The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to amend the current regulation for the Direct Multifamily Housing (MFH) Loan and Grant Programs. The intent of this proposed rule is to include acquisition as an applicable form of assistance for direct MFH subsequent loans. This regulatory change would allow owners of MFH initially financed by the Agency to apply for Agency funds to help finance acquisition in preservation transactions, thereby reducing administrative and regulatory burden for both industry partners and the Agency.
Comments close Aug 31, 2026
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to amend the current Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) regulation to specify that real estate commission fees are excluded from interested party limitations.
Comments close Jun 22, 2026
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), an agency of the Rural Development mission area within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a proposed rule to amend the current Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) regulation. These proposed changes are intended to allow the Agency to finance a single family home with a single or multiple income producing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). Additionally, we propose to clarify that borrowers can finance properties with features designed to accommodate home-based operations with non-commercial real estate features. The plain language summary of the proposal is available on Regulations.gov in the docket for rulemaking.
Comments close Jun 1, 2026
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to amend its regulation to implement changes related to income calculation and net family assets for properties that receive funding from the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and the Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan and Grant programs. These proposed changes are intended to align the Agency's annual income certification requirements with the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA).
Comments close Aug 29, 2025
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), an agency of the Rural Development (RD), within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a proposed rule to amend its regulation that will require applicants (lenders) to submit a market study as part of the complete application for the Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) loan guarantee. This change will require all applicants to use a market study when demonstrating market need for new construction.
Comments close Aug 29, 2025
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will implement changes related to insurance requirements under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan and Grant programs. This final rule will align RD insurance coverage types, amounts, and deductibles with affordable housing industry standards to simplify the coverage amounts, deductible limits, and improve customer experience with updated and understandable insurance requirements.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), amends its regulation to implement changes related to income calculation and net family assets for properties that receive funding from the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and the Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan and Grant programs. These changes are intended to align the Agency's annual income certification requirements with the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA).
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) has extended its Simple Transfer Pilot Program until December 31, 2027. This initiative streamlines transfers for certain USDA Section 514 Farm Labor Housing and 515 Rural Rental Housing properties. The program simplifies extensive application requirements, previously applied to all property ownership changes, for less complex transactions. This aims to reduce costs and improve processing times. RHS will evaluate the program's effectiveness, with successful changes potentially incorporated into permanent regulations to encourage property preservation and portfolio revitalization.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) Agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is amending its regulations to grant Delegated Lenders participating in the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) the authority to make loans and obtain Loan Note Guarantees after closing using automated loan underwriting and closing systems.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this final rule to rescind the regulatory requirement of the minimum 30-day notice for nonpayment of rent before the start of eviction proceedings in Rural Housing Service (RHS) Section 515 and 514 Multi-Family Housing (MFH) properties, and the requirement for borrowers to provide Federal emergency funding information during a Presidentially declared national emergency. The final rule, "30-Day Notification of Nonpayment of Rent in Multi-Family Housing Direct Loan Programs" (30-Day Notice Final Rule), effective on April 24, 2024, introduced additional regulatory oversight for RHS MFH properties that proved unnecessary because compliance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) 30 day notice is generally captured by MFH project management requirements. Additionally, the requirement for the borrower to disseminate information on Federal funding available during a Presidentially declared national emergency will be rescinded, as RHS will distribute the associated information during such circumstances.
On September 30, 2024, Rural Development's Rural Business- Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule with comment for the OneRD Guarantee Loan Program (OneRD). The final rule made necessary revisions to the policy and procedures that strengthened the oversight and management of the growing Community Facilities, Water and Waste Disposal, Business and Industry, and Rural Energy for America guarantee portfolios. Following implementation of this final rule, the Agency found that corrections were necessary due to an incorrect definition of affiliate, and a section and sentence that were removed erroneously. This document corrects the final regulation.
Rural Development (RD), a mission area within the Department of Agriculture consisting of RHS, RBCS, and RUS, is in the process of reviewing all regulations within its purview to reduce regulatory burdens and costs. Pursuant to this review, RD has identified the provisions in 7 CFR part 1930 as obsolete, unnecessary, and outdated due to lack of substantive material. RD is removing these provisions to streamline and clarify the dictates of title 7.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has independently determined that it will no longer employ the race- and sex-based "socially disadvantaged" designation to provide increased benefits based on race and sex in the programs at issue in this regulation. The USDA has faced a long history of litigation stemming from allegations of discrimination in the administration of its farm loan and benefit programs. However, over the past several decades, USDA has undertaken substantial efforts to redress past injustices, culminating in comprehensive settlements, institutional reforms, and compensatory frameworks. These actions collectively support the conclusion that past discrimination has been sufficiently addressed and that further race- and sex-based remedies are no longer necessary or legally justified under current circumstances.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule on January 3, 2025, to amend the current regulations for the Single Family Housing (SFH) Direct Loan Program and the SFH Guaranteed Loan Program. The March 4, 2025, effective date of that final rule is deferred to May 5, 2025.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of USDA, published a final rule on August 15, 2024, to amend the current regulations regarding Special Servicing Options and adjust the Mortgage Recovery Advance (MRA) process. The February 11, 2025, effective date of that final rule is being deferred to April 14, 2025.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule on December 31, 2024, to update its regulation on how credit reports are obtained for the purposes of determining eligibility and feasibility for Multifamily Housing (MFH) Programs. The effective date of that final rule was January 30, 2025. This document delays the effective date of the final rule by 60 days.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is amending the current regulations for the Single Family Housing (SFH) Direct Loan Program and the SFH Guaranteed Loan Program. The intent of this final rule is to allow the Agency to give borrowers increased purchase options within a competitive market and increase adequate housing along with an enhanced customer experience with the SFH programs.
