Department of Housing and Urban Development

This direct final rule revises the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) regulations governing noise abatement and control. This final rule amends these regulations to provide that relevant HUD program offices, based on project funding, rather than only the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), have the authority to issue approvals related to projects in unacceptable noise zones. This final rule also eliminates unnecessary noise surveillance and data provisions to reflect current HUD practices.

This interim final rule revises the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) environmental review regulations by removing HUD's requirement that Environmental Assessments for projects over 200 dwelling units or beds shall be sent to the Field Environmental Clearance Officer (FECO) or Program Environmental Clearance Officer (PECO) for review and comment. This revision aligns with recent executive actions directing efficiency for environmental permitting and streamlines processing times for these projects while meeting all other regulatory and statutory requirements for environmental review. This interim final rule also requests public comment on this regulatory change.

This publication announces that HUD is delaying the effective date of HUD's January 6, 2025, final rule for all provisions not currently in effect, until the publication of an additional final rule.

This rule removes HUD's Shelter Plus Care program and Supportive Housing Program regulations from title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations. HUD is removing these regulations and references to these regulations because the Shelter Plus Care and Supportive Housing Programs were consolidated into and replaced by the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program following the enactment of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act).

In this document, HUD delays the effective date of the interim final rule published on February 26, 2026, which set an effective date of March 30, 2026, until after HUD issues a final rule in response to received comments. HUD will now treat the interim final rule as a proposed rule.

This rule removes HUD's Renewal Communities regulations because the designations were time limited, and all incentives have been repealed and sunset.

This rule revokes the 2021 interim final rule and 2024 final rule requiring that public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners of properties receiving project-based rental assistance (PBRA) provide certain tenants with 30-day notification prior to termination of lease for nonpayment of rent. Regulatory requirements for notice of termination for nonpayment of rent will return to pre-2021 requirements, which range from 5 days to 30 days for HUD programs and depend on state and local laws. This rule also removes requirements from the 2021 and 2024 rules related to information in termination notices.

The Section 3 rule "Enhancing and Streamlining the Implementation of Section 3 Requirements for Creating Economic Opportunities for Low- and Very Low-Income Persons and Eligible Businesses" published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2020, includes a requirement that the HUD Secretary update Section 3 project thresholds "not less than once every 5 years based on a national construction cost inflation factor through Federal Register notice not subject to public comment." This notice serves as an update of the 2020 version of the final rule, discusses the establishment of a national construction cost inflation factor for Section 3 projects, and establishes new Section 3 project thresholds.

This rule removes HUD's John Heinz Neighborhood Development Program regulations because the program has not been funded since 1998 and all grants have been closed out.

This document further extends the compliance date for HUD's final rule entitled Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: Implementation of Sections 102 and 104 (HOTMA final rule) for Community Planning and Development (CPD) programs. Specifically, HUD is extending the compliance date for the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME), HOME-American Rescue Plan program, Housing Trust Fund (HTF), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), Emergency Solution Grants (ESG), Continuum of Care (CoC) programs, and CPD programs funded through competitive processes (Competitive Programs). This action is necessary to allow additional time for HUD to finalize necessary system updates and for CPD grantees to fully incorporate the new income and asset requirements into their programs.

This document indefinitely delays the compliance date for HUD's final rule entitled "Strengthening the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program" published on March 20, 2024 until HUD completes necessary updates to the handbook, which will provide necessary guidance for implementing the final rule.

In reviewing HUD's May 7, 2024, final rule Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016-Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Project-Based Voucher Implementation; Additional Streamlining Changes, HUD discovered minor errors and provisions that would benefit from clarification. This rule corrects those technical errors, updates references, and makes clarifying amendments.

This document announces the fee that HUD will collect from borrowers of loans guaranteed under HUD's Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108 Program) to offset the credit subsidy costs of the guaranteed loans pursuant to commitments awarded in Fiscal Year 2026 in the event HUD is required or authorized by statute to do so, notwithstanding subsection (m) of section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The fee to offset credit subsidy costs is changing from 0.82 percent in Fiscal Year 2025 to 0.58 percent in Fiscal Year 2026.

This final rule further extends the effective date for certain provisions of the HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Program Updates and Streamlining final rule (HOME Final Rule) published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2025, which was scheduled to take effect on October 30, 2025. This publication announces that HUD is further delaying the effective or compliance dates for certain provisions of the HOME Final Rule.

This interim final rule revises the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) regulations governing the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program (the "Section 184 Program") by modifying the residency requirements for Borrower eligibility for Section 184 Program insured mortgages. This revision aligns HUD's requirements with recent executive actions that emphasize the prioritization of federal resources to protect the financial interests of American citizens and ensure the integrity of government-insured loan programs.

This rule provides for 2025 inflation adjustments of civil monetary penalty amounts required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act). This rule also removes an obsolete regulation relating to the imposition of civil monetary penalties.

On March 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published in the Federal Register an interim final rule entitled "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Revisions." The interim final rule provided for a 60-day comment period, which would have ended May 2, 2025. However, following a technical problem with regulations.gov that appeared to prohibit the electronic submission of comments on this rule beginning on or about April 28, HUD has determined that a seven-day extension of the comment period, until May 9, 2025, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons who may have tried unsuccessfully to submit comments additional time to do so.

On January 6, 2025, HUD published the HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Program Updates and Streamlining final rule (HOME Final Rule) in the Federal Register, which was scheduled to take effect on February 5, 2025. On February 3, 2025, HUD delayed the effective date of the HOME Final Rule until April 20, 2025, consistent with the President's January 20, 2025, memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." This publication announces that HUD is further delaying the effective or compliance dates for certain provisions of the HOME Final Rule. The provisions of the HOME Final Rule that are not further delayed by this publication are effective as of April 20, 2025.

