amendment to the united states housing act of 1937

amendment to the united states housing act of 1937 Sec. 201. (a) The United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended to read as follows: “short title “Section 1. This Act may be cited as the ‘United States Housing Act of 1937’. “declaration of policy “Sec. 2. It is the policy of the United States to promote the general welfare of the Nation by employing its funds and credit, as provided in this Act, to assist the several States and their political subdivisions to remedy the unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions and the acute shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for families of low income and, consistent with the objectives of this Act, to vest in local public housing agencies the maximum amount of responsibility in the administration of their housing programs. No person should be barred from serving on the board of directors or similar governing body of a local public housing agency because of his tenancy in a low-income housing project. 88 Stat. 654 “definitions “Sec. 3. When used in this Act— “(1) The term ‘low-income housing’ means decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings within the financial reach of families of low income, and embraces all necessary appurtenances thereto. Except as otherwise provided in this section, income limits for occupancy and rents shall be fixed by the public housing agency and approved by the Secretary. The rental for any dwelling unit shall not exceed one-fourth of the family’s income as defined by the Secretary. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the rental for any dwelling unit shall not be less than the higher of (A) 5 per centum of the gross income of the family occupying the dwelling unit, and (B) if the family is receiving payments for welfare assistance from a public agency and a part of such payments, adjusted in accordance with the family’s actual housing costs, is specifically designated by such agency to meet the family’s housing costs, the portion of such payments which is so designated. At least 20 per centum of the dwelling units in any project placed under annual contributions contracts in any fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this section shall be occupied by very low-income families. In defining the income of any family for the purpose of this Act, the Secretary shall consider income from all sources of each member of the family residing in the household, except that there shall be excluded— “(A) the income of any family member (other than the head of the household or his spouse) who is under eighteen years of age or is a full-time student; “(B) the first $300 of the income of a secondary wage earner who is the spouse of the head of the household; “(C) an amount equal to $300 for each member of the family residing in the household (other than the head of the household or his spouse) who is under eighteen years of age or who is eighteen years of age or older and is disabled or handicapped or a full-time student; “(D) nonrecurring income, as determined by the Secretary; “(E) 5 per centum of the family’s gross income (10 per centum in the case of elderly families); “(F) such extraordinary medical or other expenses as the Secretary approves for exclusion; and “(G) an amount equal to the sums received by the head of the household or his spouse from, or under the direction of, any public or private nonprofit child placing agency for the care and maintenance of one or more persons who are under eighteen years of age and were placed in the household by such agency. “(2) The term ‘low-income families’ means families of low income who cannot afford to pay enough to cause private enterprise in their locality or metropolitan area to build an adequate supply of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for their use. The term ‘very low-income families’ means families whose incomes do not exceed 50 per centum of the median family income for the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families. The term ‘families’ includes families consisting of a single person in the case of (A) a person who is at least sixty-two years of age or is under a disability as defined in section 223 of the Social Security Act or in section 102(5) of the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Amendments of 1970, or is handicapped, (B) a displaced person, and (C) the remaining member of a tenant family; and the term ‘elderly families’ means families whose heads (or their spouses), or whose sole members, are persons described in clause (A). 88 Stat. 655 A person shall be considered handicapped if such person is determined, pursuant to regulations issued by the Secretary, to have an impairment which (i) is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration, (ii) substantially impedes his ability to live independently, and (iii) is of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions. The term ‘displaced person’ means a person displaced by governmental action, or a person whose dwelling has been extensively damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster declared or otherwise formally recognized pursuant to Federal disaster relief laws. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this paragraph, the term ‘elderly families’ includes two or more elderly, disabled, or handicapped individuals living together, or one or more such individuals living with another person who is determined under regulations of the Secretary to be a person essential to their care or well being. “(3) The term ‘development’ means any or all undertakings necessary for planning, land acquisition, demolition, construction, or equipment, in connection with a low-income housing project. The term ‘development cost’ comprises the cost incurred by a public housing agency in such undertakings and their necessary financing (including the payment of carrying charges), and in otherwise carrying out the development of such project. Construction activity in connection with a low-income housing project may be confined to the reconstruction, remodeling, or repair of existing buildings. “(4) The term ‘operation’ means any or all undertakings appropriate for management, operation, services, maintenance, security (including the cost of security personnel), or financing in connection with a low-income