42 USC 1486 - Financial assistance to provide low-rent housing for domestic farm labor

View all text of Subchapter III [§ 1471 - § 1490t]

§ 1486. Financial assistance to provide low-rent housing for domestic farm labor

(a) Application; considerationsUpon the application of any State or political subdivision thereof, or any Indian tribe, or any broad-based public or private nonprofit organization incorporated within the State, or any nonprofit organization of farmworkers incorporated within the State, the Secretary is authorized to provide financial assistance for the provision of low-rent housing and related facilities (which may be located any place within the State) for domestic farm labor, if he finds that—

(1) the housing and related facilities for which financial assistance is requested will fulfill a pressing need in the area in which such housing and facilities will be located, and there is reasonable doubt that the same can be provided without financial assistance under this section;

(2) the applicant will contribute, from its own resources or from funds borrowed under section 1484 of this title or elsewhere, at least 10 per centum of the total development cost;

(3) the types of housing and related facilities to be provided are most practicable, giving due consideration to the purposes to be served thereby and the needs of the occupants thereof, and such housing and facilities shall be durable and suitable for year-around occupancy or use, unless the Secretary finds that there is no need for such year-around occupancy or use in that area; and

(4) the construction will be undertaken in an economical manner, and the housing and related facilities will not be of elaborate or extravagant design or material.

(b) Maximum amount of assistance

(c) Prerequisite agreements; rentals; safety and sanitation standards; priority of domestic farm laborNo financial assistance for low-rent housing and related facilities shall be made available under this section unless, to any extent and for any periods required by the Secretary, the applicant agrees—

(1) that the rentals charged domestic farm labor shall not exceed such amounts as may be approved by the Secretary, giving due consideration to the income and earning capacity of the tenants, and the necessary costs of operating and maintaining such housing;

(2) that such housing shall be maintained at all times in a safe and sanitary condition in accordance with such standards as may be prescribed by State or local law, or, in the absence of such standards, in accordance with such minimum requirements as the Secretary shall prescribe; and

(3) an absolute priority will be given at all times in granting occupancy of such housing and facilities to domestic farm labor.

(d) Payments; contracts to specify uses of housing

(e) Regulations for prevention of waste

(f) Wages; labor standards; waiver; authority and functions of Secretary

(g) DefinitionsAs used in this section—

(1) the term “low-rent housing” means rental housing within the financial reach of families of low income consisting of (A) new structures (including household furnishings) suitable for dwelling use by domestic farm labor, and (B) existing structures (including household furnishings) which can be made suitable for dwelling use by domestic farm labor by rehabilitation, alteration, conversion, or improvement;

(2) the terms “related facilities” and “domestic farm labor” shall have the meaning assigned to them in section 1484(f) of this title;

(3) the term “development cost” shall have the meaning assigned to it in section 1485(d)(4) 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of this title; and

(4) the term “domestic farm labor” has the meaning given such term in section 1484(f)(3) of this title.

(h) Migrant farmworker housing

(i) Farm labor housing

(j) Domestic farm labor housing available for other familiesHousing and related facilities constructed with grants under this section may be used for tenants eligible for occupancy under section 1485 of this title if the Secretary determines that—

(1) there is no longer a need in the area for farm labor housing; or

(2) the need for such housing in the area has diminished to the extent that the purpose of the grant, providing housing for domestic farm labor, can no longer be met.

(k) Housing for rural homeless and migrant farmworkers

(1) In general

(2) Types of assistance

(A) In generalThe Secretary may provide the following assistance for housing under this subsection:

(i) An advance, in an amount not to exceed $400,000, of the cost of acquisition, substantial rehabilitation, or acquisition and rehabilitation of an existing structure or construction of a new structure for use in the provision of housing under this subsection. The repayment of any outstanding debt owed on a loan made to purchase an existing structure shall be considered to be a cost of acquisition eligible for an advance under this subparagraph if the structure was not used for the purposes under this subsection prior to the receipt of assistance.

(ii) A grant, in an amount not to exceed $400,000, for moderate rehabilitation of an existing structure for use in the provision of housing under this subsection.

(iii) Annual payments for operating costs of such housing (without regard to whether the housing is an existing structure), not to exceed 75 percent of the annual operating costs of such housing.

