U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 29, 2024
§ 1490c.
Mutual and self-help housing
(a)
Purpose
(b)
Contract authority; establishment of Self-Help Housing Land Development Fund; authorization to make loans; conditions of loan
In order to carry out the purposes of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) is authorized—
(1)
(A)
to make grants to, or contract with, public or private nonprofit corporations, agencies, institutions, organizations, Indian tribes, and other associations approved by him, to pay part or all of the costs of developing, conducting, administering, or coordinating effective and comprehensive programs of technical and supervisory assistance which will aid needy low-income individuals and their families in carrying out mutual or self-help housing efforts, including the repair of units financed under section 1472 of this title that are being held in inventory; and
(B)
to establish the Self-Help Housing Land Development Fund, referred to herein as the Self-Help Fund, to be used by the Secretary as a revolving fund for making loans, on such terms and conditions and in such amounts as he deems necessary, to public or private nonprofit organizations and to Indian tribes for the acquisition and development of land as building sites to be subdivided and sold to families, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives eligible for assistance under section 1715z or 1715z–1 of title 12 or section 1490a of this title. Such a loan, with interest at a rate not to exceed 3 percent per annum, shall be repaid within a period not to exceed five years from the making of the loan, or within such additional period as may be authorized by the Secretary in any case as being necessary to carry out the purposes hereof: Provided, That the Secretary may advance funds under this paragraph to organizations receiving assistance under clause (A) to enable them to establish revolving accounts for the purchase of land options and any such advances may bear interest at a rate determined by the Secretary and shall be repaid to the Secretary at the expiration of the period for which the grant to the organization involved was made;
(2)
to make grants to, or contract with, national or regional private nonprofit corporations to provide training and technical assistance to public or private nonprofit corporations, agencies, institutions, organizations, and other associations, including Indian tribes, eligible to receive assistance under this section in order to expand the use of authorities contained in this section and to improve performance; and
(3)
to make loans, on such terms and conditions and in such amounts as he deems necessary, to needy low-income individuals participating in programs of mutual or self-help housing approved by him, for the acquisition and development of land and for the purchase of such other building materials as may be necessary in order to enable them, by providing substantially all of their own labor, and by cooperating with others participating in such programs, to carry out to completion the construction of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for such individuals and their families, subject to the following limitations:
(A)
there is reasonable assurance of repayment of the loan;
(B)
the amount of the loan, together with other funds which may be available, is adequate to achieve the purpose for which the loan is made;
(C)
the credit assistance is not otherwise available on like terms or conditions from private sources or through other Federal, State, or local programs;
(D)
the loan bears interest at a rate not to exceed 3 per centum per annum on the unpaid balance of principal, plus such additional charge, if any, toward covering other costs of the loan program as the Secretary may determine to be consistent with its purposes; and
(E)
the loan is repayable within not more than thirty-three years.
(c)
Considerations for financial assistance
(d)
“Construction” defined
(e)
Establishment of appropriate criteria and procedures for determining eligibility of applicants
(f)
Repealed. Pub. L. 102–550, title VII, § 710(2), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3840
(g)
Deposit in Self-Help Fund; availability of amounts; assets
(h)
Rules and regulations
(July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title V, § 523, as added Pub. L. 90–448, title X, § 1005, Aug. 1, 1968, 82 Stat. 553; amended Pub. L. 93–117, § 13(d), Oct. 2, 1973, 87 Stat. 423; Pub. L. 93–383, title V, § 512, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 695; Pub. L. 95–60, § 4(d), June 30, 1977, 91 Stat. 258; Pub. L. 95–80, § 4(d), July 31, 1977, 91 Stat. 340; Pub. L. 95–128, title V, § 501(d), Oct. 12, 1977, 91 Stat. 1139; Pub. L. 95–406, § 7(d), Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 881; Pub. L. 95–557, title V, § 501(g), (h), Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2111; Pub. L. 96–71, § 5(d), Sept. 28, 1979, 93 Stat. 502; Pub. L. 96–105, § 5(d), Nov. 8, 1979, 93 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 96–153, title V, §§ 501(d), (e), 505, Dec. 21, 1979, 93 Stat. 1133, 1135; Pub. L. 96–372, § 6(e), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1365; Pub. L. 96–399, title V, §§ 501(d), 507(e), Oct. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1668, 1670; Pub. L. 97–35, title III, § 351(e), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 421; Pub. L. 97–289, § 3(c), Oct. 6, 1982, 96 Stat. 1231; Pub. L. 98–35, § 3(c), May 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 198; Pub. L. 98–109, § 4(c), Oct. 1, 1983, 97 Stat. 746; Pub. L. 98–181, title I [title V, § 511(d), (e)], Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1244; Pub. L. 98–479, title II, § 204(c)(2), Oct. 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 2233; Pub. L. 99–120, § 3(c), Oct. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 503; Pub. L. 99–156, § 3(c), Nov. 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 816; Pub. L. 99–219, § 3(c), Dec. 26, 1985, 99 Stat. 1731; Pub. L. 99–267, § 3(c), Mar. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 74; Pub. L. 99–272, title III, § 3009(c), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 106; Pub. L. 99–289, § 1(b), May 2, 1986, 100 Stat. 412; Pub. L. 99–345, § 1, June 24, 1986, 100 Stat. 673; Pub. L. 99–430, Sept. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 986; Pub. L. 100–122, § 1, Sept. 30, 1987, 101 Stat. 793; Pub. L. 100–154, Nov. 5, 1987, 101 Stat. 890; Pub. L. 100–170, Nov. 17, 1987, 101 Stat. 914; Pub. L. 100–179, Dec. 3, 1987, 101 Stat. 1018; Pub. L. 100–200, Dec. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 1327; Pub. L. 100–242, title III, § 301(f), Feb. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1893; Pub. L. 101–137, § 7(c), Nov. 3, 1989, 103 Stat. 826; Pub. L. 101–625, title VII, § 701(f), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4282; Pub. L. 102–142, title VII, § 743(b), Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 915; Pub. L. 102–550, title VII, § 710, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3840; Pub. L. 118–42, div. B, title VII, § 760, Mar. 9, 2024, 138 Stat. 115.)
cite as: 42 USC 1490c