This interim final rule revises HUD's regulation governing the Fair Housing Act's mandate that the Secretary administer HUD's program and activities in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing. This interim final rule returns to the original understanding of what the statutory AFFH certification was prior to 1994--a general commitment that grantees will take active steps to promote fair housing. Grantee AFFH certifications will be deemed sufficient provided they took any action during the relevant period rationally related to promoting fair housing, such as helping eliminate housing discrimination. This interim final rule does not, however, reinstate the obligation to conduct an Analysis of Impediments or mandate any specific fair housing planning mechanism; program participants must continue to affirmatively further fair housing as and to the extent required by the Fair Housing Act.

On September 16, 2024, HUD published the "Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards" final rule (MHCSS 4th and 5th Sets) in the Federal Register. The MHCSS 4th and 5th Sets final rule established a March 17, 2025, effective date. Consistent with the President's January 20, 2025, memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review", this document announces that HUD is delaying the effective date for the MHCSS 4th and 5th Sets final rule until September 15, 2025.

On January 6, 2025, HUD published the "HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Program Updates and Streamlining" final rule (HOME Final Rule) in the Federal Register. The HOME Final Rule provides for the rule to take effect on February 5, 2025. Consistent with the President's January 20, 2025, memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review", this notice announces that HUD is delaying the effective date for the HOME Final Rule until April 20, 2025.

This document extends the compliance date for HUD's final rule entitled "Strengthening the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program" (the final rule). HUD is extending the compliance date from March 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 to provide additional time for HUD to develop and implement a comprehensive handbook, to prepare new forms, and to allow Tribes, lenders, servicers, and other participants time to conform their policies, procedures, and systems to comply with the final rule.

HUD's HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME program or HOME) provides formula grants to States and units of general local government to fund a wide range of activities to produce and maintain affordable rental and homeownership housing and provides tenant-based rental assistance for low-income and very low-income households. This final rule revises the current HOME regulations to update, simplify, or streamline requirements, better align the program with other Federal housing programs, and implement recent amendments to the HOME statute. This final rule also includes minor revisions to the regulations for the Community Development Block Grant and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Programs consistent with the implementation of the changes to the HOME program. This final rule follows the publication of a proposed rule on May 29, 2024, and takes into consideration the comments received in response to that proposed rule.

This document extends the compliance date for HUD's final rule entitled "Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: Implementation of Sections 102, 103, and 104" (HOTMA final rule) for Community Planning and Development (CPD) programs. Specifically, HUD is extending the compliance date for the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME), HOME-American Rescue Plan program, Housing Trust Fund (HTF), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), Emergency Solution Grants (ESG), Continuum of Care (CoC) programs, and CPD programs funded through competitive processes (Competitive Programs). HUD is extending the compliance deadline for all grantees and allowing grantees that are ready to comply to set an earlier compliance date between January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2026. In addition, HUD is permitting the implementation of certain income safe harbors established in the HOTMA final rule prior to the extended HOTMA compliance date. HUD is taking this action due to delays in updating the HUD systems to comply with HOTMA and to allow additional time for jurisdictions, participants, and grantees to incorporate HUD's income and asset requirements into their own programs and flexibility to transition implementing HOTMA requirements under their own timelines.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is correcting a final rule entitled, "Adoption of 2020 Core Based Statistical Area Standards" that published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2024.

When funds provided by a mortgagor to a mortgagee are not fully disbursed with the initial advance of the insured mortgage proceeds, this final rule permits mortgagees to disburse up to 1 percent of the mortgage amount initially endorsed for insurance before requiring that the funds provided by the mortgagor be disbursed in full. This change to HUD's requirements removes unusual and burdensome mortgage servicing practices that may result from pooling mortgages into mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association prior to the funds provided by the mortgagor being disbursed in full. This final rule adopts HUD's August 6, 2024, proposed rule with only minor, non-substantive revisions.

This final rule provides that public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners of properties receiving project-based rental assistance (PBRA) must provide written notification to tenants facing eviction for nonpayment of rent 30 days prior to filing a formal judicial eviction procedure. For purposes of this rule, PBRA and other forms of project rental assistance includes projects in the following programs: Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, Section 202/162 Project Assistance Contract (PAC), Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC), Section 811 PRAC, Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program (811 PRA), and Senior Preservation Rental Assistance Contract Projects (SPRAC). This final rule largely adopts the proposed rule and, in response to public comments, has been revised to include additional requirements in the 30-day notice and to clarify the timing of the notice.

This rule amends the requirements for the sale of eligible single family mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that have been assigned to the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in exchange for claim payments. The mortgage notes are sold, without FHA insurance, to qualified purchasers in a manner that seeks to maximize recoveries and strengthen HUD's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF) and to achieve HUD's operational goals for the MMIF. This rule transitions the pilot Single Family Sale Program from a demonstration to a permanent program and removes existing Disposition of HUD-Acquired and -Owned Single Family Property regulations, which provided for a retired program that handled the sale of HUD-held single family mortgage loans.

This rule adopts the 2020 Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) standards as determined by the Office of Management and Budget's July 16, 2021, Federal Register notice for all HUD use of CBSAs. HUD uses CBSAs throughout its programs and is updating the standards to ensure accuracy of data and program administration.

This final rule revises HUD's regulations for Housing Assistance Payments contracts that were initially issued and administered by a State Housing Finance Agency. This final rule clarifies the meaning of the terms "HFA (Housing Finance Agency)" and "State Agency (Agency)" when HUD either assumes contract administration responsibilities or assigns the contract administration responsibilities to a Performance-Based Contract Administrator. This final rule also clarifies how reserve accounts may be transferred following assumption of contract administration duties by a new party. These regulatory changes conform with longstanding HUD policy and practice. This final rule adopts HUD's July 17, 2024, proposed rule without change.

This document extends the compliance date for certain provisions of HUD's final rule entitled "Modernization of Engagement with Mortgagors in Default" that require mortgagees to conduct meetings with all mortgagors in default. This requirement includes borrowers who do not reside in the mortgaged property and with mortgagees where the relevant property is not within 200 miles of the mortgagee, its servicer, or a branch office, which were excepted under HUD's existing regulation for conducting meetings with mortgagors in default. The compliance date for these provisions is extended until July 1, 2025. HUD is taking this action to permit mortgagees sufficient time to update their mortgage servicing processes and procedures to comply with the policy that will be established in a forthcoming mortgagee letter entitled "Modernization of Engagement with Borrowers in Default."

