFC) grant funds. Specifically, an exception was granted to the Wilmington Housing Authority for the purchase and installation of condensing tankless water heaters for the Southbridge project.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. Section 15.203 of HUD's regulations in 24 CFR specify the manner in which demands for documents and testimony from the Department should be made. Providing the information specified in 24 CFR 15.203 allows the Department to more promptly identify documents and testimony which a requestor may be seeking and determine whether the Department will be able to produce such documents and testimony.

In accordance with Section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department in competitions for funding under the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Grant Program Notices of Funding Availability. This announcement contains the name and address of the award recipients and the amounts of award awarded under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 and prior-year appropriations.

In accordance with Section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department in competitions for funding under the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Grant Program Notices of Funding Availability. This announcement contains the name and address of the award recipients and the amounts of award awarded under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2011 and prior-year appropriations.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

This proposed rule would amend HUD's regulations governing portability in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Portability is a feature of the HCV program that allows an eligible family with a housing choice voucher to use that voucher to lease a unit anywhere in the United States where there is a public housing agency (PHA) operating an HCV program. The purpose of HUD's proposed changes to the portability regulations is to clarify requirements already established in the existing regulations and improve the process involved with processing portability requests to enable PHAs to better serve families and expand housing opportunities. It is HUD's intent to increase administrative efficiencies by eliminating confusing and obscure regulatory language in areas that are known to be troublesome. This proposed rule attempts to balances the needs and interests of PHAs while increasing family choice.

On March 09, 2012, at 77 FR 14411, HUD published a notice announcing HUD's suitable and unsuitable properties. The New York property (41201210003) was published as unsuitable in error. The correct suitability determination was published on February 17, 2012, at 77 FR 9681, as suitable/available with an ``off-site removal'' requirement. The incorrect listing is below:

This notice establishes the policies and procedures for the administration of tenant-based Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program administered by public housing agencies (PHAs) that partner with local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. This notice provides new and clarifying guidance regarding certain types of verification documentation, addition of family members after the veteran is a participant in the HCV program, termination of assistance, portability moves within the same catchment area where both PHAs have received HUD-VASH vouchers, portability moves when case management is no longer required, reallocation of HUD-VASH vouchers, and Housing Quality Standards (HQS) initial inspections.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The Single Family Premium Collection Subsystem-Periodic (SFPCS-P) allows the lenders to remit the Periodic Mortgage Insurance Premiums using funds obtained from the mortgagor during the collection of the monthly mortgage payment. The SFPCS-P strengthens HUD's ability to manage and process periodic single-family mortgage insurance premium collections and corrections to submitted data. It also improves data integrity for the Single Family Mortgage Insurance Program. Therefore, the FHA approved lenders use Automated Clearing House (ACH) application for all transmissions with SFPCS-P. The authority for this collection of information is specified in 24 CFR 203.264 and 24 CFR 203.269. In general, the lenders use the ACH application to remit the periodic premium payments through SFPCS-P for the required FHA insured cases and to comply with the Credit Reform Act.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The 1998 Public Housing Reform Act allowed the Mixed-Finance development of public housing units. This meant that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) could create public housing projects using public housing grant or capital funds and non-HUD sources of funds, subject to HUD's approval. This Information Collection pertains to the information that HUD collects to perform due diligence in order to approve the mixed-finance development of public housing prior to a financial closing and the start of construction or rehabilitation activities. Applicants describe ownership, the type, size, and number of units, construction schedule, construction and permanent financing, property management, how public housing operating subsidy will be provided to the project and other operation plans. New developments may be made up of a variety of housing types: rental, homeownership, private, subsidized, and public housing. These new communities are built for residents with a wide range of incomes, and are designed to fit into the surrounding community.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for use to assist the homeless.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), seeks comments on the proposed amendments to HUD's Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct, which are regulations for HUD officers and employees that supplement the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (Standards) issued by OGE. To ensure a comprehensive and effective ethics program at HUD, and to address ethical issues unique to HUD, the proposed rule reflects statutory changes that were enacted subsequent to the promulgation of HUD's Supplemental Standards of Conduct regulation in 1996; significantly, the transfer of general regulatory authority over the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation from HUD to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In addition, the proposed rule revises definitions used in HUD's Supplemental Standards of Conduct to reflect updated titles and positions and clarifies existing prohibitions on certain financial interests and outside employment to better guide employee conduct, while upholding the integrity of HUD in the administration of its programs.

In accordance with Section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department for funding under the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) HCV-FSS program for FY 2011. This announcement contains the consolidated names and addresses of those award recipients selected for funding based on the funding priority categories established in the NOFA.

In accordance with Section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department for funding under the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Public and Indian Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program under the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (PH-FSS) Program for FY 2011. This announcement contains the consolidated names and addresses of those award recipients selected for funding based on the funding priority categories established in the NOFA.

In accordance with Section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department for funding under the FY 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities. This announcement contains the consolidated names and addresses of those award recipients selected for funding based on the funding criteria established in the NOFA.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for use to assist the homeless.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

On February 23, 2012 (77 FR 10695), HUD published a request for comments on its proposal to reduce the amount of closing costs a seller may pay on behalf of a homebuyer purchasing a home with financing insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The document inadvertently omitted the ADDRESSES advising interested members of the public how to submit comments. This document corrects the omission.