(B) Available assistance

(D) Prevention of undue benefits

(3) Program requirements

(A) Applications

(i) Applications for assistance under this subsection shall be submitted by an applicant in such form and in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary shall establish.

(ii) The Secretary shall require that applications contain at a minimum (I) a description of the proposed housing, (II) a description of the size and characteristics of the population that would occupy the housing, (III) a description of any public and private resources that are expected to be made available in connection with the housing, (IV) a description of the housing needs for migrant farmworkers and homeless individuals (and the families of such individuals) in the area to be served by the housing, and (V) assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that the housing assisted will be operated for not less than 10 years for the purpose specified in the application.

(iii) The Secretary shall require that an application furnish reasonable assurances that the housing will be available for occupancy by homeless individuals (and the families of such individuals) only on an emergency and temporary basis during the offseason and shall be otherwise available for occupancy by migrant farmworkers (and their families).

(iv) The Secretary shall require that an application furnish reasonable assurances that the applicant will own or have control of a site for the proposed housing not later than 6 months after notification of an award for grant assistance. An applicant may obtain ownership or control of a suitable site different from the site specified in the application. If an applicant fails to obtain ownership or control of the site within 1 year after notification of an award for grant assistance, the grant shall be recaptured and reallocated.

(B) Selection criteriaThe Secretary shall establish selection criteria for a national competition for assistance under this subsection, which shall include—

(i) the ability of the applicant to develop and operate the housing;

(ii) the feasibility of the proposal in providing the housing;

(iii) the need for such housing in the area to be served;

(iv) the cost effectiveness of the proposed housing;

(v) the extent to which the project would meet the needs of migrant farmworkers and homeless individuals (and the families of such individuals) in the State;

(vi) the extent to which the applicant has control of the site of the proposed housing; and

(vii) such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate for purposes of this subsection.

(C) Required agreementsThe Secretary may not approve assistance for any housing under this subsection unless the applicant agrees—

(i) to operate the proposed project as housing for migrant farmworkers and homeless individuals (and the families of such individuals) in compliance with the provisions of this subsection and the application approved by the Secretary;

(ii) to monitor and report to the Secretary on the progress of the housing; and

(iii) to comply with such other terms and conditions as the Secretary may establish for purposes of this subsection.

(D) Occupant rent

(4) Guidelines

(A) Regulations

(B) Limitation on use of funds

(5) Limitation on administrative expenses

(6) Omitted

(7) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection:

(A) The term “applicant” means a State, political subdivision thereof, Indian tribe, any private nonprofit organization incorporated within the State that has applied for a grant under this subsection.

(B) The term “homeless individual” has the same meaning given the term under section 11302 of this title.

(i) means any person (and the family of such person) who (I) receives a substantial portion of his or her income from primary production of agricultural or aquacultural commodities, the handling of such commodities in the unprocessed stage, or the processing of such commodities, without respect to the source of employment, and (II) establishes residence in a location on a seasonal or temporary basis, in an attempt to receive an income as described in subclause (I); and

(ii) includes any person (and the family of such person) who is retired or disabled, but who met the requirements of clause (i) at the time of retirement or becoming disabled.

(D) The term “operating costs” means expenses incurred by a recipient providing housing under this subsection with respect to the administration, maintenance, repair, and security of such housing and utilities, fuel, furnishings, and equipment for such housing.

(July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title V, § 516, as added Pub. L. 88–560, title V, § 503(a), Sept. 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 796; amended Pub. L. 91–609, title VIII, § 801(c), (d), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1806; Pub. L. 95–557, title V, § 505, Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2112; Pub. L. 96–153, title V, § 509, Dec. 21, 1979, 93 Stat. 1136; Pub. L. 96–399, title V, § 507(d), Oct. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1670; Pub. L. 98–181, title I [title V, § 513], Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1247; Pub. L. 100–242, title III, § 305(b), Feb. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1895; Pub. L. 100–628, title X, § 1043(b), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3273; Pub. L. 101–625, title VII, § 714(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4292; Pub. L. 106–400, § 2, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1675; Pub. L. 117–328, div. AA, title VI, § 601(f), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5548.)