The powers conferred by this chapter shall be exercised by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”). In order to carry out the provisions of this subchapter and subchapters II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX–B, and X, the Secretary may establish such agencies, accept and utilize such voluntary and uncompensated services, utilize such Federal officers and employees, and, with the consent of the State, such State and local officers and employees, and appoint such other officers and employees as he may find necessary, and may prescribe their authorities, duties, responsibilities, and tenure and fix their compensation. The Secretary may delegate any of the functions and powers conferred upon him under this subchapter and subchapters II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX–B, and X to such officers, agents, and employees as he may designate or appoint, and may make such expenditures (including expenditures for personal services and rent at the seat of government and elsewhere, for law books and books of reference, and for paper, printing, and binding) as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter and subchapters II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX–B, and X, without regard to any other provisions of law governing the expenditure of public funds. All such compensation, expenses, and allowances shall be paid out of funds made available by this chapter: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provisions of law except provisions of law hereafter enacted expressly in limitation hereof, all expenses of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in connection with the examination and insurance of loans or investments under any subchapter of this chapter all properly capitalized expenditures, and other necessary expenses not attributable to general overhead in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles shall be consider

(a) Authority to insure financial institutions

The Secretary is authorized and empowered upon such terms and conditions as he may prescribe, to insure banks, trust companies, personal finance companies, mortgage companies, building and loan associations, installment lending companies and other such financial institutions, which the Secretary finds to be qualified by experience or facilities and approves as eligible for credit insurance, against losses which they may sustain as a result of loans and advances of credit, and purchases of obligations representing loans and advances of credit, made by them for the purpose of (i) financing alterations, repairs, and improvements upon or in connection with existing structures or manufactured homes, and the building of new structures, upon urban, suburban, or rural real property (including the restoration, rehabilitation, rebuilding, and replacement of such improvements which have been damaged or destroyed by earthquake, conflagration, tornado, hurricane, cyclone, flood, or other catastrophe), by the owners thereof or by lessees of such real property under a lease expiring not less than six months after the maturity of the loan or advance of credit; and for the purpose of (ii) financing the purchase of a manufactured home to be used by the owner as his principal residence or financing the purchase of a lot on which to place such home and paying expenses reasonably necessary for the appropriate preparation of such lot, including the installation of utility connections, sanitary facilities, and paving, and the construction of a suitable pad, or financing only the acquisition of such a lot either with or without such preparation by an owner of a manufactured home; and for the purpose of financing the preservation of historic structures, and, as used in this section, the term “historic structures” means residential structures which are registered in the National Register of Historic Places or which are certified by the Secretary of the Interior to conform to National Register criteria; and the term “preservation” means restoration or rehabilitation undertaken for such purposes as are approved by the Secretary in regulations issued by him, after consulting with the Secretary of the Interior. Other than in connection with a manufactured home or a lot on which to place such a home (or both), in no case shall the insurance granted by the Secretary under this section to any such financial institution on loans, advances of credit, and purchases made by such financial institution for such purposes exceed 10 per centum of the total amount of such loans, advances of credit, and purchases. With respect to any loan, advance of credit, or purchase, the amount of any claim for loss on any such individual loan, advance of credit or purchase paid by the Secretary under the provisions of this section to a lending institution shall not exceed 90 per centum of such loss.

After August 2, 1954, (i) the Secretary shall not enter into contracts for insurance pursuant to this section except with lending institutions which are subject to the inspection and supervision of a governmental agency required by law to make periodic examinations of their books and accounts, and which the Secretary finds to be qualified by experience or facilities to make and service such loans, advances or purchases, and with such other lending institutions which the Secretary approves as eligible for insurance pursuant to this section on the basis of their credit and their experience or facilities to make and service such loans, advances or purchases; (ii) only such items as substantially protect or improve the basic livability or utility of properties shall be eligible for financing under this section, and therefore the Secretary shall from time to time declare ineligible for financing under this section any item, product, alteration, repair, improvement, or class thereof which he determines would not substantially protect or improve the basic livability or utility of such properties, and he may also declare ineligible for financing under this section any item which he determines is especially subject to selling abuses; and (iii) the Secretary is authorized and directed, by such regulations or procedures as he shall deem advisable, to prevent the use of any financial assistance under this section (1) with respect to new residential structures (other than manufactured homes) that have not been completed and occupied for at least six months, or (2) which would, through multiple loans, result in an outstanding aggregate loan balance with respect to the same structure exceeding the dollar amount limitation prescribed in this subsection for the type of loan involved: Provided, That this clause (iii) may in the discretion of the Secretary be waived with respect to the period of occupancy or completion of any such new residential structures. The Secretary is hereby authorized and directed, with respect to manufactured homes to be financed under this section, to (i) prescribe minimum property standards to assure the livability and durability of the manufactured home and the suitability of the site on which the manufactured home is to be located; and (ii) obtain assurances from the borrower that the manufactured home will be placed on a site which complies with the standards prescribed by the Secretary and with local zoning and other applicable local requirements.

