94-1213. Advances to Capital Deficient Members, and Other Matters  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-1213]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: January 20, 1994]
    
    
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    FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD
    
    12 CFR Part 935
    
    [No. 93-97]
    
     
    
    Advances to Capital Deficient Members, and Other Matters
    
    AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance Board.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) is amending 
    its regulations to incorporate requirements governing secured loans 
    (called advances) made by the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) to 
    capital deficient members. The final rule prohibits Bank lending to 
    tangibly insolvent members, except at the request of the appropriate 
    federal regulator or insurer, and restricts the Banks from lending to 
    other capital deficient members whose use of Bank advances has been 
    prohibited by the appropriate federal regulator or insurer.
        In addition, the final rule provides that a Bank may allow a member 
    to assume advances held by a nonmember, as long as the advances had 
    previously been extended by the Bank to another of its members. The 
    final rule also changes the definition of nursing homes from 
    nonresidential to residential real property, which means that mortgage 
    loans backed by nursing homes are eligible collateral for advances.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: February 22, 1994.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine M. Freidel, Financial 
    Analyst, (202) 408-2976; Thomas D. Sheehan, Assistant Director, (202) 
    408-2870, District Banks Directorate; James H. Gray Jr., Associate 
    General Counsel, Office of Legal and External Affairs, (202) 408-2552; 
    Federal Housing Finance Board, 1777 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 
    20006.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        On September 23, 1993, the Finance Board published for 30-day 
    public comment a proposed rule governing advances to capital deficient 
    members and other matters. See 58 FR 49446. The provisions in the 
    proposed rule addressing Bank lending to capital deficient members 
    closely paralleled the Finance Board's current policy on lending to 
    capital deficient members.
        The Finance Board received six comment letters on the proposed 
    rule. Comment letters were submitted by three Banks, two trade 
    associations, and a federal savings bank member. In general, the 
    comment letters concurred with the overall intent of the provisions in 
    the proposed rule addressing lending to capital deficient members, 
    although there were conflicting views on the point at which access to 
    advances should be restricted. None of the comment letters addressed 
    the transfer of advances, and one comment letter addressed the 
    treatment of nursing home loans as eligible collateral.
        Based on the comment letters received, the Finance Board is 
    publishing the final rule on lending to capital deficient members as 
    proposed, except that the definition of tangible capital has been 
    changed to permit members to include purchased mortgage servicing 
    rights to the extent a member has included such assets in core or Tier 
    1 capital.
    
