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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 5, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8295-8328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02055]

[[Page 8295]]

Vol. 78

Tuesday,

No. 24

February 5, 2013

Part IV

Department of the Treasury

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Community Development Financial Institutions Fund

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12 CFR Part 1808

 Guarantees for Bonds Issued for Community or Economic Development 
Purposes; Final Rule

Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 24 / Tuesday, February 5, 2013 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 8296]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund

12 CFR Part 1808

RIN 1559-AA01

Guarantees for Bonds Issued for Community or Economic Development 
Purposes

AGENCY: Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, 
Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury is issuing the interim rule 
implementing the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) 
Bond Guarantee Program, established through section 1134 of the Small 
Business Jobs Act of 2010 and administered by the CDFI Fund, under 
authority delegated by the Secretary of the Treasury.

DATES: Interim rule effective April 8, 2013. Comment due date: Comments 
on the interim rule must be received in the offices of the CDFI Fund on 
or before April 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the interim rule should be submitted 
and viewed through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, http://www.regulations.gov. Comments may also be addressed to Lisa M. Jones, 
Manager, CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, by mail to the CDFI Fund, 
Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, 
DC 20220; by email to cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov; or by facsimile at (202) 
508-0090 (this is not a toll free number). Comments will be made 
available for public review on the CDFI Fund's Web site at 
www.cdfifund.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa M. Jones, Manager, CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program, CDFI Fund, at (202) 653-0421 (this is not a toll 
free number). Information regarding the CDFI Fund and the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program may be downloaded from the CDFI Fund's Web site at 
http://www.cdfifund.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Executive Summary

A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action

    1. The need for the regulatory action and how the action will meet 
that need: The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program is authorized by section 
1134 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-240; 12 U.S.C. 
4713a) (the Act), which requires the Secretary of the Treasury to 
promulgate regulations to carry out that section of the Act. 
Capitalized terms used herein and not defined elsewhere are defined in 
section 1808.102 of the interim rule.
    2. Statement of legal authority for the regulatory action: 12 
U.S.C. 4713a (j)(1).

B. Summary of the Major Provisions of the Regulatory Action

    1. General provisions: Subpart A (sections 1808.100-106) sets forth 
the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program's purpose, summary, program 
definitions, deviations, and relationship to other programs, among 
other provisions.
    2. Eligibility: Subpart B (sections 1808.200-202) sets forth 
eligibility requirements and responsibilities for certain CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program participants, particularly the Qualified Issuer, 
Designated Bonding Authority, and Eligible CDFIs.
    3. Eligible activities: Subpart C (sections 1808.300-309) sets 
forth the activities that are allowable under the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program, as well as interest rates, terms and conditions for Bonds, 
Bond Issues, the Risk-Share Pool, Bond Loans, Secondary Loans, and the 
Relending Account.
    4. Applications for Guarantee and Qualified Issuer: Subpart D 
(sections 1808.400-401) sets forth the parameters of the Notice of 
Guarantee Availability, the Guarantee Application (which includes the 
Capital Distribution Plan), and the Qualified Issuer Application.
    5. Evaluation and selection: Subpart E (sections 1808.500-504) 
describes how the CDFI Fund will evaluate applications submitted by 
certain interested parties.
    6. Terms and conditions of Guarantee: Subpart F (sections 1808.600-
627) sets forth terms and conditions of the Guarantee, certain parties' 
roles and duties, representations and warranties, covenants, and 
reporting, conflict of interest, compliance, and other requirements.

II. Summary of Estimated Economic Benefits

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Discounting by 3%                       Discounting by 7%
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     $200 million         $2 billion         $200 million         $2 billion
                                       issuance            issuance            issuance            issuance
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                                                      COSTS
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Government costs................  $19.9 million.....  $28.8 million.....  $13.4 million.....  $18.6 million.
Eligible CDFIs..................  $4.6 million......  $45.7 million.....  $4.2 million......  $41.9 million.
Low-Income communities..........  n/a...............  n/a...............  n/a...............  n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    TRANSFERS
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Low-Income communities..........  $200 million......  $2 billion........  $200 million......  $2 billion.
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III. Background

    The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Bond 
Guarantee Program is authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 
(Pub. L. 111-240; 12 U.S.C. 4713a) (the Act). Section 1134 of the Act 
amended the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act 
of 1994 (the Riegle Act) (12 U.S.C. 4701, et seq.) to provide authority 
to the Secretary of the Treasury to establish and administer the CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program. Under authority delegated by the Secretary of 
the Treasury, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program is administered by the 
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI) Fund, a wholly 
owned government corporation within the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury. Pursuant to the Act the Secretary of the Treasury will 
provide a Guarantee for the repayment of the full amount of the Bond 
Issue, including the Verifiable Principal, Interest, and Call Premium, 
issued to finance Bond Loans to Certified CDFIs for Eligible Community 
or Economic Development Purposes for a period not to exceed 30 years. 
The Bonds will support CDFI lending in Investment Areas by providing a 
source of low-cost, long-term capital to Eligible CDFIs.
    Consistent with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

[[Page 8297]]

Circular A-129 (Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax 
Receivables), Bonds issued pursuant to the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
will be purchased by the Federal Financing Bank (FFB), a body corporate 
and instrumentality of the Federal Government under the general 
supervision and direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. As required 
by the Act, the Guarantee will be fully assignable and transferable to 
capital markets on terms and conditions that are consistent with 
comparable Federal Government-guaranteed bonds and satisfactory to the 
CDFI Fund, the Guarantor, and the FFB.
    The interim rule creates the regulatory requirements and parameters 
for CDFI Bond Guarantee Program implementation and administration 
including, among others, Qualified Issuer eligibility, application 
requirements, application review, selection criteria, Guarantee and 
Bond Loan documentation, eligible uses of Bond Proceeds and Bond Loan 
proceeds, terms and conditions, and reporting requirements. The CDFI 
Fund seeks public comment on the entire interim rule.

IV. Responses to the Request for Public Comment

    On July 1, 2011, the CDFI Fund published in the Federal Register a 
Request for Public Comment (76 FR 38577) (the RPC), seeking public 
responses to specific questions regarding CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
design, implementation, and administration. The CDFI Fund posed 
specific questions regarding a number of issues, including the 
following: how certain terms should be defined in the regulations; the 
eligible uses of funds (specifically, whether there should be any 
limitations on the types of loans that can be financed or refinanced 
with Bond Proceeds); provisions of the Guarantee; the eligibility of 
entities participating in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program; and how the 
CDFI Fund should determine that a Qualified Issuer has the appropriate 
expertise, capacity, and experience to make Bond Loans for Eligible 
Community or Economic Development Purposes.
    The CDFI Fund received more than 60 comment letters in response to 
the RPC. All comments have been reviewed by the CDFI Fund and have been 
taken into consideration in the drafting of the interim rule. A summary 
of the collective comments received in response to the RPC (as well as 
the CDFI Fund's responses) follows.

A. Definitions

    The Act requires that Bond Proceeds be used to make Bond Loans to 
Eligible CDFIs and that those Eligible CDFIs use the Bond Loan proceeds 
for Eligible Purposes. Such purposes include the various uses of 
financial assistance authorized under the Riegle Act, as well as the 
provision of community or economic development in ``low-income or 
underserved rural areas.'' Comments were solicited as to how the CDFI 
Fund should define those terms.
(1) Low-Income
    With respect to defining Low-Income, the majority of comments 
suggested that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 
(HUD) definitions for States and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) 
should be followed, including HUD definitions that are not based on 
census tracts. Other comments suggested that Low-Income should be 
defined: (i) In alignment with definitions used in other CDFI Fund 
programs such as the Community Development Financial Institutions 
(CDFI) Program, the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program, and 
the New Markets Tax Credit Program; (ii) as up to 120 percent of the 
Area Median Income as defined by HUD; (iii) based upon low-income 
school districts; (iv) based upon low wealth rather than income level; 
or (v) using Federal banking agencies' definitions for determining 
Community Reinvestment Act compliance.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund has adopted the definition of Low-Income that is set 
forth in section 1808.102 of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program interim 
rule. This definition is in accordance with the Low-Income definition 
found in the CDFI Program regulations at 12 CFR 1805.104(ee). The CDFI 
Fund selected a definition of Low-Income that is: (i) a standardized 
definition that is widely understood within the CDFI industry; (ii) a 
definition that the CDFI Fund can independently verify because the CDFI 
Fund has collected data under this definition over the past 10 years; 
(iii) more inclusive and allows for more Low-Income areas to comply 
with the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program; and (iv) consistent with the 
eligibility criteria for other CDFI Fund programs.
(2) Underserved Rural Areas
    Regarding the term Underserved Rural Areas, the majority of 
comments suggested a definition consistent with the definition of 
Investment Area or Targeted Population set forth in the CDFI Program 
regulations (12 CFR 1805.104 (dd) and (kk), respectively). The majority 
of comments suggested using the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
definition of Rural Areas. Other comments suggested that Rural Areas 
should be defined using the Federal Financial Institutions Examination 
Council definition for non-metro areas, and that the CDFI Fund should 
include Colonias in the definition of Rural Areas even when they 
otherwise fall within Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Other 
suggestions included using: all non-MSA or HUD Fair Market Rent areas; 
the new Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes definition established by the 
Office of Rural Health Policy; or the 2008 Farm Bill definition of 
Substantially Underserved Trust Areas.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund has adopted the definition of Underserved Rural Area 
that is forth in section 1808.102 of the interim rule. This definition 
is consistent with the definition of Investment Area as used in the 
CDFI Program (at 12 CFR 1805.104(dd)) and the definition of non-
metropolitan as used in the New Markets Tax Credit Program. The CDFI 
Fund selected a combined definition of Underserved Rural Area because 
it is: (i) A standardized definition that is widely understood within 
the CDFI industry; (ii) a definition that the CDFI Fund can 
independently verify because the CDFI Fund has collected data under 
these definitions over the past 10 years; (iii) more inclusive and 
allows for more Low-Income areas to comply with the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program; and (iv) consistent with the eligibility criteria for other 
CDFI Fund programs.

