Rural Housing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), an agency within Rural Development (RD), announces updates in the process for competitive lender application submissions regarding proposed properties for the Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). The amount of program dollars available for the GRRHP will be determined by the Appropriations Act for each fiscal year.

On September 30, 2024, Rural Development's Rural Business- Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule with comment for the OneRD Guarantee Loan Program (OneRD). The final rule made necessary revisions to the policy and procedures that strengthened the oversight and management of the growing Community Facilities, Water and Waste Disposal, Business and Industry, and Rural Energy for America guarantee portfolios. The final rule had a misspelled subject heading in the preamble. The final rule also contained information in an instruction that was not ultimately in the final rule, an incomplete definition of affiliate, and a misstatement regarding protective advances. This document corrects the final regulation.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing the extension of a pilot program with updates for simple transfers of USDA Section 514 Farm Labor Housing & 515 Rural Rental Housing properties through December 9, 2025. The Agency's intention is to evaluate the existing regulations and remove regulatory barriers to reduce application requirements for certain types of transfers, resulting in lower transaction-related costs for applicants and improved processing times.

Rural Development (RD), a mission area within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces its adoption of seven Categorical Exclusions (CEs) from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to use in RD programs and funding opportunities. This notice describes the categories of proposed actions for which RD intends to use the DOE CEs and describes the consultation between the agencies.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency(ies) to request Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a an extension of a currently approved information collection in support of compliance with Civil Rights laws.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to amend the current regulation for the Multifamily Housing (MFH) Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). The intent of this proposed rule is to codify the restrictive use language within the GRRHP regulation to clarify that a separate deed restriction must be recorded. This change will allow the Agency to maintain and preserve affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households.

On September 27, 2024, Rural Development's Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), an Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a notice of funds availability (NOFA). The NOFA announced that the Agency is inviting applications for the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR) and section 515 Loan Program. The NOFA contains erroneous information about applicable dates. This document corrects the erroneous dates.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, announces that it is inviting applications for the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR) and Section 515 Loan Program. These loan and grant funds will be made available to qualified applicants which may be used to preserve and improve existing Rural Rental Housing (RRH) and Off-Farm Labor Housing (OFF-FLH) projects to extend their affordable use.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to amend the current Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) regulation to change the requirements for the length of time a prior Agency loss is considered significant derogatory credit and address seasoning requirements and payment performance for refinance transactions. This proposed rule intends to establish a seven-year time frame for the applicant to re-establish credit after a prior loss claim with the Agency before that loss would no longer be considered significant derogatory credit. This proposed rule also intends to clarify the seasoning requirements and expected payment history requirements for all three refinance submission types within the SFHGLP and identify when applicants are eligible to refinance their current mortgage.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the USDA, announces the availability of funding for Multifamily Housing Nonprofit Transfer Technical Assistance (MFH NP TA) Grants and Farm Labor Housing Technical Assistance (FLH TA) Grants. This funding is available for eligible technical assistance (TA) providers seeking grants to provide technical assistance services to qualified applicants.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency) announces its intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

Rural Development (RD), a mission area within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces its intention to adopt three Categorical Exclusions (CEs) from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to use in RD programs and funding opportunities. This notice describes the categories of proposed actions for which RD intends to use the DOE CEs and describes the consultation between the agencies.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this document for a demonstration program that will establish a new loss mitigation retention option, referred to as the Payment Supplement Account (PSA). The Agency's intention of this demonstration program is to assist borrowers who have experienced a documented hardship that led to an involuntary inability to pay their mortgage obligation, require payment reduction to resume making a monthly payment, and currently have a below market interest rate. This document briefly discusses a special servicing option for servicers to utilize to continue assisting struggling borrowers who seek loss mitigation alternatives, regardless of the nature of their hardship.

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 Community Facility Loans.

