bearing the current rate of interest.

Such debentures as are issued in exchange for property covered by mortgages insured after the date of enactment of the National Housing Act Amendments of 1938 shall be exempt, both as to principal and interest, from all taxation (except surtaxes, estate, inheritance, and gift taxes) now or hereafter imposed by the United States,14 by any Territory, dependency, or possession thereof, or by any State, county, municipality, or local taxing authority; and such debentures shall be paid out of the Fund, or the Housing Fund, as the case may be, which shall be primarily liable therefor, and they shall be fully and unconditionally guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States, and such guaranty shall be expressed on the face of the debentures. the event that the Fund or the Housing Fund fails to pay upon demand, when due, the principal of or interest on any debentures issued under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the holders the amount thereof which is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and thereupon to the extent of the amount so paid the Secretary of the Treasury shall succeed to all the rights of the holders of such debentures.

In

(e) The certificate of claim issued by the Administrator to any mortgagee shall be for an amount which the Administrator determines to be sufficient, when added to the face value of the debentures issued and the cash adjustment paid to the mortgagee, to equal the amount which the mortgagee would have received if, at the time of the conveyance to the Administrator of the property covered by the mortgage, the mortgagor had redeemed the property and paid in full all obligations under the mortgage and a reasonable amount for necessary expenses incurred by the mortgagee in connection with the foreclosure proceedings, or the acquisition of the mortgaged property otherwise, and the conveyance thereof to the Administrator. Each such certificate of claim shall provide that there shall accrue to the holder of such certificate with respect to the face amount of such certificate, an increment at the rate of 3 per centum per annum which shall not be compounded. The amount to which the holder of any such certificate shall be entitled shall be determined as provided in subsection (f).

(f) If the net amount realized from any property conveyed to the Administrator under this section and the claims assigned therewith, after deducting all expenses incurred by the Administrator in handling, dealing with, and disposing of such property and in collecting such claims, exceeds the face value of the debentures issued and the cash paid in exchange for such property plus all interest paid on such debentures, such excess shall be divided as follows:

(1) If such excess is greater than the total amount payable under the certificate of claim issued in connection with such property, the Administrator shall pay to the holder of such certificate the full amount so payable, and any excess remaining thereafter shall be paid to the mortgagor of such property; and

14 Debentures issued in connection with contracts entered into pursuant to commitments issued on or after March 1, 1941, do not carry such Federal tax exemption. See Appendix, page 95.

(2) If such excess is equal to or less than the total amount payable under such certificate of claim, the Administrator shall pay to the holder of such certificate the full amount of such

excess.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the acquisition, handling, or disposal of real property by the United States, the Administrator shall have power to deal with, complete, rent, renovate, modernize, insure, or sell for cash or credit, in his discretion, any properties conveyed to him in exchange for debentures and certificates of claim as provided in this section; and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator shall also have power to pursue to final collection, by way of compromise or otherwise, all claims against mortgagors assigned by mortgagees to the Administrator as provided in this section: Provided, That section 3709 of the Revised Statutes shall not be construed to apply to any contract for hazard insurance, or to any purchase or contract for services or supplies on account of such property if the amount thereof does not exceed $1,000. The power to convey and to execute in the name of the Administrator deeds of conveyance, deeds of release, assignments and satisfaction of mortgages, and any other written instrument relating to real property or any interest therein heretofore or hereafter acquired by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of this Act, may be exercised by the Administrator or by any Assistant Administrator appointed by him, without the execution of any express delegation of power or power of attorney: Provided, That nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the Administrator from delegating such power by order or by power of attorney, in his discretion, to any officer, agent, or employee he may appoint.

(h) No mortgagee or mortgagor shall have, and no certificate of claim shall be construed to give to any mortgagee or mortgagor, any right or interest in any property conveyed to the Administrator or in any claim assigned to him; nor shall the Administrator owe any duty to any mortgagee or mortgagor with respect to the handling or disposal of any such property or the collection of any such claim.

