Title 12 › Chapter 13— NATIONAL HOUSING › Subchapter VI— WAR HOUSING INSURANCE › § 1744
The Secretary can insure loans to help factories make houses for World War II veterans so more homes are built at prices veterans can afford. To get insurance, the factory must have signed, acceptable purchase contracts for the houses that set payment terms (no more than 30 days after delivery unless at least 20% is paid at delivery and the lender accepts a buyer promissory note that can be due up to 180 days). The houses must meet quality and safety rules. The borrower must show it has the plant, money, and experience to meet the production plan. The loan can be up to 90% of the Secretary’s estimate of the current manufacturing cost (not including profit) minus any buyer payments, must be secured by assignment of the purchase contracts, matures in one year (with one possible one-year extension), and may charge no more than 4% interest. If the borrower misses payments or breaks other loan promises for 30 days, the lender can assign its rights to the Secretary and receive debentures equal to the unpaid principal; debentures are dated and bear interest from the date of default. The Secretary may release parts of the collateral, require delivery of houses to the lender to protect the loan, sell or collect assigned debts, and set other loan conditions. The Secretary can also insure losses when a lender accepts and discounts buyer promissory notes for unpaid purchase prices. Those notes may be no more than 80% of a house’s price, due in no more than 180 days, and bear no more than 4% interest; aggregate limits may be set by the Secretary. If a buyer defaults for 30 days, the lender may get insurance benefits and receive debentures equal to unpaid principal plus interest at 4% from default to the date the insurance claim is filed; those debentures are dated and bear interest from the filing date. The Secretary sets a premium for these insurances not to exceed 1% of the original loan or note and may charge reasonable processing fees.
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Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
12 U.S.C. § 1744
Title 12 — Banks and Banking
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60