The insurance authority provided under this section may be made available with respect to any existing manufactured home that has not been insured under this section if such home was constructed in accordance with the standards issued under the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.] and it meets standards similar to the minimum property standards applicable to existing homes insured under subchapter II.

Alterations, repairs, and improvements upon or in connection with existing structures may include the provision of fire safety equipment, energy conserving improvements, or the installation of solar energy systems. Alterations, repairs, and improvements upon or in connection with existing structures may also include the evaluation and reduction of lead-based paint hazards. As used in this section—

(1) the term “fire safety equipment” means any device or facility which is designed to reduce the risk of personal injury or property damage resulting from fire and is in conformity with such criteria and standards as shall be prescribed by the Secretary;

(2) the term “energy conserving improvements” means the purchase and installation of weatherization materials as defined in section 6862(9) of title 42; and 1

(3) the term “solar energy system” means any addition, alteration, or improvement to an existing or new structure which is designed to utilize wind energy or solar energy either of the active type based on mechanically forced energy transfer or of the passive type based on convective, conductive, or radiant energy transfer or some combination of these types to reduce the energy requirements of that structure from other energy sources, and which is in conformity with such criteria and standards as shall be prescribed by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Energy.2

(4) the terms “evaluation”, “reduction”, and “lead-based paint hazard” have the same meanings given those terms in section 4851b of title 42.

(b) Conditions for denial of insurance

(1) Except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph, no insurance shall be granted under this section to any such financial institution with respect to any obligation representing any such loan, advance of credit, or purchase by it if the amount of such loan, advance of credit, or purchase exceeds—

(A)(i) $25,000 if made for the purpose of financing alterations, repairs and improvements upon or in connection with existing single-family structures; and

(ii) $25,090 if made for the purpose of financing alterations, repairs and improvements upon or in connection with existing manufactured homes;

(B) $60,000 or an average amount of $12,000 per family unit if made for the purpose of financing the alteration, repair, improvement, or conversion of an existing structure used or to be used as an apartment house or a dwelling for two or more families;

(C) $69,678 if made for the purpose of financing the purchase of a manufactured home;

(D) $92,904 if made for the purpose of financing the purchase of a manufactured home and a suitably developed lot on which to place the home; and 1

(E) $23,226 if made for the purpose of financing the purchase, by an owner of a manufactured home which is the principal residence of that owner, of a suitably developed lot on which to place that manufactured home, and if the owner certifies that he or she will place the manufactured home on the lot acquired with such loan within 6 months after the date of such loan.3

(F) $15,000 per family unit if made for the purpose of financing the preservation of an historic structure; and

(G) such principal amount as the Secretary may prescribe if made for the purpose of financing fire safety equipment for a nursing home, extended health care facility, intermediate health care facility, or other comparable health care facility.

The Secretary shall, by regulation, annually increase the dollar amount limitations in subparagraphs (A)(ii), (C), (D), and (E) (as such limitations may have been previously adjusted under this sentence) in accordance with the index established pursuant to paragraph (9).

(2) Because of prevailing higher costs, the Secretary may, by regulation, in Alaska, Guam, or Hawaii, increase any dollar amount limitation on manufactured homes or manufactured home lot loans contained in this subsection by not to exceed 40 per centum. In other areas, the maximum dollar amounts specified in subsections (b)(1)(D) and (b)(1)(E) may be increased on an area-by-area basis to the extent the Secretary deems necessary, but in no case may such limits, as so increased, exceed the lesser of (A) 185 percent of the dollar amount specified, or (B) the dollar amount specified as increased by the same percentage by which 95 percent of the median one-family house price in the area (as determined by the Secretary) exceeds $67,500.