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (the Agencies) administer the Title V program, which makes suitable Federal real properties categorized as underutilized, unutilized, excess, or surplus available to States, local government agencies, and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organizations for use to assist the homeless. This final rule incorporates required statutory changes and current practices; updates references and terminology that are now outdated; and revises procedures for more efficient program administration in the Agencies' regulations.

This document announces and solicits comment on the fee that HUD will collect from borrowers of loans guaranteed under HUD's Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108 Program) to offset the credit subsidy costs of the guaranteed loans pursuant to commitments awarded in Fiscal Year 2025 in the event HUD is required or authorized by statute to do so, notwithstanding subsection (m) of section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The fee to offset credit subsidy costs is changing from 1.64 percent in Fiscal Year 2024 to 0.82 percent in Fiscal Year 2025.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is issuing this final rule to update HUD's regulations that require participating agencies to provide in-person counseling to clients that prefer this format to reflect advances in technology, align with client engagement preferences, and preserve consumer protections. The final rule amends HUD's regulations to allow housing counseling agencies to use alternative communication methods, including virtual meeting tools, in lieu of providing in-person services. Participating agencies that choose not to provide in-person services are required to refer clients to local providers that provide such services, when requested. After considering public comments received in response to the proposed rule HUD published on October 25, 2023, this final rule adopts the proposed rule without change.

This final rule amends the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS or the Construction and Safety Standards) by adopting most of the fourth and fifth groups of recommendations made to HUD by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC). This rule also amends the Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations, the Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards, and the Manufactured Home Installation Program regulations. The MHCC prepared and submitted to HUD its fourth and fifth groups of recommendations to improve various aspects of the MHCSS. HUD reviewed those proposals and drafted a number of proposed revisions to the MHCSS and associated regulations. On July 19, 2022, HUD published a proposed rule detailing these revisions to provide the public an opportunity to comment. The comment period closed on September 19, 2022. This final rule adopts HUD's proposed revisions based upon the MHCC's fourth and fifth groups of recommendations with some minor revisions made in response to the public comments.

This notice sets forth the policies and procedures for the administration of tenant-based and project-based Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance under the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program administered by local public housing agencies (PHAs) that have partnered with local Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities or other entities as designated by the Secretary of the VA. This notice includes new waivers and program flexibilities as well as additional general guidance. This notice also incorporates updated policy based on further implementation of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA).

HUD's regulations require mortgagees of Federal Housing Administration insured single family mortgages to meet in person, or make a reasonable effort to meet in person, with mortgagors who are in default on their mortgage payments. This rule modernizes those requirements by amending HUD's regulations to better align with advances in electronic communication technology and mortgagor engagement preferences, while preserving consumer protections. Specifically, this rule revises HUD's in-person, face-to-face meeting requirements by permitting mortgagees to utilize methods of communication most likely to receive a response from the mortgagor, including remote communication methods, to meet with mortgagors who are in default on their mortgage payments. This rule also expands the meeting requirement to all mortgagors in default, including mortgagors who do not reside in the mortgaged property and those with a mortgaged property not within 200 miles of their mortgagee. This final rule adopts HUD's July 31, 2023, proposed rule with only minor, non- substantive revisions.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2024, a final rule to strengthen its Section 184 Indian Loan Guarantee Program by, among other things, clarifying rules for Tribes, lenders, servicers, and other participants. The final rule established an effective date of June 18, 2024. To provide time for HUD to develop and implement a comprehensive handbook for the Section 184 Program and to allow Tribes, lenders, servicers, and other participants time to conform their policies, procedures, and systems to comply with HUD's March 20, 2024, final rule, this rulemaking delays that effective date to December 31, 2024, and establishes a compliance date of March 1, 2025.

HUD's Housing Counseling Program provides counseling to individuals seeking information about financing, maintaining, renting, or owning a home. Established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, entities and individual counselors that participate in the Housing Counseling Program are required to be certified by HUD as competent to provide counseling services. In 2016, HUD implemented such housing counselor certification requirements for most HUD programs but agreed to conduct consultation with Tribes before implementing them for Tribes. On January 26, 2023, HUD published a proposed rule that provides an alternative regulatory standard for the counselor certification that accounts for the unique status of Tribal land and housing programs in Indian country and recognizes the importance of Tribal expertise. After consulting with Tribes and considering public comments received in response to the proposed rule, this final rule adopts the proposed rule with minor changes.

HUD is correcting a final rule entitled, "Removal of Obsolete Regulations for Section 236 of the National Housing Act" that published on June 4, 2024, to include the rule's Regulation Identifier Number (RIN).

This rule removes HUD's obsolete regulations under the Rental and Cooperative Housing for Lower Income Families Program under section 236 of the National Housing Act ("Section 236"), as amended. HUD has determined that the provisions regulating Section 236 insured projects and Section 236 Rental Assistance Payment ("RAP") projects are obsolete and unnecessary because there are no remaining properties or projects subject to these regulations, and no new agreements are being established under these programs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is correcting a final rule entitled, "Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016--Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Project-Based Voucher Implementation; Additional Streamlining Changes" that published on May 7, 2024.

This final rule amends HUD's regulations to implement changes to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) tenant-based program and the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program made by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). HOTMA made several amendments to the HCV and PBV programs, including establishing a statutory definition of public housing agency (PHA)-owned housing, and amending several elements of both programs. In response to public comments, HUD has also included additional regulatory changes in this final rule that are intended to reduce the burden on public housing agencies, by either modifying requirements or simplifying and clarifying existing regulatory language.

