[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50167-50173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21241]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4837-D-03]


Delegations of Authority for the Office of Housing/Federal 
Housing Administration Single Family Housing Programs

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of revocation and redelegation of authority for single 
family housing programs.

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SUMMARY: Published elsewhere in today's Federal Register, the Secretary 
of HUD issued an up-to-date comprehensive delegation of authority for 
housing programs to the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner and the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing-
Deputy Federal Housing Commissioner. This notice advises the public of 
redelegations of authority for Single Family housing programs, from the 
Assistant Secretary to Office of Housing staff in the Office of Single 
Family Housing, in Headquarters and in the Field.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 11, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Woodley, Special Assistant to 
the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Single Family Housing, 
Office of Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 
9282, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-2676, x3570. Persons 
with hearing

[[Page 50168]]

or speech impairments may call HUD's TTY number at (202) 708-1455 or 
the Federal Information Relay Service's TTY number at (800) 877-8339. 
Other than the ``800'' number, the telephone numbers listed are not 
toll-free.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The organizational structure of the Office 
of Single Family Housing, Office of Housing, has undergone substantial 
change over recent years. A major focus of HUD's reform effort has 
been, and remains, on placing decision-making authority in HUD Offices 
at or near the geographic site of a transaction. Headquarters personnel 
are primarily responsible for assisting the Assistant Secretary in 
developing policies and procedures for Office of Housing programs. 
Also, Headquarters staff is responsible for carrying out consumer 
protection legislation. On occasion, Headquarters staff will review and 
make determinations concerning mortgage insurance transactions if, for 
example, novel issues having national implications are involved. A 
separate question concerns what positions, within the Office of 
Housing, should be delegated authority to bind the Department. While a 
number of HUD staff, reflecting a range of expertise, may participate 
in decision-making, performing such functions as gathering and 
assessing facts and making recommendations about the disposition of a 
transaction, only a relatively small number of managers, acting within 
the scope of their delegated authority and applicable law, have 
independent authority through the delegation process, to make binding 
decisions on behalf of HUD.
    Accordingly, under this redelegation, that revokes and or 
supersedes all prior redelegations to Office of Single Family Housing 
managers, the Assistant Secretary is redelegating very broad operating 
authority to a clearly defined universe of Office of Housing positions 
in Headquarters and in the Field.

