[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14063]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Utilities Service
Farm Service Agency

7 CFR Parts 1930, 1944, 1951, and 1965


Notice of Public Hearing on Rural Rental Housing (RRH) Assistance

AGENCIES: Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service, Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing on interim final rule.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces a Public Hearing on Congressionally 
mandated reforms to the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing new 
construction loan program. The intent of this hearing is to receive 
public comments on the Interim Final Rule, ``Rural Rental Housing (RRH) 
Assistance,'' which was published in the Federal Register on May 7, 
1997, at page 25062. Interested users of the Section 515 Rural Rental 
Housing Program are invited.

ADDRESSES: The Hearing will be conducted at the Jamie L. Whitten 
Federal Building, located at 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Washington, DC 20250, room 107-A.

DATES: The Hearing will be conducted on June 11, 1997, from 10:00 a.m. 
to 2:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to attend the Hearing 
should contact Cynthia L. Reese-Foxworth, Senior Loan Officer, Multi-
Family Housing Processing Division, USDA, Stop 0781, Washington, DC 
20250, telephone (202) 720-1940 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Programs Affected

    The Rural Rental Housing Program is listed in the Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance under Number 10.415, Rural Rental Housing 
Loans. Rental assistance for the Rural Rental Housing Program is listed 
in the Catalog under Number 10.427, Rural Rental Assistance Payments.

Discussion of Notice

    The Rural Housing Service (RHS), formerly Rural Housing and 
Community Development Service (RHCDS), a successor Agency to the 
Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), has amended its regulations for the 
Rural Rental Housing (RRH) Program to implement legislative reforms 
mandated by the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997, Public 
Law 104-180, enacted August 6, 1996 (herein referred to as the Act.) 
The Act included reforms in six areas of the Multi-Family Housing 
Program. The Act required that one of these reforms, determining the 
amount of assistance necessary to develop the proposed rental housing, 
be implemented within 60 days through negotiated rulemaking as a means 
of assuring that the public was both informed and consulted regarding 
the Agency's intentions and requirements that would impact them as 
potential users of the program. Unfortunately, such process takes an 
estimated 18 months and could not be accomplished within the confines 
of the Act. In order to meet the spirit of negotiated rulemaking, the 
Agency sought extensive public input through several informal meetings 
with developers, major housing groups, and Agency personnel so that the 
Agency would gain a full measure of public input before developing the 
regulations. Based on these meetings, regulations were developed and 
published as an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register on May 7, 
1997. The Act further required the Agency to promulgate regulations in 
accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 557 if negotiated rulemaking 
could not be timely accomplished. As part of that process, the Agency 
is conducting a public hearing to receive feedback and comments from 
developers, major housing groups, Agency personnel, and other 
interested parties in a public hearing format to complement the 60-day 
comment period provided by the Interim Rule. Persons making 
presentations are requested to leave a written copy of their comments 
with the hearing official to assure accuracy of the public record.

    Dated: May 22, 1997.
Jan E. Shadburn,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14063 Filed 5-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-U