This rule amends the requirements for investing lenders and investing mortgagees to gain or maintain their status as a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) approved lender or mortgagee. This revision makes FHA's approval requirements consistent with investing mortgagees' and investing lenders' risk, reduces barriers to FHA approval for new investing mortgagees and investing lenders, and increases access to capital for all FHA-approved mortgagees and lenders. HUD is clarifying that the general annual certification requirement for lenders and mortgagees is applicable to investing lenders and investing mortgagees. HUD is also defining Government- Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) separately from other governmental-type entities to ensure that FHA requirements specific to loan origination do not apply to GSEs. Finally, HUD is eliminating obsolete language related to lender and mortgagee net worth requirements. This final rule adopts HUD's July 18, 2023, proposed rule with minor revisions.

This final rule revises HUD's regulations governing floodplain management and the protection of wetlands to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) in accordance with the Executive Order titled "Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input." These revisions to HUD's regulations will improve the resilience of HUD-assisted or financed projects to the effects of climate change and natural disasters and provide for greater flexibility in the use of HUD assistance in floodways under certain circumstances. Among other revisions, this rule provides a process for determining the extent of the FFRMS floodplain, with a preference for a climate-informed science approach (CISA) to making this determination. The rule also revises HUD's floodplain and wetland regulations to streamline, improve overall clarity, and modernize standards. Also, this rule revises HUD's Minimum Property Standards for one-to-four-unit housing under HUD's mortgage insurance and low-rent public housing programs to require that the lowest floor in newly constructed structures located within the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain be built at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation (BFE) as determined by best available information. The rule also revises a categorical exclusion when HUD performs environmental reviews and updates various HUD environmental regulations to permit online posting of public notices.

The Department of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is correcting a final rule entitled, "Indexing Methodology for Title 1 Manufactured Home Loan Limits" that published in the Federal Register on February 28, 2024.

Through this final rule, HUD eliminates the restrictions for Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grantees and for Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies that currently bar FHIP and FHAP funded entities from using HUD funds to deploy fair housing testers with prior felony convictions or convictions of crimes involving fraud or perjury. The final rule ensures that FHIP and FHAP funded entities are able to fully investigate criminal background screening policies that are potentially discriminatory under federal civil rights laws by using a diverse group of testers with actual criminal convictions. This final rule also improves inclusivity in HUD programs for people with criminal convictions, consistent with President Joseph R. Biden's March 31, 2022 Proclamation on Second Chance Month and Secretary Marcia Fudge's April 12, 2022 Memorandum, "Eliminating Barriers That May Unnecessarily Prevent Individuals with Criminal Histories from Participating in HUD Programs," and is based on a HUD determination that no valid interest is served by categorically barring FHIP and FHAP funded entities from using testers with such convictions.

The Department of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is correcting a final rule entitled, "Strengthening the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program" that published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2024.

This final rule amends the regulations governing the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program ("Section 184 Program") to strengthen the program by clarifying rules for stakeholders. As the program has experienced an increase in demand, it is necessary that HUD update the Section 184 Program implementing regulations to minimize potential risk and increase program participation by financial institutions. This final rule adds participation and eligibility requirements for Lender Applicants, Direct Guarantee Lenders, Non- Direct Guarantee Lenders, Holders and Servicers and other financial institutions. This final rule clarifies the rules governing Tribal participation in the program, establishes underwriting requirements, specifies rules on the closing and endorsement process, establishes stronger and clearer servicing requirements, establishes program rules governing claims submitted by Servicers and paid by HUD, and adds standards governing monitoring, reporting, sanctions, and appeals. This final rule adds new definitions and makes statutory conforming amendments, including the categorical exclusion of the Section 184 Program in HUD's environmental review regulations. Ultimately, the changes made by this final rule promote program sustainability, increase Borrower protections, and provide clarity for new and existing Lenders who participate in the program. This final rule follows the publication of a proposed rule on December 21, 2022, and takes into consideration the comments received in response to that proposed rule and during the Tribal consultations.

Section 2145 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) amended the maximum loan limits for manufactured home loans insured under Title I of the National Housing Act and required regulations to implement future indexing of the loan limit amounts for manufactured homes originated under the Manufactured Home Loan program. This rule establishes indexing methodologies using data from the United States Census Bureau ("Census") to annually calculate the loan limits for Manufactured Home Loans, Manufactured Home Lot Loans, and Manufactured Home and Lot Combination Loans ("Combination Loans") insured under Title I of the National Housing Act for the Manufactured Home Loan program. This final rule adopts HUD's October 18, 2022, proposed rule with changes.

The Mark-to-Market program preserves affordability and availability of affordable rental multifamily properties with federally insured mortgages, reducing rents to market levels by restructuring existing debt to levels supportable by these rents. This final rule revises the Mark-to-Market program regulations to clarify that annual adjustment of restructured rents under the program will be based on an operating cost adjustment factor determined by HUD and to further clarify when HUD may approve rent adjustments on a budget basis. This final rule will bring greater clarity to the Mark-to-Market program and will align HUD's regulations with recent legislative changes that specifically allow budget-based rent adjustments for the program.

This rule provides for 2024 inflation adjustments of civil monetary penalty amounts required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act).

This rule amends HUD's regulations covering rental housing assistance for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) program, consistent with the Native American Housing Assistance and Self- Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA). The amendments clarify and improve consistency with NAHASDA's statutory requirements and HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program regulations. This rule would also help to make affordable housing opportunities, in the form of NHHBG- assisted rental housing, more available to eligible Native Hawaiian families.

This document advises Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and the public that HUD is establishing an expedited waiver process for requests to waive HUD regulatory and/or administrative requirements ("HUD requirements") for PHAs during Presidentially Declared Disasters (PDDs). PHAs located in areas that are included in PDD areas (PDD PHAs) may request waivers of certain HUD Public Housing and section 8 requirements and receive expedited review of such requests to utilize the administrative flexibilities and expedited waiver process set forth in this document.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner is issuing final regulations to amend the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) requirement for branch office registration. The final rule removes the requirement that lenders and mortgagees register each branch office where they conduct FHA business with HUD. After considering public comments received in response to the proposed rule HUD published on March 1, 2023, this final rule adopts the proposed rule without change.