housing project. The term also means the financing of tenant programs and services for families residing in low-income housing projects, particularly where there is maximum feasible participation of the tenants in the development and operation of such tenant programs and services. As used in this paragraph, the term ‘tenant programs and services’ includes the development and maintenance of tenant organizations which participate in the management of low-income housing projects; the training of tenants to manage and operate such projects and the utilization of their services in project management and operation; counseling on household management, housekeeping, budgeting, money management, child care, and similar matters; advice as to resources for job training and placement, education, welfare, health, and other community services; services which are directly related to meeting tenant needs and providing a wholesome living environment; and referral to appropriate agencies when necessary for the provision of such services. To the maximum extent available and appropriate, existing public and private agencies in the community shall be used for the provision of such services. “(5) The term ‘acquisition cost’ means the amount prudently required to be expended by a public housing agency in acquiring a low-income housing project. “(6) The term ‘public housing agency’ means any State, county, municipality, or other governmental entity or public body (or agency or instrumentality thereof) which is authorized to engage in or assist in the development or operation of low-income housing. “(7) The term ‘State’ includes the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories and possessions of the United States, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and Indian tribes, bands, groups, and Nations, including Alaska Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos, of the United States. “(8) The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 88 Stat. 656 “(9) The term ‘low-income housing project’ or ‘project’ means (A) any low-income housing developed, acquired, or assisted by a public housing agency under this Act, and (B) the improvement of any such housing. “loans for low-income housing projects “Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary may make loans or commitments to make loans to public housing agencies to help finance or refinance the development, acquisition, or operation of low-income housing projects by such agencies. Any contract for such loans and any amendment to a contract for such loans shall provide that such loans shall bear interest at a rate specified by the Secretary which shall not be less than a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the average maturities of such loans, plus one-eighth of 1 per centum. Such loans shall be secured in such manner and shall be repaid within such period not exceeding forty years, or not exceeding forty years from the date of the bonds evidencing the loan, as the Secretary may determine. The Secretary may require loans or commitments to make loans under this section to be pledged as security for obligations issued by a public housing agency in connection with a low-income housing project. “(b) The Secretary may issue and have outstanding at any one time notes and other obligations for purchase by the Secretary of the Treasury in an amount which will not, unless authorized by the President, exceed $1,500,000,000. For the purpose of determining obligations incurred to make loans pursuant to this Act against any limitation otherwise applicable with respect to such loans, the Secretary shall estimate the maximum amount to be loaned at any one time pursuant to loan agreements then outstanding with public housing agencies. Such notes or other obligations shall be in such forms and denominations and shall be subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Secretary with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury. The notes or other obligations issued under this subsection shall have such maturities and bear such rate or rates of interest as shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to purchase any notes or other obligations of the Secretary issued hereunder and for such purpose is authorized to use as a public debt transaction the proceeds from the sale of any securities issued under the Second Liberty Bond Act, as amended, and the purposes for which securities may be issued under such Act, as amended, are extended to include any purchases of such obligations. The Secretary of the Treasury may at any time sell any of the notes or other obligations acquired by him under this section. All redemptions, purchases, and sales by the Secretary of the Treasury of such notes or other obligations shall be treated as public debt transactions of the United States. “annual contributions for low-income housing projects “Sec. 5.(a) The Secretary may make annual contributions to public housing agencies to assist in achieving and maintaining the low-income character of their projects. The Secretary shall embody the provisions for such annual contributions in a contract guaranteeing their payment. The contribution payable annually under this section shall in no case exceed a sum equal to the annual amount of principal and interest payable on obligations issued by the public housing agency to finance the development or acquisition cost of the low-income project involved. 