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 Fire and Rescue Loans.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), agencies of the Rural Development mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency, offer loan guarantees through four programs: Community Facilities (CF) administered by the RHS; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) administered by the RUS; and Business and Industry (B&I) and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) administered by the RBCS. This notice provides applicants with the Guarantee Fee rates, Guarantee percentage for Guaranteed Loans, the Periodic Retention Fee, and Fee for Issuance of the Loan Note Guarantee Prior to Construction Completion for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. These fees are to be used when applying for loan note guarantees under the guaranteed loan types listed above during FY2025. This notice is being published prior to the passage of a FY 2025 appropriation. Should the fees need to be adjusted after passage of the FY 2025 appropriations, the agency will publish a subsequent notice in the Federal Register.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) mission area agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the availability of $12.2 million in funding for the Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2024, which includes approximately $2.2 million that will be made available for disaster assistance. The funds are available to eligible sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of housing owned or occupied by low- and very-low-income rural citizens under the HPG Program. This notice announces the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds, including the availability of calendar year 2022 disaster assistance, from eligible applicants, as well as submission requirements. Expenses incurred in developing preapplications will be at the applicant's cost.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is providing notification that due to funding constraints it is rescinding one of the waivers being tested under the Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants in a Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas (PDDAs) pilot program, as published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2023.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network (RPN) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program to provide authorized activities in Puerto Rico areas affected by a disaster declared by the President or the Secretary of Agriculture. 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 that will support the community. The maximum grant award amount available to an intermediary is $250,000. The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, created the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF) and the Secretary of Agriculture has authorized $1,000,000 of DAF funds to be utilized in Puerto Rico for the RCDI program for the purposes described in this NOFA.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies that comprise the Rural Development Mission Area within the United States Department of Agriculture, published a notice of solicitation of applications in the Federal Register on February 13, 2024, entitled "Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Strategic Economic and Community Development Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024." The NOSA provides requirements to applicants submitting applications for Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) points through Secretary of Agriculture designated covered programs. Based on funding availability guidance published in the NOSA, this Correction Notice is issued to clarify that Community Facilities Grant Program funds will not be reserved for SECD in FY 2024. This Correction Notice also clarifies that approved USDA Rural Partners Network (RPN) networks are considered multi-jurisdictional entities for purposes of SECD and that community and economic development plans created in association with an RPN network will be accepted as plans under SECD.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service (RBCS, RHS, RUS, or collectively referred to as the Agency), of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this final rule to update the data it uses to determine a State's percentage of national nonmetropolitan unemployment income. The Agency is amending two regulations to correct the source for the data and provide transparency on its process of determining state funding allocations for various Agency programs.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces that it is soliciting competitive pre-applications for Section 514 Off-Farm Labor Housing (Off-FLH) loans and Section 516 Off- FLH grants for the construction of new Off-FLH units for domestic farm laborers, retired domestic farm laborers, or disabled domestic farm laborers. The program objective is to increase the supply of affordable housing for farm laborers. This Notice describes the method used to distribute funds, the pre-application and final application process, and submission requirements.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations for the Multi-Family Housing Direct Loans and Grants Programs to require that Section 515, 514, and 516 Multi-Family Housing program borrowers provide tenants with written notification a minimum of 30 days prior to a lease termination or eviction action for nonpayment of rent, as statutorily required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, (CARES Act). The ``30-day notice'' requirement applies regardless of the existence of a presidentially declared national emergency or the availability of emergency rental assistance funds. This rule will require this notice to include instructions on how a tenant can cure the nonpayment to avoid eviction, and how to recertify household income. This final rule also adds that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) may require MFH Section 515 and 514 borrowers and Section 516 grantees to issue information as provided by the Secretary during a presidential declaration of a public health emergency.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is amending the current regulation for the Multifamily Family Housing (MFH) Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). This final rule will align the current criteria of priority projects with the Housing Act of 1949 while improving the customer experience with more timely and proactive responses to housing market demands and Administration priorities.