B. Use of Funds

    The Act requires that Bond Proceeds be used to make loans to 
Certified CDFIs for Eligible Purposes.
(1) Eligible Uses of Bond Proceeds
    The CDFI Fund requested comments regarding the authorized uses of 
Bond Proceeds to finance Bond Loans. Specifically, comments were 
invited regarding any limitations on the types of Bond Loans to be 
financed, limitations on the percentage of Bond Loans that could be 
used to refinance outstanding loans, and any other restrictions that 
the CDFI Fund should impose on the Bond Loans such as interest rate and 
fee restrictions.
    The majority of comments were not in favor of limitations on the 
types of Bond Loans that can be financed with the Bond Proceeds, 
especially when the Bond Loans meet the provisions of the

[[Page 8298]]

Act and are similar in purpose to those that are permissible under 
other programs, such as the Financial Assistance Component of the CDFI 
Program.
    The majority of comments indicated that there should not be any 
limits on the percentage of Bond Loans that can be used to refinance 
outstanding loans with the Bond Proceeds. A few comments suggested that 
refinancing should be limited to 25 or 50 percent so as to encourage 
focus on new projects. Some comments suggested that any refinanced 
loans should meet minimum quality standards and should be non-
delinquent in order to be refinanced with Bond Proceeds.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    Bond Proceeds must be used by the Qualified Issuer to finance or 
Refinance loans to Eligible CDFIs for Eligible Purposes as set forth in 
sections 1808.301 and 1808.302 of the interim rule. The CDFI Fund will 
not limit the amount of Bond Proceeds that the Qualified Issuer can use 
to Refinance loans. The Qualified Issuer must have a Capital 
Distribution Plan with the requisite Eligible CDFIs configured to on-
lend the Bond Loans to Secondary Borrowers. Eligible CDFIs must on-lend 
the Bond Loans as Secondary Loans to Secondary Borrowers consistent 
with the Secondary Loan Requirements established by the CDFI Fund and 
defined in section 1808.102. The Secondary Loans must demonstrate a 
repayment source and collateral provisions consistent with the 
Secondary Loan Requirements.
(2) Eligible Uses of Bond Loan Proceeds
    The CDFI Fund requested comments on the use of Bond Loan proceeds 
by CDFIs: specifically, the authorization of revolving loan funds; the 
permissibility of loan purchases with Bond Proceeds; and any other 
restrictions that the CDFI Fund should impose.
    The majority of comments indicated that eligible Bond Loan purposes 
should include: (i) Capitalization of revolving loan funds; (ii) 
capitalization of equity positions for regulated institutions; and 
(iii) loan loss reserves, debt service reserves, and/or sinking funds 
in support of a Federally guaranteed bond.
    Comments showed unanimous support for permitting loan proceeds to 
be used to purchase loans from other CDFIs. Comments also indicated 
that the purchase of loans is an important liquidity and aggregation 
mechanism and should be encouraged in order to increase capital flows 
in the CDFI industry. Suggested restrictions included restricting 
purchases to loans made after the enactment date of the Act, and 
requiring that the majority of loan purchase proceeds should be used 
for community development activities.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund selected eligible uses for the Bond Loan proceeds 
that are consistent with the eligible uses of funds in the CDFI and 
NACA Programs and the Act. Bond Loan proceeds must be used for Eligible 
Purposes that include (i) The capitalization of Loan Loss Reserves in 
an amount that is up to five percent of the par amount of the Bond 
Loan; (ii) the financing or Refinancing for community or economic 
development purposes described in 12 U.S.C. 4707 (b), which includes 
community or economic development purposes in Low-Income Areas or 
Underserved Rural Areas; (iii) prepaying one monthly installment of 
Bond Loan payments, and (iv) paying Bond Issuance Fees. The CDFI Fund 
included the capitalization of Loan Loss Reserves as an Eligible 
Purpose with the provision that Eligible CDFIs must obtain a Principal 
Loss Collateral Provision as collateral for this Eligible Purpose. 
Additional limitations, special rules, procedures and restrictions will 
be specified in the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability (as 
described in section 1808.400 of the interim rule), as well as the 
Agreement to Guarantee, Bond Documents, and Bond Loan documents.
(3) Bond Proceeds Deployment; Relending Account; Risk-Share Pool
    Pursuant to the Act, Qualified Issuers are required to use not less 
than 90 percent of principal amount of a Bond (other than cost of Bond 
Issuance Fees) to make loans within one year after the Bond Issue Date. 
Not more than 10 percent of the maximum principal amount of a Bond may 
be held in a Relending Account which may be made available for 
additional loans for Eligible Purposes. Each Eligible CDFI must 
contribute to a Risk-Share Pool equal to three percent of the principal 
amount of the Bond. The CDFI Fund requested comments regarding the 90 
percent loan requirement, use of the Relending Account, scope of the 
Risk-Share Pool, and other measures that should be taken to minimize 
the risk of loss to the Federal Government.
    Commentators suggested that Qualified Issuers may face challenges 
disbursing Bond Loans to CDFIs equal to 90 percent of the Bond 
principal within one year. In their comments, they cited that CDFI 
business models often provide binding permanent loan commitments to 
small businesses and entities that engage in construction and 
development financing. CDFIs lend to these entities under a total 
commitment structure that includes draws on an as needed basis. In 
addition, commentators indicated that a one-year deployment requirement 
for 100 percent of Bond Loans would require: (1) CDFIs to have an 
actual pipeline of loans; (2) immediate funding availability for the 
pipeline of loans; and (3) CDFIs to close quickly on the loans. 
Commenters indicated that it would be impractical for CDFIs to present 
an actual pipeline as part of the Capital Distribution Plan, but to 
instead require the Qualified Issuer to demonstrate a CDFI's intended 
versus actual pipeline of loans. Under a one-year deployment rule, 
CDFIs would face the undesirable prospect of having to develop a new 
financing program hastily and then terminate it prematurely. 
Commentators also suggested that most Qualified Issuers would be able 
to close Bond Loan commitments within one year of the Bond Issue Date 
but would require a period longer than one year, depending upon the 
end-borrowers' needs, to disburse the Bond Loan funds.
    The majority of commentators stated that the Relending Account 
should be used to absorb and relend prepayments, permit early 
refinancing, and facilitate maturities shorter than the Bond duration. 
Some suggested that the Relending Account should be used for Bond 
payments if a default occurs, and that the 10 percent Relending Account 
should be calculated on a rolling-average basis.
    Strong opinions were expressed against interest rate increases or 
requiring specific restrictions, covenants, or conditions not 
articulated in the statutory provisions. Some comments were in favor of 
requiring a larger Risk-Share Pool. Many comments suggested a variety 
of forms of supplemental credit enhancement. A ``one size fits all'' 
approach was not endorsed and several suggestions were made, including: 
the purchase of insurance; collateral liens; increased rates on end 
borrowers; and a ``repurchase structure'' where delinquent loans in an 
asset-backed portfolio were replaced after 180 days. The majority of 
the comments were in favor of allowing the Qualified Issuer to set 
aside the three percent from the Bond Proceeds for financing of the 
Risk-Share Pool. Some commentators suggested that they favored flexible 
systems allowing for various funding streams, e.g., surety or escrow 
from the issuer pending approval of application, third party funding, 
or cash flows from investment.

[[Page 8299]]

The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund will require the Qualified Issuer to execute Bond 
Loan agreements for not less than 100 percent of the Bond principal on 
the Bond Issue Date. If the Eligible CDFI uses Bond Loan proceeds to 
make Secondary Loans, the Eligible CDFI must execute Secondary Loan 
documents (in the form of promissory notes) with Secondary Borrowers, 
as follows: (i) not later than 12 months after the Bond Issue Date, 
Secondary Loan documents representing at least 50 percent of such 
Eligible CDFI's Bond Loan proceeds allocated to Secondary Loans, and 
(ii) not later than 24 months after the Bond Issue Date, Secondary Loan 
documents representing 100 percent of such Eligible CDFI's Bond Loan 
proceeds allocated to Secondary Loans (excluding any amounts used for 
payment of Bond Issuance Fees pursuant to section 1808.304(b)).
    The CDFI Fund defines the Relending Account and the Capital 
Distribution Plan in section 1808.102 of the interim rule.
    The Risk-Share Pool, described in 12 U.S.C. 4713a(d), must be 
funded by the Eligible CDFIs. The CDFI Fund will not allow the Bond 
Proceeds, or funds received from other CDFI Fund programs, to be used 
to fund the Risk-Share Pool. The CDFI Fund defines the Risk-Share Pool 
in section 1808.102 of the interim rule.
    If the CDFI Fund determines that there is a need for protections to 
mitigate the risk of loss to the Federal Government, the CDFI Fund may 
require in the terms and conditions of the Guarantee that the Qualified 
Issuer implement various tools, in addition to the Risk-Share Pool, to 
compensate for risk which may include, but not be limited to, requiring 
the Eligible CDFI to provide for third-party Credit Enhancements.

C. Guarantee Provisions

    The Act provides for a 100 percent guarantee for bonds issued as 
part of a Bond Issue under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Consistent 
with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-129 (Policies 
for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables), these bonds will 
be purchased by the Federal Financing Bank (FFB). The CDFI Fund 
requested comments regarding potential loss remedies prior to the Bond 
Purchaser seeking reimbursement under the Guarantee, as well other any 
other terms, conditions, or Bond structure requirements that should be 
imposed to protect the taxpayer.
    The majority of comments stated that the CDFI Fund should work with 
the Qualified Issuer, aggregators (designated entities acting on behalf 
of the Qualified Issuers), and originators and Servicers of loans to 
exercise all rights and remedies available under law before calling the 
Guarantee. Some comments suggested that, for non-performing assets 
underlying a Bond, the CDFI Fund should consider using special 
servicers to deal with these assets. Recommended remedies include the 
substitution of non-performing assets, liquidation of underlying 
collateral, liquidation of risk-share and supplemental credit reserves, 
and the exercise of recourse.
    The majority of comments stated that the CDFI Fund should not set 
specific guidelines for the structure of the Bonds. It was suggested 
instead that the CDFI Fund should allow the marketplace to encourage 
the development of models for structuring the Bonds. Commentators 
recommended that the CDFI Fund require Qualified Issuers to issue Bonds 
of $100,000,000 or more, but allow them to make incremental drawdowns 
of Bond Proceeds. Some comments suggested that Bonds could be issued in 
smaller increments as part of one application, as long as each 
Guarantee covered no less than $100,000,000 of Bonds.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund defines Verifiable Losses of Principal, Interest, and 
Call Premium in section 1808.102 of the interim rule. When the 
Qualified Issuer has delinquent payments, the CDFI Fund and the 
Guarantor will exercise all available rights and remedies to protect 
the Federal Government's interests.
    With regard to the structure of the Bond, the CDFI Fund will allow 
a Qualified Issuer to utilize multiple Bond Loans to CDFIs to meet the 
$100,000,000 minimum Guarantee requirement of the Act. However, each 
Bond Loan must be a minimum of $10,000,000.

D. Eligible Entities

    The Act defines Eligible CDFI at 12 U.S.C. 4713a(a)(1) as a CDFI 
certified by the Secretary that has applied to the Qualified Issuer 
for, or been granted by a Qualified Issuer, a loan under the program, 
and authorizes the CDFI Fund to determine which entities may serve as 
Qualified Issuers and Master Servicer. The CDFI Fund requested comments 
regarding the criteria that should be used to approve entities to 
participate in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Specifically, the CDFI 
Fund solicited comments on the number of Qualified Issuers and Master 
Servicers that should be approved under the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program, as well as any eligibility criteria that should be applied to 
Eligible CDFIs beyond CDFI certification.
    The majority of commentators indicated that they were not in favor 
of the CDFI Fund requiring only one Qualified Issuer for all Bonds 
issued under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Respondents stated that 
this requirement would be an unnecessary limitation that would prevent 
multiple CDFIs from serving as Qualified Issuers. Comments suggested, 
however, that it may be effective to have one Qualified Issuer issue 
most of the Bonds initially. There were mixed views regarding whether 
the CDFI Fund should permit an entity that is not a Certified CDFI to 
apply for CDFI certification simultaneously with submission of a 
Guarantee Application and a Capital Distribution Plan. The majority of 
commentators stated that only a CDFI that has been designated as a 
Certified CDFI prior to the applicable Guarantee Application deadline 
should be allowed to participate in the program. In contrast, some 
commentators stated that the CDFI Fund should permit non-certified 
entities the ability to apply to the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program while 
these entities pursue CDFI certification. The majority of commentators 
stated that the CDFI Fund should allow all existing CDFIs (or their 
designees) that are Certified CDFIs in good standing to apply to the 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Respondents were consistent in stating 
that a CDFI that applies to the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program should 
demonstrate strong financial and capital positions, as well as a 
significant and sustained track record of economic development in Low-
Income communities. Many respondents requested that the CDFI Fund 
require that Eligible CDFIs be certified by the CDFI Fund for a period 
of at least two to three years.
    The majority of commentators indicated that CDFIs should be allowed 
to service their own Bond Loans and the CDFI Fund should not require 
one Servicer for all Bonds issued under the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program. The comments suggested that the CDFI Fund should instead 
choose to limit the number of Servicers in order to keep program costs 
low. Comments were in favor of the CDFI Fund requiring the Master 
Servicer and Servicers to have a track record of providing similar 
services, and they stated that a key factor in determining CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program success will be the level and skill of the Servicers 
responsible for remitting principal and

