Rural Housing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') is amending several regulations, which make reference to RD Instruction 1940-J, Intergovernmental Review.'' This action is necessary since the affected regulations refer to RD Instruction 1940-J, which is being rewritten and replaced by RD Instruction 1970-I. The intended effect is to simplify and update the regulations and to ensure the Department's field offices have current guidance on intergovernmental review of proposed projects being reviewed pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

The United States Department of Agricultural (USDA), Rural Housing Service (RHS) proposes a change to its Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) regulation. The proposed action is taken to implement authorities granted the Secretary of the USDA, in Sec. 102 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-212, July 29, 2010) to collect from the lender an annual fee not to exceed 0.5 percent of the outstanding principal balance of the loan for the life of the loan. The intent of the annual fee is to make the SFHGLP subsidy neutral when used in conjunction with the one-time guarantee fee, thus eliminating the need for taxpayer support of the program. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, an annual fee of 0.3 percent of the outstanding principal balance will be required in order that the SFHGLP may maintain subsidy neutrality. Beginning with all loans obligated on or after October 1, 2011, RHS proposes to charge an annual fee of 0.3 percent of the outstanding principal balance of the loan for the life of the loan.

The Rural Housing Service of Rural Development previously announced the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications for loans to private non-profit organizations, and State and local housing finance agencies, to carry out a demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the preservation and revitalization of low-income Multi-Family Housing (MFH) in a Notice published November 9, 2010 (75 FR 68748). Rural Development did not receive sufficient applications to use all available funds. As a result, Rural Development is soliciting additional applications under this Notice. Housing that is assisted by this demonstration program must be financed by Rural Development through its MFH loan program under Sections 515, 514 and 516 of the Housing Act of 1949. The goals of this demonstration program will be achieved through loans made to intermediaries. The intermediaries will establish their programs for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for the preservation and revitalization of low income Sections 515, 514 and 516 MFH as affordable housing.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service (RHS), the Rural Business- Cooperative Service (RBS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of compliance with Civil Rights laws.

This notice announces the timeframe to submit pre-applications

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants a project waiver of the Buy American Requirements [manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] of ARRA, to Haywood County, North Carolina, (County) for the purchase of foreign- manufactured Heating,Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment for an adaptive reuse renovation project for the Haywood County Department of Social Services. This is a project-specific waiver under section 1605(b)(2) of ARRA. This waiver only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA project being proposed. Any other ARRA recipient that wishes to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on project-specific circumstances. The County-proposed HVAC improvements were selected to address the unique conditions presented by the existing building. Based upon information submitted by the County and its consultants, it was determined that the HVAC equipment that will meet the County's design and performance specifications is manufactured only by Daikin of Japan and Thailand. This determination is based on the review and recommendations of the Rural Development Buy American Coordinator. The County, through its design engineer, has provided sufficient documentation to support its request. The Under Secretary for Rural Development has concurred in this decision to waive section 1605 of ARRA. This action permits the purchase of a Daikin VRV III HVAC unit. This unit addresses the operational requirements to heat and cool simultaneously, perform very efficiently, and is compatible and adaptable to the space restrictions created by the existing facility.

This is a request for proposals for guaranteed loans under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The Department of Defense and Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (Pub. L. 112-20) (April 15, 2011) appropriated approximately $31,000,000 to the Agency for FY 2011 funding for the section 538 program. The commitment of program dollars will be made first to approved and complete applications from prior years NOFA, then to applicants of selected responses in the order they are ranked under this NOFA 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. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for new construction and acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing. The Agency 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 NOFA, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. Submitting a complete application will not have any effect on the respondent's NOFA response score.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the above-named Agencies to request an extension for the currently approved information collection in support of the servicing of Community and Direct Business Programs Loans and Grants.

The United States Department of Agriculture (``USDA'') grants a project waiver of the Buy American Requirements [manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] of ARRA to Drew County, Arkansas, (``County'') for the purchase of foreign manufactured Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment for a hospital renovation and expansion project. This is a project specific waiver under section 1605 (b)(2) of ARRA. This waiver only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA project being proposed. Any other ARRA recipient that wishes to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on project specific circumstances. The County- proposed HVAC improvements were selected to address the unique conditions presented by the existing building. Based upon information submitted by the County and its consultants, it was determined that the HVAC equipment that will meet the County's design and performance specifications is manufactured only by Daikin and SkyAir of Japan and Thailand, respectively. This determination is based on the review and recommendations of the Rural Development Buy American Coordinator. The County, through its design engineer, has provided sufficient documentation to support its request. The Under Secretary for Rural Development has concurred in this decision to waive Section 1605 of ARRA. This action permits the purchase of a Daikin RXS/FTXS (wall mounted indoor unit) HVAC unit and SkyAir FCQ/RZQ (cassette-style, ceiling mounted indoor unit). These units address the operational requirement to heat and cool simultaneously, perform very efficiently, and are compatible and adaptable to the space restrictions created by the existing facility.

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) (an agency within the Rural Development mission area) is amending its regulations to add an additional form of guarantee that is now available under its Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program. A single, continuous guarantee during the construction phase for construction advances and the permanent financing phase of the project (for loans that meet certain criteria) will now be provided in addition to the two existing forms of guarantees under the program. This action is taken to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and effectiveness in managing the program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS's) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of 7 CFR part 3560, Direct Multi-Family Housing Loans and Grants.

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 Technical and Supervisory Assistance (TSA) grants.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending its regulations to add new servicing options to the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) that lenders may utilize while still maintaining the SFHGLP loan guarantee. The Agency will allow lenders to extend loans for a term of up to 40 years from the date of modification. The Agency also will allow lenders to advance funds on behalf of borrowers in amounts necessary to bring defaulted loans current, up to 30 percent of the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Upon request, RHS will reimburse the lender for eligible advances. The intended effect is to reduce mortgage foreclosures among SFHGLP borrowers and help stabilize the national housing market. This amendment is being issued as a final rule pursuant to section 101(c)(1) of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, which authorizes RHS to promulgate this rule without regard to the notice and comment provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553 or the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of Agriculture effective July 24, 1971 (36 FR 13804) relating to notices of proposed rulemaking and public participation in rulemaking.

The United States Department of Agriculture (``USDA'') grants a project waiver of the Buy American Requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (``ARRA''), to Custer County, South Dakota (``County'') for the purchase of foreign manufactured Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (``HVAC'') equipment for a Courthouse renovation and expansion project because the necessary manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality. This action permits the purchase of a Daikin VRV III HVAC unit and Tempeff Dual Core Technology unit of Japan and Canada respectively. These units

The Rural Housing published a document in the Federal Register of June 16, 2010, concerning the extension of a currently approved information collection. The document contained incorrect information.

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.