CLASSIFICATION OF MORTGAGES AND REINSURANCE FUND

SEC. 205.15 (a) Mortgages accepted for insurance under section 203 shall be classified into groups in accordance with sound actuarial practice and risk characteristics. Premium charges, adjusted premium charges, and appraisal and other fees received on account of the insurance of any such mortgage, the receipts derived from the property covered by the mortgage and claims assigned to the Administrator in connection therewith and all earnings on the assets of the group account shall be credited to the account of the group to which the mortgage is assigned. The principal of and interest paid and to be paid on debentures issued in exchange for property conveyed to the Administrator under section 204 in connection with mortgages insured under section 203, payments made or to be made to the mortgagee and the mortgagor as provided in section 204, and expenses

15 As amended by acts approved May 28, 1935 (49 Stat. 293, c. 150), February 3, 1938 (52 Stat. 8, c. 13), and June 3, 1939 (53 Stat. 804, c. 175).

incurred in the handling of the property covered by the mortgage and in the collection of claims assigned to the Administrator in connection therewith, shall be charged to the account of the group to which such mortgage is assigned.

(b) The Administrator shall also provide, in addition to the several group accounts, a general reinsurance account, the credit in which shall be available to cover charges against such group accounts where the amounts credited to such accounts are insufficient to cover such charges. General expenses of operation of the Federal Housing Administration under this title with respect to mortgages insured under section 203 may be allocated in the discretion of the Administrator among the several group accounts or charged to the general reinsurance account, and the amount allocated to the Fund under section 202 shall be credited to the general reinsurance account; except that any expenses incurred prior to July 1, 1939 with respect to mortgages described in section 203 (b) (2) (B) shall be charged to the general reinsurance account.

(c) The Administrator shall terminate the insurance as to any group of mortgages (1) when he shall determine that the amounts to be distributed as hereinafter set forth to each mortgagee under an outstanding mortgage assigned to such group are sufficient to pay off the unpaid principal of each such mortgage, or (2) when all the outstanding mortgages in any group have been paid. Upon such termination the Administrator shall charge to the group account the estimated losses arising from transactions relating to that group, shall transfer to the general reinsurance account an amount equal to 10 per centum of the total premium charges theretofore credited to such group account, and shall distribute to the mortgagees for the benefit and account of the mortgagors of the mortgages assigned to such group the balance remaining in such group account. Any such distribution to mortgagees shall be made equitably and in accordance with sound actuarial and accounting practice.

(d) No mortgagor or mortgagee of any mortgage insured under section 203 shall have any vested right in a credit balance in any such account, or be subject to any liability arising out of the mutuality of the Fund, and the determination of the Administrator as to the amount to be paid by him to any mortgagee or mortgagor shall be final and conclusive.

(e) In the event that any mortgagee under a mortgage insured under this title forecloses on the mortgaged property but does not convey such property to the Administrator in accordance with section 204, and the Administrator is given written notice thereof, or in the event that the mortgagor pays the obligation under the mortgage in full prior to the maturity thereof, and the mortgagee pays any adjusted premium charge required under the provisions of section 203 (c), and the Administrator is given written notice by the mortgagee of the payment of such obligation, the obligation to pay any subsequent premium charge for insurance shall cease, and all rights of the mortgagee and the mortgagor under section 204 shall terminate as of the date of such notice. Upon such termination the mortgagor under a mortgage insured under section 203 shall be entitled to receive a share of the credit balance of the group account to which the mortgage has been assigned in such amount as the

Administrator shall determine to be equitable and not inconsistent with the solvency of the group account and of the Fund.

INVESTMENT OF FUNDS

SEC. 206.16 Moneys in the Fund not needed for the current operations of the Federal Housing Administration shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the United States to the credit of the Fund, or invested in bonds or other obligations of, or in bonds or other obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States. The Administrator may, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, purchase in the open market debentures issued under the provisions of section 204. Such purchases shall be made at a price which will provide an investment yield of not less than the yield obtainable from other investments authorized by this section. Debentures so purchased shall be canceled and not reissued, and the several group accounts to which such debentures have been charged shall be charged with the amounts used in making such purchases.

