(a) In general. No State or political subdivision of a State may establish, continue in effect, or enforce any law or regulation that:

(1) Restricts or inhibits the prepayment of any mortgage described in §248.101 or the voluntary termination of any insurance contract pursuant to §207.253 of this chapter on eligible low income housing projects;

(2) Restricts or inhibits an owner of such projects from receiving the authorized annual return provided under §248.121;

(3) Is inconsistent with any provision of subpart B of this part, including any law, regulation, or other restriction that limits or impairs the ability of any owner of eligible low income housing to receive incentives authorized under subpart B of this part, including authorization to increase rental rates, transfer the project, obtain secondary financing, or use the proceeds of any such incentives; or

(4) In its applicability to low income housing is limited only to eligible low income housing for which the owner has prepaid the mortgage or terminated the insurance contract.

(b) Effect. Any law, regulation or restriction described in paragraph (a) of this section shall be ineffective and any eligible low income housing exempt from the law, regulation, or restriction, only to the extent that it violates the provisions of this section.

(c) Laws of general applicability: contractual restrictions. This section shall not prevent the establishment, continuing in effect, or enforcement of any law or regulation of any State or political subdivision of a State not inconsistent with the provision of this subpart, such as any law or regulation relating to building standards, zoning limitations, health, safety, or habitability standards for housing, rent control, or conversion of rental housing to condominium or cooperative ownership, to the extent such law or regulation is of general applicability to both projects receiving Federal assistance and nonassisted projects. This section shall not preempt, annul or alter any contractual restrictions or obligations existing before November 28, 1990 or voluntarily entered into by an owner of eligible low income housing on or after that date, and that limit or prevent that owner from prepaying the mortgage on the project or terminating the mortgage insurance contract.

[57 FR 12041, Apr. 8, 1992, as amended at 57 FR 57314, Dec. 3, 1992]