As soon as real property is acquired, a determination must be made as to whether or not the property can be used for program purposes. The suitability determination will be recorded in the running record of the case file.

(a) Determination. The Agency will classify property that secured loans or was acquired under the CONACT as “suitable property” or “surplus property” in accordance with the definitions found in §1955.53.

(b) Grouping and subdividing farm properties. To the maximum extent practicable, the Agency will maximize the opportunity for beginning farmers and ranchers to purchase inventory properties. Farm properties may be subdivided or grouped according to §1955.140, as feasible, to carry out the objectives of the applicable loan program. Properties may also be subdivided to facilitate the granting or selling of a conservation easement or the fee title transfer of portions of a property for conservation purposes. The environmental effects of such actions will be considered pursuant to part 1970 of this chapter.

(c) Housing property. Property which secured housing loans will be classified as “program” or “nonprogram (NP).” After a determination of whether the property is suited for retention in the respective program, the repair policy outlined in §1955.64(a) of this subpart will be followed. In determining whether a property is suited for retention in the program, items such as size, design, possible health and/or safety hazards and obsolescence due to functional, economic, or locational conditions must carefully be considered. Generally, program property will meet, or can be realistically repaired to meet, the standards for existing housing outlined in Subpart A of Part 1944 of this chapter provided the property is typical of modest homes in the area. The cost of repairs will generally not be considered in determining suitability. Since houses, sites and locations vary widely throughout the country, discretion and sound judgment must be used in determining suitability. The majority of houses RHS acquires will be suited for retention and classified as program property. In some instances, property will not be suited for retention in the program and will be classified as “nonprogram (NP)” property. Situations of this type include, but are not limited to:

(1) A dwelling which has been enlarged or improved to the point where it is clearly above modest.

(2) When a determination is made that the property should not have been financed originally.

(3) A dwelling brought into the program as an existing dwelling which met program standards at the time it was originally financed by the Agency but which does not conform to current policies. This includes older and/or larger houses of a type which have proven to create excessive energy and/or maintenance costs to very-low and low-income borrowers.

(4) A dwelling which is obsolete due to location, design, construction or age.

(5) A dwelling which requires major redesign/renovation to be brought to program standards.

(d) [Reserved]

[53 FR 35765, Sept. 14, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 20522, May 12, 1989; 58 FR 58648, Nov. 3, 1993; 60 FR 34455, July 3, 1995; 60 FR 55147, Oct. 27, 1995; 62 FR 44396, Aug. 21, 1997; 68 FR 7700, Feb. 18, 2003; 82 FR 19319, Apr. 27, 2017]