    II. Analysis of Final Rule
    
    A. Lending to Capital Deficient Members
    
    1. Background
        In April 1992, the Finance Board adopted policy guidelines 
    governing the extension of advances to capital deficient members. See 
    Finance Board Resolution No. 92-277.1. The policy precludes the Banks 
    from making new advances available to members without positive tangible 
    capital, unless a member's regulator requests that the Bank provide 
    such funding and the Bank determines it can safely make the advance. 
    The Banks may extend new advances to undercapitalized but solvent 
    members without regulatory approval, but must refrain from doing so at 
    the request of the appropriate federal banking agency or insurer. The 
    policy permits the Banks to renew existing advances to tangibly 
    insolvent members for terms of up to 30 days without regulatory 
    approval.
        Prior to the adoption of these policy guidelines, there were no 
    Finance Board-mandated restrictions on a Bank's ability to lend to an 
    insolvent member. The Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) does not 
    address lending to capital deficient members. Although the secured 
    nature of advances generally protects the Banks from credit risk, the 
    Finance Board was concerned that, by making advances available to 
    certain capital deficient members, a Bank could inadvertently 
    contravene the wishes of a member's federal regulator.
    2. New Advances to Members Without Positive Tangible Capital
        Section 935.5(b) of the final rule restricts a Bank from making a 
    new advance to a member that does not have positive tangible capital, 
    unless the appropriate federal banking agency or insurer requests in 
    writing that funding be made available to such member. Section 935.5(b) 
    of the final rule also requires each Bank to promptly provide the 
    Finance Board with a copy of any such written request. A Bank shall use 
    the most recently available Report of Condition and Income (Call 
    Report), Thrift Financial Report (TFR), or other regulatory report of 
    financial condition to determine whether a member has positive tangible 
    capital.
        The comment letters provided conflicting views on the appropriate 
    point to require regulatory approval for member access to advances. One 
    Bank commenter believes the regulators already have adequate authority 
    and power to limit advance borrowings by capital deficient and 
    insolvent members. The Bank commented that it is not necessary for the 
    Banks to become part of the regulatory process by subjecting themselves 
    to the direction of the shareholders' regulators.
        A trade association for community bankers recommended that the 
    final rule preclude the Banks from making advances to critically 
    undercapitalized members (i.e., members with tangible capital equal to 
    two percent or less of assets) without regulatory approval.
        A thrift trade association commented that the Banks should be 
    permitted to lend to members without positive tangible capital unless 
    the appropriate federal regulator objects. The comment letter notes 
    that the decision to fund an advance should be an independent credit 
    decision made by a Bank and that the Banks are protected from default 
    by full collateralization. The trade association also recommended that 
    the final rule allow the Banks to lend to tangibly insolvent members 
    with approved capital restoration plans without regulatory approval.
        While the Finance Board agrees that the federal banking regulators 
    have considerable authority to supervise member activities, the purpose 
    of this final rule is to ensure that the Banks do not inadvertently 
    contravene the supervisory objectives of a member's primary federal 
    regulator. The provisions in this final rule prohibiting Bank lending 
    to tangibly insolvent members have been in effect since April 1992 as 
    part of the Finance Board's policy on limiting Bank lending to capital 
    deficient members. Since these provisions have been quite effective, 
    the Finance Board does not see any reason to eliminate them.
        The final rule uses tangible insolvency, rather than the definition 
    of critically undercapitalized, as the threshold level for requiring 
    regulatory approval of new advances. The Finance Board considers the 
    insolvency criterion to be appropriate because it limits access by 
    insolvent members while providing a measure of flexibility for capital 
    deficient members unless the appropriate federal banking agency or 
    insurer objects. The Finance Board believes it is more appropriate for 
    the federal banking agencies and insurer to determine whether a 
    critically undercapitalized member should have access to Bank advances, 
    than for the Finance Board to take unilateral action and prohibit the 
    Banks from providing advances to such members.
        Regarding the comment that the Banks be permitted to lend to a 
    tangibly insolvent member unless the member's appropriate regulator 
    objects, the Finance Board believes that requiring regulatory approval 
    for Bank lending to insolvent members provides greater assurance that 
    the objective of the final rule will be met. Regarding the suggestion 