[[Page 8300]]

interest payments on the Bonds. It was proposed that the Master 
Servicer should be rated by a national rating agency and should have 
broad experience in servicing community development needs. In addition, 
some commentators stated that the CDFI Fund should pre-qualify the 
Master Servicer and make it known to CDFIs prior to submission of a 
Guarantee Application. Respondents were in favor of a CDFI being 
allowed to serve as its own Servicer, and they cited that the unique 
asset and/or borrower characteristics provide strength to CDFIs with 
respect to their loan servicing capabilities. Comments also suggested 
that the CDFI Fund should recognize a consortium of non-profit 
entities, led by a certified CDFI, as an eligible applicant.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund has defined the criteria for Qualified Issuers and 
the Master Servicer in section 1808.200 and section 1808.606, 
respectively, of the interim rule. The CDFI Fund considered the 
servicing capabilities of the CDFI industry when defining the criteria 
for Qualified Issuers. As a result, the CDFI Fund will allow the 
Qualified Issuer to provide, in its Qualified Issuer Application, 
information on the proposed Servicer for each Bond Issue. In response 
to commenters request to keep the program costs low, the CDFI Fund will 
only allow one Master Servicer/Trustee for the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program.
    The CDFI Fund may also select a Designated Bonding Authority (DBA) 
to serve as a Qualified Issuer for CDFIs seeking Bond Loans that do not 
wish to designate their own Qualified Issuer and/or that cannot alone 
prepare a Capital Distribution Plan that meets the requirements for 
participation in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. A DBA will be 
prequalified as meeting the requirements for Qualified Issuers by the 
CDFI Fund; however, a Guarantee Application submitted by a DBA will not 
receive any preference in the selection process. The qualifications for 
a DBA are described in section 1808.201 of the interim rule. The DBA 
will be selected in accordance with section 1808.502, which requires 
interested parties to submit a Qualified Issuer Application in response 
to the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability.
    Eligible CDFIs must be certified by the CDFI Fund and must meet the 
requirements set forth in section 1808.202 of the interim rule.

E. Capital Distribution Plan

    There were multiple recommendations as to what applicants should be 
required to submit in their Capital Distribution Plans. Comments were 
consistent in suggesting that the CDFI Fund should require applicants 
to detail (in a Capital Distribution Plan) their fixed and ongoing 
costs of deploying capital, including a detailed breakdown of the uses 
of funds, which would entail the 90 percent or greater portion of Bond 
Proceeds used to make Bond Loans for Eligible Purposes and managing a 
multitude of CDFI entities. In addition, respondents suggested that a 
detailed breakdown of uses of the remaining portion of Bond Proceeds 
should be submitted. Comments stated that the CDFI Fund should not 
impose a limit on the number of Bonds and Guarantees for which 
Qualified Issuers are allowed to apply or qualify; however, it was 
suggested that the CDFI Fund implement the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
in a broad manner that would potentially mitigate a concentration among 
too small a number of participants. In general, commentators 
recommended that, in their respective Capital Distribution Plans, 
applicants should demonstrate an intended pipeline of underlying assets 
as well as the ability to service the Bond based on the expected terms 
and conditions of the assets in the pipeline. Respondents were 
consistent in stating that the CDFI Fund should not set minimum 
underwriting criteria for borrowers.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund defines Capital Distribution Plan in section 1808.102 
of the interim rule. The CDFI Fund will require the Qualified Issuer to 
execute Bond Loan agreements for no less than 100 percent of the Bond 
Proceeds on the Bond Issue Date. If the Eligible CDFI uses Bond Loan 
proceeds to make Secondary Loans, the Eligible CDFI must execute 
Secondary Loan documents (in the form of promissory notes) with 
Secondary Borrowers as follows: (i) not later than 12 months after the 
Bond Issue Date, Secondary Loan documents representing at least 50 
percent of such Eligible CDFI's Bond Loan proceeds allocated for 
Secondary Loans, and (ii) not later than 24 months after the Bond Issue 
Date, Secondary Loan documents representing 100 percent of such 
Eligible CDFI's Bond Loan proceeds allocated for Secondary Loans 
(excluding any amounts used for payment of Bond Issuance Fees pursuant 
to section 1808.304(b)).
    A Qualified Issuer may apply for and receive more than one 
Guarantee under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program; provided, however, 
that the Qualified Issuer must demonstrate in subsequent Guarantee 
Applications that all prior Bonds have been issued and executed as Bond 
Loans in accordance with the applicable Guarantee Application, Capital 
Distribution Plan, and Bond Documents.

F. Accountability of Qualified Issuers

    Comments indicated a considerable push for allowing flexibility 
with regard to mandating the performance outcomes of the Qualified 
Issuer. Comments were in favor of accountability measures, including 
the submittal of an annual report, but did not indicate the need for 
any additional reporting. In addition, commentators agreed that all 
risk share, credit, and liquidity reserves should be included in 
calculating the annual percentage of Bond principal used to make Bond 
Loans. Comments expressed a key interest in ensuring that the CDFI Fund 
shows consistency across its various program areas. Some respondents 
expressed a need for the CDFI Fund to provide continuous training 
opportunities on compliance and reporting requirements for the CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    Subsequent to publication of the interim rule, the CDFI Fund will 
provide outreach and training on the application process, compliance, 
and reporting requirements as defined in subsection 1808.619 for 
Qualified Issuers and Eligible CDFIs. To be eligible to participate in 
the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, the CDFI Fund will require Qualified 
Issuers and Eligible CDFIs applicants that are prior awardees/
allocatees of the CDFI Fund to be compliant under their assistance, 
allocation, or award agreements under all other CDFI Fund programs at 
the time of submission of the Guarantee Application. The CDFI Fund will 
not include the three percent Risk-Share Pool or any additional 
reserves in calculating the requirements of the Capital Distribution 
Plan.

G. Prohibited Uses

    Commentators generally did not express a desire for additional 
mandates regarding prohibited uses. Commentators did advise, however, 
that the CDFI Fund adopt, as a model, the rules of the Financial 
Assistance Component of the CDFI Program, which permit a wide range of 
financing activities and allow for flexibility and innovation.

[[Page 8301]]

The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund selected Eligible Purposes that are consistent with 
the eligible uses of funds under the CDFI Program, NACA Program, and 
the Act. Uses of Bond Proceeds must be consistent with Eligible 
Community or Economic Development Purposes defined in 12 U.S.C. 
4713a(a)(2) and sections 1808.301 and 1808.302 of the interim rule.
    The CDFI Fund prohibits certain uses of the Bond Proceeds as set 
forth in 12 U.S.C. 4713a(c)(5) and section 1808.309 of the interim 
rule. The CDFI Fund prohibits the use of Bond Proceeds to fund the 
Risk-Share Pool to further incentivize Eligible CDFIs to perform 
quality underwriting of Secondary Loans and repayment of Bond Loans. 
Other risk mitigations include Eligible CDFIs providing collateral and 
full recourse obligations to receive Bond Loans.

H. Servicing of Transactions

    Commentators expressed an interest in limiting the duties of the 
CDFI Fund to the general administration and management of the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program, and stated that the CDFI Fund should not be involved 
in a Bond transaction. There were split opinions regarding the 
requirement that each Qualified Issuer have a designated Program 
Administrator.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund addresses the aforementioned concerns in the interim 
rule, which delineates the roles of the CDFI Fund, the Guarantor, 
Program Administrators, and Qualified Issuers. The CDFI Fund will issue 
a solicitation to select the Master Servicer/Trustee, which will serve 
as a fiduciary, maintain funds and accounts, serve as the Special 
Servicer, oversee the Servicers, provide loan monitoring and reporting, 
and perform the duties described in 12 U.S.C. 4713a(f)(4) and section 
1808.606 of the interim rule.

I. General Compliance

    The majority of comments indicated that annual financial statements 
and a report of asset or portfolio performance should be collected and 
reviewed by the Master Servicer. A range of recommendations were made 
for the types of reports that should be submitted, including: 
institution level reports; disbursement reports; and a report verifying 
that Bond Proceeds are used for Eligible Purposes. With respect to the 
Act's mandate regarding repayment of Bonds, respondents stated that 
there should be a cure period of 90 days before action is taken. After 
the 90-day period, part of the Risk-Share Pool should be released to 
meet Bond terms in a way that preserves the outstanding Bond 
characteristics, such as coupon and term. Further, it was recommended 
that the CDFI Fund should retain the right to extend the cure period as 
deemed necessary and appropriate. Comments advised that before the CDFI 
Fund imposes penalties on a Qualified Issuer for noncompliance, the 
CDFI Fund should work collaboratively to resolve the issue and have a 
menu of additional options available for resolution. Suggested options 
included written notification, suspension from participation, and 
requiring repayment of the Bond, depending on the seriousness of the 
infraction and circumstances. These actions should be undertaken after 
a 90-day cure period.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    Qualified Issuers must provide information requested by the CDFI 
Fund as described in section 1808.619 of the interim rule and be 
subject to periodic on-site audits by the CDFI Fund or its designee as 
needed to determine compliance with the requirements of the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program. The CDFI Fund will not exempt the Qualified Issuer 
from complying with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, 
regulations, ordinances, OMB Circulars and Executive Orders. Bond 
payments must be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of 
the underlying Bond documents. Qualified Issuers will be required to 
include disclosure statements in all Bond Loan documents that identify 
the obligations of the parties to comply with the applicable statutes 
and regulations.

J. General Comments

    The majority of comments stated that CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
rules should be written to allow for maximum program flexibility. This 
includes a wide variety of issues such as: Multiple structures (special 
purpose entities and single-issuers); allowance of proceeds for lending 
and equity capital, loan loss reserves, and refinancing; flexible 
definitions of Eligible Purposes; allowing revolving loan funds in the 
program structure that meet the 90 percent loan requirement; and 
allowing for smaller tranches of issuances as part of a total 
$100,000,000 package. Respondents stated that the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program regulations should foster immediate operability in the interest 
of time to expedite the issuance of Bonds. In addition, comments stated 
that requirements such as reporting and eligibility should align with 
other CDFI Fund programs such as the Financial Assistance Component of 
the CDFI Program.
    Several respondents raised a concern about the need to prepare 
CDFIs for access to mainstream financial institutions and capital 
markets. With respect to rulemaking, commentators stated that the 
regulations should not carry limiting constraints or be unnecessarily 
complicated such as requiring burdensome credit enhancements, agency 
credit ratings, or preset underwriting criteria.
The CDFI Fund's Response:
    The CDFI Fund agrees that the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program has the 
potential to provide expansive opportunity by offering low-cost capital 
to CDFIs. However, the CDFI Fund recognizes the need to balance 
flexibility for program participants against the need to mitigate risk 
to the taxpayer, and stay within the confines of various existing 
statutes, regulations, and guidance documents including, but not 
limited to, the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement 
Act of 1994, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, the Federal Credit 
Reform Act of 1990, as amended, and OMB Circular A-129 (Policies for 
Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables). The CDFI Fund will 
develop and promulgate Bond Loan Requirements and Secondary Loan 
Requirements.

