[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 111 (Friday, June 7, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48499-48500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12559]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service

7 CFR Part 3550

[Docket No. RHS-23-SFH-0017]


Single Family Housing Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants in 
Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas Pilot Program

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notification; update and recission.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural 
Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), is providing notification that due to funding constraints it is 
rescinding one of the waivers being tested under the Section 504 Home 
Repair Loans and Grants in a Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas 
(PDDAs) pilot program, as published in the Federal Register on July 18, 
2023.

DATES: This recission is effective June 7, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Williams, Management and 
Program Analyst, Special Programs, Single Family Housing Direct Loan 
Division, Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave., Washington, DC 
20250, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Email: 
[email protected]; Phone: (202) 720-9649.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

New Section 504 Pilot Regulatory Waivers Update

    On July 18, 2023, the RHS published the Single Family Housing 
Section 504 Home Repair Loan and Grants in Presidentially Declared 
Disaster Areas Pilot Program notice in the Federal

[[Page 48500]]

Register (88 FR 45809). The purpose of the notice was to waive four 
regulatory requirements for the Section 504 Home Repair Loans and 
Grants in a Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas (PDDAs) pilot 
program. The Agency's intention was to evaluate the existing 
regulations and remove regulatory barriers to assist eligible 
applicants in PDDAs to improve the program usage for very low-income 
homeowners that are seeking to repair their damaged homes that are in 
PDDAs. The Agency also published a correction notice dated September 6, 
2023 (88 FR 60883). In the September 6, 2023, notice, the Agency stated 
that the pilot was subject to the availability of funds.
    As stated in the original notice and the correction notice, the 
Agency has continued to monitor the effectiveness of the pilot and the 
availability of funds. The Agency has now determined that there are not 
sufficient funds available for this program to keep all the waivers 
under the pilot in place. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 
reduced the program level for Section 504 grants to $25,000,000 (in 
comparison to $32,000,000 in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023) 
and rescinded $28,000,000 of the unobligated balances that carried over 
from prior year appropriations. With the lower program level and no 
available carryover funds, the waiver to the age requirement is no 
longer supportable and is rescinded. With the rescission of this one 
waiver, all applicants for the Section 504 Home Repair Grant Program 
must be 62 years of age or older at the time of application, according 
to 7 CFR 3550.103(b). Complete applications received prior to the date 
of this notice can be processed with the age requirement waiver.
    The remaining regulatory waivers established for the Section 504 
PDDAs pilot program will remain in place and are anticipated to 
continue until July 18, 2025. This pilot remains subject to the 
availability of funds.

Eligibility Requirements

    Eligible participants in the Section 504 program must abide by the 
statutory requirements as set forth in 7 CFR part 3550. Eligible PDDAs 
(individual and public assistance) can be found on the FEMA website at: 
https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations.

Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights laws and USDA civil rights 
regulations and policies, the USDA, its mission areas, agencies, staff 
offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering 
USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, 
national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 
expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, 
family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 
deadlines vary by program or incident. Program information may be made 
available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities 
who require alternative means of communication to obtain program 
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign 
Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, staff 
office; or the 711 Federal Relay Service. To file a program 
discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, 
USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained 
online at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by 
writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the 
complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written 
description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail 
to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights about the nature and 
date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form 
or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
    (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410; or
    (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Joaquin Altoro,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-12559 Filed 6-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P