This document advises the public of waivers and flexibilities from HUD requirements for its Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG), Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG), and Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) grantees located in areas that are covered by Presidentially Declared Disasters (PDDs) declared during Calendar Years 2024 and 2025. A PDD is a major disaster or emergency declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act that activates an array of Federal programs to assist in the response and recovery efforts. When they occur, disasters and their aftermath impose significant barriers and challenges for housing programs to overcome or operate. To provide relief during such challenging times for its IHBG, ICDBG, and NHHBG grantees, HUD is publishing this standing notification of regulatory and administrative requirement flexibilities to assist affected grantees. Instructions are provided below on how to apply for flexibilities. A grantee may request a waiver or flexibility of a HUD requirement not listed in this document and receive an expedited review of the request if the grantee demonstrates that the waiver or flexibility is needed to assist its disaster relief and recovery efforts.

This final rule implements technical amendments to HUD's program regulations governing Section 202 Direct Loans for Housing for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities ("Section 202 Direct Loan"), including the Section 202 Projects for the Elderly or Handicapped--Section 8 Assistance ("202/8") and the Section 202 Assistance for Nonelderly Handicapped Families and Individuals--Section 162 Assistance ("202/162") programs. The amendments are necessary to conform the Section 202 Direct Loan program regulations with HUD's final rule implementing sections 102, 103, and 104 of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). This final rule also corrects outdated cross references in the Section 202 Direct Loan program regulations and updates the list of protected classes applicable to affirmative marketing requirements for the Section 202/8 and Section 202/162 programs.

This document announces the fee that HUD will collect from borrowers of loans guaranteed under HUD's Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108 Program) to offset the credit subsidy costs of the guaranteed loans pursuant to commitments awarded in Fiscal Year 2024 in the event HUD is required or authorized by statute to do so, notwithstanding subsection (m) of section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) provides the opportunity to test the conversion of assistance of public housing properties and other HUD-assisted properties to long-term, project- based Section 8 rental assistance. This document announces the posting of a supplement to the most current notice (Revised RAD Notice Revision 4, H-2019-09/PIH-2019-23 (HA)). As provided by the RAD Statute, this document addresses the requirement that RAD may proceed after publication of notice of its terms in the Federal Register. This document summarizes the key changes made to the H-2019-09/PIH-2019-23 (HA) through the RAD Supplemental Notice 4B, H-2023-08/PIH-2023-19 (HA). This document also meets the RAD statutory requirement to publish waivers and alternative requirements at least 10 days before effect, while this does not prevent the demonstration, as modified, from proceeding immediately.

This final rule establishes a new approach to defining and assessing housing quality: The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). This rule is part of a broad revision of the way HUD-assisted housing is inspected and evaluated. The purpose of NSPIRE is to strengthen HUD's physical condition standards and improve HUD oversight through the alignment and consolidation of the inspection regulations used to evaluate HUD housing across multiple programs. This final rule also incorporates provisions of the Economic Growth and Recovery, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act that will reduce administrative burden on small rural public housing authorities (PHAs).

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of dwellings and in other housing-related activities. This prohibition extends to practices with an unjustified discriminatory effect, regardless of whether there was an intent to discriminate. In 2013, HUD published a rule which formalized a burden- shifting test for determining whether a given practice has an unjustified discriminatory effect. In 2020, HUD published a rule that would have altered the standards set forth in the 2013 rule. However, a preliminary injunction prevented the 2020 rule from ever going into effect. On June 25, 2021, HUD published a proposed rule to recodify the 2013 rule. After considering public comments, HUD in this final rule reinstates and maintains the 2013 rule and rescinds the 2020 rule.

HUD's regulations allow mortgagees to modify a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgage by recasting the total unpaid loan for a term limited to 360 months to cure a borrower's default. This rule amends HUD's regulation to allow for mortgagees to recast the total unpaid loan for a new term limit of 480 months. Increasing the maximum term limit to 480 months will allow mortgagees to further reduce the borrower's monthly payment as the outstanding balance would be spread over a longer time frame, providing more borrowers with FHA- insured mortgages the ability to retain their homes after default. This change will also align FHA with modifications available to borrowers with mortgages backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), which both currently provide a 40-year loan modification option. This final rule adopts HUD's April 1, 2022, proposed rule without change.

HUD is removing the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as an approved index for adjustable interest rate mortgages (ARMs), and replacing LIBOR with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as a Secretary-approved index for newly originated forward ARMs. HUD is also codifying its removal of LIBOR and approval of SOFR as an index for newly-originated Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM or reverse mortgage) ARMs. In addition, HUD is establishing a spread-adjusted SOFR index as the Secretary-approved replacement index to transition existing forward and HECM ARMs off LIBOR. HUD is also making clarifying changes to its HECM Monthly ARM regulation and establishing a lifetime adjustment cap for monthly adjustable rate HECMs. This final rule adopts HUD's October 19, 2022, proposed rule with minor changes.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is correcting a final rule entitled "Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016: Implementation of Sections 102, 103, and 104" that published on February 14, 2023.

This rule provides for 2023 inflation adjustments of civil monetary penalty amounts required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act). This rule also revises HUD's policy and applies annually adjusted penalty amounts to the date the penalty is assessed after the effective date of the rule (if the violation occurred after the enactment of the 2015 Act).

This final rule revises HUD regulations to implement parts of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). In addition to amending regulations for HUD's public housing and Section 8 programs, this final rule revises the program regulations for several other HUD programs. HUD did this in the interest of aligning its requirements across its programs or because the underlying program statute required HUD to make the revisions. These include the regulations for HUD's Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships, Housing Trust Fund, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202), and Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) programs. Since HUD and other Federal agencies may use the regulations revised as part of this rulemaking in the calculation of income for other programs or activities, the public should be aware that the effects of this rulemaking are not limited to the programs listed in this rule and preamble.