88 Stat. 657 The amount of annual contributions which would be established for a newly constructed project by a public housing agency designed to accommodate a number of families of a given size and kind may be established under this section for a project by such public housing agency which would provide housing for the comparable number, sizes, and kinds of families through the acquisition and rehabilitation, or use under lease, of structures which are suitable for low-income housing use and obtained in the local market. Annual contributions payable under this section shall be pledged, if the Secretary so requires, as security for obligations issued by a public housing agency to assist the development or acquisition of the project to which annual contributions relate and shall be paid over a period not to exceed forty years. “(b) The Secretary may prescribe regulations fixing the maximum contributions available under different circumstances, giving consideration to cost, location, size, rent-paying ability of prospective tenants, or other factors bearing upon the amounts and periods of assistance needed to achieve and maintain low rentals. Such regulations may provide for rates of contribution based upon development, acquisition, or operation costs, number of dwelling units, number of persons housed, interest charges, or other appropriate factors. “(c) The Secretary is authorized to enter into contracts for annual contributions aggregating not more than $1,199,250,000 per annum, which limit shall be increased by $225,000,000 on July 1, 1971, by $150,000,000 on July 1, 1972, by $400,000,000 on July 1, 1973, and by $965,000,000 on July 1, 1974. Of the aggregate amount of contracts for annual contributions authorized to be entered into on or after July 1, 1974, the Secretary shall enter into contracts for annual contributions aggregating at least $150,000,000 per annum to assist in financing the development or acquisition cost of low-income housing projects to be owned by public housing agencies. Not more than 50 per centum of the dwelling units placed under contract pursuant to the preceding sentence may be constructed or substantially rehabilitated for ownership by public housing agencies under section 8 of this Act. In addition to the amount of contracts for annual contributions required to be entered into by the Secretary under the second sentence of this subsection, the Secretary shall enter into contracts for annual contributions, out of the aggregate amount of contracts for annual contributions authorized under this section to be entered into on or after July 1, 1974, aggregating at least $15,000,000 per annum, which amount shall be increased by not less than $15,000,000 per annum, on July 1, 1975, to assist in financing the development or acquisition cost of low-income housing for families who are members of any Indian tribe, band, pueblo, group, or community of Indians or Alaska Natives which is recognized by the Federal Government as eligible for service from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or who are wards of any State government, except that none of the funds made available under this sentence shall be available for use under section 8. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, the annual contributions for a project shall, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, be equal to the difference between the sum of the total debt service payment plus approved operating costs, and the rental payments that tenants are required to make under section 3 (1) of this Act. The Secretary shall enter into only such new contracts for preliminary loans as are consistent with the number of dwelling units for which contracts for annual contributions may be entered into. The faith of the United States is solemnly pledged to the payment of all annual contributions contracted for pursuant to this section, and there are hereby authorized to be appropriated in each fiscal year, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the amounts necessary to 88 Stat. 658 provide for such payments. All payments of annual contributions pursuant to this section shall be made out of any funds available for purposes of this Act when such payments are due, except that funds obtained through the issuance of obligations pursuant to section 4(b) (including repayments or other realizations of the principal of loans made out of such funds) shall not be available for the payment of such annual contributions. “(d) Any contract for loans or annual contributions, or both, entered into by the Secretary with a public housing agency, may cover one or more than one low-income housing project owned by such public housing agency; in the event the contract covers two or more projects, such projects may, for any of the purposes of this Act and of such contract (including, but not limited to, the determination of the amount of the loan, annual contributions, or payments in lieu of taxes, specified in such contract), be treated collectively as one project. “(e) In recognition that there should be local determination of the need for low-income housing to meet needs not being adequately met by private enterprise— “(1) the Secretary shall not make any contract with a public housing agency for preliminary loans (all of which shall be repaid out of any moneys which become available to such agency for the development of the projects involved) for surveys and planning in respect to any low-income housing projects (i) unless the governing body of the locality involved has by resolution approved the application of the public housing agency for such preliminary loan; and (ii) unless the public housing agency has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Secretary that there is need for such low-income housing which is not being met by private enterprise; and “(2) the Secretary shall not make any contract for loans (other than preliminary loans) or for annual contributions pursuant to this Act unless the governing body of the locality involved has entered into an agreement with the public housing agency providing for the local cooperation required by the Secretary pursuant to this Act. “(f) “Subject to the specific limitations or standards in this Act governing the terms of sales, rentals, leases, loans, contracts for annual contributions, or other agreements, the Secretary may, whenever he deems it necessary or desirable in the fulfillment of the purposes of this Act, consent to the modification, with respect to rate of interest, time of payment of any installment of principal or interest, security, amount of annual contribution, or any other term, of any contract or agreement of any kind to which the Secretary is a party. When the Secretary finds that it would promote economy or be in the financial interest of the Federal Government or is necessary to assure or maintain the low-income character of the project or projects involved, any contract heretofore or hereafter made for annual contributions, loans, or both, may be amended or superseded by a contract entered into by mutual agreement between the public housing agency and the Secretary. Contracts may not be amended or superseded in a manner which would impair the rights of the holders of any outstanding obligations of the public housing agency involved