94-14744. Disposition of Fire and Hazard Insurance Proceeds  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 116 (Friday, June 17, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-14744]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: June 17, 1994]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
    
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
    Commissioner
    
    24 CFR Parts 207, 213, 221, and 242
    
    [Docket No. R-94-1723; FR-3603-F-01]
    RIN 2502-AG19
    
     
    
    Disposition of Fire and Hazard Insurance Proceeds
    
    AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
    Commissioner, HUD.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: This rule revises certain provisions in HUD regulations 
    covering multifamily mortgage insurance which have the effect of 
    requiring prior HUD endorsement before the expenditure of any fire and 
    hazard insurance loss proceeds by mortgagees. Instead of this 
    requirement the regulations would be revised to allow loss proceeds to 
    be expended to restore or repair the property without prior HUD 
    approval. The proceeds may not however, be used for any other purposes 
    without prior HUD approval.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: July 18, 1994.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Tahash, Planning and Procedures 
    Division, Office of Multifamily Housing Management, Room 6182, 
    Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, 
    Washington, DC 20410, voice (202) 708-3944, TDD (202) 708-4594. (These 
    are not toll-free numbers.)
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under existing HUD regulations (24 CFR 
    207.260) in the event a loss occurs to the mortgaged property under any 
    policy of fire or other hazard insurance and the mortgagee has received 
    the proceeds therefrom, it shall not exercise its option under the 
    mortgage to use the proceeds of the insurance for the repairing, 
    replacing, or rebuilding of the premises, or apply them to the mortgage 
    indebtedness, or make any other disposition of the proceeds without the 
    prior written approval of the Commissioner. Through cross-referencing 
    this requirement is also made applicable to other FHA multifamily 
    programs i.e. Part 213 Cooperative Housing Mortgage Insurance, Part 220 
    Mortgage Insurance and Insured Improvement Loans for Urban Renewal and 
    Concentrated Development Areas, Part 221 Low Cost and Moderate Income 
    Mortgage Insurance, Part 231 Housing Mortgage Insurance for the 
    Elderly, Part 232 Mortgage Insurance for Nursing Homes, Intermediate 
    Care Facilities, and Board and Care Homes, Part 234 Condominium 
    Ownership Mortgage Insurance, Part 236 Mortgage Insurance and Interest 
    Reduction Payments for Rental Projects, Part 241 Supplementary 
    Financing for Insured Project Mortgages and Part 242 Mortgage Insurance 
    for Hospitals.
        This rule revises current regulatory requirements to provide that 
    the mortgagee may exercise its option to use the insurance proceeds for 
    the repairing, replacing or rebuilding of the premises without prior 
    HUD approval. It may not however make any other disposition of 
    insurance proceeds without prior approval.
        The Department has found that its Field Office staff resources can 
    be more effectively allocated to tasks other than the endorsing of 
    property insurance loss drafts where the proceeds, in any event, are 
    going to be used to restore or repair the property. We estimate that 
    from $10,000 to $20,000 per year in staff resources could be saved by 
    making this change. Mortgagees could have similar savings (from 
    reduction of paperwork and check cashing steps) of from $5,000 to 
    $10,000 per year. Project owners also could have savings. Approximately 
    20,000 project owners, their mortgagees and their insurance agents and 
    companies should benefit by eliminating this unnecessary procedural 
    step.
        The rule also makes conforming revisions to 24 CFR 207.10, 213.13, 
    221.521 and 242.43 of HUD regulations to provide that fire and hazard 
    and insurance have attached a standard mortgagee clause making loss 
    payable to the mortgagee, its successors and assigns rather than the 
    current requirement that loss be payable to the mortgagee and the 
    Commissioner as their interests may appear.
        Due to the strictly technical nature of this rule, the Department 
    has determined that the notice and public comment procedure under Title 
    5 of the United States Code is unnecessary and is therefore issuing 
    this document as a final rule.
    
    Procedural Matters
    
    Executive Order 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review
    
        This rule was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget under 
    Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review. Any changes made 
    to the rule as a result of that review are clearly identified in the 
    docket file which is available for public inspection in the office of 
    the Department's Rules Docket Clerk, room 10276, 451 Seventh Street 
    SW., Washington, DC.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 605(b) (the Regulatory Flexibility 
    Act), the undersigned hereby certifies that this rule does not have a 
    significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
    This rule is technical in nature. It effects no substantive changes in 
    HUD programs or policies.
    
    Semiannual Agenda
    
        This rule was listed as item 1569 in the Department's Semiannual 
    Agenda of Regulations published on April 25, 1994 (59 FR 20424, 20444) 
    under Executive order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
    
    Executive Order 12612, Federalism
    
        The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a) 
    of Executive order 12612, Federalism, has determined that the policies 
    contained in this rule do not have Federalism implications and, thus, 
    are not subject to review under the Order. No programmatic or policy 
    changes result from this rule's promulgation which would affect 
    existing relationships between the Federal Government and State and 
    local governments.
    
    Executive Order 12606, The Family
    
        The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under Executive 
    order 12606, The Family, has determined that this rule does not have 
    potential for significant impact on family formation, maintenance, and 
    general well-being, and, thus, is not subject to review under the 
    Order. The rule is technical in nature and makes no significant change 
    in existing HUD policies or programs.
    
    Environment
    
        An environmental assessment is unnecessary, since internal 
    administrative procedures whose content do not constitute a development 
    decision affecting the physical condition of specific project areas or 
    building sites is categorically excluded from the Department's National 
    Environmental Policy Act procedures under 24 CFR 50.20(k).
    
    List of Subjects
    
    24 CFR Part 207
    
        Manufactured homes, Mortgage insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements, Solar energy.
    
    24 CFR Part 213
    
        Cooperatives, Mortgage insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements.
    