This proposed rule would amend the definition of "manufactured home" in HUD's Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS), Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards (MMHIS), and Manufactured Home Installation Program (MHIP) to provide that a transportable section of a manufactured home serving as part of an upper floor of a manufactured home would not need to be transported or built on a permanent chassis.

This supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking re-opens public comment for certain topics and provisions that were addressed in HUD's May 29, 2024, proposed rule entitled "HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Program Updates and Streamlining." Among other changes, this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking proposes to revise or revoke previously-proposed tenant protection provisions permitting participating jurisdictions to exceed the maximum per-unit subsidy for projects that met certain green building standards. This supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking would also create additional flexibilities related to scattered site manufactured housing rental projects.

This proposed rule would harmonize HUD's existing Equal Access regulations with the directions of the Executive Order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." The rule would remove references to "gender" and "gender identity" from HUD regulations, or remove and replace it with "sex," as defined by the Executive Order. Through these revisions, the rule would ensure equal access to qualifying facilities would be provided in accordance with the sex of an individual based on his or her immutable biological classification as either male or female rather than the ever-shifting concept of self- assessed gender identity. It would also provide grant recipients, subrecipients, owners, operators, managers, and providers under HUD programs that permit single-sex or sex-specific facilities (such as temporary, emergency shelters or other facilities with physical limitations or configurations that require and are permitted to have shared sleeping quarters or bathrooms) the ability to require reasonable assurances and evidence to confirm the sex of an individual seeking service in order to protect the safety of other individuals in the facility.

This proposed rule would amend HUD regulations to provide Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and certain Multifamily Housing Owners (Owners) with the option to implement work requirements for work- eligible adults and term limits for non-elderly, non-disabled families residing in public housing or receiving assistance through Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV), or Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA). This proposed rule is necessary to further the statutory goals of the public housing, HCV, PBV, and PBRA programs to provide maximum local flexibility for PHAs, promote self-sufficiency for residents, promote economically mixed housing in the PBRA program, and address the affordable housing shortage.

Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, as amended ("Section 214"), prohibits the Secretary of HUD from making financial assistance available to persons other than United States citizens or certain categories of eligible noncitizens in HUD's public and specified assisted housing programs. This proposed rule would revise HUD's Section 214 implementing regulations to require the verification of U.S. citizenship or the eligible immigration status of all applicants and recipients of assistance under a covered program regardless of age. The proposed rule would also make prorated assistance a temporary condition pending verification of eligible status of all family members, where permitted by statute, as opposed to under HUD's current regulations where prorated assistance could continue indefinitely. These amendments would bring HUD's regulations into greater alignment with the wording and purpose of Section 214 and align with the current Administration's priorities and regulatory reform efforts.

This document announces a solicitation of comments on the methodology described to determine the Section 108 loan guarantee fee to cover credit subsidy costs that HUD published in the Federal Register on November 19, 2025. HUD will collect the fee from borrowers of loans guaranteed under HUD's Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108 Program) to offset the credit subsidy costs of the guaranteed loans pursuant to commitments awarded in Fiscal Year 2026 in the event HUD is required or authorized by statute to do so, notwithstanding subsection (m) of section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of dwellings and in other housing-related activities. Since 2013, HUD has issued three final rules for determining whether a given practice has an unjustified discriminatory effect under the Fair Housing Act, even where practices were not motivated by discriminatory intent. These rules formalized legal tests that were not explicit in statute and imposed a presumption of unlawful discrimination when any variance in outcomes exists among protected classes, even without a showing of a facially discriminatory policy or discriminatory intent. Through this rulemaking, HUD is proposing to remove its discriminatory effects regulations and leaving to courts questions related to interpretations of disparate impact liability under the Fair Housing Act.

This proposed rule would rescind the Department's Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing regulations, which require a participant in an FHA insurance or Multifamily Housing rental assistance program to complete and submit a form supplied by HUD that describes its affirmative fair housing marketing plan.

This document informs the public that HUD has determined not to pursue the proposed rule previously published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2024, entitled "Reducing Barriers to HUD- Assisted Housing". HUD will proceed to formally withdraw the rule from HUD's Spring 2025 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.

This document informs the public that HUD has determined not to pursue the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on February 9, 2023, entitled "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing". HUD will proceed to formally withdraw the rule from HUD's upcoming Spring 2025 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is proposing to amend its regulations on Federal financial assistance to conform with 2020 and 2024 changes to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance governing Federal financial assistance (previously called grants and agreements). The proposed amendments would implement the guidance and update cross-references to OMB provisions that have been renumbered or reorganized. HUD is also proposing changes to improve some grant management and administrative program regulations based on HUD's experience implementing OMB's regulations and guidance in existing entitlement, discretionary, and other programs involving grant management and administration. Finally, HUD is proposing changes to its Title VI, Section 108, Section 184, and Section 184A loan guarantee program regulations to address OMB's changes for loan guarantee programs regarding System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration and to clarify that the Section 184 and Section 184A programs are subject to audit requirements in OMB's regulations and final guidance. All these changes will improve HUD's processes for awarding Federal financial assistance and align HUD's regulations with governmentwide efforts to adopt consistent and standardized terms and data elements, implement data- and risk-based frameworks, reduce Federal agency and recipient burdens, promote consistent interpretations of OMB's regulations and guidance, and improve and maximize agencies' ability to assess performance of recipients.

The Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) governs the assessments, evaluation, and oversight of public housing agencies (PHAs) administering public housing. This proposed rule would revise the weight of PHAS performance indicators to emphasize the importance of occupancy, financial condition, and physical assessments. To the greatest extent possible, scoring indicators would be based on measurable program outcomes and data that is already available to HUD. Additionally, the proposed revisions would allow HUD to respond more quickly and effectively to performance deficiencies when they are first identified, to intervene based on trending performance data, and to delay scoring or assessments when appropriate.

