Rural Housing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Rural Housing Site Loans Policies, Procedures and Authorizations.

Rural Development is further delaying the effective date of the interim rule for Rural Development Guaranteed Loans, which was published on December 17, 2008, to June 1, 2009. The interim rule establishes a unified guaranteed loan platform for the enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programs Community Facility; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Rural Energy for America Program, formerly known as Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects.

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) 2009 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2008 funding for the section 538 program was $129,090,000. For FY 2009, there are approximately $2 million in additional funds for GRRHP properties that are located in a presidentially declared disaster area. Disaster funds may be used for new construction or repair and rehabilitation. To be eligible for these disaster funds, a property must be located in a county affected by hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters occurring during 2008 for which the President declared a major disaster under Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford and Disaster and Emergency Assistance of 1974. Applicants must notify the Rural Development contact person for the respective state, as indicated in the ``Submission Address'' section of this notice, that their project is located in an eligible disaster zone and that they want the project considered for these funds. Applicants for both general program funding or disaster funds 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. 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 Agency's Instructions Web site address https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the new construction and the acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing. Also eligible is the revitalization, repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) 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), and properties involved in the Agency's multi-family preservation and revitalization program (MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with the transfer of existing direct section 515 housing, are an eligible use of guaranteed loan proceeds. In order to be considered, the transfer of direct section 515 housing and MPR projects must need repairs and undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. A Section 538 guaranteed loan used in conjunction with a section 515 transfer that includes an equity payment and that qualifies for an interest credit award, will receive interest credit according to the following schedule:

The Rural Housing Service is delaying the effective date of a direct final rule, which was published on November 4, 2008 to amend its existing income limit structure for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program.

This interim rule establishes a unified guaranteed loan platform for the enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programsCommunity Facility; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects. This interim rule eliminates the existing loan guarantee regulations for these four programs and consolidates them under a new, single part. In addition to consolidating these four programs, this interim rule incorporates provisions that will enable the Agency to better manage the risk associated with making and servicing guaranteed loans and that will reduce the cost of operating the guaranteed loan programs.

The Agency is revising its existing regulation governing Rural Rental Housing loans and grants. This action is necessary to provide editorial corrections to 7 CFR Part 3560, subpart N, ``Housing Preservation.'' The intended effect is to ensure the Agency's field offices have correct guidance on processing prepayment requests.

Rural Development, a mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proposing a unified grant platform for enhanced delivery of eight existing Rural Development grant programsCommunity Facility; Distance Learning and Telemedicine; Economic Impact Initiatives; Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects; Rural Cooperative Development; Tribal College; Value-Added Producer; and Water and Waste Disposal Facilities. This proposed rule would eliminate or revise the grant regulations for the eight existing programs and consolidate them under a new, single regulation.

The Rural Housing Service of 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 demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the preservation and revitalization of low-income Multi- Family Housing (MFH). 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.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending a notice published April 21, 2008 (73 FR 21305-21307). This action is taken to extend the application obligation date of eligible applications. This amendment is to ensure that all applications that meet program criteria and have responded accordingly will be considered in the Demonstration Program. Accordingly, the Notice published on April 21, 2008 (73 FR 21305- 21307), is amended as follows: On page 21306, in the second column, second paragraph, under the heading ``Demonstration Program Selection Process,'' the second paragraph is amended to read as follows: ``The first round of selections into the Demonstration Program will be made on April 25, 2008. In the event there are not enough qualified requests for selection into the Demonstration Program to utilize all the available Demonstration Program set-aside funds of approximately $13 million, then the selection process for any remaining funds will be conducted again on July 11, 2008. If needed, an additional selection process will be conducted again on September 29, 2008. All applicants will be notified of the selection results no later than 30 business days from the date of selection.''

On March 13, 2006 (71 FR 12671-74), a notice was published regarding the availability of hurricane disaster assistance that expanded the rural area definition for USDA Rural Development's housing programs. USDA Rural Development's housing programs are governed by the Housing Act of 1949, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1471, et seq.)(Act). Section 541 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1490q), which only applies to USDA Rural Development's housing programs, provided the authority to waive rural area requirements in Sec. 520 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1490) subsequent to a natural disaster. This waiver authority applied with respect to assistance under Sec. 541. The Secretary could allocate appropriated disaster funds under Sec. 541(a) for each fiscal year during the 3-year period beginning on the declaration of the disaster by the President. Notice is hereby given that the expanded rural area definition (which increased the population limits to 75,000) under the March 13, 2006 notice will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, September 30, 2008, for areas covered under the Hurricane Katrina or Rita declarations. Financial assistance in these expanded communities must be obligated by the above-mentioned dates. Financial disaster assistance will continue in areas meeting the rural area definition of Sec. 520 of the Act until such appropriations are expended.

Through this Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA), in conjunction with the GRRHP 2007 Notice, published February 26, 2007, Volume 72 FR, 8339-8346 and the GRRHP 2008 Notice, published February 4, 2008, Volume 73 FR, 6469-6477, the Agency announces the implementation of a demonstration program under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 and 7 CFR 3565.17 demonstration programs. The Demonstration Program's purpose is to test the viability and efficacy of the concept of a continuous loan note guarantee through the construction and permanent loan financing phases of a project. Those applications that meet the Demonstration Program's qualifying criteria and are selected to participate will be offered one loan note guarantee upon closing of the construction loan that will be in effect throughout both of the project's construction and permanent phases without interruption. The funding for the Demonstration Program will be approximately 10 percent of the FY 2008 appropriation. 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 wishing to have their FY 2008 obligations considered for the Demonstration Program must send a signed request on its letterhead with the proposed project details as outlined in the ``Demonstration Program Response Submission Address'' section of this Notice.

