Housing and Community Development Technical Amendments Act of 1984

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 98-1103)

Housing and Community Development Technical Amendments Act of 1984 - Title I: Technical and Conforming Amendments to Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 - Makes various technical amendments to the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 and other specified housing Acts.

Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to provide that a county which has lost its classification as an urban county because local governments have either elected to be excluded from the county's population or have not renewed a cooperation agreement with the county will not be permitted to continue to be eligible as an urban county under the community development block grant (CDBG) program after fiscal year 1983. Provides that for purposes of determining a county's entitlement status, a county's population shall include the population of its local governments and the unincorporated areas that are not units of local government and shall exclude the population of its metropolitan cities.

Revises the definitions of persons of moderate, low, and very low income. Redefines "persons of low income" as families and individuals whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of the median area income, with adjustments for smaller and larger families. Redefines "persons of moderate income" as families and individuals whose incomes exceed 50 percent, but do not exceed 80 percent, of the median area income, with adjustments. Authorizes the Secretary to establish different percentages if necessary because of unusually high or low family income in an area.

Requires CDBG recipients to provide public notice and comment opportunity concerning any substantial change in the methods of distributing CDBG funds.

Authorizes a local government, during any fiscal year, to use the same percentage of CDBG funds for public service activities as it used for such activities in FY 1982 or 1983 (currently 1983 only).

Allows a metropolitan city or urban county to conduct certain CDBG activities designed to benefit persons of low and moderate income in the areas which have a higher concentration of such persons than 75 percent of all areas of such city or county.

Allows States to use CDGB funds to cover part of the cost of administration of the Federal rental rehabilitation assistance program in non-metropolitan areas.

Repeals provisions setting forth prerequisites for the retention by a local government of urban renewal project income realized from a CDBG. Authorizes the city of Baltimore, Maryland, to retain any land disposition proceeds from closed-out urban renewal projects not paid to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for use in accordance with CDBG program requirements. Authorizes the city of Denver, Colorado, to retain funds from certain urban renewal project proceeds, provided they are used for eligible CDBG activities.

Amends the National Housing Act to extend until September 30, 1985, the Secretary's authority to enter into contracts for homeownership assistance payments.

Requires the Secretary to offer annually to amend rental assistance payment contracts to provide sufficient payments to cover 90 percent (currently up to 90 percent) of necessary rent increases and changes in tenant income.

Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to reqire the Secretary to consult with the Secretary of Agriculture in determining income ceilings for lower-income families and very low-income families in rural areas and family income for purposes of determining a family's eligibility and assistance under various housing programs. Provides for the deduction from family income of the amount by which the aggregate of the following expenses exceeds three percent of annual family income in order to obtain a family's adjusted income for purposes of determining eligibility and rent for public housing: (1) medical expenses for an elderly family (currently provided); and (2) attendant care and auxiliary apparatus necessary to enable any handicapped family member to be employed.

Requires the Secretary to give priority to public housing projects involving the construction, acquisition, or acquisition and rehabilitation of housing for families requiring three or more bedrooms. (Currently, the Secretary is required to give priority to projects for the construction of housing for large families.)

Directs the Secretary to increase the amount of moderate rehabilitation assistance provided to owners of low-income housing if necessary to assist in the sale of multifamily housing projects owned by HUD.

Authorizes housing voucher assistance payments for lower-income families displaced be activities under the rental rehabilitation program.

Amends the Housing Act of 1959 to authorize the Secretary to issue obligations to finance the elderly and handicapped loan program for FY 1984. Prohibits the Secretary from imposing different requirements or standards for construction change orders, increases in loan amounts to cover change orders, errors in plans and specifications, and use of contingency funds because of the method of contractor selection used by the sponsor or borrower under such program.

Requires the Secretary to offer annually to amend rent supplement payment contracts to provide sufficient payments to cover 90 percent (currently up to 90 percent) of necessary rent increases and changes in tenant income.

Amends the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 to provide that any utility payment made in lieu of any rental payment by a person living in a federally-assisted lower income housing project shall be considered to be a shelter payment for purposes of determining eligibility and benefits under Part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) of Title IV of the Social Security Act.

Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require the Secretary to assure that an equitable share of moderate rehabilitation grants and development grants under the rental rehabilitation and development program assists in the provisions of housing for families with children, particularly families requiring three or more bedrooms. Provides that any city which has a population of at least 450,000 and in which less than ten percent of the total rental units are vacant and available for rent is eligible to apply for a rental housing development grant.

Amends the National Housing Act to permit Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance for units in projects converted to condominiums if, before April 20, 1984: (1) an application for an insurance commitment was made for a unit; (2) a unit received a case number under direct endorsement; or (3) an application for approval was made under the veteran's housing program. Repeals a provision limiting the aggregate principal amount of mortgages and loans that the Secretary may insure on a co-insurance basis in a fiscal year to ten percent of the aggregate principal amount of all mortgages and loans insured during such year. Provides that a mortgage of a group practices facility or a medical practices facility which is eligible for FHA insurance shall bear a rate of interest agreed upon by the mortgagor and the mortgagee.

Amends the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 to authorize the National Housing Partnership, in order to generate income to support housing for low- and moderate-income families, to commit a specified percentage of its equity to: (1) develop and sell products and services for use in the construction, sale, or financing of housing; and (2) develop commercial, industrial, or retail facilities that are not directly related to housing. Requires the Partnership's annual report to Congress to: (1) describe such activities undertaken by the Partnership; and (2) specify, as a percentage of equity and in dollars, the extent of such activities, the extent of investment in housing for persons of low and moderate income, and the extent of investment in other housing.

Amends the Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Bank Act to direct the Board of Directors of the Bank to allocate all of its financial assistance to financial institutions at the same time.

Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to carry out the FHA insurance program for public hospitals as provided for in the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983.

Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to revise set-aside requirements to require that: (1) at least 40 percent of rural housing loan funds (currently 40 percent of the dwelling units financed) be made available only for very low-income persons and families; and (2) at least 30 percent of such funds allocated to each State (currently 30 percent of the dwelling units financed in each State) be available only for such persons and families. Prohibits the transfer of rural housing loan authority authorized after September 30, 1984, to any other purpose.

Provides that certain rural housing loans for low-income rental projects with State or local rental assistance shall be approved if, at the option of the applicant: (1) there would be an adequate rental market for the project without such assistance (currently provided); or (2) there is a reasonable assurance that the State or local rental assistance contract will be extended or renewed. Provides that areas classified as rural areas before the 1980 decennial census shall continue to be classified as rural areas for purposes of the rural housing programs through FY 1985 (currently FY 1984) if such areas have populations of between 10,000 and 20,000 persons.

Title II: Technical and Conforming Amendments to Other Housing and Community Development Laws - Makes technical and conforming amendments to specified housing and community development laws.

Amends the Truth in Lending Act to repeal the termination date of the exemption from rescission right requirements of advances on open-end lines of credit for which a security interest has been acquired.

Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to authorize Federal credit unions to make unsecured 15-year home improvement loans.

Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to allow thrift institutions to invest in shares or certificates of management investment companies whose portfolios consist solely of highly rate corporate debt and commercial paper.