Section I. Single Family Housing Programs-Office of Housing 
Organization

    A. Office of Single Family Housing--Headquarters: All Single Family 
Housing managers, in Headquarters and the Field, report to the Deputy 
Assistant Secretary and Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single 
Family Housing. In Headquarters, there are three major single family 
housing offices, each of which are headed by a Director and are 
comprised of Divisions. These Offices are the following:
    [sbull] The Office of Single Family Housing Program Development: 
This Office is comprised of two Divisions. The Home Mortgage Insurance 
Division is generally responsible for developing and implementing 
policies, procedures, and guidelines covering pre-application stage 
through the final endorsement stage of FHA mortgage insurance cases, 
including mortgage loan origination and refinancing cases.
    The Program Support Division is responsible for: administering 
HUD's Housing Counseling program; managing FHA's nonprofit mortgagor, 
discount sales, and secondary financing programs; maintaining the 
Single Family Housing Web site; producing Single Family Housing 
brochures; overseeing the marketing of Single Family Housing programs; 
and providing a wide variety of technical assistance to the three 
Offices within Single Family Housing.
    [sbull] The Office of Single Family Asset Management: This Office 
is also comprised of two Divisions. The Single Family Servicing and 
Loss Mitigation Division is responsible for implementing the single 
family loan servicing and loss mitigation program, as well as for 
strategic planning and guidance in relation to HUD's mortgage loan 
portfolio. This portfolio includes loans that are currently insured or 
that have been assigned to the Department. Although a Headquarters 
Division, its staff, including the Division director, is out-stationed 
to Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Also, the loan servicing and loss 
mitigation function is carried out only by this Headquarters division, 
and not by any Field Office.
    The Asset Management and Disposition Division develops policies and 
procedures for, and implements, the single family housing property 
disposition program.
    [sbull] The Office of Lender Activities and Program Compliance: 
This Office consists of two Divisions. The Lender Approval and Re-
certification Division assists in the development of criteria for 
approving FHA lenders. Applications from mortgage lenders seeking to 
become FHA mortgagees are filed with, reviewed, and decided within this 
Division. The Division is also responsible for lender re-
certifications.
    The second division, the Quality Assurance Division, is responsible 
for ensuring that FHA-approved lenders comply with requirements that 
govern lender practices. It monitors the performance of lenders and how 
well their loans perform on an ongoing basis. If necessary, the Office 
can work with lenders to improve their practices, or, at the other 
extreme, assist the Office of Housing in terminating a lender's FHA 
approval status.
    B. Office of Single Family Housing--Field Office Structure: In 
order to maximize efficiencies and empower people and communities, the 
Office of Single Family Housing undertook a major field reorganization 
over the past few years. Today, the Office has four Homeownership 
Centers (HOC) located in Atlanta, Georgia; Denver, Colorado; 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Santa Ana, California. These HOCs are 
responsible for the processing of cases within their respective 
geographic jurisdictions. In addition, Office of Single Family Housing 
employees, engaged in program support and lender monitoring activities, 
are out-stationed to locations throughout the United States. Among 
other things, these employees work within local communities, conducting 
marketing and outreach responsibilities, to ensure that the public is 
aware of and has access to Office of Housing programs.
    A uniform structure applies to all of the HOCs. The highest ranking 
official in the HOC is the HOC Director, who is assisted by the HOC 
Deputy Director. Functions performed by HOC staff are distributed, 
according to type (e.g., production, quality assurance, etc.), among 
five Divisions, each headed by a Division Director. The five HOC 
Divisions are titled (1) Processing and Underwriting; (2) Quality 
Assurance; (3) Program Support; (4) Real Estate Owned; and (5) 
Operations and Customer Service.
    Division Directors report to the HOC Director and Deputy Director. 
(As is the case in Headquarters, all staff report to the Deputy 
Assistant Secretary and Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single 
Family Housing.) The chart below identifies each HOC and its geographic 
jurisdiction.

                      Atlanta Homeownership Center
Atlanta            Indianapolis       Memphis           Coral Gables
Jackson            Chicago            Nashville         Louisville
Jacksonville       Orlando            Birmingham        Caribbean
Knoxville          Tampa              Columbia
Greensboro
 


[[Page 50169]]


                       Denver Homeownership Center
Denver             Omaha              Shreveport        Kansas City
Casper             Albuquerque        Fort Worth        Lubbock
Salt Lake City     Helena             Fargo             Dallas
Des Moines         San Antonio        Sioux Falls       Milwaukee
St. Louis          Tulsa              Little Rock       Minneapolis
Oklahoma City      New Orleans
 


                    Philadelphia Homeownership Center
Philadelphia       Cincinnati         Grand Rapids      Manchester
Albany             Camden             Boston            Charleston
New York           Buffalo            Bangor            Hartford
Providence         Burlington         Pittsburgh        Baltimore
Columbus           Washington, DC     Richmond          Wilmington
Detroit            Cleveland          Flint             Newark
 


                     Santa Ana Homeonwership Center
Santa Ana          Los Angeles        San Diego         Anchorage
Fresno             Phoenix            San Francisco     Boise
Honolulu           Reno               Tucson            Portland
Las Vegas          Sacramento         Seattle           Spokane
 

Section II. Single Family Programs--Functions

    The Office of Single Family Housing is charged with carrying out 
duties of the Assistant Secretary and General Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Housing as they relate to single family programs set 
forth in HUD's governing legislation. This broad range of programs 
enables HUD, in concert with program participants in the private and 
public sectors, to provide safe, decent, and affordable single family 
housing to millions of American families. Programs include the 
implementation of certain regulatory programs administered by the 
Office of Housing. They promote homeownership opportunities, provide 
for affordable financing, and help to educate people, who are often 
first-time homeowners, on how to maintain a home.


    Note: Single family programs, and functions related thereto, do 
not include activities performed by the Office of Housing under the 
Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 
1992 (FHEFSSA), 12 U.S.C. 4501 et seq. A separate office within the 
Office of Housing, the Office of Government Sponsored Enterprise 
Regulatory Staff, assists the Assistant Secretary in carrying out 
the provisions of the FHEFSSA.