V. Rulemaking Analysis

A. Executive Order (E.O.) 12866; Regulatory Impact Analysis

    It has been determined that the interim rule of the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program is a significant regulatory action as defined in 
Executive Order 12866 in that the program will result in an annual 
effect of $100 million of more on the economy. Accordingly, the interim 
rule has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget. The 
Regulatory Impact Analysis prepared by the CDFI Fund for the interim 
rule is provided below.
1. Description of Need for the Regulatory Action
    The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program was authorized by the Small 
Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-240) (the Act), passed by 
Congress and signed into law by the President on September 27, 2010. 
Sections 1134 and 1703 of the Act provide authority to the Secretary of 
the Department of the Treasury to establish the program by regulation, 
which will be administered by the CDFI Fund, a wholly owned government 
corporation within the U.S. Department

[[Page 8302]]

of the Treasury, pursuant to authority delegated by the Secretary of 
the Treasury.
    The Act authorizes the Secretary to guarantee the full amount of 
Bonds, including the principal, interest, and call premiums, with terms 
not to exceed 30 years, issued to finance or refinance loans for 
Eligible Community or Economic Development Purposes. The Bond Issues 
will support CDFI lending and investment in Investment Areas by 
providing a source of low-cost, long-term capital to CDFIs. The Act 
provides that the Secretary of the Treasury will not issue more than 
ten Guarantees in any calendar year. No Guarantee amount may be less 
than $100,000,000, provided the total principal amount of guaranteed 
Bond Issues outstanding for any one fiscal year may not exceed $1 
billion.
2. Provision--Affected Populations
    The CDFI Fund was established through the Riegle Community 
Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-325) 
for the purpose of promoting economic and community development through 
investment in and assistance to CDFIs. The two target populations 
served by the CDFI Fund that will be affected by the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program are (i) Certified CDFIs and (ii) rural and urban Low-
Income communities served by Certified CDFIs throughout the United 
States.
    Certified CDFIs are specialized, community-based financial 
institutions that serve rural and urban Low-Income communities or work 
in economically distressed areas, often operating in market niches that 
may be underserved by traditional financial institutions. Only 
financial institutions certified by the CDFI Fund can receive financial 
assistance awards through the CDFI Program and the NACA Program. 
Certified CDFIs include depository institutions such as community 
development banks, thrifts, and credit unions; and non-depository 
institutions such as loan and venture capital funds. Certified CDFIs 
provide a wide range of financial products and services in Low-Income 
Areas.\1\ While the types of products made available are generally 
similar to those provided by mainstream financial institutions (such as 
small business lending and lending for community facilities and 
commercial real estate development), Certified CDFIs often lend to and 
make equity investments in markets that may not be served by mainstream 
financial institutions. In addition, Certified CDFIs may offer rates 
and terms that are more flexible to Low-Income borrowers. Certified 
CDFIs also provide services that help ensure that credit is used 
effectively, such as technical assistance to small businesses, and home 
buying and credit counseling to consumers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The terms Low-Income and Low-Income Area are defined in 
section 1808.102 of the interim rule. These definitions may be 
different from those used in the economic studies cited hereafter. 
For specific definitions related to the studies, please refer to the 
cited articles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As of April 2012, there were over 980 Certified CDFIs (including 
Certified CDFI banks and their Certified CDFI bank holding companies) 
that provide financial products and services to underserved populations 
and distressed communities in the United States. A thorough analysis 
was conducted of a subset of 904 Certified CDFIs, excluding bank 
holding companies, to compile consistent asset data on this population, 
which is reported below. These 904 Certified CDFIs are financial 
institutions that have average total assets of $55.6 million (although 
average asset size varies by institution type).
    a. Community development loan funds (CDLFs) constitute about 66 
percent of Certified CDFIs and have average assets of about $19.9 
million. CDLFs are usually nonprofits that provide financing and 
development services to businesses, organizations and individuals in 
Low-Income urban and rural areas. CDLFs can be further categorized 
based on the type of clients served, such as microenterprises, small 
businesses, housing, and community service organizations (e.g., health 
care providers, charter school operators).
    b. Community development credit unions (CDCUs) constitute about 22 
percent of Certified CDFIs and have average assets of $66.9 million. 
CDCUs are nonprofit cooperatives owned by members that promote 
ownership of assets and savings and provide affordable credit and 
retail financial services to Low-Income people.
    c. Community development banks and bank holding companies 
constitute about nine percent of Certified CDFIs and have average 
assets of $298.3 million. CDFI banks provide capital to rebuild 
economically distressed communities through targeted lending and 
investment and the provision of financial services to community 
residents and business owners.
    d. Community development venture capital funds constitute about 
three percent of all Certified CDFIs, have average assets of $9.7 
million, and include both for-profit and nonprofit organizations that 
provide equity and debt-with-equity features for businesses in 
distressed communities.
    A preliminary analysis conducted by the CDFI Fund shows that 
Certified CDFIs that are large enough to deploy at least $10 million in 
new lending to Low-Income communities are the most likely participants 
in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. The rationale is that only larger 
CDFIs will be able to absorb and deploy $10 million in new capital. In 
particular, non-profit CDFI loan funds are expected to be the primary 
participants in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
    a. Analysis of CDFI Fund awardees. First, the CDFI Fund used its 
Community Investment Impact System (CIIS), which collects data from 
CDFIs that have received awards from the CDFI Fund. CDFI Program and 
NACA Program awardees are required to report total portfolio and 
financial data for three years. A total of 68 Certified CDFI loan funds 
were identified that provided consistent data for a five year period 
from 2006 to 2010 on assets, new lending, and type of lending. The 
results showed that a total of 59 CDFI loan funds out of the 68 
originated more than $10 million in loans. These 59 loan funds, that 
annually originated more than $10 million in loans, had assets that 
ranged from $25 million to nearly $400 million. As a result, a cutoff 
point of a minimum of $25 million in assets was established as a 
preliminary estimate of the threshold to participate in the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program. Due to data limitations, this estimate is based on a 
sample of CDFI awardees and not on the total universe of Certified 
CDFIs. However, given the lack of data on non-awardee Certified CDFIs, 
it is possible there are eligible CDFIs below the $25 million threshold 
capable of participating in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
    b. Analysis of CDFI Fund Certified CDFIs. Second, the CDFI Fund 
certification database was used to query the number and type of 
Certified CDFIs that had assets over $25 million. A total of 243 
Certified CDFIs have assets over $25 million, including 77 CDFI banks, 
74 credit unions, 91 loan funds, and one venture capital fund. This 
group is a sample of potential participants in the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program.

[[Page 8303]]

                                                   Table 1--CDFIs With More Than $25 Million in Assets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Share of                       Minimum asset     Maximum asset
                CDFI type                     Count       Share  %     Sum of assets    assets  %    Average assets         size              size
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bank or Thrift...........................           77           32   $24,705,263,619           53      $320,847,579       $26,655,000    $2,144,987,000
Credit Union.............................           74           30    12,589,364,746           27       170,126,551        26,456,363     1,623,228,958
Loan Fund................................           91           37     9,073,961,136           20        99,713,859        25,379,706     1,424,547,537
Venture Capital Fund.....................            1            0        59,151,038            0        59,151,038        59,151,038        59,151,038
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Grand Total..........................          243          100    46,427,740,539          100       191,060,661        25,379,706     2,144,987,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: CDFI Fund Community Investment Impact System (CIIS) and Certification Database.

    a. Targeted Populations. In general, Certified CDFIs primarily 
serve Low-Income communities and Low-Income targeted populations. A 
Certified CDFI's Investment Area is defined as a geographic unit 
(state, county, census tract, block group, Indian/Native areas), or as 
contiguous geographic units entirely located within the United States 
that meets one of the following criteria:
    (1) Has a population poverty rate of at least 20 percent;
    (2) has an unemployment rate 1.5 times the national average;
    (3) for a Metropolitan Area, has a median family income (MFI) at or 
below 80 percent of the greater of either the Metropolitan or national 
Metropolitan MFI;
    (4) for a non-Metropolitan area, has an MFI at or below 80 percent 
of the greater of either the Statewide or national Non-Metropolitan 
MFI;
    (5) is wholly located within an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community; or
    (6) has a county population loss greater than or equal to 10 
percent between the two most recent census periods for Metropolitan 
Areas or five percent over last five years for Non-Metropolitan areas.
    Under these criteria, there are 27,275 census tracts (41 percent) 
that qualify as CDFI investment areas out of 66,285 total census tracts 
in U.S. Of these, 22,360 are Metropolitan census tracts and 4,915 Non-
Metropolitan census tracts. There are 269 counties that qualify as a 
result of the combined impact of the population loss and outmigration 
criteria. Based on the most recent three-year of reporting by CDFIs 
awardees, about 20 percent of eligible census tracts are served; 
however, no transactional lending and investment data is available from 
Certified non-awardee CDFIs and therefore no estimates of lending in 
target markets can be provided for four-fifths of Certified CDFIs.
    However, it is noteworthy that CDFI investment areas and target 
markets are highly correlated with the distressed and underserved areas 
as defined in the Community Reinvestment Act.\2\ In general, Certified 
CDFIs provide financial products and services in areas that are 
historically underserved by mainstream depository institutions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ http://www.ffiec.gov/craadweb/naaginfs.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    b. Financial products offered by CDFIs. According to the CDFI Fund 
Agency Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2012, CDFIs originated over 
$1.3 billion in loans in 2011. Of these, 15.6 percent were commercial 
real estate originations, which included investments in charter schools 
and community facilities such as health clinics, employment and 
training facilities, and centers that provide services for low-income 
children and youth. In addition, 28 percent of these annual 
originations supported small businesses and microenterprises, including 
support for business incubators. In 2011, CDFIs also financed over 
24,000 affordable housing rental units. The majority of these 
investments were located in very Low-Income communities where lending 
for community infrastructure is limited.
3. Description of the problem.
    The availability of long-term debt and equity capital for CDFIs, 
particularly non-profit loan funds, is one of the major structural 
issues facing the CDFI industry. Certified CDFIs face challenges 
accessing long term capital to support their lending and investment; 
such challenges are related to broader structural impediments faced by 
Low-Income communities in accessing affordable and appropriate 
financial services.
    Certified CDFIs traditionally receive grants, loans, and other 
forms of financing from various sources, notably banks incentivized by 
the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). However, that capital tends to be 
short- or medium-term, and expensive as compared to products non-CDFI 
or for-profit lenders can obtain.\3\ Lenders and investors to Certified 
CDFIs typically provide Certified CDFIs with capital that has 
maturities of ten years or less. As a result, Certified CDFIs endure 
asset liability mismatches when they offer longer term lending products 
(i.e., mortgages) to their target borrowers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Charles Tansey, Michael Swack, Michael Tansey, Vicky Stein. 
Capital Markets, CDFIs, and Organizational Credit Risk, Carsey 
Institute, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 
37.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    According to an analysis by the Carsey Institute at the University 
of New Hampshire, which was prepared for and funded by the CDFI Fund, 
``the lack of long-term debt financing forces CDFIs to [save cash] 
pushing down leverage and giving the appearance that many 
underleveraged CDFIs are not lending as much as they could, thus 
neglecting demand among its targeted consumers.'' \4\ Certified CDFI 
loan funds are generally not well leveraged, possibly reflecting the 
cost of debt available to them. Additionally, the non-profit status of 
many CDFIs also means that they do not enjoy the tax benefits of debt 
leverage which for-profit financial institutions are able to take 
advantage of. According to the Carsey analysis, ``[p]articularly among 
loan funds, a large number of CDFIs have very little leverage (i.e., 
they fund themselves mainly through net assets, not debt). The median 
CDFI loan fund in 2009 was leveraged at just $1.10 in liabilities for 
every $1 in net assets. About eight percent of loan funds had no 
liabilities whatsoever. Banks and credit unions are typically leveraged 
at a rate of 10:1 or more.'' \5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI Industry 
Analysis, Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 15.
    \5\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI Industry 
Analysis, Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 10.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The reasons behind the lack of access to long-term debt available 
in capital markets are complex; however, a market-based approach 
focuses on one key element: the risk of Certified CDFIs. Capital 
markets typically rely on the credit ratings by rating agencies to 
determine the interest rate and terms of