for which annual contributions have been pledged. Any rule of law contrary to this provision shall be deemed inapplicable. “(g) In addition to the authority of the Secretary under subsection (a) to pledge annual contributions as security for obligations issued by a public housing agency, the Secretary is authorized to pledge annual contributions as a guarantee of payment by a public housing agency of all principal and interest on obligations issued by it to assist the 88 Stat. 659 development or acquisition of the project to which the annual contributions relate, except that no obligation shall be guaranteed under this subsection if the income thereon is exempt from Federal taxation. “(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public housing agency may sell a low-income housing project to its low-income tenants, on such terms and conditions as the agency may determine, without affecting the Secretary’s commitment to pay annual contributions with respect to that project, but such contributions shall not exceed the maximum contributions authorized under subsection (a) of this section. “contract provisions and requirements “Sec. 6. (a) Secretary may include in any contract for loans, annual contributions, sale, lease, mortgage, or any other agreement or instrument made pursuant to this Act, such convenants, conditions, or provisions as he may deem necessary in order to insure the low-income character of the project involved. Any such contract may contain a condition requiring the maintenance of an open space or playground in connection with the housing project involved if deemed necessary by the Secretary for the safety or health of children. Any such contract shall require that, except in the case of housing predominantly for the elderly, high-rise elevator projects shall not be provided for families with children unless the Secretary makes a determination that there is no practical alternative. “(b) Every contract made pursuant to this Act for loans (other than preliminary loans) or annual contributions shall provide that the cost of construction and equipment of the project (excluding land, demolition, and nondwelling facilities) on which the computation of any annual contributions under this Act may be based shall not exceed by more than 10 per centum the appropriate prototype cost for the area. The prototype costs shall be determined at least annually by the Secretary on the basis of his estimate of the construction costs of new dwelling units of various sizes and types in the area suitable for occupancy by persons assisted under this Act. In making his determination the Secretary shall take into account (1) the extra durability required for safety and security and economical maintenance of such housing, (2) the provision of amenities designed to guarantee a safe and healthy family life and neighborhood environment, (3) the application of good design as an essential component of such housing for safety and security as well as other purposes, (4) the maintenance of quality in architecture to reflect the standards of the neighborhood and community, (5) the need for maximizing the conservation of energy for heating, lighting, and other purposes, (6) the effectiveness of existing cost limits in the area, and (7) the advice and recommendations of local housing producers. The prototype costs for any area shall become effective upon the date of publication in the Federal Register. “(c) Every contract for annual contributions shall provide that— “(1) the Secretary may require the public housing agency to review and revise its maximum income limits if the Secretary determines that changed conditions in the locality make such revision necessary in achieving the purposes of this Act; “(2) the public housing agency shall determine, and so certify to the Secretary, that each family in the project was admitted in accordance with duly adopted regulations and approved income limits; and the public housing agency shall review the incomes of families living in the project at intervals of two years (or at shorter intervals where the Secretary deems it desirable); 88 Stat. 660 “(3) the public housing agency shall promptly notify (i) any applicant determined to be ineligible for admission to the project of the basis for such determination and provide the applicant upon request, within a reasonable time after the determination is made, with an opportunity for an informal hearing on such determination, and (ii) any applicant determined to be eligible for admission to the project of the approximate date of occupancy insofar as such date can be reasonably determined; and “(4) the public housing agency shall comply with such procedures and requirements as the Secretary may prescribe to assure that sound management practices will be followed in the operation of the project, including requirements pertaining to— “(A) the establishment of tenant selection criteria designed to assure that, within a reasonable period of time, the project will include families with a broad range of incomes and will avoid concentrations of low-income and deprived families with serious social problems, but this shall not permit maintenance of vacancies to await higher income tenants where lower income tenants are available; “(B) the establishment of satisfactory procedures designed to assure the prompt payment and collection of rents and the prompt processing of evictions in the case of nonpayment of rent; “(C) the establishment of effective tenant-management relationships designed to assure that satisfactory standards of tenant security and project maintenance are formulated and that the public housing agency (together with tenant councils where they exist) enforces those standards fully and effectively; and “(D) the development by local housing authority managements of viable homeownership opportunity programs for low-income families capable of assuming the responsibilities of homeownership. “(d) Every contract for annual contributions with respect to a low-income housing project shall provide that no annual contributions by the Secretary shall be made available for such project unless such project (exclusive of any portion thereof which is not assisted by annual contributions under this Act) is exempt from all real and personal property taxes levied or imposed by the State, city, county, or other political subdivision; and