struction of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for such individuals and their families, subject to the following limitations: (A) there is reasonable assurance of repayment of the loan;

(B) the amount of the loan, together with other funds which may be available, is adequate to achieve the purpose for which the loan is made;

(C) the credit assistance is not otherwise available on like terms or conditions from private sources or through other Federal, State, or local programs;

(D) the loan bears interest at a rate not to exceed 3 per centum per annum on the unpaid balance of principal, plus such additional charge, if any, toward covering other costs of the loan program as the Secretary may determine to be consistent with its purposes; and

(E) the loan is repayable within not more than thirtythree years.

(c) In determining whether to extend financial assistance under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b), the Secretary shall take into consideration, among other factors, the suitability of the area within which construction will be carried out to the type of dwelling which can be provided under mutual or self-help housing programs, the extent to which the assistance will facilitate the provision of more decent, safe, and sanitary housing conditions than presently exist in the area, the extent to which the assistance will be utilized efficiently and expeditiously, the extent to which the assistance will effect an increase in the standard of living of lowincome individuals participating in the mutual or self-help housing program, and whether the assistance will fulfill a need in the area which is not otherwise being met through other programs, including those carried out by other Federal, State, or local agencies. (d) As used in this section, the term "construction" includes the erection of new dwellings, and the rehabilitation, alteration, conversion, or improvement of existing structures.

(e) The Secretary is authorized to establish appropriate criteria and procedures in order to determine the eligibility of applicants for the financial assistance provided under this section, including criteria and procedures with respect to the periodic review of any construction carried out with such financial assistance.

(f) No grant or loan may be made or contract entered into under the authority of this section after September 30, 1985, except pursuant to a commitment or other obligation entered into pursuant to this section before that date.

(g) Amounts appropriated under this subsection, together with principal collections from loans made under appropriations in any previous fiscal years, shall be deposited in the Self-Help Housing Land Development Fund, which shall be available, to the extent approved in appropriation Acts, as a revolving fund for making loans under subsection (b)(1)(B); except that not more than $5,000,000 may be made available during fiscal year 1985. Instruments and property acquired by the Secretary in or as a result of making such loans shall be assets of the Self-Help Housing Land Development Fund.

(h) The Secretary shall issue rules and regulations for the orderly processing and review of applications under this section and rules and regulations protecting the rights of grantees under this section in the event he determines to end grant assistance prior to the termination date of any grant agreement.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SITES FOR RURAL HOUSING FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES

SEC. 524. (a) The Secretary may make loans, on such terms and conditions and in such amounts he deems necessary, to public or private nonprofit organizations and to Indian tribes for the acquisition and development of land as building sites to be subdivided and sold to families, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and cooperatives eligible for assistance under any section of this title or under any other law which provides financial assistance for housing low- and moderate-income families. Such a loan shall bear interest at a rate prescribed by the Secretary taking into consideration a rate determined annually by the Secretary of the Treasury as the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the average maturities of such loans, adjusted to the nearest one-eighth of 1 per centum, and shall be repaid within a period not to exceed two years from the making of the loan or within such additional period as may be authorized by the Secretary in any case as being necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(b) In determining whether to extend financial assistance under this section, the Secretary shall take into consideration, among other factors, (1) the suitability of the area to the types of dwellings which can feasibly be provided, and (2) the extent to which the assistance will (i) facilitate providing needed decent, safe, and sanitary housing, (ii) be utilized efficiently and expeditiously, and (iii) fulfill a need in the area which is not otherwise being met through other programs, including those being carried out by other Federal, State, or local agencies.

PROGRAMS OF TECHNICAL AND SUPERVISORY ASSISTANCE FOR LOW

INCOME FAMILIES

SEC. 525. (a) The Secretary may make grants to or enter into contracts with public or private nonprofit corporations, agencies, institutions, organizations, Indian tribes, and other associations approved by him, to pay part or all of the cost of developing, conducting, administering or coordinating effective and comprehensive programs of technical and supervisory assistance which will aid needy low-income individuals and families in benefiting from Federal, State, and local housing programs in rural areas. In processing applications for such grants or contracts made by private nonprofit corporations, agencies, institutions, organizations, and other associations, the Secretary shall give preference to those which are sponsored (including assistance to the applicant in processing the application, implementing the technical assistance program, and carrying out the obligations of the grant or contract) by a State, county, municipality, or other governmental entity or public body.

(b) The Secretary is authorized to make loans to public or private nonprofit corporations, agencies, institutions, organizations, Indian tribes, and other associations approved by him for the necessary expenses, prior to construction, of planning, and obtaining financing for, the rehabilitation or construction of housing for low-income individuals or families under any Federal, State, or local housing program which is or could be used in rural areas. Such loans shall be made without interest and shall be for the reasonable costs expected to be incurred in planning, and in obtaining financing for, such housing prior to the availability of financing, including but not limited to preliminary surveys and analyses of market needs, preliminary site engineering and architectural fees, and construction loan fees and discounts. The Secretary shall require repayment of loans made under this subsection, under such terms and conditions as he may require, upon completion of the housing or

sooner.

(c) [Repealed.]

(d) All funds appropriated for the purpose of subsection (b) shall be deposited in a fund which shall be known as the low-income sponsor fund, and which shall be available without fiscal year limitation and be administered by the Secretary as a revolving fund for carrying out the purposes of that subsection. Sums received in repayment of loans made under subsection (b) shall be deposited in such fund.

