Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 44 — Department of Housing and Urban Development
§ 3541. Paperwork reduction
Statutory text
Declaration of policy
The Congress finds and declares—
that various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with responsibilities involving housing and housing finance programs, require, approve, use or otherwise employ a variety of different forms as residential mortgages (or deeds of trust or similar security instruments) as notes secured by those mortgages, and for applications, appraisals and other purposes, and that such duplication of forms constitutes a paperwork burden that adds to the costs imposed on the Nation’s homeowners and home buyers;
that unnecessary paperwork impairs the effectiveness of Federal housing and housing finance programs;
that both single-family and multi-family programs are affected; and
that simplification of paperwork imposed by Federal housing and housing finance programs would contribute to achieving the Nation’s housing goals by reducing housing costs.
Uniform legal and other forms for use by agencies in housing programs
Not later than , the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs, employ in their respective programs—
uniform single-family and multi-family note and mortgage forms;
a uniform application form for mortgage approval and commitment for mortgage insurance;
a uniform form for computation of the monthly net effective income of applicants;
a uniform property appraisal form;
a uniform settlement statement which shall satisfy the requirements of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 [12 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.]; and
such other consolidated or simplified forms, particularly those which solicit identical or nearly identical information from the same persons in the conduct of two or more such programs, the consolidation or simplification of which the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs mutually agree would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of such programs.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing their respective programs, provide by regulation for the elimination of forms which solicit information which is already available from other available sources through indexing or other means of identifying such forms.
Each agency referred to in subsection (b) may employ riders, addenda, or similar forms of modification agreements to adapt such uniform forms to its respective programs and policies, consistent with the goals of minimizing the use and extent of such modification agreements and maximizing the suitability of such forms for the use of all participants, public and private.
Coordination and reports by Director of Office of Management and Budget
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall coordinate and monitor the development and implementation by Federal departments and agencies of the efforts required by subsection (b) and shall report to the Congress on such development and implementation and with respect to any provisions of law which unnecessarily prevent such departments and agencies from carrying out the provisions of this section as part of each report required under Public Law 93–556. Such report shall include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978
Pub. L. 95–557 title IX § 905 · 92 Stat. 2080
Enacted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541
Pub. L. 95–557, title IX, § 905, Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2126
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 95–557, title IX, § 905, Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2126Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 905. paperwork reduction (a) 42 USC 3541. The Congress finds and declares— (1) that various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with responsibilities involving housing and housing finance programs, require, approve, use or otherwise employ a variety of different forms as residential mortgages (or deeds of trust or similar security instruments) as notes secured by those mortgages, and for applications, appraisals and other purposes. and that such duplication of forms constitutes a paperwork burden that adds to the costs imposed on the Nation’s homeowners and home buyers: (2) that unnecessary paperwork impairs the effectiveness of Federal housing and housing finance programs; (3) that both single-family and multifamily programs are affected; and (4) that simplification of paperwork imposed by Federal housing and housing finance programs would contribute to achieving the Nation’s housing goals by reducing housing costs. (b) (1) Insofar as it is practicable and to the extent permitted by law and to the extent that such action would result in a reduction in paperwork and regulatory burden, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans’ Administration shall employ in their respective programs— (A) uniform single-family and multi-family note and mortgage forms; (B) a uniform application form for mortgage approval and commitment for mortgage insurance; (C) a uniform form for computation of the monthly net effective income of applicants; (D) a uniform property appraisal form; (E) a uniform settlement statement which shall satisfy the requirements of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act; and (F) such other consolidated or simplified forms, the consolidation or simplification of which the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs mutually agree would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of housing and housing finance programs administered by the agencies. (2) Each agency may employ riders, addenda, or similar forms of modification agreements to adapt such uniform forms to its respective programs and policies, consistent with the goals of minimizing the use. and extent of such modification agreements and maximizing the suitability of such forms for the use of all participants, public and private. (3) To the extent permitted by law. the President may require the Farmers Home Administration and the Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration to comply with the requirements of this section if such compliance will contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of housing and housing finance programs administered by the agency. (c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall Implementation, report to Congress. coordinate and monitor the development and implementation by Federal departments and agencies of the efforts required by subsection (b) and shall report to the Congress on such development and implementation as part of each report required under Public Law 93–556.Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1979
Pub. L. 96–153 title III § 328 · 93 Stat. 1101
Changed · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(a)
Pub. L. 96–153 reenacted subsec. (a) without change
