[Federal Register: June 24, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 121)]
[Notices]
[Page 37453-37455]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn03-28]
[[Page 37453]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Housing Demonstration Program
AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA)
ACTION: Notice of funding for the rural housing demonstration program.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of
housing loan funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 for the Rural Housing
Demonstration Program. For FY 2003, RHS has set aside $1 million for
the Innovative Demonstration Initiatives. The Agency is soliciting
proposals for a Housing Demonstration program under section 506(b) of
title V of the Housing Act of 1949. Under section 506(b), RHS may
provide loans to low income borrowers to purchase innovative housing
units and systems that do not meet existing published standards, rules,
regulations, or policies. The intended effect is to increase the
availability of affordable Rural Housing (RH) for low-income families
through innovative designs and systems.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 24, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria L. Denson, Senior Loan
Specialist, Single Family Housing Direct Loan Division, RHS, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, STOP 0783, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-0783, Telephone: (202) 720-1474. (This is not a
toll free number.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under current standards, regulations, and
policies, some low-income rural families lack sufficient income to
qualify for loans to obtain adequate housing. Section 506(b) of title V
of the Housing Act of 1949, 42 U.S.C. 1476, authorizes a housing
demonstration program that could result in housing that these families
can afford. Section 506(b) imposes two conditions: (1) That the health
and safety of the population of the areas in which the demonstrations
are carried out will not be adversely affected, and (2) that the
aggregate expenditures for the demonstration may not exceed $10 million
in any fiscal year. Grant funds for these proposals are not authorized.
Rural Development State Directors are authorized in FY 2003 to
accept demonstration concept proposals from individuals.
The objective of the demonstration programs is to test new
approaches to constructing housing under the statutory authority
granted to the Secretary of Agriculture. Rural Development will review
each application for completeness and accuracy. Some demonstration
proposals may not be completely consistent with 7 CFR part 3550--Direct
Single Family Housing Loans and Grants regulation. Under section 506(b)
of the Housing Act of 1949, the Agency may provide loans for innovative
housing design units and systems which do not meet existing published
standards, rules, regulations, or policies. The innovative housing
units and systems should be creative, affordable, durable, energy
efficient, and include a diversity of housing types. Examples of
eligible proposals include, but are not limited to: new or improved
energy-savings houses, roofing that cools, building techniques that cut
costs and improve the quality of rural housing
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Title VIII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1968 provide that a program such as this be administered
affirmatively so that individuals of similar low-income levels in the
housing market area have housing choices available to them regardless
of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status
and disability. Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Rural Development makes reasonable accommodations to permit persons
with disabilities to apply for agency programs. Executive Order 12898
requires the Agency to conduct a Civil Rights Impact Analysis on each
project prior to loan approval. Also, the requirements of Executive
Order 11246 are applicable regarding equal employment opportunity when
the proposed contract exceeds $10,000.
Completed applications that have been determined to carry out the
objectives of the program will be considered on a first come, first
served basis based on the date a completed application was submitted.
An application is considered complete only if the ``Application for
Approval of Housing Innovation'' is complete in content, contains
information related to the criteria and all applicable additional
information required by the application form has been provided. All
application packages must be in accordance with the technical
management requirements and address the criteria in the Proposal
Content. The application, technical management requirements, Proposal
Content and Criteria and further information may be obtained from the
Rural Development State office in each state. (See the State Office
address list at the end of this notice or access the Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.
) Applicants submitting an
incomplete application will be advised in writing of additional
information needed for continued processing.
The following evaluation factors will not be weighted and are non-
competitive. RHS, in its analysis of the proposals received, will
consider whether the proposals will carry out the objectives of this
demonstration effort in accordance with the following criteria:
A. Housing Unit Concept
1. A proposal must be well beyond the ``idea'' state. Sufficient
testing must have been completed to demonstrate its feasibility. The
proposal must be judged ready for full scale field testing in a rural
setting.
2. Ability of the housing unit to provide for the protection of
life, property, and for the safety and welfare of the consumer, general
public and occupants through the design, construction, quality of
materials, use, and maintenance of the housing unit.
3. Flexibility of the housing units in relation to varying types of
housing and varying site considerations.
1. Flexibility of the housing unit concept, insofar as it provides
the ability to adjust or modify unit size and arrangements, either
during design or after construction.
1. Efficiency in the use of materials and labor, with respect to
cost in place, conservation of materials, and the effective use of
labor skills. Potential for use in the Mutual Self-Help Housing program
will be considered.
6. Selection of materials for durability and ease of maintenance.
7. Concepts for the effective use of land and development.
B. Organization Capabilities
1. The experience and ``know-how'' of the proposed organization or
individual to implement construction of the housing unit concept in
relation to the requirements of RHS's housing programs.
2. The management structure and organization of the proposer.
3. The quality and diversity of management and professional talent
proposed as ``key individuals.''
4. The management plan of how this effort will be conducted.
C. Cost and Price Analysis
1. The level of costs which are proposed, as they may compare with
other proposals and be considered realistic for the efforts planned.
Also, the quantity and level of detail in the information supplied.
2. Projected cost of ``housing in place,'' with particular
reference to housing for very low and low-income families.
