SFH Direct Loan and Grant Programs
May 6, 2025
Updates to Handbook 1-3550
With the posting of Procedure Notice (PN) 640 dated May 5, 2025, changes were made to Handbook (HB)-1-3550, Chapters 3, 5, 9, 12; Appendices 2, 3 and 5 and Form RD 410-4, 1944-59 and 1944-5. To follow are a few key highlights of the changes, but please review the PN carefully for more details:
- Chapter 3 was revised to:
- Remove the requirement for Packagers to prepare an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing plan.
- Update non-discrimination language per recent Executive Orders.
- Remove the requirement to complete Federal Food Risk Management Determinations.
- Chapter 5 was revised to:
- Permit leaseholds that are 2 years longer than the loan term for new energy-efficient manufactured and modular housing financing in land-lease communities operating on a non-profit basis or on Tribal lands.
- Remove reference to approved manufactured dealer-contractors.
- Remove requirement to provide contractors with “Equal Employment is the Law” poster, Form RD 400-1, 400-3 and 400-6 per Office of Civil Rights.
- Chapter 9 was revised to:
- Require a recorded agreement and insurance requirements for properties with shared property or zero lot lines.
- Revise requirements for the purchase of a new manufactured housing unit and added language and requirements to permit the purchase of an eligible existing manufactured housing unit.
- Remove application and approval requirements for manufactured dealer-contractors, and cite new manufactured home submission requirements.
- Add title and lien requirements for the purchase of a manufactured housing unit and site.
- Revise Attachment 9-B to conform with 24 CFR Part 3280, Subpart F.
- Chapter 12 was revised to provide updates to:
- Clarify contracts greater than $10,000 require a construction contract.
- Remove Department of Labor Notification requirement.
- Remove references to Form AD 1048, “Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension Ineligibility”, per RD Administrative Notice 4893.
- Appendix 2 was revised to provide updates to:
- Remove references to 400 series forms that are no longer required, per guidance from the Office of Civil Rights; removed RD Form 1944-5, Manufactured Housing Dealer-Contractor Application; removed references to 1955 forms that are no longer applicable.
- Appendix 3 was revised to:
- Add expiration date to HB Letter 16-A, Eligibility of Self-Help Applicants – New Construction or Acquisition Rehabilitation.
- Revise HB Letters 17 and 18 to conform with changes in Chapter 5 relating to appraisal disputes or reconsideration of value requests.
- Appendix 5 was revised to provide updates to:
- Remove the reference to EO 12898 requiring a Civil Rights Impact Analysis on each project prior to loan approval.
- Forms:
-
Form RD 410-4, Uniform Residential Loan Application, update of the non-discrimination statement.
-
Form 1944-59, Certificate of Eligibility, clarification between new construction and newly constructed property, and added items required for existing manufactured housing.
-
Form RD 1944-5, RD Manufactured Housing Dealer-Contractor Application, is obsolete.
|