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–153 reenacted subsec. (a) without change.Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 328. paperwork reduction Section 905 of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 is amended to read as follows: 92 Stat. 2126. 42 USC 3541. “Sec. 905. “paperwork reduction (a) The Congress finds and declares— “(1) that various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with responsibilities involving housing and housing finance programs, require, approve, use or otherwise employ a variety of different forms as residential mortgages (or deeds of trust or similar security instruments) as notes secured by those mortgages, and for applications, appraisals and other purposes, and that such duplication of forms constitutes a paperwork burden that adds to the costs imposed on the Nation’s homeowners and home buyers; “(2) that unnecessary paperwork impairs the effectiveness of Federal housing and housing finance programs; “(3) that both single-family and multi-family programs are affected; and “(4) that simplification of paperwork imposed by Federal housing and housing finance programs would contribute to achieving the Nation’s housing goals by reducing housing costs. “(b) (1) Not later than October 1, 1980, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs, employ in their respective programs— “(A) uniform single-family and multi-family note and mortgage forms; “(B) a uniform application form for mortgage approval and commitment for mortgage insurance; “(C) a uniform form for computation of the monthly net effective income of applicants; “(D) a uniform property appraisal form; “(E) a uniform settlement statement which shall satisfy the 12 USC 2601 note. requirements of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act; and “(F) such other consolidated or simplified forms, particularly those which solicit identical or nearly identical information from the same persons in the conduct of two or more such programs, the consolidation or simplification of which the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs mutually agree would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of such programs. “(2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing their respective programs, provide by regulation for the elimination of forms which solicit information which is already available from other available sources through indexing or other means of identifying such forms. “(3) Each agency referred to in subsection (b) may employ riders, addenda, or similar forms of modification agreements to adapt such uniform forms to its respective programs and policies, consistent with the goals of minimizing the use and extent of such modification agreements and maximizing the suitability of such forms for the use of all participants, public and private. “(c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall coordinate and monitor the development and implementation by Federal departments and agencies of the efforts required by subsection (b) and shall report to the Congress on such development and implementation and with respect to any provisions of law which unnecessarily prevent such departments and agencies from carrying out the provisions of this section as part of each report required under Public Law 93–556. Such report shall include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.”.Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1979
Pub. L. 96–153 title III § 328 · 93 Stat. 1101
Substituted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)
Pub. L. 96–153 substituted, in provision preceding par. (1)(A), “Not later than October 1, 1980, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs,” for “Insofar as it is practicable and to the extent that such action would result in a reduction in paperwork and regulatory burden, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans’ Administration shall”
Inserted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)
Pub. L. 96–153 inserted reference to Secretary of Agriculture in par. (1)(F)
Added · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)
Pub. L. 96–153 added par. (2)
Redesignated · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)
Pub. L. 96–153 redesignated former par. (2) as (3)
Struck · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)
Pub. L. 96–153 struck out former par. (3), which authorized the President to require the Farmers Home Administration and Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration to comply with the requirements of this section if such compliance would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of housing and housing finance programs administered by that agency
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–153 substituted, in provision preceding par. (1)(A), “Not later than October 1, 1980, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs,” for “Insofar as it is practicable and to the extent that such action would result in a reduction in paperwork and regulatory burden, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans’ Administration shall”, inserted reference to Secretary of Agriculture in par. (1)(F), added par. (2), redesignated former par. (2) as (3), and struck out former par. (3), which authorized the President to require the Farmers Home Administration and Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration to comply with the requirements of this section if such compliance would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of housing and housing finance programs administered by that agency.Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 328. paperwork reduction Section 905 of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 is amended to read as follows: 92 Stat. 2126. 42 USC 3541. “Sec. 905. “paperwork reduction (a) The Congress finds and declares— “(1) that various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with responsibilities involving housing and housing finance programs, require, approve, use or otherwise employ a variety of different forms as residential mortgages (or deeds of trust or similar security instruments) as notes secured by those mortgages, and for applications, appraisals and other purposes, and that such duplication of forms constitutes a paperwork burden that adds to the costs imposed on the Nation’s homeowners and home buyers; “(2) that unnecessary paperwork impairs the effectiveness of Federal housing and housing finance programs; “(3) that both single-family and multi-family programs are affected; and “(4) that simplification of paperwork imposed by Federal housing and housing finance programs would contribute to achieving the Nation’s housing goals by reducing housing costs. “(b) (1) Not later than October 1, 1980, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs, employ in their respective programs— “(A) uniform single-family and multi-family note and mortgage forms; “(B) a uniform application form for mortgage approval and commitment for mortgage insurance; “(C) a uniform form for computation of the monthly net effective income of applicants; “(D) a uniform property appraisal form; “(E) a uniform settlement statement which shall satisfy the 12 USC 2601 note. requirements of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act; and “(F) such other consolidated or simplified forms, particularly those which solicit identical or nearly identical information from the same persons in the conduct of two or more such programs, the consolidation or simplification of which the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs mutually agree would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of such programs. “(2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing their respective programs, provide by regulation for the elimination of forms which solicit information which is already available from other available sources through indexing or other means of identifying such forms. “(3) Each agency referred to in subsection (b) may employ riders, addenda, or similar forms of modification agreements to adapt such uniform forms to its respective programs and policies, consistent with the goals of minimizing the use and extent of such modification agreements and maximizing the suitability of such forms for the use of all participants, public and private. “(c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall coordinate and monitor the development and implementation by Federal departments and agencies of the efforts required by subsection (b) and shall report to the Congress on such development and implementation and with respect to any provisions of law which unnecessarily prevent such departments and agencies from carrying out the provisions of this section as part of each report required under Public Law 93–556. Such report shall include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.”.Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1979