    that tangibly insolvent members operating under approved capital 
    restoration plans be permitted to borrow new advances without 
    regulatory approval, the Finance Board believes that tangible solvency 
    rather than approval of a capital restoration plan should be the 
    criterion for determining access to advances without regulatory 
    approval. The regulator may request that funding for a tangibly 
    insolvent member be continued.
        The federal savings bank member commenter generally agreed with the 
    proposed rule but expressed concern about Bank lending to members 
    without positive tangible capital, even with regulatory approval. The 
    commenter recommended that provisions be included in the final rule to 
    ensure that a Bank's collateral position is secured should a member 
    borrower be placed in receivership. However, this is unnecessary since 
    section 10(a) of the Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 1430(a)) requires that 
    advances be fully secured and that each Bank, at the time an advance is 
    originated or renewed, obtain and maintain a security interest in 
    certain specified types of eligible collateral.
        Therefore, Sec. 935.5(b) is being adopted in the final rule as 
    proposed.
    3. Renewal of Advances to Members Without Positive Tangible Capital
        Section 935.5(c)(1) of the final rule permits a Bank to renew an 
    outstanding advance to a member without positive tangible capital for 
    successive terms of up to 30 days each. This provision is intended to 
    allow a Bank to accommodate a tangibly insolvent member's need to find 
    alternative funding sources, while also limiting the Bank's exposure to 
    a weak institution. This section of the final rule also prohibits a 
    Bank from renewing advances to tangibly insolvent members if the 
    appropriate federal banking agency or insurer objects. Section 
    935.5(c)(2) of the final rule provides that a Bank may renew an advance 
    to a member without positive tangible capital for a term greater than 
    30 days at the written request of the appropriate federal banking 
    agency or insurer.
        The thrift trade association commenter recommended that the Banks 
    be permitted to renew advances to a tangibly insolvent member for 
    periods of any length, unless the member's regulator requests that the 
    Bank not do so. The Finance Board does not consider this change to be 
    necessary since the final rule provides the Banks with the flexibility 
    to renew an advance for successive 30-day terms. This allows the Bank 
    to reassess the advisability of such renewals at regular intervals. 
    Furthermore, the Finance Board believes that the renewal of outstanding 
    advances to tangibly insolvent members should be a temporary measure 
    until the member finds alternative funding sources. Therefore, 
    Sec. 935.5(c) is being adopted as proposed.
    4. Lending to Capital Deficient But Solvent Members
        Section 935.5(d) of the final rule authorizes the Banks to make new 
    advances and renew outstanding advances to capital deficient members 
    (defined as members that fail to meet their minimum capital 
    requirements) that have positive tangible capital. However, the final 
    rule also directs the Banks not to make new advances or renew 
    outstanding advances to such capital deficient members upon receipt of 
    written notification from the appropriate federal regulator that the 
    member's access to advances has been prohibited.
        The Finance Board wants to ensure that the Banks do not lend to 
    members whose access to advances has been restricted by the appropriate 
    federal banking agency or insurer. However, the Finance Board also 
    wants to ensure that the federal regulators, and not the Banks, have 
    the responsibility for determining whether a member's access to funding 
    should be restricted and for enforcing any directives that limit the 
    member's access to advances. The Finance Board therefore believes that 
    it is appropriate for a Bank to refrain from lending to a capital 
    deficient but tangibly solvent member after the appropriate federal 
    banking agency or insurer has established restrictions on the member's 
    access to Bank advances.
        Accordingly, the final rule directs the Banks to refrain from 
    lending to a capital deficient but solvent member once the Bank 
    receives written notice from the appropriate federal regulator that the 
    member's use of Bank advances has been prohibited. The Bank may resume 
    lending to such a member once it receives a written statement from the 
    appropriate federal banking agency or insurer that re-establishes the 
    member's access to advances.
        The community banker trade association recommended that members 
    that have been precluded from borrowing by their regulators be 
    permitted to petition the regulators for the resumption of funding. The 
    commenter believes that the proposed rule is unclear as to when the 
    regulator would be prompted to request the resumption of Bank funding 
    to an undercapitalized member.
        The proposed rule provided that a Bank may resume funding to a 
    capital deficient but solvent member if it receives a written statement 
    from the appropriate federal banking agency or insurer which re-
