co-insurance

co-insurance Sec. 307. Title II of the National Housing Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: “co-insurance “Sec. 244. (a) In addition to providing insurance as otherwise authorized under this Act, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act inconsistent with this section, the Secretary, upon request of any mortgagee and for such mortgage insurance premium as he may prescribe (which premium, or other charges to be paid by the mortgagor, shall not exceed the premium, or other charges, that would otherwise be applicable), may insure and make a commitment to insure under any provision of this title any mortgage, advance, or loan otherwise eligible under such provision, pursuant to a co-insurance contract providing that the mortgagee will— “(1) assume a percentage of any loss on the insured mortgage, advance, or loan in direct proportion to the amount of the co-insurance, which co-insurance shall not be less than 10 per centum, subject to any reasonable limit or limits on the liability of the mortgagee that may be specified in the event of unusual or catastrophic losses that may be incurred by any one mortgagee; and “(2) carry out (under a delegation or otherwise and with or without compensation but subject to audit, exception, or review requirements) such credit approval, appraisal, inspection, commitment, property disposition, or other functions as the Secretary, pursuant to regulations, shall approve as consistent with the purposes of this Act. Any contract of co-insurance under this section shall contain such provisions relating to the sharing of premiums on a sound actuarial basis, establishment of mortgage reserves, manner of calculating insurance benefits, conditions with respect to foreclosure, handling and disposition of property prior to claim or settlement, rights of assignees (which may elect not to be subject to the loss sharing provisions), and other similar matters as the Secretary may prescribe pursuant to regulations. “(b) No insurance shall be granted pursuant to this section with respect to dwellings or projects approved for insurance prior to the beginning of construction unless the inspection of such construction is conducted in accordance with at least the minimum standards and criteria used with respect to dwellings or projects approved for mortgage insurance pursuant to other provisions of this title. “(c) No insurance shall be granted pursuant to this section unless the Secretary has, after due consultation with the mortgage lending industry, determined that the demonstration program of co-insurance authorized by this section will not disrupt the mortgage market or reduce the availability of mortgage credit to borrowers who depend upon mortgage insurance provided under this Act. “(d) No mortgage, advance, or loan shall be insured pursuant to this section after June 30, 1977, except pursuant to a commitment to insure made before that date. The aggregate principal amount of mortgages and loans insured pursuant to this section in any fiscal year 88 Stat. 680 beginning on or after July 1, 1974, and ending prior to October 1, 1977, shall not exceed 20 per centum of the aggregate principal amount of all mortgages and loans insured under this title during such fiscal year. The overall percentage limitation specified in the preceding sentence shall also apply separately within each of the following categories— “(1) mortgages and loans covering one- to four-family dwellings; and “(2) mortgages and loans covering projects with five or more dwelling units. “(e) The Secretary shall not withdraw, deny, or delay insurance otherwise authorized under any other provision of this Act by reason of the availability of insurance pursuant to this section. The Secretary shall exercise his authority under this section only to the extent that he finds that the continued exercise of such authority will not adversely affect the flow of mortgage credit to older and declining neighborhoods and to the purchasers of older and lower cost housing. “(f) The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report, not later than March 1, 1975, and annually thereafter, describing operations under this section, including the extent of mortgage participation and any special problems encountered, particularly with respect to the flow of mortgage credit to older and declining neighborhoods and to purchasers of older and lower cost housing, and setting forth any recommendations he may deem appropriate with respect to the continuation or modification of the authority contained in this section. If the Secretary shall fail to submit any such report by the date due, his authority under this section shall terminate.”