USC Chapter 28

in effect

12 U.S.C. § 2701 Congressional findings and declaration of purpose

(a) The Congress finds that—(1) the Nation is in a severe recession and that the sharp downturn in economic activity has driven large numbers of workers into unemployment and has reduced the incomes of many others; (2) as a result of these adverse economic conditions the capacity of many homeowners to continue to make mortgage payments has deteriorated and may further deteriorate in the months ahead, leading to the possibility of widespread mortgage foreclosures and distress sales of homes; and (3) many of these homeowners could retain their homes with temporary financial assistance until economic conditions improve. (b) It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a standby authority which will prevent widespread mortgage foreclosures and distress sales of homes resulting from the temporary loss of employment and income through a program of emergency loans and advances and emergency mortgage relief payments to homeowners to defray mortgage expenses.

12 U.S.C. § 2702 Mortgages eligible for assistance

No assistance shall be extended with respect to any mortgage under this chapter unless— (1) the holder of the mortgage has indicated to the mortgagor its intention to foreclose; (2) the mortgagor and holder of the mortgage have certified that circumstances make it probable that there will be a foreclosure and that the mortgagor is in need of emergency mortgage relief as authorized by this chapter; (3) payments under the mortgage have been delinquent for at least three months; (4) the mortgagor has incurred a substantial reduction in income as a result of involuntary unemployment or underemployment due to adverse economic conditions or medical conditions and is financially unable to make full mortgage payments; (5) there is a reasonable prospect that the mortgagor will be able to make the adjustments necessary for a full resumption of mortgage payments; and (6) the mortgaged property is the principal residence of the mortgagor.

12 U.S.C. § 2703 Manner of assistance and repayment

(a) Form of assistanceAssistance under this chapter with respect to a mortgage which meets the requirements of section 2702 of this title may be provided in the form of emergency mortgage relief loans and advances of credit insured pursuant to section 2704 of this title or in the form of emergency mortgage relief payments made by the Secretary pursuant to section 2705 of this title. (b) Amount of assistanceAssistance under this chapter on behalf of a homeowner may be made available in an amount up to the amount of the principal, interest, taxes, ground rents, hazard insurance, and mortgage insurance premiums due under the homeowner’s mortgage. The amount of assistance provided to a homeowner under this chapter shall be an amount that the Secretary determines is reasonably necessary to supplement such amount as the homeowner is capable of contributing toward such mortgage payment, except that the aggregate amount of such assistance provided for any homeowner shall not exceed $50,000. (c) Monthly payments; extension of time; report of increase in incomeMonthly payments may be provided under this chapter either with the proceeds of an insured loan or advance of credit or with emergency mortgage relief payments for up to twelve months, and, in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Secretary, such monthly payments may be extended once for up to twelve additional months. A mortgagor receiving the benefit of mortgage relief assistance pursuant to this chapter shall be required, in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Secretary, to report any increase in income which will permit a reduction or termination of such assistance during this period. (d) Conditions and terms of repayment; interest rateEmergency loans or advances of credit made and insured under section 2704 of this title, and emergency mortgage relief payments made under section 2705 of this title, shall be repayable by the homeowner upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall prescribe, except that (1) the rate of interest on any loan or advance of credit insured under this chapter shall be fixed for the life of the loan or advance of credit and shall not exceed the rate of interest that is generally charged for mortgages on single-family housing insured by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under title II of the National Housing Act [12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.] at the time such loan or advance of credit is made, and (2) no interest shall be charged on interest which is deferred on a loan or advance of credit made under this chapter. In establishing rates, terms and conditions for loans or advances of credit made under this chapter, the Secretary shall take into account a homeowner’s ability to repay such loan or advance of credit. (e) Deferral of commencement of repayment; security for repaymentThe Secretary may provide for the deferral of the commencement of the repayment of a loan or advance insured under section 2704 of this title or emergency mortgage relief payments made under section 2705 of this title until one year following the date of the last disbursement of the proceeds of the loan or advance or payments or for such longer period as the Secretary determines would further the purpose of this chapter. Any eligible homeowner who receives a grant or an advance of credit under this chapter may repay the loan in full, without penalty, by lump sum or by installment payments at any time before the loan becomes due and payable. The Secretary shall by regulation require such security for the repayment of insured loans or advances of credit or emergency mortgage relief payments as he deems appropriate and may require that such repayment be secured by a lien on the mortgaged property.