RENTAL HOUSING INSURANCE

SEC. 207.17 (a) As used in this section

(1) The term "mortgage" means a first mortgage on real estate in fee simple, or on the interest of either the lessor or lessee thereof (A) under a lease for not less than ninety-nine years which is renewable or (B) under a lease having a period of not less than fifty years to run from the date the mortgage was executed, upon which there is located or upon which there is to be constructed a building or buildings designed principally for residential use; and the term "first mortgage" means such classes of first liens as are commonly given to secure advances (including but not being limited to advances during construction) on, or the unpaid purchase price of, real estate under the laws of the State in which the real estate is located, together with the credit instrument or instruments, if any, secured thereby, and may be in the form of trust mortgages or mortgage indentures or deeds of trust securing notes, bonds, or other credit in

struments.

(2) The term "mortgagee” means the original lender under a mortgage, and its successors and assigns, and includes the holders of credit instruments issued under a trust mortgage or deed of trust pursuant to which such holders act by and through a trustee therein named.

(3) The term "mortgagor" means the original borrower under a mortgage and its successors and assigns.

(4) The term "maturity date" means the date on which the mortgage indebtedness would be extinguished if paid in accordance with the periodic payments provided for in the mortgage.

(5) The term "slum or blighted area" means any area where dwellings predominate which, by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facilities, or any combination of these factors, are detrimental to safety, health, or morals.

16 As amended by act approved February 3, 1938 (52 Stat. 8, c. 13).

17 As amended by acts approved February 3, 1938 (52 Stat. 8, c. 13); June 3, 1939 (53 Stat. 804, c. 175), and March 28, 1941 (Public, No. 24, 77th Congress).

(6) The term "rental housing" means housing, the occupancy of which is permitted by the owner thereof in consideration of the payment of agreed charges, whether or not, by the terms of the agreement, such payment over a period of time will entitle the occupant to the ownership of the premises.

(7) The term "State" includes the several States, and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.

(b) In addition to mortgages insured under section 203, the Administrator is authorized to insure mortgages as defined in this section (including advances on such mortgages during construction) which cover property held by

(1) Federal or State instrumentalities, municipal corporate instrumentalities of one or more States, or limited dividend corporations formed under and restricted by Federal or State housing laws as to rents, charges, capital structure, rate of return, or methods of operation; or

(2) Prívate corporations, associations, cooperative societies which are legal agents of owner-occupants, or trusts formed or created for the purpose of rehabilitating slum or blighted areas, or providing housing for rent or sale, and which possess powers necessary therefor and incidental thereto, and which, until the termination of all obligations of the Administrator under such insurance, are regulated or restricted by the Administrator as to rents or sales, charges, capital structure, rate of return, and methods of operation to such extent and in such manner as to provide reasonable rentals to tenants and a reasonable return on the investment. The Administrator may make such contracts with, and acquire for not to exceed $100 such stock or interest in, any such corporation, association, cooperative society, or trust as he may deem necessary to render effective such restriction or regulation. Such stock or interest shall be paid for out of such Housing Fund, and shall be redeemed by the corporation, association, cooperative society, or trust at par upon the termination of all obligations of the Administrator under the insurance.

(c) To be eligible for insurance under this section a mortgage on any property or project shall involve a principal obligation in an

amount

(1) Not to exceed $5,000,000; and

(2) Not to exceed 80 per centum of the amount which the Administrator estimates will be the value of the property or project when the proposed improvements are completed: Provided, That such mortgage shall not in any event exceed the amount which the Administrator estimates will be the cost of the completed physical improvements on the property or project, exclusive of the following: Public utilities and streets; taxes, interest, and insurance during construction; organization and legal expenses; and miscellaneous charges during or incidental to construction; and

(3) Not to exceed $1,350 per room for such part of such property or project as may be attributable to dwelling use.

The mortgage shall provide for complete amortization by periodic payment within such term as the Administrator shall prescribe, and shall bear interest (exclusive of premium charges for insurance) at

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