[[Page 37454]]
The State Director will send an acceptable proposal to the National
Office for concurrence by the RHS Administrator before the State
Director may approve it. If the proposal is not selected, the State
Director will so notify the applicant in writing, giving specific
reasons why the proposal was not selected. The funds for the RH
Demonstration program are available for section 502 single family
housing applicants who wish to purchase an approved demonstration
dwelling. Funds cannot be reserved or guaranteed under the
demonstration housing concept. There is no guarantee that a market
exists for demonstration dwellings, and this does not ensure that an
eligible loan applicant will be available for such a section 502 RH
dwelling. If there is no available RHS eligible loan applicant, the RH
demonstration program applicant will have to advance funds to complete
the construction of the demonstration housing, with the risk that there
may be no RHS applicant or other purchaser from which the builder will
recover his or her development and construction costs.
This program or activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance under No. 10.410. For the reasons contained in 7
CFR part 3015, subpart V and RD Instruction 1940-J, ``Intergovernmental
Review of Rural Development Programs and Activities,'' this program or
activity is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 12372, which
requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials.
All interested parties must make a written request for a proposal
package. The request must be made to the State Director in the State in
which the proposal will be submitted; RHS will not be liable for any
expenses incurred by respondents in the development and submission of
applications.
The reporting requirements contained in this notice have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Control
Number 0575-0114.
Dated: June 13, 2003.
James E. Selmon III,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
The following is an address list of Rural Development State Offices
across the nation:
Alabama
Sterling Centre, 4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 601, Montgomery, AL 36106-
3683, (334) 279-3400.
Alaska
Suite 201, 800 W. Evergreen, Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7705.
Arizona
Phoenix Corporate Center, 3003 N. Central Avenue, Suite 900, Phoenix,
AZ 85012-2906, (602) 280-8700.
Arkansas
Room 3416, 700 W. Capitol, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200.
California
Agency 4169, 430 G Street, Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800.
Colorado
Room E100, 655 Parfet Street, Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2903.
Delaware and Maryland
PO Box 400, 4607 S. DuPont Highway, Camden, DE 19934-9998, (302) 697-
4300.
Florida and Virgin Islands
PO Box 147010, 4440 NW 25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352)
338-3400.
Georgia
Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-
2768, (706) 546-2162.
Hawaii
Room 311, Federal Building, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720,
(808) 933-8309.
Idaho
Suite A1, 9173 W. Barnes Drive, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5600.
Illinois
2118 W. Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6222, (217)
398-5412 for automated answer.
Indiana
5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100.
Iowa
873 Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515)
284-4663.
Kansas
PO Box 4653, 1303 SW First American Place, Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604,
(785) 271-2700.
Kentucky
Suite 200, 771 Corporate Drive, Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7300.
Louisiana
3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7920.
Maine
PO Box 405, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207)
990-9110.
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island
451 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, (413) 253-4300.
Michigan
Suite 200, 3001 Coolidge Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5100.
Minnesota
410 AgriBank Building, 375 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-1853,
(651) 602-7800.
Mississippi
Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W. Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269,
(601) 965-4316.
Missouri
Parkade Center, Suite 235, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, MO
65203, (573) 876-0976.
Montana
Unit 1, Suite B, PO Box 850, 900 Technology Boulevard, Bozeman, MT
59715, (406) 585-2580.
Nebraska
Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial Mall N., Lincoln, NE 68508,
(402) 437-5551.
Nevada
2100 California Street, Carson City, NV 89701-5336, (775) 887-1222.
New Jersey
Tarnsfield Plaza, Suite 22, 800 Midlantic Drive, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054,
(856) 787-7700.
New Mexico
Room 255, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE., Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-
4950.
New York
The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S. Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse,
NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-6400.
North Carolina
Suite 260, 4405 Bland Road, Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2000.
North Dakota
Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East Rosser, PO Box 1737, Bismarck, ND
58502-1737, (701) 530-2044.
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Ohio
Federal Building, Room 507, 200 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-
2418, (614) 255-2400.
Oklahoma
Suite 108, 100 USDA, Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000.
Oregon
Suite 1410, 101 SW Main, Portland, OR 97204-3222, (503) 414-3300.
Pennsylvania
Suite 330, One Credit Union Place, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717)
237-2299.
Puerto Rico
IBM Building--Suite 601, 654 Munos Rivera Avenue, Hato Rey, PR 00918-
6106, (787) 766-5095.
South Carolina
Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007,
Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 765-5163.
South Dakota
Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350,
(605) 352-1100.
Tennessee
Suite 300, 3322 W. End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-
1300.
Texas
Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 S. Main, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-
9700.
Utah
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 S. State Street, Room 4311,
Post Office Box 11350, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0350, (801) 524-4320.
Vermont and New Hampshire
City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802)
828-6000.
Virginia
Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229,
(804) 287-1550.
Washington
Suite B, 1835 Black Lake Blvd., SW., Olympia, WA 98512-5715, (360) 704-
7740.
West Virginia
Federal Building, Room 320, 75 High Street, Morgantown, WV 26505-7500,
(304) 284-4860.
Wisconsin
4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7600.
Wyoming
Federal Building, Room 1005, 100 East B, PO Box 820, Casper, WY 82602,
(307) 261-6300.
[FR Doc. 03-15920 Filed 6-23-03; 8:45 am]