[[Page 8304]]

an investment. According to Tansey et al., the inability of credit 
rating agencies to accurately assess credit risk of CDFIs is due to: 
the absence of standardized data of risk performance; the lack of 
consistent audited financials limiting the ability to discern assets, 
specifically cash, available for repayment; the need for the 
development of comparable ratios to analyze financial health; Certified 
CDFIs' willingness to engage in non-conventional lending; and, the 
perceived risk of lending to Low-Income communities. Such challenges 
result in proposed investments to CDFIs that are unrated or rated as 
below investment grade, thus not attractive to the capital markets.
    a. Distributional issues in provision of financial services in Low-
Income Areas. The risk of lending to Certified CDFIs and ultimately to 
Low-Income communities is steeped in the chronic distributional gaps in 
the provision of financial services and products to Rural and urban 
Low-Income Areas of the United States, thus contributing to limited 
credit risk information for mainstream financial institutions to 
underwrite new activity in these communities. The lack of credit 
information for many Low-Income households in addition to smaller loan 
sizes typical of Low-Income communities often results in higher 
transaction costs for current lending. In addition, the substantial 
lack of data and higher costs in serving these communities also 
inhibits the access to long-term capital for CDFIs that serve these 
communities.
    In rural areas, lack of access also stems from the more limited 
deal flows, limited supporting infrastructure, and the difficulty of 
providing oversight for sparsely populated areas. Furthermore, CDFI 
investments are often characterized by the small scale of individual 
transactions and the perception of a high degree of risk.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI Industry 
Analysis. Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 14. Available at http://www.cdfifund.gov/docs/CBI/2012/Carsey%20Report%20PR%20042512.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Using census panel data on economically distressed areas, 
persistent poverty has been located in the same geographic areas for 
over half a century, including the lower Mississippi Delta, areas along 
the Rio Grande, and traditional Native American territories in the 
West.\7\ Many households in persistent poverty counties are 
``unbanked'' and have little or no credit score information because 
they may operate with cash in the informal economy; many live in areas 
characterized by poverty rates of more than 20 percent. About three 
quarters of persistent poverty areas reflect the minority status of 
their populations, showing a concentration of persistent poverty, low 
incomes, and lack of financial services in minority communities. 
According to the Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (USDA), of the 442 ``high-poverty counties in 2000 
(based on 1999 income), three-fourths reflect the low income of their 
racial and ethnic minorities and are classified as Black, Hispanic, or 
Native American high-poverty counties. In these counties, either a 
majority of the poor are Black, Hispanic, or Native American, or it is 
only the high incidence of poverty among these minority groups that 
brings the county's overall rate above 20 percent. Of the remaining 
fourth of high-poverty counties, most (91 counties) are located in the 
Southern Highlands of eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and parts of 
Missouri and Oklahoma. In these areas, the poor are predominantly non-
Hispanic Whites.'' \8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ For a list of persistent poverty counties used by the CDFI 
Fund, see http://www.cdfifund.gov/what_we_do/persistentpoverty.asp.
    \8\ See http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/incomepovertywelfare/povertygeography.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    b. Market failure. Rural and urban Low-Income, very Low-Income, and 
persistent poverty areas are underserved by mainstream financial 
institutions and lack access to investment, capital, and credit. Low 
lending rates in these communities create an information deficit for 
assessing risk for individual households and neighborhoods in mortgage, 
business, and consumer credit markets, and contribute to higher 
transaction costs. Furthermore, credit rationing can affect both Low-
Income communities and Certified CDFIs that serve this market niche.
    Market failures in the provision of financial services to Low-
Income areas have been well-documented in the academic literature (see 
Akerlof, Stieglitz, Klausner, Richardson, Mills and Lubuele).\9\ One 
market imperfection is the inherently asymmetric information between a 
lender and a borrower. Klausner notes that ``borrowers often know more 
about their own risk of default than do lenders. [* * *] When a bank 
makes a loan it does so based on information regarding the default risk 
of the borrower.'' \10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ (A) Akerlof, George A. 1970. ``The Market for Lemons: 
Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism.'' The Quarterly 
Journal of Economics. 84 (3): 488-500. Akerlof argues that 
underdeveloped areas, such as Low-Income and persistent poverty 
areas, may remain undeveloped due to the lack of information (such 
as the lack of credit scores for households operating in the 
informal economy) and the high costs of obtaining accurate 
information on these credit risks. According to Akerlof, ``Credit 
markets in underdeveloped areas often strongly reflect the operation 
of the Lemons Principle.'' In the Lemons Principle, ``bad cars drive 
out the good because they sell at the same prices as the good 
cars.'' In other words, the perception of average higher risk in 
Low-Income Areas may prevent deserving borrowers from accessing 
credit and capital from mainstream lenders. However, non-traditional 
lenders such as CDFIs are willing to conduct individual underwriting 
and are able to enter these markets.
    (B) Stiglitz, Joseph E., and Andrew Weiss. 1980. Credit 
rationing in markets with imperfect information. Princeton, N.J.: 
Econometric Research Program, Princeton University.
    (C) Klausner, Michael, ``Market failure and the Community 
Reinvestment Act: A market-oriented alternative to the Community 
Reinvestment Act.'' University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 143, 
No. 5 (May 1995) pp. 1561-1593.
    (D) Richardson, Christopher, ``The Community Reinvestment Act 
and the economics of regulatory policy.'' Fordham Urban Law Journal, 
Vol. 29, Issue 4, 2001, Article 11. Richardson argues that ``low 
levels of lending in low- and moderate-income (LMI) areas result 
from the inability of rational lending decisions made by profit-
maximizing lenders to achieve a socially optimal flow of credit to 
LMI areas. The market failure occurs because the marginal cost of a 
single lender acquiring the information necessary to adequately 
assess risk and identify profitable lending opportunities in LMI 
areas outweighs the potential marginal benefit the lender can expect 
to accrue. In the extreme case, if no single lender will rationally 
decide to lend in the area, and no loans will be made'' (p. 1614).
    (E) Mills, E.S. and L.S. Lubuele. 1994. ``Performance of 
residential mortgages in low-income and moderate-income 
neighborhoods.'' Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics 9(3): 
245-260.
    \10\ Klausner, Michael, ``A tradable obligation approach to the 
Community Reinvestment Act'' in Chakrabarti, Prabal. 2009. 
Revisiting the CRA: perspectives on the future of the Community 
Reinvestment Act. Boston, Mass: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. 
http://www.frbsf.org/publications/community/cra/revisiting_cra.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Both targeted and mainstream financial lending programs depend on 
credit scores to assess risk to provide financial services to their 
customers. However, credit scores are often limited in Low-Income 
communities due to the low level of lending by mainstream financial 
institutions in these communities and the resulting lack of information 
on the risk of default for these loan products. In addition, Low-Income 
households may operate in the informal economy and may not have credit 
score information.
    Credit rationing is likely to occur in Low-Income Areas because 
generating individual credit risk scores would be too costly for 
lenders. Klausner and Richardson note that because banks seek to 
maximize their profit, they [and other financial institutions] may be 
averse to lending to Low-Income Areas due to the low value of financial 
transactions and the lack of credit score information to assess the 
riskiness of loans.

[[Page 8305]]

4. Solutions to the Problem.
    Through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, Certified CDFIs will 
demonstrate the ability to successfully deploy conventional long-term 
debt, with maturity dates, payment schedules, conditions, covenants, 
and reporting requirements similar to those required and provided by 
capital markets. The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program will require 
standardized data collection and portfolio monitoring, develop a 
mechanism for accurately assessing Certified CDFI credit risk, and 
provide capital markets with a track record on which to base future 
lending and investment. Moreover, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, 
because of the maximum 30 year maturity, will allow Certified CDFIs to 
offer a higher volume of longer term products to their borrowers as 
well as manage their interest rate and duration risk because of 
improved asset/liability matching. This will further close the gap in 
the provision of investments in community facilities, business lending, 
and financial services to rural and Low-Income residents and 
businesses, addressing distributional issues in the provision of 
financial services.
    a. Certified CDFIs as potential solution to underserved markets and 
market failure. A potential solution to distributional issues in the 
provision of financial services and market failure is lending by 
financial institutions such as Certified CDFIs. However, due to their 
customer base (Low-Income residents and small businesses and nonprofits 
serving Low-Income communities), the credit rationing that limits 
access to capital for those customers also limits the ability of 
Certified CDFIs to secure affordable long-term capital. Moreover, there 
is no standardized data on the universe of Certified CDFIs, especially 
unregulated loan funds that do not have award reporting history. The 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program would provide access to a maximum of $2 
billion in 30-year long-term capital to address the distributional 
effects and market failure faced by Low-Income residents and 
communities as well as the inability of Certified CDFIs to secure long-
term capital to support their lending and investment efforts.
    b. Lowering the transaction costs of lending to Low-Income Areas. 
Transaction costs for the provision of financial services in Low-Income 
Areas are often higher because many Low-Income households have no 
credit score data that can be used to standardize and lower the cost of 
the underwriting process. In part, this is due to the fact that many 
Low-Income households do not use traditional financial institutions for 
banking needs, relying on fringe banking services (e.g., check cashers, 
payday lenders, etc.) to conduct financial transactions, thereby 
limiting available credit histories and credit score data. The CDFI 
Fund estimates that, based on credit score data at the census tract 
level, a total of 27 percent of very Low-Income households are missing 
credit FICO scores, compared to eight percent for higher-income areas 
(see Table 2 below). These figures may underestimate the number of 
households without credit scores because they are based on a sample of 
households that provided data, adjusted for the population.

                    Table 2--Credit Score Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Percent
   Median family income as a percent of area     Population    missing
            income by census tract                share in      credit
                                                  sample %     scores %
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. 200%......................................         1.79            8
                                               -------------------------
    Grand Total...............................       100.00           14
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: analysis by the CDFI Fund using Census Bureau 2000 Summary File
  1 demographic data and FICO scores by census tract.

    Another factor inhibiting credit provisioning is the lower 
profitability associated with lower-value loans. This, combined with 
expensive underwriting, make the provision of loans and services to 
Low-Income populations unprofitable for mainstream financial 
institutions. According to the Carsey Institute ``[t]hese transactions 
costs can be high for CDFIs because CDFIs market, underwrite, and 
originate smaller loans, and provide more intensive services. As a cost 
driver for CDFI Loan Funds, operating expense [as a result of high 
transactions costs to collect information on Low-Income communities and 
to underwrite smaller value loans] is by far the largest component of 
an organization's expenses, dwarfing both cost of capital and loan loss 
expense.'' \11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \11\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI 
Industry Analysis. Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 9. Available at http://www.cdfifund.gov/docs/CBI/2012/Carsey%20Report%20PR%20042512.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If the $200 million to $2 billion range is used to estimate the 
minimum and maximum impact range for the CDFI Bond Guarantee program, 
using the average loan size of $75,000 for CDFIs, a total of 2,667 
loans to 26,670 loans may be issued. A share of these loans--
potentially over half--will involve detailed and costly underwriting 
information at the household and firm level for loan recipients that 
otherwise would not receive funding. A share of these loans will 
include households and firms that do not have credit available 
elsewhere from mainstream financial institutions for long-term 
mortgages, community facilities such as charter schools, small business 
and microloans, and financial banking services. As a result of lending 
by participating Certified CDFIs, the Certified CDFIs will generate new 
credit score data from the loans to such consumers, which in turn will 
provide new credit information on these products and market segments, 
which should mitigate the risk associated with a lack of credit data on 
Low-Income and rural communities and borrowers. This information can 
lower transaction costs and encourage increased participation of 
traditional financial institutions in underserved areas, thereby 
attracting additional capital from the private sector.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ See: ``Collaborators or Competitors? Examining the 
Relationship Between CDFIs and Mainstream Banks in Lending to Small 
Businesses in Underserved Markets'' by Geoff Smith, Sean Zielenbach, 
Jennifer Newon and Sarah Duda, The Woodstock Institute, published by 
the CDFI Fund, 2009 http://www.cdfifund.gov/impact_we_make/research/community-economic-development.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    c. Providing long-term debt and leverage. According to the Carsey 
Institute, ``[t]he availability of long-term debt and equity capital 
for CDFIs, particularly loan funds, is one of the major structural 
issues facing the industry. [* * *] The lack of long-term debt 
financing forces CDFIs to [save cash] pushing down leverage and giving 
the appearance that many underleveraged CDFIs are not lending as much 
as they could, thus neglecting demand among its targeted consumers.'' 
\13\ The analysis by the Carsey Institute noted that Certified CDFIs 
have access to short-term capital and cannot access longer-term 
capital. Lenders and investors to Certified CDFIs typically provide 
Certified CDFIs with capital that has maturities of ten years or less. 
As a result, Certified CDFIs endure asset liability mismatches when 
they offer longer term lending products (i.e., mortgages) to their 
target borrowers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI 
Industry Analysis, Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 15.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The analysis by the Carsey Institute also found that Certified CDFI 
loan funds are generally not well leveraged, possibly reflecting the 
cost of debt available to them. According to the