    establishes the member's ability to use advances. A member is always 
    entitled to petition its federal regulator or insurer. Therefore, 
    adding a provision to allow a member to petition its regulator is 
    unnecessary. In addition, since the Finance Board has no jurisdiction 
    in this area, such a provision would not be enforceable. Accordingly, 
    Sec. 935.5(d) is being adopted in the final rule as proposed.
    5. Bank Determination That It Can Safely Make an Advance
        Section 935.5(a)(3) reiterates the provision in the Bank Act that 
    all advances, including advances to tangibly insolvent members made at 
    the request of the appropriate federal banking agency or insurer, can 
    only be made if the Bank determines that it can safely make the advance 
    to the member. See 12 U.S.C. 1430(a).
    6. Report of Outstanding Bank Advances
        Section 935.5(e) of the final rule requires each Bank to provide 
    the Finance Board with a monthly report of outstanding Bank advances 
    and commitments to all members. Section 935.5(e) also directs the 
    Banks, upon written request from a member's appropriate federal banking 
    agency or insurer, to provide to such entity information on advances 
    and commitments outstanding to the member.
    7. Capital Deficient Members That Are Not Federally Insured 
    Depositories
        Section 935.5(f) of the final rule requires that, in the case of 
    members that are not federally insured depository institutions, the 
    relevant provisions in Sec. 935.5(b), (c), (d) and (e) apply to a 
    member's state regulator acting in a capacity similar to an appropriate 
    federal banking agency or insurer.
    8. Advance Commitments
        Section 935.5(g) of the final rule provides that the written 
    advances agreement required by Sec. 935.4(b)(2) of the Finance Board's 
    regulations, or the written advances application required by 
    Sec. 935.4(a) of the Finance Board's regulations, stipulate that a Bank 
    shall not fund commitments for advances, including Community Investment 
    Program and Affordable Housing Program advance commitments, previously 
    made to members whose access to advances was subsequently restricted 
    pursuant to Sec. 935.5. Consistent with Sec. 935.8 of the Finance 
    Board's advances regulation, a Bank may charge the member a fee for a 
    commitment cancellation resulting from the restrictions in Sec. 935.5.
        Section 935.5(g) of the proposed rule provided that all commitments 
    entered into after August 25, 1993 were subject to the restrictions in 
    Sec. 935.5 to ensure that commitments entered into by the Banks from 
    the time the proposed rule was approved did not result in the Banks 
    inadvertently circumventing the wishes of the federal banking agencies 
    or insurer. The Finance Board reasoned that immediate application of 
    the restrictions on advance commitments was justifiable, given that the 
    Banks and their members have been aware of the Finance Board's views on 
    lending to capital deficient members since the adoption of the Finance 
    Board's capital deficient lending policy on April 22, 1992. The Finance 
    Board specifically requested comment on this issue.
        Two comment letters addressed this issue. The community banker 
    trade association expressed support for this provision. The second 
    commenter, a Bank, opposed the provision. The Bank wrote that the final 
    rule should not affect commitments made before the Banks had received 
    notice of the proposed limitation and had an opportunity to assimilate 
    the requirement into their operations and applicable credit 
    documentation.
        However, as stated earlier, the Banks have been subject to 
    limitations on lending to capital deficient members since April 1992. 
    The Finance Board believes this is adequate notice. Further, there is 
    good cause to make the limitation on commitments effective August 25, 
    1993, because using this date allowed the Banks to adjust their lending 
    policies to avoid making commitments to lend that would contravene the 
    requirements of the final rule. Therefore, Sec. 935.5(g) is being 
    adopted in the final rule as proposed.
        Another Bank commented more generally on the commitment provisions 
    in Sec. 935.5(g). It opposes the provision precluding a Bank from 
    funding an outstanding commitment to a capital deficient member if the 
    appropriate federal regulator has restricted the member's access to 
    advances. The Bank believes this requirement could result in potential 
    asset/liability management complications and funding costs for the 
    Bank, and could have serious negative implications for the Bank's 
    membership and marketing efforts.
        The Finance Board believes it is doubtful that a member would ask a 
    Bank to fund an outstanding commitment once the member has been 
    prohibited by its regulator from access to Bank advances, and does not 
    believe that a Bank should provide a member with funding that has been 
    explicitly prohibited by the member's regulator. A Bank's asset/
    liability management costs should be minimized since a Bank may charge 
    a fee if it is required to cancel an outstanding commitment due to 
    regulatory action. Therefore, Sec. 935.5(g) is being adopted in the 