    Under this delegation, the Assistant Secretary redelegates broad 
program authority to the Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Associate 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, and commensurate with their respective 
duties, Directors in Headquarters and in the Field.
    Characterizing the redelegated authority in broad or generic terms 
will enable the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Associate Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, and Directors in Headquarters and the Field, to perform all 
functions necessary to accomplish single family program tasks and 
objectives.
    In some past delegation notices, HUD has set forth, in ``laundry 
list'' fashion the detailed functions carried out by managers under 
generic function headings. Publishing detailed lists has proven 
problematic, as some listed items become obsolete over time, while 
other functions are omitted through oversight. Conversely, this 
delegation sets forth functions in generic terms, while the preamble 
provides insights into the nature of the work performed by managers 
with delegated authority under each category. The basic Single Family 
functions and a brief description of each are as follows:
    A. General Authority: This authority allows managers to sign any 
and all documents necessary to carry out the business within their 
program and geographical jurisdictions. In addition, it allows 
managers, when considering a proposal, to waive any directives not 
mandated by statute or regulation for good cause and with a written 
justification.
    B. Production: This function allows a manager with delegated 
authority to make all necessary determinations that relate to the 
insured mortgage process. Essentially, this category of functions 
begins with a proposal to insure a home mortgage and ends with the 
Department's endorsement of an insured mortgage. For all insurance 
programs, it includes, but is not limited to, such activities as 
approving direct endorsement lenders monitoring contract reviews, 
maintaining rosters and other lists of appraisers, inspectors, and 
lenders, performing underwriting reviews for mortgage credit, 
performing appraisal reviews, performing architectural field reviews, 
and setting mortgage limits.
    C. Servicing and Loss Mitigation: Servicing and Loss Mitigation 
functions are intended to ensure the servicing of the secretary-held 
mortgage portfolio and partial claims and the monitoring of FHA 
servicers' use of loss mitigation and timely reporting of defaulted, 
FHA-insured loans. Additional responsibilities include: Writing off or 
compromising principal debt, up to a maximum of $100,000; providing on-
site and off-site loss mitigation training to lenders, housing 
counseling agencies, and other FHA program offices within HUD; 
administering the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage reverse equity 
mortgage program; operating a nationwide call center to respond to 
questions concerning loss mitigation and foreclosure relief programs; 
and supporting the Department's endeavor against predatory lending 
practices.
    D. Quality Assurance: Quality assurance functions are intended to 
ensure that an FHA lender is in compliance with FHA lending 
requirements and procedures. Lenders that fail to meet FHA standards 
are subject to sanctions. Functions include: Monitoring lender 
performance; reviewing default and insurance claim statistics; placing 
a lender on credit watch; making recommendations to the FHA Mortgagee 
Review Board for the imposition of sanctions; and entering into 
indemnification agreements; or terminating a lender's FHA status.
    E. Lender Approval and Recertification: The approval of new lenders 
and the recertification of existing lenders are FHA's ``gatekeeping'' 
functions. Functions include the approval of Single Family and 
Multifamily lenders and processing

[[Page 50170]]