[[Page 8306]]

analysis, ``[p]articularly among loan funds, a large number of CDFIs 
have very little leverage (i.e., they fund themselves mainly through 
net assets, not debt). The median CDFI loan fund in 2009 was leveraged 
at just $1.10 in liabilities for every $1 in net assets. About eight 
percent of loan funds had no liabilities whatsoever. Banks and credit 
unions are typically leveraged at a rate of 10:1 or more.'' \14\ The 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, because of the maximum 30 year maturity, 
will allow Certified CDFIs to offer a higher volume of longer term 
products to their borrowers as well as manage their interest rate and 
duration risk because of improved asset/liability matching. This will 
further close the gap in the provision of services to Low-Income 
residents and businesses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ Michael Swack, Jack Northrup, and Eric Hangen. CDFI 
Industry Analysis, Spring 2012. Carsey Institute, University of New 
Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, p. 14.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, the Carsey analysis indicates that the average term for 
credit provided to CDFIs is rarely above 15 years. When appropriately 
compared based on term, the cost of funds under the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program is significantly lower than what is currently available in the 
market. The Carsey analysis notes that CDFIs typically borrow on a 
secured basis at more than 100 basis points above the London Interbank 
Offered Rate (LIBOR), and that this is for shorter terms than 
contemplated under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
5. Baseline
    Currently, the CDFI Fund administers six grant and tax allocation 
programs:

                                        Table 3--CDFI Fund Award Programs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Total amount
                                                                            awarded/number of    Highest award
            Program                 Type/Status             Purpose           awardees last          amount
                                                                              funding round
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI Program...................  Grant/Annual       Provides financial      $149 million/144   $1.4 million.
                                  Appropriations.    assistance awards to    awardees.
                                                     institutions that are
                                                     certified as CDFIs,
                                                     and technical
                                                     assistance grants to
                                                     Certified CDFIs and
                                                     entities that will
                                                     become certified as
                                                     CDFIs within three
                                                     years.
                                                    Note: The CDFI Fund
                                                     may give a financial
                                                     assistance award in
                                                     the form of a loan if
                                                     the CDFI provides a
                                                     loan as its matching
                                                     fund. Direct loans
                                                     are dictated by the
                                                     term and conditions
                                                     of the loan submitted
                                                     as matching funds.
Native Initiatives.............  Grant/Annual       Assists entities in     $11.5 million/33   $750,000.
                                  Appropriations.    overcoming barriers     awardees.
                                                     that prevent access
                                                     to credit, capital,
                                                     and financial
                                                     services in Native
                                                     American, Alaskan
                                                     Native, and Native
                                                     Hawaiian communities
                                                     (Native Communities).
                                                     The Native
                                                     Initiatives' central
                                                     component is the
                                                     Native American CDFI
                                                     Assistance (NACA)
                                                     Program, which
                                                     increases the number
                                                     and capacity of
                                                     existing or new CDFIs
                                                     serving Native
                                                     Communities.
Bank Enterprise Award Program..  Grant/Annual       Provides grants to      $18 million *....  $500,000 *.
                                  Appropriations.    FDIC-insured banks
                                                     for increasing their
                                                     investment in Low-
                                                     Income communities
                                                     and/or in CDFIs.
New Markets Tax Credit Program.  Non-cash Tax       Provides tax credit     $3.5 billion in    n/a.
                                  Credit Authority/  allocation authority    annual authority.
                                  Annual Renewal.    to certified
                                                     Community Development
                                                     Entities (CDEs),
                                                     enabling investors to
                                                     claim tax credits
                                                     against their Federal
                                                     income taxes. The
                                                     CDEs in turn use the
                                                     capital raised to
                                                     make investments in
                                                     Low-Income
                                                     communities.
Capital Magnet Fund............  Grant/FY 2010      Provides grants for     $80 million/23     $6 million.
                                  only.              CDFIs and other non-    awardees.
                                                     profits to finance
                                                     the development,
                                                     rehabilitation, and
                                                     purchase of
                                                     affordable housing
                                                     for Low-Income people.
Financial Education and          Grant/FY 2009 and  Provides financial      $4.1 million/4     $3.15 million/
 Counseling Pilot Program.        FY 2010 only.      assistance awards to    awardees **.       $400,000 **.
                                                     enable Certified
                                                     CDFIs and other
                                                     eligible
                                                     organizations to
                                                     deliver a variety of
                                                     financial education
                                                     and counseling
                                                     services to
                                                     prospective
                                                     homebuyers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Based on most recent funding round.
** In FY 2010, the CDFI Fund was appropriated $4.1 million for the FEC Pilot Program, of which $3.1 million was
  specifically appropriated for an award to an organization located in the State of Hawaii and $1 million was
  appropriated in FY 2010 for the FEC Pilot Program.

    a. Size of loans under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program greater than 
current CDFI Fund programs. While valuable, CDFI Fund programs provide 
limited, short-term capital for CDFIs. The increased competitiveness, 
small award size, and annual uncertainty in the total amounts to be 
awarded limit CDFIs' ability to plan effectively for long-term project 
and capital needs. For the baseline analysis without the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program, the CDFI Fund assumes that the above-mentioned 
programs would be appropriated at historical levels and estimates that

[[Page 8307]]

Certified CDFIs would borrow and lend at current levels.
    b. CDFI lending at current levels. In FY 2011, CDFI Fund awardees 
reported originating 16,313 loans or investments totaling $1.2 billion, 
based on their portfolio of activities in 2010. This includes $357.3 
million for 5,010 home improvement and purchase loans, $296.8 million 
for 5,233 business and microenterprise loans, and $289.2 million for 
679 residential real estate transactions. These data on the amount and 
number of loans or investments originated provide baselines for 
benchmarking and targeting program performance. Under the CDFI Program, 
real estate loans financed 17,778 affordable housing units, including 
15,979 rental units and 1,799 owner units. CDFIs also provided 
extensive financial products and services to unbanked and underserved 
individuals by opening 6,537 new bank accounts and maintaining 7,007 
Individual Development Accounts totaling $9,131,382 in savings. CDFIs 
reported providing financial literacy counseling and other training 
opportunities to 177,252 individuals. Finally, loans and investments 
originated by CDFIs over the last three years were located in more than 
22 percent of eligible census tracts, exceeding the target of 10 
percent. Average Certified CDFI awardee loan sizes for all loan types 
from 2003 to 2010 are $62,000, and the average term is 5.9 years. 
Average commercial real estate loan sizes are $694,000 with an average 
term of 6.4 years.
    c. What would occur in the absence of the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program. The absence of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program limits the 
ability of Certified CDFIs to provide long-term affordable loans and 
investments to Low-Income borrowers, individuals, and small businesses. 
Financial innovation and development of products specifically tailored 
to Low-Income communities may be curtailed and the potential for 
Certified CDFIs entering private capital markets would also be limited. 
The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program would result in a share of lending that 
would not otherwise occur in Low-Income areas, as well as leveraging 
and relending which could result in potential economic benefits. The 
CDFI Fund's award and tax credit programs would remain the primary 
source of Federally funded programs for Certified CDFIs.
6. Time Horizon for the Analysis
    The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program is authorized to guarantee up to $1 
billion in Bonds issued each year through FY 2014, and the maximum 
maturity of the Bonds cannot exceed 30 years. Therefore, the 
appropriate time horizon for analysis is FY 2013-FY 2044.
7. Alternative Approaches Considered
    To address the distributional gaps and market failure identified 
above, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program structure should allow for 
participation by Eligible CDFIs that demonstrate the ability to deploy 
Bond Loan proceeds within the guidelines and credit subsidy constraints 
as written in the Act. The CDFI Fund has chosen to structure the 
program pursuant to alternatives c and d described below.
    Regulatory alternatives for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
considered are: (a) Requiring minimum participation size to equal $100 
million per institution per Guarantee; (b) requiring a pool of CDFIs 
with a minimum participation size equal to $500,000 per institution in 
a $100 million Guarantee; (c) requiring a pool of CDFIs with a minimum 
participation size of $10 million per institution in a $100 million 
minimum Guarantee; or (d) requiring general recourse obligations by 
CDFI Borrowers.
    a. Minimum Bond Loan size of $100 million. This alternative would 
only allow a maximum of ten Eligible CDFIs to participate in the CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program each year, limiting the ability of a significant 
percentage of Certified CDFIs from accessing the Bond Proceeds and 
lending them to Low-Income households and businesses in Low-Income 
areas. Given the requirements of a zero-subsidy program and the debt 
service burden of a $100 million liability, it is likely that only ten 
or fewer Certified CDFIs would be able to participate based upon 
estimates of the additional debt service burden imposed by a $100 
million obligation. The reduced number of applicants would lead to a 
more streamlined approval and implementation process (e.g., faster 
processing, less variation in documentation) resulting in lower bond 
issuance costs for the Qualified Issuers and Eligible CDFIs in the 
obligation. Cumulative administrative costs for Eligible CDFIs would be 
lower legal fees, and the absence of Secondary Borrower applications 
that would require underwriting and due diligence. These cost 
reductions would be achieved in part by reduced reliance on outside 
counsel and consultants by applicants.
    However, the benefits of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program would also 
be reduced due to the concentration of benefits in a handful of 
Certified CDFIs. It is less likely that the funds would be disbursed 
among various market segments categorized by geography, industry 
sector, ethnicity, and other socioeconomic factors. This alternative is 
less likely to address the credit rationing and distribution problems 
and therefore yield lower social benefits. The benefit of risk 
diversification would also be lessened, and could impose a greater 
overall cost in terms of interest rates to Secondary Borrowers.
    b. Minimum Bond Loan size of $500,000. Maximizing the number of 
organizations that can participate as an Eligible CDFI by setting a low 
Bond Loan limit does not result in the greatest net benefits due to the 
corresponding increase in administrative costs. The CDFI Fund could set 
the minimum Bond Loan size to $500,000. This number is representative 
of the approximate average size of loans disbursed through the CDFI 
Program.\15\ Under this scenario, up to 200 Eligible CDFIs could 
participate in a minimum $100 million issuance. There is a greater 
likelihood of the benefits being distributed among underserved market 
segments as measured by geography, industry sector, ethnicity, and 
other socioeconomic factors. Long-term capital would be provided to 
many of the smaller institutions certified by the CDFI Fund, and as a 
result these institutions would most likely be able to reduce asset-
liability mismatches previously described.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ Through the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund has made 157 loans 
with an average principal of approximately $512,000 from 1996-2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Increasing the number of possible Eligible CDFIs in a single 
Guarantee pool would:
    (1) Decrease the likelihood of issuing the maximum number of Bonds 
in a fiscal year due to the difficulty in grouping large numbers of 
Certified CDFIs into homogeneous credit qualities for credit scoring 
approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB); and
    (2) for Eligible CDFIs, significantly increase costs associated 
with loan documentation, legal counsel, underwriting and due diligence, 
as well as ongoing compliance and loan monitoring.
    The 10 basis point Agency Administrative Fee authorized by the Act 
would equal only $500 per institution on an annual basis based on a 
minimum participation of $500,000. This annual fee declines based upon 
outstanding principal balance. Further, Eligible CDFIs participating in 
the program would each incur fees associated with their own legal 
counsel and possibly consulting services in addition to the 10 basis 
point Agency Administration Fee. Although scale