    final rule as proposed.
    9. Definition of ``Tangible Capital''
        The restrictions on access to Bank advances are triggered by a 
    member's level of tangible capital. Section 935.1 of the proposed rule 
    defined ``tangible capital'' as: (1) Capital, calculated according to 
    Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), less ``intangible 
    assets'' as reported in the member's TFR for members whose primary 
    federal regulator is the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), or as 
    reported in the Call Report for members whose primary federal regulator 
    is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the 
    Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) or the Board of Governors of the 
    Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board); or (2) capital 
    calculated according to GAAP, less intangible assets, as defined by a 
    Bank for members which are not regulated by the OTS, the FDIC, the OCC, 
    or the Federal Reserve Board.
        This definition of tangible capital is consistent with the 
    definition established by the FDIC in its final rulemaking on prompt 
    corrective action. See 57 FR 44886 (Sept. 29, 1992), 12 CFR part 325. 
    The prompt corrective action procedures provide a framework for 
    determining supervisory action for financial institutions. The FDIC has 
    implemented prompt corrective action procedures based on an 
    institution's level of core or Tier 1 capital. GAAP capital less 
    intangible assets results in a definition of tangible capital that is 
    similar to core or Tier 1 capital, as defined by the federal banking 
    agencies. See e.g., 12 CFR part 3, Appendix A, section 2(a) (OCC); 12 
    CFR part 208, Appendix A, II.A.1 (Federal Reserve Board); 12 CFR 
    325.2(m) (FDIC); 12 CFR 567.5(a) (OTS).
        The comment letter from the thrift trade association recommended 
    that the final rule use the definition of ``tangible equity'' as 
    adopted by the OTS and the FDIC to determine whether a member is 
    tangibly solvent. The commenter noted that this definition permits 
    banks and savings associations to include qualifying purchased mortgage 
    servicing rights in the calculation of tangible capital and permits 
    savings associations to include qualifying supervisory goodwill.
        The community banker trade association requested that the capital 
    definitions in the final rule be the same as those used in the prompt 
    corrective action regulations, and that the definition of tangible 
    capital include certain qualifying intangible assets such as purchased 
    mortgage servicing rights.
        The proposed rule sought to incorporate definitions that the Banks 
    could easily verify using currently available regulatory reports. 
    Tangible equity is not reported on the Call Report filed by commercial 
    bank members, and capital measured according to the prompt corrective 
    action definitions is not reported on the Call Report or the TFR. 
    Therefore, if these definitions were used, the Banks or their members 
    would be required to perform a separate calculation to determine a 
    member's capital level. The Finance Board believes that this 
    requirement would place an unnecessary regulatory burden on the Banks 
    and their members.
        However, the Finance Board agrees with the commenters that since 
    both commercial bank and thrift members may include a certain amount of 
    purchased mortgage servicing rights (PMSRs) in their calculation of 
    core or Tier 1 capital, it is appropriate that such assets also be 
    included in tangible capital for the purpose of determining access to 
    advances. Since PMSRs are a line item on the Call Report and TFR, this 
    should not place an undue reporting burden on the members. Therefore, 
    the Finance Board has decided to change the definition of tangible 
    capital in Sec. 935.1 of the final rule to include PMSRs, to the extent 
    such assets are included in the member's calculation of core or Tier 1 
    capital as reported in the member's TFR, Call Report, or other 
    regulatory report of financial condition. At the present time, thrifts 
    and commercial banks may include PMSRs in core or Tier 1 capital in an 
    amount up to 50 percent of core or Tier 1 capital. See e.g., 12 CFR 
    325.6(e)(3) (1993).
        For members that are not federally insured depository institutions, 
    the Bank shall define intangible assets; provided that a Bank shall 
    include a member's PMSRs to the extent such assets are included for the 
    purpose of meeting regulatory capital requirements.
        The community banker trade association also recommended that the 
    definition ``capital deficient member'' in the proposed rule be 
    replaced by the definition of undercapitalized in the banking agencies' 
    prompt corrective action regulations. However, the term ``capital 
    deficient member,'' which is defined as an institution that fails to 
    meet its minimum regulatory capital requirements, has been used since 
    the Finance Board adopted its policy in 1992. Given that the Banks and 
    their membership are familiar with this term, the Finance Board does 
    not see any reason to change it. Therefore, the definition of ``capital 
    deficient member'' is being adopted as proposed.
    