(3) No insurance shall be granted under this section to any such financial institution with respect to any obligation representing any such loan, advance of credit, or purchase by it if the term to maturity of such loan, advance of credit or purchase exceeds—

(A)(i) twenty years and thirty-two days if made for the purpose of financing alterations, repairs, and improvements upon or in connection with an existing single-family structure; and

(ii) fifteen years and thirty-two days if made for the purpose of financing alterations, repairs, and improvements upon or in connection with an existing manufactured home;

(B) twenty years and thirty-two days if made for the purpose of financing the alteration, repair, improvement or conversion of an existing structure used or to be used as an apartment house or a dwelling for two or more families;

(C) twenty years and thirty-two days (twenty-three years and thirty-two days in the case of a manufactured home composed of two or more modules) if made for the purpose of financing the purchase of a manufactured home;

(D) twenty years and thirty-two days (twenty-five years and thirty-two days in the case of a manufactured home composed of two or more modules) if made for the purpose of financing the purchase of a manufactured home and a suitably developed lot on which to place the home;

(E) twenty years and thirty-two days if made for the purpose of financing the purchase, by the owner of a manufactured home which is the principal residence of that owner, of a suitably developed lot on which to place that manufactured home;

(F) fifteen years and thirty-two days if made for the purpose of financing the preservation of an historic structure;

(G) such term to maturity as the Secretary may prescribe if made for the purpose of financing the construction of a new structure for use in whole or in part for agricultural purposes; and

(H) such term to maturity as the Secretary may prescribe if made for the purpose of financing fire safety equipment for a nursing home, extended health care facility, intermediate health care facility, or other comparable health care facility.

(4) For the purpose of this subsection—

(A) the term “developed lot” includes an interest in a condominium project (including any interest in the common areas) or a share in a cooperative association;

(B) a loan to finance the purchase of a manufactured home or a manufactured home and lot may also finance the purchase of a garage, patio, carport, or other comparable appurtenance; and

(C) a loan to finance the purchase of a manufactured home or a manufactured home and lot shall be secured by a first lien upon such home or home and lot, its furnishings, equipment, accessories, and appurtenances.

(5) No insurance shall be granted under this section to any such financial institution with respect to any obligation representing any such loan, advance of credit, or purchase by it unless the obligation has such maturity, bears such insurance premium charges, and contains such other terms, conditions, and restrictions as the Secretary shall prescribe, in order to make credit available for the purpose of this subchapter. Any such obligation with respect to which insurance is granted under this section shall bear interest at such rate as may be agreed upon by the borrower and the financial institution.

(6)(A) Any obligation with respect to which insurance is granted under this section may be refinanced and extended in accordance with such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, but in no event for an additional amount or term in excess of any applicable maximum provided for in this subsection.

(B) The owner of a manufactured home lot purchased without assistance under this section but otherwise meeting the requirements of this section may refinance such lot under this section in connection with the purchase of a manufactured home if the borrower certifies that the home and lot is or will be his or her principal residence within six months after the date of the loan.

(C) The owner-occupant of a manufactured home or a home and lot which was purchased without assistance under this section but which otherwise meets the requirements of this section may refinance such home or home and lot under this section if the home was constructed in accordance with standards established under section 604 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5403].

(7) With respect to the financing of alterations, repairs, and improvements to existing structures or the building of new structures as authorized under clause (i) of the first sentence of subsection (a), any loan broker (as defined by the Secretary) or any other party having a financial interest in the making of such

For the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter and subchapters II and III, the President, in his discretion, is authorized to provide such funds or any portion thereof by allotment to the Secretary from any funds that are available, or may hereafter be made available, to the President for emergency purposes.

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to exempt any real property acquired and held by the Secretary in connection with the payment of insurance heretofore or hereafter granted under this subchapter from taxation by any State or political subdivision thereof, to the same extent, according to its value, as other real property is taxed.

The provisions of sections 1703 and 1706c of this title shall be applicable in the several States and Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.