Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

12 U.S.C. § 1715r

Requirement of builder’s cost certification; definitions

(a)

Requirement

Except as provided in subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no mortgage covering new or rehabilitated multifamily housing or a property or project described in subchapter IX–B shall be insured under this chapter unless the mortgagor has agreed (A) to certify, upon completion of the physical improvements on the mortgaged property or project and prior to final endorsement of the mortgage, either (i) that the approved percentage of actual cost (as those terms are herein defined) equaled or exceeded the proceeds of the mortgage loan or (ii) the amount by which the proceeds of the mortgage loan exceeded such approved percentage of actual cost, as the case may be, and (B) to pay forthwith to the mortgagee, for application to the reduction of the principal obligation of such mortgage, the amount, if any, certified to be in excess of such approved percentage of actual cost. Upon the Secretary’s approval of the mortgagor’s certification as required hereunder, such certification shall be final and incontestable, except for fraud or material misrepresentation on the part of the mortgagor.

(b)

Exemption for certain projects assisted with low-income housing tax credit

1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by “is”.
section 42 of title 26In the case of any mortgage insured under any provision of this subchapter that is executed in connection with the construction, rehabilitation, purchase, or refinancing of a multifamily housing project for which equity  provided through any low-income housing tax credit pursuant to , if the Secretary determines at the time of issuance of the firm commitment for insurance that the ratio of the loan proceeds to the actual cost of the project is less than 80 percent, subsection (a) of this section shall not apply.

(c)

Definitions

For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)
section 1713 of this titlesection 1715e of this titlesection 1715e of this titlesection 1715k of this titlelsection 1715v of this titlesection 1715x of this titlesection 1748h–2 of this titlesection 1715y(d) of this titlesection 1715z–1 of this title The term “new or rehabilitated multifamily housing” means a project or property approved for mortgage insurance prior to the construction or the repair and rehabilitation involved and covered by a mortgage insured or to be insured (i) under , (ii) under with respect to any property or project of a corporation or trust of the character described in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of or with respect to any property or project of a mortgagor of the character described in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) thereof, (iii) under if the mortgage meets the requirements of paragraph (3)(B) of subsection (d) thereof, (iv) under section 1715 of this title if the mortgage meets the requirements of paragraph (3) or paragraph (4) of subsection (d) thereof, (v) under , (vi) under if the mortgage meets the requirements of subsection (b), (vii) under if the mortgage meets the requirements of subsection (f), (viii) under , or (ix) under ;
(2)
The term “approved percentage” means the percentage figure which, under applicable provisions of this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to apply to his estimate of value, cost, or replacement costs, as the case may be, of the property or project in determining the maximum insurable mortgage amount; except that if the mortgage is to assist the financing of repair or rehabilitation and no part of the proceeds will be used to finance the purchase of the land or structure involved, the approved percentage shall be 100 per centum; and
(3)
Providedllll The term “actual cost” has the following meaning: (i) in case the mortgage is to assist the financing of new construction, the term means the actual cost to the mortgagor of such construction, including amounts paid for labor, materials, construction contracts, off-site public utilities, streets, organizational and legal expenses, such allocations of general overhead items as are acceptable to the Secretary, and other items of expense approved by the Secretary, plus (I) a reasonable allowance for builder’s profit if the mortgagor is also the builder as defined by the Secretary, and (II) an amount equal to the Secretary’s estimate of the fair market value of any land (prior to the construction of the improvements built as a part of the project) in the property or project owned by the mortgagor in fee (or, in case the land in the property or project is held by the mortgagor under a leasehold or other interest less than a fee, such amount as the mortgagor paid for the acquisition of such leasehold or other interest but, in no event, in excess of the fair market value of such leasehold or other interest exclusive of the proposed improvements), but excluding the amount of any kickbacks, rebates, or trade discounts received in connection with the construction of the improvements, or (ii) in case the mortgage is to assist the financing of repair or rehabilitation the term means the actual cost to the mortgagor of such repair or rehabilitation, including the amounts paid for labor, materials, construction contracts, off-site public utilities, streets, organization and legal expenses, such allocations of general overhead items as are acceptable to the Secretary, and other items of expense approved by the Secretary, plus (I) a reasonable allowance for builder’s profit if the mortgagor is also the builder as defined by the Secretary, and (II) an additional amount equal to (A) in case the land and improvements are to be acquired by the mortgagor and the purchase price thereof is to be financed with part of the proceeds of the mortgage, the purchase price of such land and improvements prior to such repair or rehabilitation, or (B) in case the land and improvements are owned by the mortgagor subject to an outstanding indebtedness to be refinanced with part of the proceeds of the mortgage, the amount of such outstanding indebtedness secured by such land and improvements, but excluding (for the purposes of this clause (ii)) the amount of any kickbacks, rebates, or trade discounts received in connection with the construction of the improvements: , That such additional amount under (A) of this clause (ii) shall in no event exceed the Secretary’s estimate of the fair market value of such land and improvements prior to such repair or rehabilitation, and such additional amount under (B) of this clause (ii) shall in no event exceed the approved percentage of the Secretary’s estimate of the fair market value of such land and improvements prior to such repair or rehabilitation. In the case of a mortgage insured under section 1715k, 1715(d)(3), 1715(d)(4), 1715v, 1715x, or 1715z–1 of this title where the mortgagor is also the builder as defined by the Secretary, there shall be included in the actual cost, in lieu of the allowance for builder’s profit under clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence, an allowance for builder’s and sponsor’s profit and risk of 10 per centum (unless the Secretary, after finding that such allowance is unreasonable, shall by regulation prescribe a lesser percentage) of all other items entering into the term “actual cost” except land or amounts paid for a leasehold and amounts included under either (A) or (B) of clause (ii) of the preceding sentence. In the case of a mortgage insured under section 1715k, 1715(d)(3), 1715(d)(4), 1715v, 1715x, or 1715z–1 of this title, where the mortgagor is not also the builder as defined by the Secretary, there shall be included in the actual cost an allowance for sponsor’s profit and risk of the said 10 per centum or lesser percentage of all other items entering into the term “actual cost” except land or amounts paid for a leasehold, amounts included under either (A) or (B) of the said clause (ii), and amounts paid by the mortgagor under a general construction contract.