    B. Transfer of Advances
    
        The final rule amends Sec. 935.17 of the Finance Board's advances 
    regulation, which governs the transfer of advances. Section 935.17 
    provides that a Bank may allow one of its members to assume advances 
    previously extended by the Bank to another of its members. The final 
    rule amends this section to provide that a Bank may allow a member to 
    assume advances held by a nonmember, provided the advances were 
    originated by the Bank.
        The Banks generally may not make advances to nonmembers, except in 
    the limited circumstances provided for in section 10b of the Bank Act, 
    12 U.S.C. 1430b. However, a nonmember, through acquisition of a member 
    institution, may assume outstanding Bank advances held by the acquired 
    member. Section 935.17, as amended, authorizes a Bank to allow the 
    transfer of advances from a nonmember to a member, provided the advance 
    was originated by the Bank, and provided the assumption complies with 
    the requirements governing the issuance of new advances. A Bank may 
    charge an appropriate fee for processing the transfer. No comments were 
    received on this provision and Sec. 935.17 of the final rule is being 
    adopted as proposed.
    
    C. Treatment of Nursing Homes as Residential Property
    
        In the Finance Board's final advances rule published on May 20, 
    1993, see 58 FR 29456, nursing homes were treated as nonresidential 
    property, thus making mortgages on nursing homes ineligible as 
    collateral for advances. The Finance Board has subsequently 
    reconsidered this issue and determined that mortgages on nursing homes 
    have a sufficiently residential character to be treated as residential 
    real property, thus making them eligible to be accepted as collateral 
    for advances. One comment letter addressed this provision. The 
    commenter, a Bank, believes this treatment of nursing homes will assist 
    the Banks in fulfilling their housing mission, without exposing them to 
    unnecessary risk. Therefore, as proposed, the final rule deletes 
    nursing homes from the definition of ``nonresidential real property'' 
    and includes nursing homes in the definition of ``multifamily 
    property.'' Thus, mortgage loans backed by nursing homes are eligible 
    collateral for an advance.
    
    III. Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        Section 935.5(e) of the final rule will require the Banks to report 
    certain information to the Finance Board. However, Sec. 935.5(e) does 
    not involve a ``collection of information'' for purposes of the 
    Paperwork Reduction Act because Sec. 935.5(e) does not require the 
    Banks to collect any additional information from the public. The 
    Paperwork Reduction Act defines ``collection of information'' to 
    include the obtaining of facts or opinions from ten or more persons 
    ``other than * * * instrumentalities * * * of the United States.'' 44 
    U.S.C. 3502(4)(A).
        The Banks are considered to be instrumentalities of the United 
    States under statute and case law. See 12 U.S.C. 1431(e)(1); Fahey v. 
    O'Melveny & Myers, 200 F.2d 420, 446 (9th Cir. 1952) (``a Federal Home 
    Loan Bank is a federal instrumentality organized to carry out public 
    policy * * *'' Id.); Association of Data Processing Service 
    Organizations v. Fed. Home Loan Bank Board, 568 F.2d 478 (6th Cir. 
    1977) (court found Banks to be federal instrumentalities in action 
    preventing a Bank from providing on-line data processing services); 
    Osei-Bonsu v. Fed. Home Loan Bank of New York, 726 F. Supp. 95, 97-98 
    (S.D.N.Y. 1989) (Banks held to be federal instrumentalities in an 
    employment context).
        Reporting requirements imposed upon the Banks are not 
    ``collection[s] of information'' unless the collection is for general 
    statistical purposes. See 12 U.S.C. 3502(4)(B). The information that 
    the Banks are required to provide the Finance Board in Sec. 935.5(e) is 
    not for general statistical purposes and, therefore, is not an 
    information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Accordingly, 
    this final rule does not require any reporting under the Paperwork 
    Reduction Act.
    
    IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        The final rule applies to all Bank members, regardless of their 
    size. The final rule does not contain any requirements that the Finance 
    Board believes will have a disproportionate impact on small entities. 
    Therefore, it is certified, pursuant to section 605(b) of the 
    Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 605(b), that this final rule, as 
    promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a 
    substantial number of small entities.
    
    List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 935
    
        Advances, Credit, Federal home loan banks.
    
        The Finance Board hereby amends chapter IX, title 12, Code of 
    Federal Regulations, as follows:
    
    PART 935--ADVANCES
    
        1. The authority citation for part 935 is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422b(a)(1), 1426, 1429, 1430, 1430b, 1431.
    
    Subpart A--Advances to Members
    
        2. Section 935.1 is amended by revising the definitions of 
    ``Insurer,'' ``Multifamily property,'' and ``Nonresidential real 
    property'' and by adding the following definitions in appropriate 
    alphabetical order to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 935.1  Definitions.
    
    * * * * *
        Capital deficient member means a member that fails to meet its 
    minimum regulatory capital requirements as defined or otherwise 
    required by the member's appropriate federal banking agency, insurer 
    or, in the case of members that are not federally insured depository 
    institutions, state regulator.
    * * * * *
        Insurer means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for 
    ``insured depository institutions'' as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2) 
    and the National Credit Union Administration for federally insured 
    credit unions.
    * * * * *
        Multifamily property means, for purposes of this part:
        (1)(i) Real property that is solely residential and which includes 
    five or more dwelling units; or
        (ii) Real property which includes five or more dwelling units with 
    commercial units combined, provided the property is primarily 
    residential.
        (2) Multifamily property as defined in this section includes 
    nursing homes, dormitories and homes for the elderly.
    * * * * *
        Nonresidential real property means, for purposes of this part, real 
    property not used for residential purposes, including business or 
    industrial property, hotels, motels, churches, hospitals, educational 
    and charitable institutions, clubs, lodges, association buildings, golf 
    courses, recreational facilities, farm property not containing a 
    dwelling unit, or similar types of property, except as otherwise 
    determined by the Board in its discretion.
    * * * * *
        State regulator means a state insurance commissioner or state 
    regulatory entity with primary responsibility for supervising a member 
    borrower that is not a federally insured depository institution.
        Tangible capital means:
        (1) Capital, calculated according to GAAP, less ``intangible 
    assets'' except for purchased mortgage servicing rights to the extent 
    such assets are included in a member's core or Tier 1 capital, as 
    reported in the member's Thrift Financial Report for members whose 
    primary federal regulator is the OTS, or as reported in the Report of 
    Condition and Income for members whose primary federal regulator is the 
    FDIC, the OCC, or the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
        (2) Capital calculated according to GAAP, less intangible assets, 
    as defined by a Bank for members which are not regulated by the OTS, 
    the FDIC, the OCC, or the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
    System; provided that a Bank shall include a member's purchased 
    mortgage servicing rights to the extent such assets are included for 
    the purpose of meeting regulatory capital requirements.
        3. Section 935.5 is amended by removing the period at the end of 
    paragraph (a)(2) and adding in its place ``; and'' and adding 
    paragraphs (a)(3) and (b) through (g) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 935.5  Limitations on access to advances.
    