[[Page 8308]]

effects exist, there is a minimum fixed cost of issuance associated 
with such services that each individual Eligible CDFI would incur, thus 
raising the aggregate total costs of issuance for Eligible CDFIs. 
Therefore, this alternative is less likely to address the credit 
rationing and distribution problems, and therefore does not maximize 
social benefits.
    c. Minimum participation size of $10 million. The CDFI Fund has 
chosen to require a minimum Bond Loan size of $10 million so long as 
the aggregate principal amount is at least a $100 million minimum Bond 
Issue. This has been determined as the best alternative that maximizes 
net benefits. The proposed structure of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
would allow two-tier borrowing: Eligible CDFIs would borrow at the $10 
million minimum and then lend to Secondary Borrowers (in some cases 
also CDFIs) in increments below the $10 million minimum. Given this 
proposed structure, up to 100 Eligible CDFIs could theoretically 
participate in a fiscal year; however, several dozen Eligible CDFIs may 
choose to apply for larger Bond Loan amounts.
    This program is not meant to be a reproduction of the CDFI Program, 
which provides hundreds of Certified CDFIs awards between $100,000 and 
$1,000,000 each year in an effort to support the capacity of Certified 
CDFIs to build direct equity in support of their capital needs. The 
minimum participation of $10 million targets Certified CDFIs that have 
the financial and operating capacity to quickly deploy capital to Low-
Income communities as well as lend Secondary Loans of smaller amounts 
to Certified CDFIs that are unable to absorb large amounts of debt on 
their balance sheets. These Certified CDFIs will also be required to 
demonstrate the capacity to track and measure performance and impact of 
the Bond Loan proceeds, which will build the data needed to help 
counter the distributional issues noted in the earlier sections.
    By demonstrating that Low-Income households and businesses are able 
to borrow and repay loans of greater amounts and tenor, the 
transactional costs of lending to such borrowers will decrease over 
time and the ability of the participating Eligible CDFIs to relend and 
leverage those funds will increase as the loans are repaid. This 
regulatory alternative is best suited to ameliorating the credit 
rationing and distribution problems, and thus maximizes net social 
benefits.
    d. On-balance sheet, general recourse obligations. The CDFI Fund 
has chosen to require general recourse obligations that will be on-
balance sheet liabilities of Eligible CDFIs. Eligible CDFIs will be 
underwritten for their financial strength, management capacity, and 
general probability of default based upon various factors. 
Additionally, the Eligible CDFIs are required to lend funds subject to 
Secondary Loan Requirements that satisfy a certain minimum recovery 
rate in the case of default or temporary financial hardship by an 
Eligible CDFI.
    The benefits of this approach include a streamlined application 
process where the Eligible CDFI is underwritten rather than each 
individual asset financed by Bond Loan proceeds. Where necessary, the 
Credit Enhancements required to increase an Eligible CDFI's credit 
quality are more easily quantified and enforceable. Additionally, more 
Eligible CDFIs may be able to participate by achieving the zero subsidy 
level required of the program.
    Additional costs may be incurred in order to participate in the 
program, including the cost of acquiring Credit Enhancements and 
documenting the Eligible CDFI's financial strength, management 
capacity, and other characteristics indicative of capacity to reduce 
the probability of default. Costs such as legal and consultant fees may 
be reduced because each individual asset financed by Bond Loan proceeds 
does not need to be underwritten.
    Although difficult to estimate, it is likely that this regulatory 
alternative is both the net most beneficial and least costly 
alternative. This alternative also allows the CDFI industry to 
demonstrate its ability to manage capital, mitigate risk, and leverage 
funds long-term in a way not currently captured or adequately assessed. 
This alternative is best suited to ameliorating the credit rationing 
and distribution issues identified.
    Therefore, the CDFI Fund has chosen to pursue regulatory 
alternatives (c) and (d), above, in the design and implementation of 
the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
8. Economic Effects of Selected Approach.
    Per the Act, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program will expire at the end 
of FY 2014; therefore, in FY 2013 and FY 2014 the Secretary of the 
Treasury can provide guarantees for Bond Issues with maturities up to 
30 years. The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program would provide a maximum of $2 
billion in long-term capital to fill the gap in mortgage lending, 
consumer lending, and business lending. A summary of the projected 
transfers and costs under two scenarios is provided in Table 3: One 
Bond Issue per fiscal year ($200 million) and 10 Bond Issues per fiscal 
year ($2 billion).
    Transfers and costs have been discounted using a net present value 
methodology over a 30-year period using a three percent discount rate 
that reflects the cost of capital and seven percent discount value for 
benefits recommended by OMB in its guidance for Regulatory Impact 
Analyses. Table 3 describes the transfers and costs discounted at both 
the three percent and seven percent levels.

                                     Table 4--Potential Costs and Transfers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Discounting by 3%                        Discounting by 7%
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     $200 million         $2 billion         $200 million         $2 billion
                                       issuance            issuance            issuance            issuance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      COSTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Costs...............  $19.9 million......  $28.8 million.....  $13.4 million.....  $18.6 million.
Eligible CDFIs.................  $4.6 million.......  $45.7 million.....  $4.2 million......  $41.9 million.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Low-Income communities.........  n/a................  n/a...............  n/a...............  n/a.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    TRANSFERS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Low-Income communities.........  $200 million.......  $2 billion........  $200 million......  $2 billion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 8309]]

    a. Government costs. The estimate of the administrative costs to 
the CDFI Fund (Government Costs) are based on current administrative 
costs of implementation and the FY 2014 budget request for additional 
Full-Time Employees (FTEs), as well as the staff required to administer 
and manage the program for the remaining 30 years of the program. 
Government costs may fluctuate depending on the size of the guaranteed 
Bond Issues, The costs do not reflect inflation factors or the use of 
non-governmental contractors to carry out administrative functions 
after FY 2013 and FY 2014.
    b. Eligible CDFI costs. The estimated administrative costs to 
Eligible CDFIs for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program are based on: (1) 
The future costs of 10 basis points in Agency Administrative Fees of 
the amount of the unpaid principal of the Bonds, up to the maximum 
maturity of 30 years, for Bonds issued through September 30, 2014, the 
expiration of the program, and these costs discounted back to the 
present value; and (2) the Bond Issue costs through September 30, 2014, 
the expiration of the program, and these costs discounted back to the 
present value. The Bond Issuance Fees are estimated to be one percent 
of principle value of the Bond Issue.
9. Non-Quantified and Non-Monetized Benefits and Costs
    Non-quantified benefits include the reduction of information 
asymmetry between Eligible CDFI and mainstream financial institutions 
cited in section 3(b), above. Regulated banks, thrifts, and credit 
unions are subject to intense and standard reporting requirements by 
their respective regulators. However, non-regulated Certified CDFIs 
frequently utilize disparate accounting methodologies and report 
certain data points, such as borrower defaults and delinquencies, in 
ways that are difficult to compare across organizations. Non-profit 
Certified CDFIs are yet more difficult to compare due to the variety of 
reporting options available to non-profit institutions under generally 
accepted accounting principles (GAAP). By addressing the information 
asymmetry challenge, Eligible CDFIs in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
may be able to provide sufficient information to traditional capital 
market participants to access private sources of long-term capital. 
This non-quantified benefit would further result in the amelioration of 
credit rationing, thereby increasing the amount of credit information 
available for traditional financial institutions.
    Ancillary non-quantified benefits include additional information 
that the CDFI Fund will be able to develop using standardized data 
collection within the CDFI industry, creating consistent reporting 
within other programs, such as the CDFI Program, and within other 
related agencies and regulators that interact with Certified CDFIs. In 
addition, the CDFI industry will be able to develop innovative 
financial products to meet the long-term needs of their borrowers, thus 
increasing the level of direct investment from the Bond Proceeds and 
leveraging additional investment from the private sector. The program 
may also result in standardized credit rating information on the Low-
Income communities served by Certified CDFIs. This would result in 
further reductions of informational asymmetry to the benefit of both 
individual borrowers and the CDFIs which serve them.
    Countervailing non-monetized costs include the increased reporting 
and monitoring requirements for participants in the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program and administrative burden posed by data collection and 
verification. Depending upon the structure and composition of Eligible 
CDFIs that may pool together for a minimum $100 million Bond Issue, 
non-monetized costs may vary greatly based on necessary legal counsel, 
labor hours of staff, travel requirements, and other overhead costs. 
CDFIs that are awardees of current CDFI Fund programs are already 
required to provide detailed reporting on an annualized basis. In 
compliance with OMB Circular A-129, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
will collect all necessary information to manage the portfolio 
effectively, and track progress towards policy goals. Therefore, the 
non-quantified costs for participants in the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program would be the incremental burden of providing necessary 
reporting for the CDFI Fund to proactively manage portfolio risks and 
performance.
10. Uncertainty in Economic Impacts
    The impact estimates are very dependent on a nested set of 
assumptions that presuppose knowledge of which Certified CDFIs will 
participate in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, their target markets, 
and the characteristics of the typical Certified CDFI lending 
portfolio. While the CDFI Fund could estimate average community and 
economic impacts based on reporting awardees, the reliability of such 
estimates would be misleading; econometric estimates based on awardee 
reporting would be inefficient and biased since such estimates would 
not necessarily reflect the subgroup of Certified CDFIs that would be 
deemed eligible given the asset and underwriting requirements of the 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
    A firm estimate of the impacts of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
is not feasible without understanding the costs of the assistance to 
participating CDFIs, which includes the interest rate on the Bond Loans 
and the costs of other terms and Credit Enhancements necessary to 
result in an estimated zero subsidy cost for the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program. The CDFI Fund intends to estimate the subsidy cost separately 
for each Guarantee, to account more accurately for the differing 
characteristics of each facility. Accordingly, the cost of capital to 
participating CDFIs will depend on these characteristics, as will the 
number of CDFIs that will participate (the take rate by type of 
institution) in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Certified CDFI 
participation will also be affected by the cost of alternative 
financing that may be available.
    The Carsey Institute \16\ report indicates that CDFIs typically can 
borrow, on a secured basis, on the open market at rates that are 
approximately 75-100 basis points above the LIBOR. As of May 22, 2012, 
the one-year LIBOR Rate was 1.05 percent,\17\ or 85 basis points above 
the 0.20 percent 1-year Treasury Yield Curve Rate.\18\ Although it may 
not be appropriate to extrapolate due to other factors which affect 
yield spreads as duration increases, Certified CDFIs may face borrowing 
costs that are 160-185 basis points above comparable Treasury 
securities. It is likely that the yield spread charged on 30-year 
maturities, which are not available to Certified CDFIs, would be 
significantly higher due to the additional interest-rate risk inherent 
to long-term debt issuances. Moreover, it is not possible to anticipate 
the amount of relending that CDFIs would engage in over the course of 
30 years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ Capital Markets, CDFIs, and Organization Credit Risk, p. 
47.
    \17\ http://www.bankrate.com/rates/interest-rates/1-year-libor.aspx.
    \18\ http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Uncertainty in cost estimates results from the variety and 
complexity of financial structures that may be presented to the CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program during the application process. Complex legal 
structures, Credit Enhancements, and tailored provisions in each 
Agreement to Guarantee may result in vastly different administrative 
burdens for the Eligible CDFI, as well as