the approval and recertification applications from Single Family Title 
I and Title II lenders, and multifamily lenders for participation in 
FHA programs. An additional function is the administration of the 
Institution Master File system, which is used to track the status of 
lenders and their various authorities and also ``feeds'' lender data to 
over twenty of HUD/FHA's other data systems.
    F. Grants: Every year, the Office of Single Family Housing issues a 
Notice Of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the single family housing 
counseling program. This competitive funding program is part of HUD's 
annual SuperNOFA publication that announces funding programs developed 
throughout the Department. In any given year, however, Congress may 
authorize funds for additional grant programs. The Assistant Secretary 
for Housing is the Grant Officer and thus the sole official responsible 
for making grantee selections. Other grant functions include developing 
criteria for grant applications, rating and ranking proposals, and 
selecting government technical representatives to oversee performance 
under the grant contracts. Once a grant is awarded, functions include 
monitoring a grantee's compliance with the agreement, modifying a 
grant, terminating a grant for non-compliance, and closing out a grant 
in the usual course. The Assistant Secretary will retain and not 
redelegate the authority of the Grant Officer to make selections of 
grantees or to approve recipient noncompetitive grants.
    G. Program Demonstrations: Periodically, the Congress enacts 
legislation authorizing HUD to conduct a program on a demonstration 
basis. The purpose of the demonstration is essential to test the 
viability of a new program or product on a limited basis, e.g., by 
geography, case volume, or time. Functions related to demonstration 
programs include developing program criteria, implementing the program, 
monitoring activities and results, preparing any required reports to 
the Congress, and closing out the demonstration program.
    H. Property Disposition: Although most property disposition 
functions occur after HUD has acquired title to a property, there are 
exceptions that involve the pre-acquisition period. For example, in 
anticipation of acquiring title, HUD may decide to allow a family to 
remain in the conveyed property (i.e., an occupied conveyance). Pre-
acquisition decisions will then concern approving a lease and setting a 
rent level. Other decisions concern a property's maintenance (or 
preservation) during the period of conveyance from a lender. HUD 
reviews claims for insurance benefits, and once these are paid, the 
Department obtains title to a property and assumes the responsibilities 
of an owner. Among other things, it maintains the property, paying 
taxes, utility costs, and prepares it for sale. Contractors perform 
property maintenance functions, with HUD monitoring the work. Sales are 
conducted pursuant to a bidding process with functions ranging from 
advertising the property to execution of the deed upon a sale. HUD 
regulations governing single family property dispositions are set forth 
at 24 CFR part 291. Consistent with current practice, the Assistant 
Secretary for Housing will not delegate the authority under 24 CFR 
291.210(c), Direct sales to individuals or entities.
    I. Debarments and Limited Denials of Participation: A participant 
or contractor or affiliate, other than a mortgagee, who fails to comply 
with HUD program regulations, rules, and/or procedures, can be denied 
the right to participate in a HUD program or programs. Procedures 
governing the nature and scope of proceedings for the issuance of a 
debarment or limited denial of participation are set forth in 24 CFR 
part 24. Only certain officials may issue such limited denials of 
participation pursuant to the process in the regulations.


    Note:  Mortgagees are subject to an independent sanction process 
set forth in 24 CFR part 25.]

Section III. Single Family Housing Programs--Summary of Delegations

    In order to efficiently administer the business of single family 
housing, the Assistant Secretary is delegating broad authority to 
managers within the Office of Single Family Housing in Headquarters and 
in the Field. This section provides a summary of the delegations. The 
authority actually being delegated is set forth under section IV.
    A. Headquarters: The Deputy Assistant Secretary and Associate 
Deputy Assistant Secretary oversee the operations of the Office of 
Single Family Housing. Accordingly, each is being delegated the 
authority to conduct all business related to these programs. 
Headquarters directors, to the level of the Division Director, will be 
delegated authority commensurate with their respective subject matter 
jurisdictions. These directors typically assist the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary in developing the policies, guidance, and procedures pursuant 
to which single family programs are conducted. There are times, 
however, when Headquarters directors are required to review and decide 
upon a transaction. Some decisions warrant a Headquarters review and 
decision, notwithstanding that requests and transactions ordinarily 
originate and are decided in the Field. Headquarters may elect to 
review and decide upon cases that, for example, are of first 
impression, have national implications, require novel interpretations 
of guidance, or that have extraordinary monetary or other significance. 
The Assistant Secretary is re-delegating authority to Headquarters 
directors to allow them to function in these circumstances. The actual 
authority being delegated to the staff within each Office may be 
summarized as follows:
    [sbull] The Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Single 
Family Housing Program Development will be delegated the authority to 
perform all of the functions listed in section II. A. (General), 
section II. B (Production), section II. F. (Grants), and section II. G. 
(Program Demonstrations). Office Division Directors will be delegated 
authority to perform the following functions:
    The Director of the Home Mortgage Insurance Division will be 
authorized to perform functions under section II. A. (General) and 
section II. B. (Production).
    The Director of the Program Support Division will be authorized to 
perform functions under section II. A. (General), section II. F. 
(Grants), and section II. G. (Program Demonstrations).
    The Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Single Family 
Asset Management will be delegated the authority in section II. A. 
(General), section II. C. (Loan Servicing and Loss Mitigation), and 
section II. H. (Property Disposition).
    The Director of the Single Family Servicing and Loss Mitigation 
Division will be authorized to perform functions under section II. A. 
(General), and section II. C. (Loan Management and Loss Mitigation).
    [sbull] The Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Lender 
Activities and Program Compliance will be delegated authority to 
perform the functions identified under section II. A. (General), and 
section II. D. (Quality Assurance) and section II. E. (Lender Approval 
and Recertification). Among other things, they may also issue credit 
watch letters, and conduct informal hearings under 24 CFR part 202, 
Approval of Lending Institutions and Mortgagees. The Director serves as 
a non-voting member to the MRB.

