Title 42 › CHAPTER 130 — NATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS AND POLICIES › § 12704
Defines key words used in this part of the law. It lists many terms and gives a short description of each so people know what the law is talking about. Unit of general local government is a city, town, township, county, parish, village, or similar local government; it also includes the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau, the Marshall Islands, their political subdivisions, consortia the Secretary recognizes, and agencies set up by law and named by the chief executive to act for the area. State is any U.S. State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or an agency set up by law and named by the State’s chief executive to act under this law. Jurisdiction is a State or a unit of general local government. Participating jurisdiction is a State or local government designated under section 12746. Nonprofit organization is a private nonprofit set up under state or local law, that does not give profits to individuals, follows financial rules the Secretary accepts, and works to provide decent affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people. Community housing development organization is that kind of nonprofit focused on affordable housing, accountable to low-income residents, able to carry out the work, and with a history of serving the area; if it serves more than one county, the Secretary cannot force it to have low-income board members from every county. Government-sponsored mortgage finance corporations are the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. Housing includes manufactured housing, manufactured housing lots, and certain small elder cottage units placed next to existing 1- to 4-family homes. Very low-income families are those with income at or below 50 percent of the area median, with adjustments and possible Secretary changes for special local conditions. Low-income families are those at or below 80 percent of the area median, with similar adjustments. Families and security have the same meanings as in the cited sections. Displaced homemaker is an adult who mainly worked at home without pay, has not held full-time, year-round work for years, and is now unemployed or underemployed and finding work hard. First-time homebuyer is someone (and spouse) who did not own a home in the past 3 years, with exceptions for displaced homemakers, single parents, and certain previously owned nonpermanent or unsafe dwellings. Single parent is an unmarried or legally separated person with custody of one or more minor children, or who is pregnant. Secretary is the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Substantial rehabilitation is work that costs more than $25,000 per unit on average. Public housing agency, metropolitan city, and urban county have the meanings in the cited sections. Certification is a written claim with evidence kept for inspection and treated as accurate unless the Secretary inspects and finds otherwise after notice. To demonstrate to the Secretary means to submit a written claim with supporting evidence for the Secretary to review. Insular area means Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Energy efficient mortgage is a loan that gives incentives to buy energy-efficient homes or to include the cost of efficiency improvements in the mortgage. Infill housing project is a residential project inside a city on previously disturbed land of no more than 5 acres, served by existing utilities, and mostly surrounded by development. Community land trust is a nonprofit or government entity not run by a for-profit, whose main job is to hold land to provide housing that stays affordable to low- and moderate-income people, monitors affordability, uses legal tools to keep homes affordable for at least 30 years and allow renting or buying, and keeps options to buy the land if needed to preserve affordability.
Full Legal Text
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 12704
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110