        (a) *  *  *
        (3) Make advances and renewals only if the Bank determines that it 
    may safely make such advance or renewal to the member, including 
    advances and renewals made pursuant to this section.
        (b) New advances to members without positive tangible capital. (1) 
    A Bank shall not make a new advance to a member without positive 
    tangible capital unless the member's appropriate federal banking agency 
    or insurer requests in writing that the Bank make such advance. The 
    Bank shall promptly provide the Finance Board with a copy of any such 
    request.
        (2) A Bank shall use the most recently available Thrift Financial 
    Report, Report of Condition, and Income or other regulatory report of 
    financial condition to determine whether a member has positive tangible 
    capital.
        (c) Renewals of advances to members without positive tangible 
    capital. (1) Renewal for 30-day terms. A Bank may renew outstanding 
    advances, for successive terms of up to 30 days each, to a member 
    without positive tangible capital; provided, however, that a Bank shall 
    honor any written request of the appropriate federal banking agency or 
    insurer that the Bank not renew such advances.
        (2) Renewal for longer than 30-day terms. A Bank may renew 
    outstanding advances to a member without positive tangible capital for 
    a term greater than 30 days at the written request of the appropriate 
    federal banking agency or insurer.
        (d) Advances to capital deficient but solvent members. (1) Except 
    as provided in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, a Bank may make a 
    new advance or renew an outstanding advance to a capital deficient 
    member that has positive tangible capital.
        (2)(i) A Bank shall not lend to a capital deficient member that has 
    positive tangible capital if it receives written notice from the 
    appropriate federal banking agency or insurer that the member's use of 
    Bank advances has been prohibited. The Bank shall promptly provide the 
    Finance Board with a copy of any such notice.
        (ii) A Bank may resume lending to such a capital deficient member 
    if the Bank receives a written statement from the appropriate federal 
    banking agency or insurer which re-establishes the member's ability to 
    use advances.
        (e) Reporting. (1) Each Bank shall provide the Finance Board with a 
    monthly report of the advances and commitments outstanding to each of 
    its members.
        (2) Such monthly report shall be in a format or on a form 
    prescribed by the Finance Board.
        (3) Each Bank shall, upon written request from a member's 
    appropriate federal banking agency or insurer, provide to such entity 
    information on advances and commitments outstanding to the member.
        (f) Members without federal regulators. In the case of members that 
    are not federally insured depository institutions, the references in 
    paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this section to ``appropriate 
    federal banking agency or insurer'' shall mean the member's state 
    regulator acting in a capacity similar to an appropriate federal 
    banking agency or insurer.
        (g) Advance commitments. (1) In the event that a member's access to 
    advances from a Bank is restricted pursuant to this section, the Bank 
    shall not fund outstanding commitments for advances not exercised prior 
    to the imposition of the restriction. This requirement shall apply to 
    all advance commitments made by a Bank after August 25, 1993.
        (2) Each Bank shall include the stipulation contained in paragraph 
    (g)(1) of this section as a clause in either:
        (i) The written advances agreement required by Sec. 935.4(b)(2) of 
    this part; or
        (ii) The written advances application required by Sec. 935.4(a) of 
    this part.
        4. Section 935.17 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 935.17  Intradistrict transfer of advances.
    
        (a) Advances held by members. A Bank may allow one of its members 
    to assume an advance extended by the Bank to another of its members, 
    provided the assumption complies with the requirements of this part 
    governing the issuance of new advances. A Bank may charge an 
    appropriate fee for processing the transfer.
        (b) Advances held by nonmembers. A Bank may allow one of its 
    members to assume an advance held by a nonmember, provided the advance 
    was originated by the Bank and provided the assumption complies with 
    the requirements of this part governing the issuance of new advances. A 
    Bank may charge an appropriate fee for processing the transfer.
    
        By the Federal Housing Finance Board.
    
        December 15, 1993.
    Philip L. Conover,
    Managing Director.
    [FR Doc. 94-1213 Filed 1-19-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6725-01-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
01/20/1994
Department:
Federal Housing Finance Board
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
94-1213
Dates:
February 22, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: January 20, 1994, No. 93-97
CFR: (6)
12 CFR 935.4(a)
12 CFR 935.5(c)
12 CFR 935.5(d)
12 CFR 935.1
12 CFR 935.5
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