[[Page 50171]]

    The Division Directors for Lender Approval and Re-certification, 
and Quality Assurance shall be delegated the authority in section II. 
A. (General).
    B. Single Family Field Offices: As a rule, requests that come to 
the Department are considered and decided by Housing officials at the 
Field Office level. Managers who work at or near the location of a 
proposal are often best suited to assess the needs of the local 
community and, within that context, the merits of a transaction. To 
enhance efficiency, the Office of Housing has centralized decision-
making for single-family programs in its four Home Ownership Centers. 
Additional staff located in some 80 HUD offices throughout the country 
makes recommendations to and carries out functions on behalf of 
management in the HOCs. Accordingly, HOC managers require broad 
delegations of authority.
    Each of the four HOC Directors and his or her Deputy Director will 
be delegated all of the authority in section II, other than section II. 
C. (Loan Servicing and Loss Mitigation), and section II.I., (Debarment 
responsibilities). Headquarters staff only carries out loan servicing 
and loss mitigation functions. The Assistant Secretary or General 
Deputy Assistant Secretary makes debarment determinations. However, 
pursuant to HUD's regulations at 24 CFR 200.204, the process for 
removing appraisers that violate HUD rules and procedures from the 
appraisal roster is, and will continue to be, carried out by staff in 
the HOCs. The Director of the Processing and Underwriting Division 
within each HOC issues to an appraiser the written notice of the 
proposed roster removal. If an appeal is filed by the appraiser, the 
HOC Director or Deputy Director handles the appeal (including an 
informal conference if one is requested) and makes the final 
determination of the matter.
    HOC Division Directors, other than the Director of the Operations 
and Customer Service Division, will be delegated the authority in 
section II. A. (General), to authorize transactions, i.e., to sign 
required documents, in relation to their respective subject matter 
jurisdictions. However, Division Directors will not be delegated the 
authority to waive directives. The Director of the Operations and 
Customer Service Division provides internal, administrative support for 
the HOC. Since this Division does not make binding determinations in 
proceedings that involve and/or impact HUD's public customers and 
clients, there is no need to delegate section II authority to the 
Division Director.
    In addition:
    [sbull] The Director of the Processing and Underwriting Division 
will be delegated the authority to perform functions under sections II. 
B. (Production), and section II. G. (Program Demonstrations).
    [sbull] The Director of the Quality Assurance Division will be 
delegated the authority to perform functions under section II. D. 
(Quality Assurance).
    [sbull] The Director of the Program Support Division will be 
delegated authority to perform the functions under section II. F. 
(Grants), and section II. G. (Program Demonstrations).
    [sbull] The Director of the Real Estate Owned Division will be 
delegated authority to perform functions under sections II. G. (Program 
Demonstrations), and section II. H. (Property Disposition).