CONDOMINIUM HOUSING

SEC. 526. (a) The Secretary is authorized, and upon such terms and conditions (substantially identical insofar as may be feasible with those specified in section 502) as he may prescribe, to make loans to persons and families of low or moderate income, and to insure and make commitments to insure loans made to persons and families of low or moderate income, to assist them in purchasing dwelling units in condominiums located in rural areas.

(b) Any loan made or insured under subsection (a) shall cover a one-family dwelling unit in a condominium, and shall be subject to such provisions as the Secretary determines to be necessary for the maintenance of the common areas and facilities of the condominium project and to such additional requirements as the Secretary deems appropriate for the protection of the consumer.

(c) In addition to individual loans made or insured under subsection (a) the Secretary is authorized, and upon such terms and conditions (substantially identical insofar as may be feasible with those specified in section 515) as he may prescribe, to make or insure blanket loans to a borrower who shall certify to the Secretary, as a condition of obtaining such loan or insurance, that upon completion of the multifamily project the ownership of the project will be committed to a plan of family unit ownership under which (1) each family unit will be eligible for a loan or insurance under subsection (a), and (2) the individual dwelling units in the project will be sold only on a condominium basis and only to purchasers eligible for a loan or insurance under subsection (a). The principal obligation of any blanket loan made or insured under this subsection shall in no case exceed the sum of the individual amounts of

the loans which could be made or insured with respect to the individual dwelling units in the project under subsection (a).

(d) As used in this section, the term "condominium" means a multiunit housing project which is subject to a plan of family unit ownership acceptable to the Secretary under which each dwelling unit is individually owned and each such owner holds an undivided interest in the common areas and facilities which serve the project.

SEC. 527. [Repealed.]

MOBILE HOMES

TAXATION OF PROPERTY HELD BY SECRETARY

SEC. 528. All property subject to a lien held by the United States or the title to which is acquired or held by the Secretary under this title other than property used for administrative purposes shall be subject to taxation by a State, Commonwealth, territory, possession, district, and local political subdivisions in the same manner and to the same extent as other property is taxed: Provided, That no tax shall be imposed or collected on or with respect to any instrument if the tax is based on

(1) the value of any notes or mortgages or other lien instruments held by or transferred to the Secretary;

(2) any notes or lien instruments administered under this title which are made, assigned, or held by a person otherwise liable for such tax; or

(3) the value of any property conveyed or transferred to the Secretary, whether as a tax on the instrument, the privilege of conveying or transferring, or the recordation thereof; nor shall the failure to pay or collect any such tax be a ground for refusal to record or file such instruments, or for failure to impart notice, or prevent the enforcement of its provisions in any State or Federal court.

MINIMUM PROPERTY STANDARDS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

SEC. 529. [Repealed.]

CONDITION ON REPORT INCREASES IN 514, 515, AND 517 PROJECTS

SEC. 530. The Secretary may not approve any increase in rental payments, with respect to units in which the tenants are paying rentals in excess of 30 per centum of their incomes, in any project which is assisted under section 514, 515, or 517 and under section 521(a)(1)(B) unless the project owner is receiving, or has applied for (within the most recent period of 180 days prior to the effective date of such increase), rental assistance payments with respect to such project under section 521(a)(2)(A) of this title or section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

FHA INSURANCE

SEC. 531. The Secretary is authorized to act as an agent of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to recommend insur

ance of any mortgage meeting the requirements of section 203 of the National Housing Act.

PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS

SEC. 532. (a) The Secretary shall, in making assistance available under this title, give a priority to applications submitted by

(1) persons and families that have the greatest housing assistance needs because of their low income and their residing in inadequate dwellings;

(2) applicants applying for assistance for projects that will serve such persons and families; and

(3) applicants residing in areas which are the most rural in character.

(b) In making available the assistance authorized by section 513 and section 521(a) with respect to projects involving insured and guaranteed loans and interest credits and rental assistance payments, the Secretary shall process and approve requests for such assistance in a manner that provides for a preliminary reservation of assistance at the time of initial approval of the project.

HOUSING PRESERVATION GRANTS

SEC. 533. (a) The purpose of this section is to authorize the Secretary to make grants to eligible grantees including private nonprofit organizations, Indian tribes, general units of local government, counties, States, and consortia of other eligible grantees, in order to

(1) rehabilitate single family housing in rural areas which is owned by low- and very low-income persons and families, and (2) rehabilitate rental properties or cooperative housing which has a membership resale structure that enables the cooperative to maintain affordability for persons of low income in rural areas serving low- and very low-income occupants. The Secretary may also provide assistance payments as provided by section 8(0) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 upon the request of grantees in order to minimize the displacement of very low-income tenants residing in units rehabilitated with assistance under this section.

(b) Rehabilitation programs assisted under this section shall

(1) be used to provide loans or grants to owners of single family housing in order to cover the cost of repairs and improvements;

(2) be used to provide interest reduction payment;

(3) be used to provide loans or grants to owners of rental housing, except that rental rehabilitation assistance provided under this subsection for any structure shall not exceed 75 per centum of the total costs associated with the rehabilitation of that structure;

(4) be used to provide other comparable assistance that the Secretary deems appropriate to carry out the purpose of this section, designed to reduce the costs of such repair and rehabilitation in order to make such housing affordable by persons of low income and, to the extent feasible, by persons and fami