such contract shall require the public housing agency to make payments in lieu of taxes equal to 10 per centum of the sum of the annual shelter rents charged in such project, or such lesser amount as (i) is prescribed by State law, or (ii) is agreed to by the local governing body in its agreement for local cooperation with the public housing agency required under section 5(e)(2) of this Act, or (iii) is due to failure of a local public body or bodies other than the public housing agency to perform any obligation under such agreement. If any such project is not exempt from all real and personal property taxes levied or imposed by the State, city, county, or other political subdivision, such contract shall provide, in lieu of the requirement for tax exemption and payments in lieu of taxes, that no annual contributions by the Secretary shall be made available for such project unless and until the State, city, county, or other political subdivision in which such project is situated shall contribute, in the form of cash or tax remission, the amount by which the taxes paid with respect to the project exceed 10 per centum of the annual shelter rents charged in such project. 88 Stat. 661 “(e) Every contract for annual contributions shall provide that whenever in any year the receipts of a public housing agency in connection with a low-income housing project exceed its expenditures (including debt service, operation, maintenance, establishment of reserves, and other costs and charges), an amount equal to such excess shall be applied, or set aside for application, to purposes which, in the determination of the Secretary, will effect a reduction in the amount of subsequent annual contributions. “(f) Every contract for annual contributions shall provide that when the public housing agency and the Secretary mutually agree that a housing project is obsolete as to physical condition, or location, or other factors, making it unusable for housing purposes, a program of modifications or closeout shall be prepared. If it is mutually determined that such project can be returned to useful life, then the Secretary is authorized to utilize such annual contributions as are necessary to enable the local public housing agency to undertake an agreed-upon program of modifications. If it is mutually determined that no program of modifications is feasible or that such a program would not return the housing to a useful life, then the Secretary is authorized to prepare a closeout program, utilizing such annual contributions as are necessary to accommodate the outstanding indebtedness on the project, the cost of demolition (if the physical improvements are not to be sold), and the cost of relocating displaced families into satisfactory replacement housing. The net closeout cost to the Federal Government shall take into consideration any receipts from the sale of physical improvements, land, or other assets, pursuant to the provisions of the annual contributions contract. “(g) Every contract for annual contributions (including contracts which amend or supersede contracts previously made) may provide that— “(1) upon the occurrence of a substantial default in respect to the covenants or conditions to which the public housing agency is subject (as such substantial default shall be defined in such contract), the public housing agency shall be obligated at the option of the Secretary either to convey title in any case where, in the determination of the Secretary (which determination shall be final and conclusive), such conveyance of title is necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act, or to deliver to the Secretary possession of the project, as then constituted, to which such contract relates; and “(2) the Secretary shall be obligated to reconvey or redeliver possession of the project, as constituted at the time of reconveyance or redelivery, to such public housing agency or to its successor (if such public housing agency or a successor exists) upon such terms as shall be prescribed in such contract, and as soon as practicable (i) after the Secretary is satisfied that all defaults with respect to the project have been cured, and that the project will, in order to fulfill the purposes of this Act, thereafter be operated in accordance with the terms of such contract; or (ii) after the termination of the obligation to make annual contributions available unless there are any obligations or covenants of the public housing agency to the Secretary which are then in default. Any prior conveyances and reconveyances or deliveries and redeliveries of possession shall not exhaust the right to require a conveyance or delivery of possession of the project to the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (1) upon the subsequent occurrence of a substantial default. 88 Stat. 662 Whenever such a contract for annual contributions includes provisions which the Secretary in such contract determines are in accordance with this subsection, and the portion of the annual contribution payable for debt service requirements pursuant to such contract has been pledged by the public housing agency as security for the payment of the principal and interest on any of its obligations, the Secretary (notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act) shall continue to make such annual contributions available for the project so long as any of such obligations remain outstanding, and may covenant in such contract that in any event such annual contributions shall in each year be at least equal to an amount which, together with such income or other funds as are actually available from the project for the purpose at the time such annual contribution is made, will suffice for the payment of all installments, falling due within the next succeeding twelve months, of principal and interest on the obligations for which the annual contributions provided for in the contract shall have been pledged as security. In no case shall such annual contributions be in excess of the maximum sum specified in the contract involved, nor for longer than the remainder of the maximum period fixed by the contract. “congregate housing “Sec. 7. The Secretary shall encourage public housing agencies, in providing housing predominantly for displaced or elderly families, to design, develop, or otherwise acquire such housing to meet the special needs of the