This proposed rule would adopt the 2020 Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) standards as determined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Metropolitan Areas Protection and Standardization Act of 2021 (MAPS Act) requires agencies that propagate OMB's CBSA Standards for non-statistical use to seek public comment before determining that the propagation supports the purposes of the agency's programs and is in the public interest. This proposed rule describes HUD's use of CBSAs, how CBSA standards support relevant programs, and how HUD believes the adoption of updated standards ensures accuracy of data and program administration.

When funds provided by a mortgagor to a mortgagee are not fully disbursed with the initial advance of the insured mortgage proceeds, the proposed rule would permit mortgagees to disburse up to 1 percent of the mortgage amount initially endorsed for insurance before requiring that the funds provided by the mortgagor be disbursed in full. This proposed change would allow mortgagees to pool mortgages into mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association prior to the funds provided by the mortgagor being disbursed in full.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is proposing to revise HUD's regulations for Housing Assistance Payments contracts that were initially issued and administered by a State Housing Finance Agency. The proposed rule would clarify the meaning of the terms "HFA (Housing Finance Agency)" and "State Agency (Agency)" when HUD either assumes contract administration responsibilities or assigns the contract administration responsibilities to a Performance-Based Contract Administrator. The proposed rule would also clarify how reserve accounts may be transferred following assumption of contract administration duties by a new party. These regulatory changes would conform with longstanding HUD policy and practice.

In a Single Family Sale (the "Program"), eligible single family mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) are assigned to the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in exchange for claim payments, and mortgage notes are then sold, without FHA insurance, to qualified purchasers in a manner that seeks to maximize recoveries and strengthen HUD's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF), and to achieve HUD's operational goals for the MMIF. The Program has operated as a demonstration since 2002. This proposed rule would transition the Program from a demonstration to a permanent Program by revising HUD's Single Family Mortgage Insurance, Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, and Disposition of HUD-Acquired and - Owned Single Family Property regulations to provide for the sale of HUD-held single family forward mortgages and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), through Competitive Sale of Single Family Loans and Direct Sale of Single Family Loans. This proposed rule would also remove existing regulations on Disposition of HUD-Acquired and -Owned Single Family Property regulations which provided for a retired program that handled the sale of HUD-held single family mortgage loans.

HUD will host three, two-part virtual public listening sessions to allow interested persons an opportunity to learn about and provide comments on the "HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Program Updates and Streamlining" proposed rule. The Part 1 listening sessions will address the topics of community housing development organizations, maximum subsidy amounts, green building incentives, homebuyer housing, and community land trusts. The Part 2 listening sessions will address the topics of rental housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and tenant protections.

HUD's HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME program or HOME) provides formula grants to States and units of general local government to fund a wide range of activities to produce and maintain affordable rental and homeownership housing and provides tenant-based rental assistance for low-income and very low-income households. This proposed rule would revise the current HOME regulations to update, simplify, or streamline requirements, better align the program with other Federal housing programs, and implement recent amendments to the HOME statute. This rule also includes minor revisions to the regulations for the Community Development Block Grant and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Programs consistent with the implementation of proposed changes to the HOME program.

This proposed rule would amend the regulations for certain HUD Public and Indian Housing and Housing Programs. The proposed amendments would revise existing regulations that govern admission for applicants with criminal records or a history of involvement with the criminal justice system and eviction or termination of assistance of persons on the basis of illegal drug use, drug-related criminal activity, or other criminal activity. The proposed revisions would require that prior to any discretionary denial or termination for criminal activity, PHAs and assisted housing owners take into consideration multiple sources of information, including but not limited to the recency and relevance of prior criminal activity. They are intended to minimize unnecessary exclusions from these programs while allowing providers to maintain the health, safety, and peaceful enjoyment of their residents, their staffs, and their communities. The proposed rule is intended to both clarify existing PHA and owner obligations and reduce the risk of violation of nondiscrimination laws.

HUD is proposing to revise the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and related Section 108 loan guarantee program regulations to make it easier for recipients to promote economic development and recovery in low- and moderate-income communities and support investments in underserved areas. This proposed rule also would revise provisions related to Consolidated Plan and citizen participation requirements for the CDBG program and institute quarterly reporting to improve performance with respect to timeliness. HUD is also proposing to make certain corresponding changes to the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program regulations to align the ICDBG program with the revisions being made to the CDBG program regulations.

On October 31, 2023, HUD published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled "Removing Criminal Conviction Restrictions for Testers in FHIP- and FHAP-Funded Testing Programs," proposing to eliminate the tester restrictions for Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grantees and for Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies that forbid FHIP and FHAP recipients from using fair housing testers with prior felony convictions or convictions of crimes involving fraud or perjury. The proposed rule provided for a 60- day comment period, which would have ended January 2, 2024. HUD has determined that a 9-day extension of the comment period, until January 11, 2024, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the proposal and prepare their comments.

Under this proposed rule, when tenants who reside in public housing or in properties receiving project-based rental assistance (PBRA) face eviction for nonpayment of rent, public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners would need to provide those tenants with written notification at least 30 days prior to the commencement of a formal judicial eviction procedure for lease termination. For purposes of this proposed rule, PBRA includes projects in the following programs: Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, Section 202/162 Project Assistance Contract, Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC), Section 811 PRAC, Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program (811 PRA), and Senior Preservation Rental Assistance Contract Projects (SPRAC). This proposed rule would curtail preventable and unnecessary evictions by providing tenants with time and information to help cure nonpayment violations.

Through this proposed rule, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seeks to eliminate the tester restrictions for Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grantees and for Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies that forbid FHIP and FHAP recipients from using fair housing testers with prior felony convictions or convictions of crimes involving fraud or perjury. This proposed rule would make HUD's programs as inclusive as possible for people with criminal records, consistent with Secretary Marcia Fudge's April 12, 2022 Memorandum, "Eliminating Barriers That May Unnecessarily Prevent Individuals with Criminal Histories from Participating in HUD Program," and ensure that FHIP and FHAP funded entities are able to fully investigate criminal background screening policies that are potentially discriminatory under federal civil rights laws by using testers with actual criminal backgrounds.

