§ 12704 — Definitions

As used in this subchapter and in subchapter II: (1) The term “unit of general local government” means a city, town, township, county, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State; the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau, the Marshall Islands, or a general purpose political subdivision thereof; a consortium of such political subdivisions recognized by the Secretary in accordance with section 12746(2) of this title; and any agency or instrumentality thereof that is established pursuant to legislation and designated by the chief executive to act on behalf of the jurisdiction with regard to provisions of this Act. (2) The term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any agency or instrumentality thereof that is established pursuant to legislation and designated by the chief executive officer to act on behalf of the State with regard to the provisions of this Act. (3) The term “jurisdiction” means a State or unit of general local government. (4) The term “participating jurisdiction” means any State or unit of general local government that has been so designated in accordance with section 12746 of this title. (5) The term “nonprofit organization” means any private, nonprofit organization (including a State or locally chartered, nonprofit organization) that— (A) is organized under State or local laws, (B) has no part of its net earnings inuring to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual, (C) complies with standards of financial accountability acceptable to the Secretary, and (D) has among its purposes significant activities related to the provision of decent housing that is affordable to low-income and moderate-income persons. (6) The term “community housing development organization” means a nonprofit organization as defined in paragraph (5), that— (A) has among its purposes the provision of decent housing that is affordable to low-income and moderate-income persons; (B) maintains, through significant representation on the organization’s governing board and otherwise, accountability to low-income community residents and, to the extent practicable, low-income beneficiaries with regard to decisions on the design, siting, development, and management of affordable housing; (C) has a demonstrated capacity for carrying out activities assisted under this Act; and (D) has a history of serving the local community or communities within which housing to be assisted under this Act is to be located. (7) The term “government-sponsored mortgage finance corporations” means the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. (8) The term “housing” includes manufactured housing and manufactured housing lots and elder cottage housing opportunity units that are small, free-standing, barrier-free, energy-efficient, removable, and designed to be installed adjacent to existing 1- to 4-family dwellings. (9) The term “very low-income families” means low-income families whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of the median family income for the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families, except that the Secretary may establish income ceilings higher or lower than 50 percent of the median for the area on the basis of the Secretary’s findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction costs or fair market rents, or unusually high or low family incomes. (10) The term “low-income families” means families whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families, except that the Secretary may establish income ceilings higher or lower than 80 percent of the median for the area on the basis of the Secretary’s findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction costs or fair market rents, or unusually high or low family incomes. (11) The term “families” has the same meaning given that term by section 1437a of this title. (12) The term “security” has the same meaning as in section 77b of title 15. (13) The term “displaced homemaker” means an individual who— (A) is an adult; (B) has not worked full-time full-year in the labor force for a number of years but has, during such years, worked primarily without remuneration to care for the home and family; and (C) is unemployed or underemployed and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment. (14) The term “first-time homebuyer” means an individual and his or her spouse who have not owned a home during the 3-year period prior to purchase of a home with assistance under subchapter II, except that— (A) any individual who is a displaced homemaker may not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual, while a homemaker, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse; (B) any individual who is a single parent may not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual, while married, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse; and (C) an individual shall not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual owns or owned, as a principal residence during such 3-year period, a dwelling unit whose structure is— (i) not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation in accordance with local or other applicable regulations, or (ii) not in compliance with State, local, or model building codes, or other applicable codes, and cannot be brought into compliance with such codes for less than the cost of constructing a permanent structure. (15) The term “single parent” means an individual who— (A) is unmarried or legally separated from a spouse; and (i) has 1 or more minor children for whom the individual has custody or joint custody; or (ii) is pregnant. (16) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, unless otherwise specified in this Act. (17) The term “substantial rehabilitation” means the rehabilitation of residential property at an average cost in excess of $25,000 per dwelling unit. (18) The term “public housing agency” has the meaning given the term in section 1437a(b) of this title. (19) The term “metropolitan city” has the meaning given the term in section 5302(a)(4) of this title. (20) The term “urban county” has the meaning given the term in section 5302(a)(6) of this title. (21) The term “certification” means a written assertion, based on supporting evidence, which shall be kept available for inspection by the Secretary, the Inspector General and the public, which assertion shall be deemed to be accurate for purposes of this Act, unless the Secretary determines otherwise after inspecting the evidence and providing due notice and opportunity for comment. (23) The term “to demonstrate to the Secretary” means to submit to the Secretary a written assertion together with supporting evidence that, in the determination of the Secretary, supports the accuracy of the assertion. (24) The term “insular area” means any of the following: Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. (24) 2 The term “energy efficient mortgage” means a mortgage that provides financing incentives for the purchase of energy efficient homes, or that provides financing incentives to make energy efficiency improvements in existing homes by incorporating the cost of such improvements in the mortgage. (25) The term “energy efficient mortgage” means a mortgage that provides financing incentives for the purchase of energy efficient homes, or that provides financing incentives to make energy efficiency improvements in existing homes by incorporating the cost of such improvements in the mortgage.