If the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development finds that, because of higher costs prevailing in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands, it is not feasible to construct dwellings or manufactured home courts or parks on property located in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands without sacrifice of sound standards of construction, design, or livability, within the limitations as to maximum or maxima mortgage amounts provided in this chapter, the Secretary may, by regulations or otherwise, prescribe, with respect to dollar amount, a higher maximum or maxima for the principal obligation of mortgages insured under this chapter covering property located in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands in such amounts as he shall find necessary to compensate for such higher costs but not to exceed, in any event, the maximum or maxima otherwise applicable (including increased mortgage amounts in geographical areas where cost levels so require) by more than one-half thereof. No mortgage with respect to a project or property in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands shall be accepted for insurance under this chapter unless the Secretary finds that the project or property is an acceptable risk giving consideration to the acute housing shortage in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands: *Provided*, That any such mortgage may be insured or accepted for insurance without regard to any requirement in any other section of this chapter that the Secretary find the project or property to be economically sound or an acceptable risk. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this chapter or any other law, the Alaska Housing Authority or the Government of Guam, the Virgin Islands, or Hawaii or any agency or instrumentality thereof shall be eligible as mortgagor or mortgagee, as the case may be, for any of the purposes of mortgage insurance under the provisions of this chapter. Upon application by the mortgagee (1) where the mortgagor is regulated or restricted pursuant to the last sentence of this section or (2) where the Alaska Housing Authority or the Government of Guam, the Virgin Islands, or Hawaii or any agency or instrumentality thereof is the mortgagor or mortgagee, for the insurance of a mortgage under any provisions of this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to insure the mortgage (including advances thereon where otherwise authorized), and to make commitments for the insuring of any such mortgages prior to the date of their execution or disbursement thereon, under such provision (and this section) without regard to any requirement that the mortgagor shall have paid a prescribed amount on account of such property. Without limiting the authority of the Secretary under any other provision of law, the Secretary is authorized, with respect to any mortgagor in such case (except where the Alaska Housing Authority is the mortgagor or mortgagee), to require the mortgagor to be regulated or restricted as to rents or sales, charges, capital structure, rate of return, and methods of operation to such an extent and in such manner as the Secretary determines advisable to provide reasonable rentals and sales prices and a reasonable return on the investment.

(June 27, 1934, ch. 847, title II, §214, as added Apr. 23, 1949, ch. 89, §2(a), 63 Stat. 57; amended Sept. 1, 1951, ch. 378, title VI, §606, 65 Stat. 315; July 14, 1952, ch. 723, §10(a)(3), 66 Stat. 603; June 30, 1953, ch. 170, §25(a), (c), 67 Stat. 128; Pub. L. 86–70, §10(c), June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 142; Pub. L. 86–372, title I, §106, Sept. 23, 1959, 73 Stat. 657; Pub. L. 90–19, §1(a)(2), (3), May 25, 1967, 81 Stat. 17; Pub. L. 91–152, title IV, §418(e), Dec. 24, 1969, 83 Stat. 402; Pub. L. 96–399, title III, §308(c)(1), Oct. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1640; Pub. L. 98–479, title II, §204(a)(4), Oct. 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 2232; Pub. L. 100–242, title IV, §406(b)(7), Feb. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1901; Pub. L. 101–625, title III, §333, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4141.)

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 27, 1934, ch. 847, 48 Stat. 1246, which is classified principally to this chapter (§1701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Section is comprised of section 214 of act June 27, 1934, as added by section 2(a) of act Apr. 23, 1949, which insofar as Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam individually are concerned, was, formerly, also set out as sections 484d, 723, and 1425 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. Section 2(b) of act Apr. 23, 1949, which was formerly classified to sections 484e, 724 and 1426 of Title 48, was repealed by act Aug. 2, 1954, ch. 649, title II, §205, 68 Stat. 622.

**1990**—Pub. L. 101–625 amended section catchline generally, inserting reference to Virgin Islands, substituted “Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands,” for “Alaska, Guam, or Hawaii,” after “costs prevailing in”, “Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands” for “Alaska or in Guam or Hawaii” wherever appearing, and inserted “, the Virgin Islands,” after “Government of Guam” wherever appearing.

**1988**—Pub. L. 100–242 struck out “shall be the owner and occupant of the property or” before “shall have paid a prescribed amount” in fourth sentence.

**1984**—Pub. L. 98–479 substituted “Insurance of mortgages on property in Alaska, Guam, and Hawaii” for “Construction of dwellings or mobile home courts or parks in Alaska, Guam, and Hawaii; increased maximum for mortgage insurance; conditions and limitations” in section catchline, and substituted “Notwithstanding” for “Nowithstanding” at beginning of third sentence.

**1980**—Pub. L. 96–399 substituted “manufactured” for “mobile”.

**1969**—Pub. L. 91–152 extended to mobile home courts or parks the special provisions applicable to properties located in Alaska, Guam, or Hawaii.

**1967**—Pub. L. 90–19 substituted “Secretary of Housing and Urban Development” for “Federal Housing Commissioner” and “Secretary” for “Commissioner”, respectively, wherever appearing.

**1959**—Pub. L. 86–372 inserted “(including increased mortgage amounts in geographical areas where cost levels so require)” after “maximum or maxima otherwise applicable”.

Pub. L. 86–70 substituted “Alaska, Guam,” for “the Territory of Alaska or in Guam”.

**1953**—Act June 30, 1953, §25(a), inserted “or Hawaii” after “Guam” wherever appearing.

Act June 30, 1953, §25(c), substituted in fourth sentence “Upon application by the mortgagee (1) where the mortgagor is regulated or restricted pursuant to the last sentence of this section or (2)” for “Upon application by the mortgagee,”; and inserted sentence beginning “Without limiting the authority”.

**1952**—Act July 14, 1952, inserted “or in Guam” after “Alaska” wherever appearing, inserted “or maxima” after “maximum,” and inserted “or the Government of Guam or any agency or instrumentality thereof” after “Alaska Housing Authority” wherever appearing.

**1951**—Act Sept. 1, 1951, substituted “one-half” for “one-third” in first sentence.

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–242 applicable only with respect to mortgages insured pursuant to conditional commitment issued on or after Feb. 5, 1988, or in accordance with direct endorsement program (24 CFR 200.163), if approved underwriter of mortgagee signs appraisal report for property on or after Feb. 5, 1988, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 100–242, set out as a note under section 1709 of this title.

Section 323 of Pub. L. 96–399 directed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to study feasibility of utilizing factory-built and other appropriate types of housing (other than the traditional type of site-built housing), to the extent practicable, in carrying out housing programs for Indians and Alaskan Natives, and not later than eighteen months after Oct. 8, 1980, to transmit a report to Congress containing the findings and conclusions of such study, including a comparison of costs and benefits of utilizing the traditional type of site-built housing and of utilizing other types of housing in situations in which either type of housing could be used.

No additional notes or obligations to be purchased after June 24, 1954, from funds appropriated pursuant to the Alaska Housing Act, as amended, which is classified, in part, to this section, see section 1701g–5 of this title, and References in Text note thereunder.

Establishment of revolving fund under which to account for assets and liabilities in connection with notes and other obligations purchased pursuant to the Alaska Housing Act, as amended, which is classified, in part, to this section, see section 1701g–5 of this title, and References in Text note thereunder.

Alaska was admitted into the Union on Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, and Hawaii was admitted into the Union on Aug. 21, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3309, Aug. 21, 1959, 24 F.R. 6868. 73 Stat. c74. For Alaska Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. For Hawaii Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 86–3, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 4, set out as a note preceding section 491 of Title 48.