Section IV. Single Family Programs--Authority Redelegated

    The Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner 
and the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing-Deputy Federal 
Housing Commissioner retain and redelegate (1) to the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for the Office of Single Family Housing and Associate Deputy 
Assistant Secretary and (2) through the Deputy Assistant Secretary and 
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary, to the Headquarters Office 
Directors and Headquarters Deputy Office Directors listed below, and 
(3) through the Headquarters Office Directors and Deputy Office 
Directors, to the Headquarters and Field Office managers listed below, 
the power and authority described as follows:
    A. Deputy Assistant Secretary and Associate Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Single Family Housing: Authority is redelegated, 
on a nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
all single-family housing programs, including, but not limited to, the 
exercise of the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions, and to waive any directive that is not mandated 
by a statute or regulation;
    (2) All production functions related to mortgage insurance, grant, 
or other programs;
    (3) All loan servicing and loss mitigation functions, including the 
authority to act as a claims collection officer and to write off or 
compromise debt up to $100,000;
    (4) All quality assurance functions;
    (5) All functions necessary to administer grants and cooperative 
agreements awarded by the Assistant Secretary. However, noncompetitive 
contract awards proposed by assistance recipients subject to the 
administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements at 24 
CFR part 85 may only be approved by the Assistant Secretary;
    (6) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis;
    (7) All property disposition functions, other than authorizing 
direct sales under 24 CFR 291.210(c);
    (8) Authority to conduct hearings concerning a lender or program 
participant's participation in HUD programs, and to issue (a) limited 
denials of participation, and (b) debarment notices, where a 
participant has elected not to contest the debarment decision of the 
Assistant Secretary.
    B. Director and Deputy Director, Office of Single Family Program 
Housing Development: Authority is redelegated, on a nationwide basis, 
to take all actions necessary to the conduct of single-family housing 
programs, in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
a statute or regulation;
    (2) All production functions related to mortgage insurance, grant, 
or other programs;
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a cooperative agreement or 
competitive or non-competitive grant program, except for making grantee 
selections and approving recipient noncompetitive contracts; and,
    (4) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    C. Director, Home Mortgage Insurance Division, Office of Single 
Family Housing Program Development: Authority is redelegated, on a 
nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
single family housing programs, in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
a statute or regulation; and,
    (2) All production functions related to mortgage insurance, grant, 
or other programs.
    D. Director, Program Support Division, Office of Single Family 
Housing Program Development: Authority is redelegated, on a nationwide 
basis, to take all actions and to perform all functions necessary to 
the conduct of the single family programs as follows:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform

[[Page 50172]]

enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation;
    (2) All functions necessary to carry out a cooperative agreement, 
competitive or non-competitive grant program except for making grantee 
selections and approving recipient noncompetitive contracts; and,
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    E. Director and Deputy Director, Office of Single Family Asset 
Management: Authority is re-delegated, on a nationwide basis, to take 
all actions necessary to the conduct of single family housing programs, 
in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation;
    (2) Loan servicing and loss mitigation functions, including the 
authority to act as a claims collection officer and to write off or 
compromise debt up to $100,000;
    (3) All property disposition functions other than authorizing 
direct sales under 24 CFR 291.210(c); and,
    (4) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    F. Director, Single Family Servicing and Loss Mitigation Division, 
Office of Single Family Asset Management: Authority is redelegated, on 
a nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
single family housing programs in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulations; and,
    (2) All loan servicing and loss mitigation functions, including the 
authority to act as a claims collection officer and to write off or 
compromise debt up to $100,000.
    G. Director, Asset Management and Property Disposition Division, 
Office of Single Family Asset Management: Authority is redelegated, on 
a nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
single family housing programs in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation;
    (2) All property disposition functions other than authorizing 
direct sales under 24 CFR 291.210(c); and,
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    H. Director and Deputy Director, Office of Lender Activities and 
Program Compliance: Authority is redelegated, on a nationwide basis, to 
take all actions necessary to the conduct of single family programs in 
relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation;
    (2) All quality assurance functions, including lender approval, re-
certification, and program compliance functions;
    (3) Authority to conduct hearings concerning a lender or program 
participants participation in HUD programs, and to issue (a) limited 
denials of participation; and,
    (4) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    I. Director, Lender Approval and Re-certification Division, Office 
of Lender Activities and Program Compliance: Authority is redelegated, 
on a nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
single family housing programs, in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation; and,
    (2) All functions related to approving and re-certifying FHA 
lenders;
    J. Director, Quality Assurance Division, Office of Lender 
Activities and Program Compliance: Authority is redelegated, on a 
nationwide basis, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of 
single family programs, in relation to the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions and to waive any directive that is not mandated by 
statute or regulation;
    (2) Monitor lender performance and default and claim rates and to 
enter into indemnification agreements; and,
    (3) All quality assurance functions related to program compliance 
by approved FHA lenders.
    K. Homeownership Center--Director and Deputy Director: Authority is 
redelegated, within their respective jurisdictions, to take all actions 
necessary to the conduct of all single family housing programs 
including, but not limited to, the exercise of the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions, and to waive any directive that is not mandated 
by a statute or regulation;
    (2) All production functions related to mortgage insurance, grant, 
or other programs;
    (3) Monitor lender performance and default and claim rates and to 
enter into indemnification agreements;
    (4) All functions necessary to carry out a cooperative agreement, 
competitive or non-competitive grant program except for making grantee 
selections and approving recipient noncompetitive contracts;
    (5) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis;
    (6) All property disposition functions other than authorizing 
direct sales under 24 CFR 291.210(c);
    (7) Authority to issue limited denials of participation; and
    (8) Authority pursuant to 24 CFR 200.204(a)(2)(iii) to administer 
the appeals process in connection with the removal of an appraiser from 
the appraiser roster and to issue a final decision concerning an 
appraiser's removal from the roster.
    L. Homeownership Center--Processing and Underwriting Division 
Director: Authority is redelegated, within their respective 
jurisdictions, to take all actions necessary to the conduct of all 
single family housing programs including, but not limited to, the 
exercise of the following functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions but not to issue waivers of directives;
    (2) All production functions related to mortgage insurance, grant, 
or other programs;
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis; and
    (4) Authority pursuant to 24 CFR 200.204(a)(2)(iii) to issue the 
written notice of proposed roster removal to an appraiser.
    M. Homeownership Center--Quality Assurance Division Director: 
Authority is redelegated, within their respective jurisdictions, to 
take all actions necessary to the conduct of all single family housing 
programs including, but not limited to, the exercise of the following 
functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions but not to issue waivers of directives; and,
    (2) Monitor lender performance and default and claim rates and to 
enter into indemnification agreements.