occupants and, wherever practicable, for use in whole or in part as congregate housing: Provided, That not more than 10 per centum of the total amount of contracts for annual contributions entered into any fiscal year pursuant to the new authority granted under section 202 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 or under any law subsequently enacted shall be entered into with respect to units in congregate housing. As used in this section the term ‘congregate housing’ means low-income housing (A) in which some or all of the dwelling units do not have kitchen facilities, and (B) connected with which there is a central dining facility to provide wholesome and economical meals for elderly and displaced families under terms and conditions prescribed by the public housing agency to permit a generally self-supporting operation. Expenditures incurred by a public agency in the operation of a central dining facility in connection with congregate housing (other than the cost of providing food and service) shall be considered one of the costs of operation of the project. “lower-income housing assistance “Sec. 8. (a) For the purpose of aiding lower-income families in obtaining a decent place to live and of promoting economically mixed housing, assistance payments may be made with respect to existing, newly constructed, and substantially rehabilitated housing in accordance with the provisions of this section. “(b)(1) The Secretary is authorized to enter into annual contributions contracts with public housing agencies pursuant to which such agencies may enter into contracts to make assistance payments to owners of existing dwelling units in accordance with this section. In areas where no public housing agency has been organized or where the Secretary determines that a public housing agency is unable to implement the provisions of this section, the Secretary is authorized to enter into such contracts and to perform the other functions assigned to a public housing agency by this section. 88 Stat. 663 “(2) To the extent of annual contributions authorizations under section 5(c) of this Act, the Secretary is authorized to make assistance payments pursuant to contracts with owners or prospective owners who agree to construct or substantially rehabilitate housing in which some or all of the units shall be available for occupancy by lower-income families in accordance with the provisions of this section. The Secretary may also enter into annual contributions contracts with public housing agencies pursuant to which such agencies may enter into contracts to make assistance payments to such owners or prospective owners. “(c)(1) An assistance contract entered into pursuant to this section shall establish the maximum monthly rent (including utilities and all maintenance and management charges) which the owner is entitled to receive for each dwelling unit with respect to which such assistance payments are to be made. The maximum monthly rent shall not exceed by more than 10 per centum the fair market rental established by the Secretary periodically but not less than annually for existing or newly constructed rental dwelling units of various sizes and types in the market area suitable for occupancy by persons assisted under this section, except that the maximum monthly rent may exceed the fair market rental by more than 10 but not more than 20 per centum where the Secretary determines that special circumstances warrant such higher maximum rent or that such higher rent is necessary to the implementation of a local housing assistance plan as defined in section 213(a)(5) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Proposed fair market rentals for an area shall be published in the Federal Register with reasonable time for public comment, and shall become effective upon the date of publication in final form in the Federal Register. “(2)(A) The assistance contract shall provide for adjustment annually or more frequently in the maximum monthly rents for units covered by the contract to reflect changes in the fair market rentals established in the housing area for similar types and sizes of dwelling units or, if the Secretary determines, on the basis of a reasonable formula. “(B) The contract shall further provide for the Secretary to make additional adjustments in the maximum monthly rent for units under contract to the extent he determines such adjustments are necessary to reflect increases in the actual and necessary expenses of owning and maintaining the units which have resulted from substantial general increases in real property taxes, utility rates, or similar costs which are not adequately compensated for by the adjustment in the maximum monthly rent authorized by subparagraph (A). “(C) Adjustments in the maximum rents as hereinbefore provided shall not result in material differences between the rents charged for assisted and comparable unassisted units, as determined by the Secretary. “(3) The amount of the monthly assistance payment with respect to any dwelling unit, in the case of a large very low-income family, a very large lower income family, or a family with exceptional medical or other expenses, as determined by the Secretary, shall be the difference between 15 per centum of one-twelfth of the annual income of the family occupying the dwelling unit and the maximum monthly rent which the contract provides that the owner is to receive for the unit. In the case of other families, the Secretary shall establish the amount of the assistance payment as the difference between not less than 15 per centum nor more than 25 per centum of the family’s income and the maximum rent, taking into consideration the income of the family, the 88 Stat. 664 number of minor children in the household, and the extent of medical or other unusual expenses incurred by the family. Reviews of family income shall be made no less frequently than annually (except that such reviews may be made at intervals no longer than two years in the case of families who are elderly families). “(4) The assistance contract shall provide that assistance payments may be made only with respect to a dwelling unit under lease for occupancy by a family determined to be a lower income family at the time it initially occupied such dwelling unit, except that such payments may be made with respect to unoccupied units for a period not exceeding