RESEARCH

RESEARCH Sec. 2. (a) The Housing and Home Finance Administrator is authorized and directed to undertake such programs of investigation, analysis, and research as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in the exercise of his responsibilities, including the formulation and carrying out of national housing policies and programs. Without limiting such authority, such programs shall develop and supply data and information on— (1) the housing inventory of the Nation and the production, use, and demolition and conversion of residential structures, and such other factors as affect the total supply of housing; (2) mortgage market problems; (3) the extent to which adequate housing is available to the low-income and middle-income families of the Nation through public and private means; (4) housing for elderly persons; (5) residential design, assembly methods, and materials use in relation to cost, utility, and comfort; and (6) characteristics of current and prospective housing market demand. (b) (1) In order to permit the Administrator to carry out the functions vested in him by subsection (a) of this section, he is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with agencies of State and local governments and educational institutions and other nonprofit organizations and into working agreements with departments and independent establishments and agencies of the Federal Government in accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection: Provided, That the total amount of such contracts and working agreements shall not exceed $500,000 during the fiscal year 1957, which amount shall be increased by further amounts of $1,000,000 on July 1, 1957, and July 1, 1958, respectively. (2) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, including administrative expenses which are hereby authorized, and amounts necessary to make payments pursuant to contracts or working agreements authorized under subsection (b) (1) of this section. (3) The provisions of the third and fourth sentences of subsection (a) of section 301 of the Housing Act of 1948 and of subsection (c) of section 502 of such Act shall apply to contracts and appropriations pursuant to this section. (c) The Administrator may disseminate (without regard to the provisions of section 306 of the Penalty Mail Act of 1948 (39 U. S. C. 321n)) any data or information acquired or held under this section, including related data and information otherwise available to the Administrator through the operation of the programs and activities of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, in such form as he shall determine to be most useful to departments, establishments, and agencies of the Federal Government or State or local governments, to industry and to the general public. 70 Stat. 1114 (d) In carrying out the provisions of this section, the Administrator is hereby authorized to request and receive such information or data as he deems appropriate from private individuals, organizations, and other public agencies. Any such information or data shall be used only for the purposes for which it is supplied, and no publication shall be made by the Administrator whereby the information or data furnished by any particular person or establishment can be identified, except with the consent of such person or establishment. (e) Nothing contained in this section shall limit any authority of the Administrator under title III of the Housing Act of 1948, as amended, or any other provision of law.