DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Housing Programs annual contributions for assisted housing Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the $1,000,000 appropriated for special purpose grants in Public Law 102–139, for a parking garage in Ashland, Kentucky, $500,000 shall be made available instead for use in acquiring parking in Ashland, Kentucky and $500,000 shall be made available instead for the restoration of the Paramount Theater in Ashland, Kentucky. preserving existing housing investment For an additional amount for “Preserving existing housing investment”, to be made available for use in conjunction with properties that are eligible for assistance under the Low-Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeownership Act of 1990 or the Emergency Low Income Housing Preservation Act of 1987, $3,500,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That up to such amount shall be for a project in Syracuse, New York, the processing for which was suspended, deferred or interrupted for a period of nine months or more because of differing interpretations, by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and an owner, concerning the timing of the ability of an uninsured section 236 property to prepay, or by the Secretary and a State rent regulatory agency concerning the effect of a presumptively applicable State rent control law or regulation on the determination of preservation value under section 213 of such Act, if the owner of such project filed a notice of intent to extend the low-income affordability restrictions of the housing on or before August 23, 1993, and the Secretary approved the plan of action on or before July 25, 1996. capacity building for community development and affordable housing (transfer of funds) For “Capacity building for community development and affordable housing”, as authorized by section 4 of the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–120), $30,200,000, to remain available until expended, and to be derived by transfer from the Homeownership and Opportunity for People Everywhere Grants account: Provided, That at least $10,000,000 of the funding under this head be used in rural areas, including tribal areas. Community Planning and Development community development block grants fund For an additional amount for “Community development block grants fund”, as authorized under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, $500,000,000, of which $250,000,000 shall become available for obligation on October 1, 1997, all of which shall remain available until September 30, 2000, for use 111 STAT. 199only for buyouts, relocation, long-term recovery, and mitigation in communities affected by the flooding in the upper Midwest and other disasters in fiscal year 1997 and such natural disasters designated 30 days prior to the start of fiscal year 1997, except those activities reimbursable or for which funds are made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, or the Army Corps of Engineers: Provided, That in administering these amounts, the Secretary may waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any provision of any statute or regulation that the Secretary administers in connection with the obligation by the Secretary or the use by the recipient of these funds, except for statutory requirements related to civil rights, fair housing and nondiscrimination, the environment, and labor standards, upon a finding that such waiver is required to facilitate the use of such funds, and would not be inconsistent with the overall purpose of the statute: Provided further, That the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall publish a notice in the Federal Register governing the use of community development block grants funds in conjunction with any program administered by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for buyouts for structures in disaster areas: Provided further, That for any funds under this head used for buyouts in conjunction with any program administered by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, each State or unit of general local government requesting funds from the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for buyouts shall submit a plan to the Secretary which must be approved by the Secretary as consistent with the requirements of this program: Provided further, That the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on all disbursements and uses of funds for or associated with buyouts: Provided further, That for purposes of disasters eligible under this head the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may waive, on a case-by-case basis and upon such other terms as the Secretary may specify, in whole or in part, the requirements that activities benefit persons of low- and moderate-income pursuant to section 122 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and may waive, in whole or in part, the requirements that housing qualify as affordable housing pursuant to section 290 of the HOME Investment Partnerships Act: Provided further, That the entire amount shall be available only to the extent an official budget request, that includes designation of the entire amount of the request as an emergency requirement as defined by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, is transmitted by the President to the Congress: Provided further, That the entire amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. Management and Administration salaries and expenses Of the funds appropriated under this head in Public Law 104–204, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall enter into a contract with the National Academy of Public Administration not to exceed $1,000,000 no later than one month after enactment 111 STAT. 200of this Act for an evaluation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s management systems.