    24 CFR Part 221
    
        Low and moderate income housing, Mortgage insurance, Reporting and 
    recordkeeping requirements.
    
    24 CFR Part 242
    
        Hospitals, Mortgage insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements.
    
        Accordingly, 24 CFR parts 207, 213, 221, and 242 are amended to 
    read as follows:
    
    PART 207--MULTIFAMILY HOUSING MORTGAGE INSURANCE
    
        1. The authority citation for 24 CFR part 207 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1713 and 1715b; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d). Sections 
    207.258 and 207.258b are also issued under 12 U.S.C. 1701z-11(e).
    
        2. Section 207.10 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 207.10  Covenant for fire insurance.
    
        The mortgage shall contain a covenant acceptable to the 
    Commissioner binding the mortgagor to keep the property insured by a 
    standard policy or policies against fire and such other hazards as the 
    Commissioner, upon the insurance of the mortgage, may stipulate, in an 
    amount which will comply with the coinsurance clause applicable to the 
    location and character of the property, but not less than 80 percent of 
    the actual cash value of the insurable improvements and equipment of 
    the project. The initial coverage shall be in an amount estimated by 
    the Commissioner at the time of completion of the entire project or 
    units thereof. The policies evidencing such insurance shall have 
    attached thereto a standard mortgagee clause making loss payable to the 
    mortgagee, its successors and assigns.
        3. Paragraph (e) of Sec. 207.260 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 207.260   Protection of mortgage security.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Application of insurance proceeds. (1) In the event a loss has 
    occurred to the mortgaged property under any policy of fire or other 
    hazard insurance and the mortgagee has received the proceeds therefrom, 
    it may exercise its option under the mortgage to use the proceeds of 
    such insurance for the repairing, replacing, or rebuilding of the 
    premises. It may not make other disposition of such proceeds, without 
    the prior written approval of the Commissioner.
    
        (2) If the proceeds are applied to the mortgage with such prior 
    written approval and result in the payment in full of the entire 
    mortgage indebtedness, the contract of mortgage insurance made with the 
    Commissioner shall thereupon terminate.
    
        (3) If the Commissioner shall fail to give his approval to the use 
    or application of such funds within 60 days after written request by 
    the mortgagee, the mortgagee may use or apply such funds for any of the 
    purposes specified in the mortgage without the approval of the 
    Commissioner.
    
    PART 213--COOPERATIVE HOUSING MORTGAGE INSURANCE
    
        4. The authority citation for 24 CFR part 213 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1715b, 1715e; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d).
    
        5. Section 213.13 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 213.13  Covenant for fire insurance.
    
        The mortgage shall contain a covenant acceptable to the 
    Commissioner binding the mortgagor to keep the property insured by a 
    standard policy or policies against fire and such other hazards as the 
    Commissioner, upon the insurance of the mortgage, may stipulate, in an 
    amount which will comply with the coinsurance clause applicable to the 
    location and character of the property, but not less than 80 percent of 
    the actual cash value of the insurable improvements and equipment of 
    the project. The initial coverage shall be in an amount estimated by 
    the Commissioner at the time of completion of the entire project or 
    units thereof. The policies evidencing such insurance shall have 
    attached thereto a standard mortgagee clause making loss payable to the 
    mortgagee, its successors and assigns.
    
    PART 221--LOW COST AND MODERATE INCOME MORTGAGE INSURANCE
    
        6. The authority citation for 24 CFR part 221 is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1715b and 1715l; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d); sec. 
    221.544(a)(3) is also issued under 12 U.S.C. 1707(a).
    
        7. Section 221.521 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 221.521  Covenant for fire insurance.
    
        The mortgage shall contain a covenant acceptable to the 
    Commissioner binding the mortgagor to keep the property insured by a 
    standard policy or policies against fire and such other hazards as the 
    Commissioner, upon the insurance of the mortgage, may stipulate, in an 
    amount which will comply with the coinsurance clause applicable to the 
    location and character of the property, but not less than 80 percent of 
    the actual cash value of the insurable improvements and equipment of 
    the project. The initial coverage shall be in an amount estimated by 
    the Commissioner at the time of completion of the entire project or 
    units thereof. The policies evidencing such insurance shall have 
    attached thereto a standard mortgagee clause making loss payable to the 
    mortgagee, its successors and assigns.
    
    PART 242--MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS
    
        8. The authority citation for 24 CFR part 242 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1715b, 1715n(f), 1715z-7; 42 U.S.C. 
    3535(d).
    
        9. Section 242.43 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 242.43  Covenant for fire insurance.
    
        The mortgage shall contain a covenant acceptable to the 
    Commissioner binding the mortgagor to keep the property insured by a 
    standard policy or policies against fire and such other hazards as the 
    Commissioner, upon the insurance of the mortgage, may stipulate, in an 
    amount which will comply with the coinsurance clause applicable to the 
    location and character of the property, but not less than 80 percent of 
    the actual cash value of the insurable improvements and equipment of 
    the project. The initial coverage shall be in an amount estimated by 
    the Commissioner at the time of completion of the entire project or 
    units thereof. The policies evidencing such insurance shall have 
    attached thereto a standard mortgagee clause making loss payable to the 
    mortgagee, its successors and assigns.
    
        Dated: June 9, 1994.
    Nicolas P. Retsinas,
    Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.
    [FR Doc. 94-14744 Filed 6-16-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4210-27-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/17/1994
Department:
Housing and Urban Development Department
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
94-14744
Dates:
July 18, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: June 17, 1994, Docket No. R-94-1723, FR-3603-F-01
RINs:
2502-AG19
CFR: (5)
24 CFR 207.10
24 CFR 207.260
24 CFR 213.13
24 CFR 221.521
24 CFR 242.43