sixty days (A) in the event that a family vacates a dwelling unit before the expiration date of the lease for occupancy or (B) where a good faith effort is being made to fill an unoccupied unit. “(5) Assistance payments may be made with respect to up to 100 per centum of the dwelling units in any structure upon the application of the owner or prospective owner. Within the category of projects containing more than fifty units and designed for use primarily by nonelderly and nonhandicapped persons, the Secretary may give preference to applications for assistance involving not more than 20 per centum of the dwelling units in a project. In according any such preference, the Secretary shall compare applications received during distinct time periods not exceeding sixty days in duration. “(6) The Secretary shall take such steps as may be necessary, including the making of contracts for assistance payments in amounts in excess of the amounts required at the time of the initial renting of dwelling units, the reservation of annual contributions authority for the purpose of amending housing assistance contracts, or the allocation of a portion of new authorizations for the purpose of amending housing assistance contracts, to assure that assistance payments are increased on a timely basis to cover increases in maximum monthly rents or decreases in family incomes. “(7) At least 30 per centum of the families assisted under this section with annual allocations of contract authority shall be very low-income families at the time of the initial renting of dwelling units. “(8) To the extent authorized in contracts entered into by the Secretary with a public housing agency, such agency may purchase any structure containing one or more dwelling units assisted under this section for the purpose of reselling the structure to the tenant or tenants occupying units aggregating in value at least 80 per centum of the structure’s total value. Any such resale may be made on the terms and conditions prescribed under section 5(h) and subject to the limitation contained in such section. “(d)(1) Contracts to make assistance payments entered into by a public housing agency with an owner of existing housing units shall provide (with respect to any unit) that— “(A) the selection of tenants for such unit shall be the function of the owner, subject to the provisions of the annual contributions contract between the Secretary and the agency; “(B) the agency shall have the sole right to give notice to vacate, with the owner having the right to make representation to the agency for termination of tenancy; “(C) maintenance and replacement (including redecoration) shall be in accordance with the standard practice for the building concerned as established by the owner and agreed to by the agency; and “(D) the agency and the owner shall carry out such other appropriate terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed to by them. 88 Stat. 665 “(2) Each contract for an existing structure entered into under this section shall be for a term of not less than one month nor more than one hundred and eighty months. “(e)(1) The Secretary shall not contract to make assistance payments with respect to a newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated dwelling unit for a term of less than one month or more than two hundred and forty months. In the case of a project owned by, or financed by a loan or loan guarantee from, a State or local agency, the term may not exceed four hundred and eighty months. “(2) The contract between the Secretary and the owner with respect to newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated dwelling units shall provide that all ownership, management, and maintenance responsibilities, including the selection of tenants and the termination of tenancy, shall be assumed by the owner (or any entity, including a public housing agency, approved by the Secretary, with which the owner may contract for the performance of such responsibilities). “(3) The construction or substantial rehabilitation of dwelling units to be assisted under this section shall be eligible for financing with mortgages insured under the National Housing Act. Assistance with respect to such dwelling units shall not be withheld or made subject to preferences by reason of the availability of mortgage insurance pursuant to section 244 of such Act or by reason of the tax-exempt status of the bonds or other obligations to be used to finance such construction or rehabilitation. “(4) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prohibit an owner from pledging, or offering as security for any loan or obligation, a contract for assistance payments entered into pursuant to this section: Provided, That such security is in connection with a project constructed or rehabilitated pursuant to authority granted in this section, and the terms of the financing or any refinancing have been approved by the Secretary. “(f) As used in this section— “(1) the term ‘lower income families’ means those families whose incomes do not exceed 80 per centum of the median income for the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families, except that the Secretary may establish income ceilings higher or lower than 80 per centum of the median for the area on the basis of his findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction costs, unusually high or low family incomes, or other factors; “(2) the term ‘very low-income families’ means those families whose incomes do not exceed 50 per centum of the median income for the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families; “(3) the term ‘income’ means income from all sources of each member of the household, as determined in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Secretary; “(4) the term ‘owner’ means any private person or entity, including a cooperative, or a public housing agency, having the legal right to lease or sublease newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated dwelling units as described in this section; and “(5) the terms ‘rent’ or ‘rental’ mean, with respect to members of a cooperative, the charges under the occupancy agreements between such members and the cooperative. “(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, assistance payments under this section may be provided, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, with respect to some or all of the units in any project approved pursuant to section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959. 