Pub. L. 96–153 title III § 328 · 93 Stat. 1101
Inserted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(c)
Pub. L. 96–153 inserted provision requiring the reports to include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–153 inserted provision requiring the reports to include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 328. paperwork reduction Section 905 of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 is amended to read as follows: 92 Stat. 2126. 42 USC 3541. “Sec. 905. “paperwork reduction (a) The Congress finds and declares— “(1) that various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with responsibilities involving housing and housing finance programs, require, approve, use or otherwise employ a variety of different forms as residential mortgages (or deeds of trust or similar security instruments) as notes secured by those mortgages, and for applications, appraisals and other purposes, and that such duplication of forms constitutes a paperwork burden that adds to the costs imposed on the Nation’s homeowners and home buyers; “(2) that unnecessary paperwork impairs the effectiveness of Federal housing and housing finance programs; “(3) that both single-family and multi-family programs are affected; and “(4) that simplification of paperwork imposed by Federal housing and housing finance programs would contribute to achieving the Nation’s housing goals by reducing housing costs. “(b) (1) Not later than October 1, 1980, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs, employ in their respective programs— “(A) uniform single-family and multi-family note and mortgage forms; “(B) a uniform application form for mortgage approval and commitment for mortgage insurance; “(C) a uniform form for computation of the monthly net effective income of applicants; “(D) a uniform property appraisal form; “(E) a uniform settlement statement which shall satisfy the 12 USC 2601 note. requirements of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act; and “(F) such other consolidated or simplified forms, particularly those which solicit identical or nearly identical information from the same persons in the conduct of two or more such programs, the consolidation or simplification of which the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs mutually agree would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of such programs. “(2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing their respective programs, provide by regulation for the elimination of forms which solicit information which is already available from other available sources through indexing or other means of identifying such forms. “(3) Each agency referred to in subsection (b) may employ riders, addenda, or similar forms of modification agreements to adapt such uniform forms to its respective programs and policies, consistent with the goals of minimizing the use and extent of such modification agreements and maximizing the suitability of such forms for the use of all participants, public and private. “(c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall coordinate and monitor the development and implementation by Federal departments and agencies of the efforts required by subsection (b) and shall report to the Congress on such development and implementation and with respect to any provisions of law which unnecessarily prevent such departments and agencies from carrying out the provisions of this section as part of each report required under Public Law 93–556. Such report shall include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.”.Housing and Community Development Technical Amendments Act of 1984
Pub. L. 98–479 title II § 204(n)(4) · 98 Stat. 2218
Inserted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)(1)(E)
Pub. L. 98–479 inserted “of 1974” after “Act”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 98–479 inserted “of 1974” after “Act”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(4) Section 905(b)(1) of the Housing and Community Development 42 USC 3541. Amendments of 1978 is amended by inserting “of 1974” after “Act”.Pub. L. 102–54 § 13(q)(10) · 105 Stat. 267
Substituted · 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)(1); 42 U.S.C. § 3541(b)(2)
Pub. L. 102–54 substituted “Secretary of Veterans Affairs” for “Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs” wherever appearing
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b)(1), (2). Pub. L. 102–54 substituted “Secretary of Veterans Affairs” for “Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs” wherever appearing.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(10) Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978.— Section 905 of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 3541) is amended by striking out “Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs” each place it appears in subsection (b) and inserting in lieu thereof “Secretary of Veterans Affairs”.
10 of 10 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(E), is Pub. L. 93–533, , 88 Stat. 1724, which is classified principally to chapter 27 (§ 2601 et seq.) of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2601 of Title 12 and Tables.
Public Law 93–556, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 93–556, , 88 Stat. 1789, which is set out as a note under section 3501 of Title 44, Public Printing and Documents.
Codification
Section was not enacted as part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act which comprises this chapter.
Amendments1979–1991 · 3 rounds
1991
Subsec. (b)(1), (2). Pub. L. 102–54 substituted “Secretary of Veterans Affairs” for “Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs” wherever appearing.
1984
Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 98–479 inserted “of 1974” after “Act”.
1979
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–153 reenacted subsec. (a) without change.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–153 substituted, in provision preceding par. (1)(A), “Not later than , the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall, consistent with provisions of law governing the conduct of housing programs,” for “Insofar as it is practicable and to the extent that such action would result in a reduction in paperwork and regulatory burden, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans’ Administration shall”, inserted reference to Secretary of Agriculture in par. (1)(F), added par. (2), redesignated former par. (2) as (3), and struck out former par. (3), which authorized the President to require the Farmers Home Administration and Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration to comply with the requirements of this section if such compliance would contribute to a reduction in the paperwork and regulatory burden of housing and housing finance programs administered by that agency.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–153 inserted provision requiring the reports to include an estimate of the reduction of the level of paperwork burden hours of the affected agencies as allocated by the Office of Management and Budget.