[[Page 50173]]

    N. Homeownership Center--Program Support Division Director: 
Authority is redelegated, within their respective jurisdictions, to 
take all actions necessary to the conduct of all single family housing 
programs including, but not limited to, the exercise of the following 
functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents to perform enumerated 
functions but not to issues waivers of directives;
    (2) All functions necessary to carry out a cooperative agreement, 
competitive or non-competitive grant program except for making grantee 
selections and approving recipient noncompetitive contracts; and,
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a program conducted on a 
demonstration basis.
    O. Homeownership Center--Real Estate Owned Division Director: 
Authority is redelegated, within their respective jurisdictions, to 
take all actions necessary to the conduct of all single family housing 
programs including, but not limited to, the exercise of the following 
functions:
    (1) The general power to sign any documents necessary to perform 
enumerated functions but not to issue waivers of directives;
    (2) All property disposition functions other than authorizing 
direct sales under 24 CFR 291.210(c); and,
    (3) All functions necessary to carry out a demonstration conducted 
on a demonstration basis.

Section V. Authority Excepted

    The authority redelegated in section IV.A through O does not 
include authority to issue or waive regulations or to implement the 
authority contained in the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety 
and Soundness Act of 1992, 12 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.

Section VI. Further Redelegations

    The authority redelegated by the Assistant Secretary for Housing--
Federal Housing Commissioner and the General Deputy Assistant 
Secretary-Deputy Federal Housing Commissioner may not be further 
redelegated by the officials identified in section IV. A through O.

Section VII. Revocation of Delegations

    All prior redelegations issued by the Assistant Secretary for 
Housing to staff in the Office of Single Family Housing are hereby 
superseded and/or revoked. The Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal 
Housing Commissioner or the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Housing--Deputy Federal Housing Commissioner may, at any time, revoke 
any of the authority redelegated in this notice. Notice of any 
revocation will be published in the Federal Register.

    Authority: Section 7(d), Department of Housing and Urban 
Development Act, 42 U.S.C. 3535(d).

    Dated: August 11, 2003.
John C. Weicher,
Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 03-21241 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-27-P