88 Stat. 666 “(h) The provisions of sections 3(1), 5(e), and 6, and any other provisions of this Act, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall not apply to contracts for assistance entered into under this section. “annual contributions for operation of low-income housing projects “Sec. 9. (a) In addition to the contributions authorized to be made for the purposes specified in section 5 of this Act, the Secretary may make annual contributions to public housing agencies for the operation of low-income housing projects. The contributions payable annually under this section shall not exceed the amounts which the Secretary determines are required (1) to assure the low-income character of the projects involved, and (2) to achieve and maintain adequate operating services and reserve funds. The Secretary shall embody the provisions for such annual contributions in a contract guaranteeing their payment subject to the availability of funds. For purposes of making payments under this section, the Secretary shall establish standards for costs of operation and reasonable projections of income, taking into account the character and location of the project and characteristics of the families served, or the costs of providing comparable services as determined in accordance with criteria or a formula representing the operations of a prototype well-managed project. “(b) The aggregate rentals required to be paid in any year by families residing in the dwelling units administered by a public housing agency receiving annual contributions under this section shall not be less than an amount equal to one-fifth of the sum of the incomes of all such families. “(c) Of the aggregate amount of contracts for annual contributions authorized in section 5(c) of this Act to be entered into on or after July 1, 1974, the Secretary is authorized to enter into contracts for annual contributions under this section aggregating not more than $500,000,000 per annum, which amount shall be increased by $60,000,000 on July 1, 1975. “general provisions “Sec. 10. (a) In the performance of, and with respect to, the functions, powers, and duties vested in him by this Act, the Secretary, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, shall— “(1) prepare annually and submit a budget program as provided for wholly owned Government corporations by the Government Corporation Control Act, as amended; and “(2) maintain an integral set of accounts which shall be audited annually by the General Accounting Office in accordance with the principles and procedures applicable to commercial transactions as provided by the Government Corporation Control Act, as amended, and no other audit shall be required. “(b) All receipts and assets of the Secretary under this Act shall be available for the purposes of this Act until expended. “(c) The Federal Reserve banks are authorized and directed to act as depositories, custodians, and fiscal agents for the Secretary in the general exercise of his powers under this Act, and the Secretary may reimburse any such bank for its services in such manner as may be agreed upon. 88 Stat. 667 “financing low-income housing projects “Sec. 11. (a) Obligations issued by a public housing agency in connection with low-income housing projects which (1) are secured (A) by a pledge of a loan under any agreement between such public housing agency and the Secretary, or (B) by a pledge of annual contributions under an annual contributions contract between such public housing agency and the Secretary, or (C) by a pledge of both annual contributions under an annual contributions contract and a loan under an agreement between such public housing agency and the Secretary, and (2) bear, or are accompanied by, a certificate of the Secretary that such obligations are so secured, shall be incontestable in the hands of a bearer and the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all amounts agreed to be paid by the Secretary as security for such obligations. “(b) Except as provided in section 5(g), obligations, including interest thereon, issued by public housing agencies in connection with low-income housing projects shall be exempt from all taxation now or hereafter imposed by the United States whether paid by such agencies or by the Secretary. The income derived by such agencies from such projects shall be exempt from all taxation now or hereafter imposed by the United States. “labor standards “Sec. 12. Any contract for loans, annual contributions, sale, or lease pursuant to this Act shall contain a provision requiring that not less than the wages prevailing in the locality, as determined or adopted (subsequent to a determination under applicable State or local law) by the Secretary, shall be paid to all architects, technical engineers, draftsmen, and technicians employed in the development, and all maintenance laborers and mechanics employed in the operation, of the low-income housing project involved; and shall also contain a provision that not less than the wages prevailing in the locality, as predetermined by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to the Davis-Bacon Act (49 Stat. 1011), shall be paid to all laborers and mechanics employed in the development of the project involved (including a project with nine or more units assisted under section 8 of this Act, where the public housing agency or the Secretary and the builder or sponsor enter into an agreement for such use before construction or rehabilitation is commenced), and the Secretary shall require certification as to compliance with the provisions of this section prior to making any payment under such contract.” (b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be effective on such date or dates as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall prescribe, but not later than eighteen months after the date of the enactment of this Act; except that (1) all of the provisions of section 3(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, shall become effective on the same date, (2) all of the provisions of sections 5 and 9(c) of such Act as so amended shall become effective on the same date, and (3) section 8 of such Act as so amended shall be effective not later than January 1, 1975.