12 U.S.C. § 2704 Insurance for emergency mortgage loans and advances

(a) Institutions eligibleThe Secretary is authorized, upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, to insure banks, trust companies, finance companies, mortgage companies, savings and loan associations, insurance companies, credit unions, and such other financial institutions, which the Secretary finds to be qualified by experience and facilities and approves as eligible for insurance, against losses which they may sustain as a result of emergency loans or advances of credit made in accordance with the provisions of section 2703 of this title and this section with respect to mortgages eligible for assistance under this chapter. (b) Premium charge; amountThe Secretary is authorized to fix a premium charge or charges for the insurance granted under this section, but in the case of any loan or advance of credit, such charge or charges shall not exceed an amount equivalent to one-half of 1 per centum per annum of the principal obligation of such loan or advance of credit outstanding at any time. (c) Waiver of compliance with rules and regulations; finality and incontestability of payment for loss; transfer of insuranceThe Secretary is authorized and empowered to waive compliance with any rule or regulation prescribed by the Secretary for the purposes of this section if, in the Secretary’s judgment, the enforcement of such rule or regulation would impose an injustice upon an insured lending institution which has substantially complied with such regulations in good faith. Any payment for loss made to an insured financial institution under this section shall be final and incontestable after two years from the date the claim was certified for payment by the Secretary, in the absence of fraud or misrepresentation on the part of such institution unless a demand for repurchase of the obligation shall have been made on behalf of the United States prior to the expiration of such two-year period. The Secretary is authorized to transfer to any financial institution approved for insurance under this chapter any insurance in connection with any loan which may be sold to it by another insured financial institution. (d) Maximum aggregate amount of loans and advances insuredThe aggregate amount of loans and advances insured under this section and emergency mortgage relief payments made under section 2705 of this title shall not exceed $3,000,000,000. (e) Underwriting guidelines and proceduresThe Secretary shall establish underwriting guidelines or procedures to allocate amounts made available for loans and advances insured under this section and for emergency relief payments made under section 2705 of this title based on the likelihood that a mortgagor will be able to resume mortgage payments, pursuant to the requirement under section 2702(5) of this title.

12 U.S.C. § 2705 Emergency mortgage relief payments

(a) Direct payments to mortgageeIn the case of any mortgagee which would otherwise be eligible to participate in the program authorized under section 2704 of this title but does not qualify for an advance or advances as authorized by section 2712 11 See References in Text note below. of this title or under section 1430, 1430b, or 1431 of this title or otherwise elects not to participate in the program authorized under section 2704 of this title, the Secretary is authorized to make repayable emergency mortgage relief payments directly to such mortgagee on behalf of homeowners whose mortgages are held by such financial institution and who are delinquent in their mortgage payments. (b) Mortgages eligible; terms and conditionsEmergency mortgage relief payments shall be made under this section only with respect to a mortgage which meets the requirements of section 2702 of this title and only on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, subject to the provisions of section 2703 of this title. (c) Processing of relief payments; power of SecretaryThe Secretary may make such delegations and accept such certifications with respect to the processing of mortgage relief payments provided under this section as he deems appropriate to facilitate the prompt and efficient implementation of the assistance authorized under this section.

12 U.S.C. § 2706 Emergency Homeowners’ Relief Fund

To carry out the purposes of this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to establish in the Treasury of the United States an Emergency Homeowners’ Relief Fund (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “fund”) which shall be available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitation— (1) for making payments in connection with defaulted loans or advances of credit insured under section 2704 of this title; (2) for making emergency mortgage relief payments under section 2705 of this title; (3) to pay such administrative expenses (or portion of such expenses) of carrying out the provisions of this chapter as the Secretary may deem necessary.

12 U.S.C. § 2707 Authority of Secretary

(a) Rules and regulationsThe Secretary is authorized to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (b) Payment of expenses and charges relating to acquisition, handling, improvement, or disposal of real and personal propertyNotwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the acquisition, handling, improvement, or disposal of real or other property by the United States, the Secretary shall have power, for the protection of the interest of the fund authorized under this chapter, to pay out of such fund all expenses or charges in connection with the acquisition, handling, improvement, or disposal of any property, real or personal, acquired by the Secretary as a result of recoveries under security, subrogation, or other rights. (c) Powers with respect to property rights held by SecretaryIn the performance of, with respect to, the functions, powers, and duties vested in the Secretary by this chapter, the Secretary shall—(1) have the power, notwithstanding any other provision of law, whether before or after default, to provide by contract or otherwise for the extinguishment upon default of any redemption, equitable, legal, or other right, title in any mortgage, deed, trust, or other instrument held by or held on behalf of the Secretary under the provisions of this chapter; and (2) have the power to foreclose on any property or commence any action to protect or enforce any right conferred upon the Secretary by law, contract, or other agreement, and bid for and purchase at any foreclosure or other sale any property in connection with which assistance has been provided pursuant to this chapter. In the event of any such acquisition, the Secretary may, notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the acquisition, handling, or disposal of real property by the United States, complete, remodel and convert, dispose of, lease, and otherwise deal with, such property. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary also shall have power to pursue to final collection by way of compromise or otherwise all claims acquired by him in connection with any security, subrogation, or other rights obtained by him in administering this chapter. (d) Coverage of existing programsThe Secretary shall allow funds to be administered by a State that has an existing program that is determined by the Secretary to provide substantially similar assistance to homeowners. After such determination is made such State shall not be required to modify such program to comply with the provisions of this chapter.

12 U.S.C. § 2708 Expiration date

No loans or advance of credit shall be insured and no emergency mortgage relief payments made under this chapter after September 30, 2011, except if such loan or advance or such payments are made with respect to a mortgagor receiving the benefit of a loan or advance insured, or emergency mortgage relief payments made, under this chapter on such date.

12 U.S.C. § 2711 Nonapplicability of other laws

Notwithstanding any provision of law which limits the nature, amount, term, form, or rate of interest, or the nature, amount, or form of security of loans or advances of credit, loans, or advances of credit may be made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter without regard to such provision of law.