This proposed rule would update HUD's regulations that require participating agencies to provide in-person counseling to clients that prefer this format to reflect advances in technology, align with client engagement preferences, and preserve consumer protections. The proposed rule would amend HUD's regulations to allow housing counseling agencies to use alternative communication methods, including virtual meeting tools, in lieu of providing in-person services. Participating agencies that choose not to provide in-person services would be required to refer clients to local providers that provide such services, when requested.

HUD's regulations require that mortgagees of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured single family mortgages (mortgagees) meet in person, or make a reasonable effort to meet in person, with mortgagors who are in default on their mortgage payments. This rule proposes to modernize this requirement by updating HUD's regulation to better align with advances in electronic communication technology and mortgagor engagement preferences, while preserving consumer protections. Specifically, this rule proposes to update HUD's current in-person, face-to-face meeting requirements by permitting mortgagees to utilize methods of communication most likely to receive a response from the mortgagor as determined by the Secretary, including electronic and other remote communication methods, such as telephone calls or video calls, to meet with mortgagors who are in default on their mortgage payments. This proposed rule would also expand the meeting requirement to all mortgagors in default, including mortgagors who do not reside in the mortgaged property and those with a mortgaged property not within 200 miles of their mortgagee, its servicer, or a branch office of either.

HUD proposes to revise the requirements for investing lenders and investing mortgagees to gain or maintain status as a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) approved lender or mortgagee. This proposed revision would make FHA's approval requirements consistent with investing mortgagees' and investing lenders' risk, reduce barriers to FHA approval for new investing mortgagees and investing lenders, and increase access to capital for all FHA-approved mortgagees and lenders. HUD also proposes to make clarifying edits to ensure that certification language is applicable to investing lenders and investing mortgagees. In addition, HUD proposes to define the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) separately from other governmental-type entities to ensure that FHA requirements specific to loan origination do not improperly apply to the GSEs. Finally, HUD proposes to eliminate obsolete language related to lender and mortgagee net worth requirements.

On March 24, 2023, HUD published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled "Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands; Minimum Property Standards for Flood Hazard Exposure; Building to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard," which would revise HUD's regulations governing floodplain management and the protection of wetlands to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). The proposed rule provided for a 60-day comment period, which would have ended May 23, 2023. HUD has determined that a 14-day extension of the comment period, until June 6, 2023, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the proposal and prepare their comments.

This advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeks the public's input on changes that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD or the Department) is considering to its implementing regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) for federally assisted and HUD conducted programs and activities. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance and in programs and activities conducted by executive agencies. After this ANPRM is published, the Department intends to draft a Notice of a Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would propose the adoption of an updated Federal accessibility standard for purposes of compliance with HUD's Section 504 regulations. In addition, the Department intends for this NPRM to propose revisions to HUD's Section 504 regulations to clarify recipients' obligations, including how to account for advances in accessible design, information and communication technology, and assistive technologies that have become available since HUD's Section 504 regulations were originally published in 1988.

On February 9, 2023, HUD published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing", proposing to implement the obligation to affirmatively further the purposes and policies of the Fair Housing Act, which is title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, with respect to certain recipients of HUD funds. The proposed rule provided for a 60-day comment period, which would have ended April 10, 2023. HUD has determined that a 14-day extension of the comment period, until April 24, 2023, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the proposal and prepare their comments.

This request for public comment serves as a complementary document to the Economic Growth Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act: Implementation of National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) proposed rule. The proposed rule provided that HUD would publish in the Federal Register the NSPIRE inspection standards and scoring methodology to assess the overall condition, health, and safety of properties and units assisted or insured by HUD. The NSPIRE Standards were published for public comment on June 17, 2022. HUD now seeks public review and comment on the proposed NSPIRE physical inspection scoring and ranking methodology to implement HUD's final NSPIRE rule for Public Housing and Multifamily Housing programs, including Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) and other Multifamily assisted housing, Section 202/811 programs, and HUD-insured Multifamily as described in the NSPIRE proposed rule. The scoring methodology converts observed defects into a numerical score and sets a threshold for HUD to perform additional administrative oversight by establishing a level for when a property fails an inspection (less than 60 points) and when an enforcement referral is automatic or required (less than or equal to 30 points). HUD will consider comments received in response to this request before publishing a final NSPIRE Scoring notice in the Federal Register.

This proposed rule would revise HUD's regulations governing floodplain management and the protection of wetlands to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS), in accordance with the Executive order, "Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input," to improve the resilience of HUD-assisted or financed projects to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and provide for greater flexibility in the use of HUD assistance in floodways under certain circumstances. Among other revisions, the rule would provide a process for determining the FFRMS Floodplain that would establish a preference for the climate-informed science approach (CISA), and it would revise HUD's floodplain and wetland regulations to streamline them, improve overall clarity, and modernize standards. This proposed rule would also revise HUD's Minimum Property Standards for one-to-four unit housing under HUD mortgage insurance and under low-rent public housing programs to require that the lowest floor in both newly constructed and substantially improved structures located within the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain be built at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation as determined by best available information, and it would revise a categorical exclusion when HUD performs environmental reviews, and update various HUD environmental regulations to permit online posting of public notices.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (the Agencies) each have distinct responsibilities in the administration of the Title V program, authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The program makes suitable Federal real properties categorized as underutilized, unutilized, excess, or surplus available to States, local government agencies, and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organizations for use to assist the homeless. In 2016, the Federal Assets Sales and Transfer Act amended Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This proposed rule would incorporate required statutory changes and current practices; update references and terminology that are now outdated; and revise procedures for more efficient program administration in the Agencies' regulations.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is publishing this proposed rule to revise HUD's regulations for branch office registration requirements. To make mortgage industry standards more flexible and modernized, the proposed rule would remove the requirement that lenders and mortgagees register with HUD each branch office where they conduct Federal Housing Administration (FHA) business.