June 27, 1934, ch. 847Aug. 2, 1954, ch. 64968 Stat. 607Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 78369 Stat. 636Aug. 7, 1956, ch. 102970 Stat. 1094Pub. L. 86–372, title I, § 11273 Stat. 661Pub. L. 87–70, title VI, § 612(k)75 Stat. 183Pub. L. 88–560, title I, § 119(c)78 Stat. 782Pub. L. 89–754, title V, § 502(b)80 Stat. 1277Pub. L. 90–19, § 1(a)(3)81 Stat. 17Pub. L. 90–448, title II, § 201(b)(2)82 Stat. 502Pub. L. 110–289, div. B, title VIII, § 2834(b)122 Stat. 2869(, title II, § 227, as added , title I, § 126, ; amended , title I, § 102(i), ; , title I, §§ 105(d), 109, , 1095; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title X, § 1020(b), , , 1295; , (4), , ; , (3), , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act June 27, 1934, ch. 84748 Stat. 1246This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c)(2), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , which is classified principally to this chapter (§ 1701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–2892008— designated introductory provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, in subsec. (a), as redesignated, substituted “Except as provided in subsection (b) and notwithstanding” for “Notwithstanding”, redesignated cls. (a) and (b) as cls. (A) and (B), respectively, and struck out “As used in this section—” at end, added subsec. (b), inserted heading and introductory provisions of subsec. (c), and designated former subsecs. (a) to (c) as pars. (1) to (3), respectively, of subsec. (c) and subcls. (1) and (2) of cls. (i) and (ii) of former subsec. (c) as subcls. (I) and (II), respectively, of cls. (i) and (ii), respectively, of par. (3) of subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 90–448, § 201(b)(2)section 1715z–1 of this title1968—Subsec. (a). , included mortgages insured or to be insured under .

Pub. L. 90–448, § 201(b)(3)section 1715x(b)(2) of this titleSubsec. (c). , substituted “section 1715x, or 1715z–1 of this title” for “”, in two places.

Pub. L. 90–191967— substituted “Secretary” for “Commissioner” in subsecs. (b) and (c), and “Secretary’s” for “Commissioner’s” in text preceding subsec. (a) and in subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 89–754, § 502(b)1966—, made the certification requirement applicable to mortgage covering property or project described in subchapter IX–B.

Pub. L. 89–754, § 1020(b)Subsec. (a). , substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (b)(2)” in cl. (vi).

Pub. L. 88–560section 1715y(d) of this title1964—Subsec. (a). included mortgages insured or to be insured under .

Pub. L. 87–70, § 612(k)(1)section 1715x of this title1961—Subsec. (a). , included property covered by a mortgage insured or to be insured under if the mortgage meets the requirements of subsection (b)(2).

Pub. L. 87–70, § 612(k)(2)Subsec. (b). , substituted “value, cost, or replacement cost” for “value or replacement cost”.

Pub. L. 87–70, § 612(k)(3)lllsection 1715v of this titleSubsec. (c). , substituted “section 1715(d)(3), 1715(d)(4), 1715v, or 1715x(b)(2) of this title” for “section 1715 of this title if the mortgage meets the requirements of paragraph (4) of subsection (d) thereof, or ” in second and third sentences.

Pub. L. 86–372, § 112(a)lsection 1715v of this titlesection 1748h–2 of this title1959—Subsec. (a). , included mortgages insured or to be insured under subsec. (d)(4) of section 1715 of this title, under , and under , and struck out provisions which related to mortgages insured or to be insured under sections 1748b, 1750b and 1750g of this title.

Pub. L. 86–372, § 112(b)section 1715k of this titlelsection 1715v of this titlesection 1715k of this titleSubsec. (c). , substituted “under , section 1715 of this title if the mortgage meets the requirements of paragraph (4) of subsection (d) thereof, or ” for “under ” in two places.

1956—Act , § 109, inserted sentence preceding subsec. (a), that upon Commissioner’s approval, certification shall be final and incontestable, except for fraud or misrepresentation by mortgagor.

section 1715e of this titleSubsec. (a). Act , § 105(d), inserted “or with respect to any property or project of a mortgagor of the character described in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of ,” before “(iii)”.

Subsec. (b). Act , § 109, inserted provision that if the insured mortgage is to assist financing of repairs and no part of proceeds will be used to purchase the land or structure involved, the approved percentage shall be 100 percent.

Subsec. (c). Act , § 109, inserted “such allocations of general overhead items as are acceptable to the Commissioner,” after “legal expenses” wherever appearing; struck out “(without reduction by reason of the application of the approved percentage requirements of this section)” before “secured by such land and improvements,” in cl. (ii)(B), amended proviso to provide that additional amount under (B) of cl. (ii) should not exceed the approved percentage of the Commissioner’s estimate of the fair market value of the land and improvements; and inserted provisions at end relating to 10 percent allowance for builder’s profit in mortgages issued under section 1715k.

ll1955—Act , substituted “under section 1715 of this title if the mortgage meets the requirements of paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of such section” for “under section 1715 of this title”.