The Rural Housing Service, hereinafter referred to as Housing and Community Facilities Programs (HCFP), announces the availability of housing funds for fiscal year (FY) 2008. This action is taken to comply with 42 U.S.C. 1490p, which requires that HCFP publish in the Federal Register notice of the availability of any housing assistance.

This rule sets forth the regulation changes for the Community Facilities Grant program, which is available to rural communities impacted by a Presidentially declared disaster. The rule establishes the requirements to qualify for additional funding. This rule is being issued on an emergency basis due to the severe economic and social conditions caused by disasters, which occur every year in rural America. In order to prepare for these disasters, this rule is being published before the Spring/Summer disasters strike. This will allow USDA to target limited funds to the most devastated communities/counties in rural areas. The revisions will allow USDA to increase potential funding for several essential community facilities in rural communities already designated as a Presidential disaster area.

USDA Rural Development which administers the programs of the Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications to participate in a demonstration program to preserve and revitalize existing rural rental housing projects financed by Rural Development under Section 515, Section 514, and Section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended. The intended effect is to restructure selected existing Section 515 multi-family housing loans and Section 514 and 516 off-farm labor housing loans and grants expressly for the purpose of ensuring that sufficient resources are available to preserve the rental project for the purpose of providing safe and affordable housing for very low-, low-, or moderate-income residents. Expectations are that properties participating in this program will be revitalized and the affordable use extended without displacing tenants because of increased rents. No additional Rural Development rental assistance units will be made available under this program.

The Rural Housing Service published a document in the Federal Register on February 20, 2008, announcing that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant program. The listing for the Rural Development Oregon State Office address was incorrectly identified in the notice.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within Rural Development, 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, which may include, but not be limited to, faith-based and community 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 preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

This Notice announces the availability of $6,255,900 of competitive grant funds for the RCDI program through the Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within the USDA Rural Development mission area 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.

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) 2008 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2008 funding for the section 538 program is $129,090,000. 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. 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 Agency's Instructions Web site address https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the new construction of affordable rural rental housing, the acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing, the revitalization, repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) 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), and properties involved in the Agency's multi-family preservation and revitalization program (MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with the transfer of existing direct section 515 housing, are an eligible use of loan proceeds. In order to be considered, direct section 515 housing and MPR projects must need repairs and undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. 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 Notice of request for proposals, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. However, submitting a complete application will not have an effect on the respondent's score.

This RFP announces an availability of funds and the timeframe to submit proposals for Farm Labor Housing Technical Assistance (FLH- TA) grants. USDA Rural Development administers the programs of the Rural Housing Service. Section 516(i) of the Housing Act of 1949 as amended, authorizes the Rural Development to provide financial assistance (grants) to eligible private and public nonprofit agencies, which includes faith-based organizations, and to encourage the development of domestic and migrant farm labor housing projects. This RFP solicits proposals from qualified private and public nonprofit agencies on how they will 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 applications for farm labor housing loans and grants under the section 514 and 516 programs.

This Final Rule implements a change in the regulations for the Rural Housing Service (RHS) 502 Direct Single Family Housing Loans by amending the formula that calculates payment assistance for which a borrower qualifies. This action is being taken to improve the distribution of program benefits, simplify the application process and improve customer service. This Final Rule follows the publication of the Proposed Rule on February 17, 2006, and takes into consideration the public comments received in response to the Proposed Rule.

The Rural Housing Service (Agency) is amending its regulations to be consistent with other Federal agencies. The current thermal standards for existing single family housing can impose an unnecessary financial burden on the borrower and are not always cost-effective. Removing the thermal standards for existing single family housing will provide consistency with HUD. This change will not affect the thermal standards for new construction; such requirements are generally prescribed by adopted building and model energy codes. Construction materials and building techniques have improved tremendously during the last thirty years, creating many alternatives to achieve thermally efficient homes. Removing the Agency's imposed thermal standards for existing single family housing will give a borrower the opportunity to allocate money towards other improvements which may result in higher cost savings. The rule will not result in any increase in costs or prices to consumers; non-profit organizations; businesses; Federal, State, or local government agencies; or geographic regions.

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 of the Agency's use of supervised bank accounts (SBA).

Rural Development, a mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proposing a unified guaranteed loan platform for enhanced delivery of four existing Rural Development guaranteed loan programsCommunity Facility; Water and Waste Disposal; Business and Industry; and Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects. This proposed rule would eliminate the existing loan guarantee regulations for these four programs and consolidate them under a new, single part. In addition to consolidating these four programs, the proposed rulemaking incorporates provisions that will enable the Agency to better manage the risk associated with making and servicing guaranteed loans and that will reduce the cost of operating the guaranteed loan programs. Such provisions include incorporating specific project eligibility criteria, revisions to the requirements for lenders to participate in the programs, allowing approved lenders to become preferred lenders, and allowing guaranteed loan applications to be submitted with less documentation accompanying the application under certain conditions.

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 3560, Direct Multi-Family Housing Loans and Grants.

The Rural Housing Service published a document in the Federal Register on July 17, 2007, requesting proposals for housing demonstration program for agriculture, aquaculture, and seafood processing and/or fishery workers grant funds. The deadline date for the submission of applications was inadvertently omitted from the notice.