[[Page 8310]]

the CDFI Fund. Depending upon the structure and composition of Eligible 
CDFIs that may pool together for a minimum $100 million Bond Issue, 
non-monetized costs may vary greatly based on necessary legal counsel, 
labor hours of staff, travel requirements, and other overhead costs. 
Further, the increased burden of compliance costs by participating 
Eligible CDFIs will depend on the degree of sophistication and ability 
of each organization's management, staff, and information systems to 
process and submit data required throughout the life of the program.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required under the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C 553) or any other law, the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act does not apply.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The collection of information contained in the interim rule will be 
separately submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) for approval 
and issuance of an OMB Control Number. Under the PRA, an agency may not 
conduct or sponsor, and an individual is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control 
number. The CDFI Fund will publish a PRA Notice in the Federal Register 
to solicit comments on the information collections. In the PRA Notice 
published in the Federal Register, the CDFI Fund will specifically 
invite comments on: (a) Whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the CDFI Fund, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the CDFI Fund's estimate of the burden of the collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of 
operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide 
information.
    The CDFI Fund will solicit public comment on each of these issues 
for the following sections of this document that contain information 
collection (ICs):
    1. ICs Regarding the Application Process (12 CFR 1808.401). This 
section provides the requirements for the Qualified Issuer Application 
and Guarantee Application. For the Qualified Issuer Application, the 
estimated burden for Qualified Issuer applicants is 240 hours. The 
estimated number of Qualified Issuer respondents is 10 per year. The 
estimated total annual burden regarding the Qualified Issuer 
Application process is 2,400 hours. For the Guarantee Application, the 
estimated burden for Qualified Issuer applicants is 240 hours. The 
estimated burden for Eligible CDFI applicants is 50 hours. The 
estimated number of Qualified Issuer respondents is 10 per year. The 
estimated number of Eligible CDFI respondents is 100 per year. The 
estimated total annual burden regarding the Guarantee Application 
process is 7,400 hours. These estimates may be revised in the final PRA 
Notices published in the Federal Register.
    2. ICs Regarding Reporting Requirements (12 CFR 1808.619). This 
section provides the reporting requirements for the Qualified Issuer 
and Eligible CDFI participants. The estimated burden for a Qualified 
Issuer participant is 80 hours, consisting of monthly, quarterly, and 
annual reporting. The estimated burden for Eligible CDFI participants 
is 86 hours, consisting of monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting. 
The estimated number of Qualified Issuer participants is 5 per year. 
The estimated number of Eligible CDFI participants is 50 per year. The 
estimated total annual burden regarding the reporting requirements is 
4,700 hours. These estimates may be revised in the final PRA Notices 
published in the Federal Register.
    Comments concerning suggestions for reducing the burden of 
collections of information should be directed by mail to the Deputy 
Director, CDFI Fund, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20220, and to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for Department of the Treasury, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503.

D. National Environmental Policy Act

    The interim rule has been reviewed in accordance with 12 CFR part 
1815, the CDFI Fund's environmental quality regulations published 
pursuant to the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 (NEPA), 
which require that the CDFI Fund adequately consider the cumulative 
impact proposed activities have upon the human environment. It is the 
determination of the CDFI Fund that the interim rule does not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment and, in accordance with NEPA and the CDFI 
Fund's environmental quality regulations at 12 CFR part 1815, neither 
an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is 
required.

E. Administrative Procedure Act

    Pursuant to authority at 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2), the interim rule 
related to loans is exempt from the rulemaking requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq., including the 
requirement to provide prior notice and an opportunity for public 
comment.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 1808

    Community development, Guaranteed bonds, Guaranteed loans, Loan 
programs--housing and community development, Reporting and record 
keeping requirements.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 12 CFR chapter XVIII is 
amended by adding part 1808 to read as follows:

PART 1808--COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS BOND 
GUARANTEE PROGRAM

Subpart A--General Provisions
Sec.
1808.100 Purpose.
1808.101 Summary.
1808.102 Definitions.
1808.103 Participant not instrumentality.
1808.104 Deviations.
1808.105 Relationship to other CDFI Fund programs.
1808.106 OMB control number.
Subpart B--Eligibility
1808.200 Qualified Issuers.
1808.201 Designated Bonding Authority.
1808.202 Eligible CDFIs.
Subpart C--Interest Rates; Terms and Conditions of Bonds, Bond Loans, 
and Secondary Loans
1808.300 Interest rates.
1808.301 Eligible uses of Bond Proceeds.
1808.302 Bond terms and conditions.
1808.303 Risk-Share Pool.
1808.304 Eligible uses of Bond Loan proceeds.
1808.305 Bond Loan terms and conditions.
1808.306 Conditions precedent to Bond and Bond Loan.
1808.307 Secondary Loan Eligible Purposes; Terms and conditions.
1808.308 Relending Fund; Relending Account.
1808.309 Restrictions on uses of Bond Proceeds and Bond Loan 
proceeds.
Subpart D--Applications for Guarantee and Qualified Issuer
1808.400 Notice of Guarantee Availability.
1808.401 Application requirements.

[[Page 8311]]

Subpart E--Evaluation and Selection
1808.500 Evaluation of Qualified Issuer Applications.
1808.501 Evaluation of Guarantee Applications.
1808.502 Evaluation of Designated Bonding Authority Applications.
1808.503 Consultation with Appropriate Regulatory Agencies.
1808.504 Selection of Qualified Issuers; Approval for Guarantee.
Subpart F--Terms and Conditions of Guarantee
1808.600 Full faith and credit and incontestability of Guarantee.
1808.601 Assignment and transfer of Guarantee.
1808.602 Offer of Guarantee.
1808.603 Issuance of Guarantee.
1808.604 Agreement to Guarantee.
1808.605 Agency Administrative Fee.
1808.606 Program Administrator; Servicer; Master Servicer/Trustee.
1808.607 Representations and warranties of Qualified Issuer with 
respect to Guarantee.
1808.608 Representations and warranties of Eligible CDFI with 
respect to each Bond Loan.
1808.609 Representations and warranties of Secondary Borrower.
1808.610 Covenants of Qualified Issuer with respect to Guarantee.
1808.611 Covenants of Eligible CDFI with respect to Bond and each 
Bond Loan.
1808.612 Specific financial covenants of Eligible CDFI.
1808.613 Negative covenants of Eligible CDFI.
1808.614 Covenants of Secondary Borrower with respect to Secondary 
Loan.
1808.615 Negative covenants of Secondary Borrower.
1808.616 Events of default and remedies with respect to Bonds.
1808.617 Events of default and remedies with respect to Bond Loans.
1808.618 Events of default and remedies with respect to Secondary 
Loans.
1808.619 Reporting requirements.
1808.620 Investments in Guaranteed Bonds ineligible for Community 
Reinvestment Act Purposes.
1808.621 Conflict of interest requirements.
1808.622 Compliance with government requirements.
1808.623 Lobbying restrictions.
1808.624 Criminal provisions.
1808.625 CDFI Fund deemed not to control.
1808.626 Limitation on liability.
1808.627 Fraud, waste and abuse.

    Authority: The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-240, 
Sec. Sec.  1134 and 1703; 12 U.S.C. 4713a.

Subpart A--General Provisions

Sec.  1808.100  Purpose.

    The purpose of the Community Development Financial Institutions 
(CDFI) Bond Guarantee Program is to support CDFI lending by providing 
Guarantees for Bonds issued as part of a Bond Issue for Eligible 
Community or Economic Development Purposes, as authorized by sections 
1134 and 1703 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-240; 
12 U.S.C. 4713a).

Sec.  1808.101  Summary.

    This section provides a summary overview of certain key provisions 
of the interim rule, the detailed requirements of which are set forth 
in subsequent subparts.
    (a) Guarantee. Through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, the 
Guarantor will provide a Guarantee for Bonds issued by Qualified 
Issuers as part of a Bond Issue.
    (b) Bonds. Pursuant to the Act at 12 U.S.C. 4713a(e), a Bond Issue 
shall comprise Bonds having a minimum aggregate principal amount of 
$100,000,000 and a maximum aggregate principal amount of 
$1,000,000,000. The principal amount of each Bond (or series of Bonds) 
shall not be less than $10,000,000. A Bond Rate for each advance of 
funds under a Bond will be established by the Bond Purchaser as of the 
date of the respective advance, as provided in the Bond.
    (c) Bond Loans to Eligible CDFIs. The Qualified Issuer will use 
Bond Proceeds to make Bond Loans to Eligible CDFIs for Eligible 
Purposes, as those terms are defined in section 1808.102. The CDFI Fund 
will evaluate each Eligible CDFI using standard Bond Loan Requirements 
to assess their creditworthiness and capacity to receive a Bond Loan. 
Each Eligible CDFI may borrow a Bond Loan in an amount that is at least 
$10,000,000. The Bond Loan Rate shall be the same as the Bond Rate on 
the particular advance of funds under the Bond that funds the Bond 
Loan. The aggregate of the principal amounts of the Bond Loans must not 
exceed the maximum principal amount of the corresponding Bond Issue. 
The Qualified Issuer must execute Bond Loan documents for 100 percent 
of the principal amount of each Bond on the Bond Issue Date. Bond Loan 
proceeds may not be drawn down from the Qualified Issuer until the 
Eligible CDFI has an immediate use for the Bond Loan proceeds. Five 
percent, or such other amount that is determined by the CDFI Fund in 
its sole discretion, of Bond Loan proceeds may be used by an Eligible 
CDFI to capitalize Loan Loss Reserves.
    (d) Secondary Loans to Secondary Borrowers. If the Eligible CDFI 
uses Bond Loan proceeds to make Secondary Loans, the Eligible CDFI must 
execute Secondary Loan documents (in the form of promissory notes) with 
Secondary Borrowers as follows:
    (1) Not later than 12 months after the Bond Issue Date, Secondary 
Loan documents representing at least 50 percent of such Eligible CDFI's 
Bond Loan proceeds allocated for Secondary Loans; and
    (2) Not later than 24 months after the Bond Issue Date, Secondary 
Loan documents representing 100 percent of such Eligible CDFI's Bond 
Loan proceeds allocated for Secondary Loans (excluding any amounts used 
for payment of Bond Issuance Fees pursuant to section 1808.304(b)).
    (e) Terms and conditions. Bonds, Bond Loans and Secondary Loans 
shall have terms and conditions as set forth in Subpart F of this 
interim rule including at a minimum, that:
    (1) Each Bond shall be a nonrecourse obligation of the Qualified 
Issuer, payable solely from amounts available pursuant to the Bond 
Documents. Each promissory note evidencing a Bond Loan shall be a 
general recourse obligation of the Eligible CDFI and secured by a first 
lien on collateral. Each Secondary Loan shall be secured by a first 
lien on collateral and payable solely from amounts available pursuant 
to the Secondary Loan documents;
    (2) The maturity date of a Bond shall not be later than 30 years 
after the Bond Issue Date. The maturity date of Bond Loans and 
Secondary Loans may be earlier than, but may not be later than, the 
maturity date of the corresponding Bond;
    (3) The Bonds shall be purchased by the Bond Purchaser on terms and 
conditions that are satisfactory to the Bond Purchaser, the Guarantor, 
and the CDFI Fund (under specific requirements set forth in Sec.  
1808.302 and the Bond Documents); and
    (4) The Guarantor shall guarantee payments on Bonds issued as part 
of a Bond Issue in such forms and on such terms and conditions and 
subject to such covenants, representations, warranties and requirements 
(including requirements for audits) as set forth in this interim rule 
in Subpart F. These requirements may be expanded upon through the 
program's Notice of Guarantee Availability, the Bond Documents, and the 
Bond Loan documents. The Qualified Issuer shall enter into the 
applicable Bond Documents to evidence its acceptance of the terms and 
conditions of the Guarantee.

Sec.  1808.102  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, capitalized terms used herein and not 
defined elsewhere are defined as follows:

[[Page 8312]]

    (a) Act means the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-240, 
sections 1134 and 1703, 12 U.S.C. 4713a;
    (b) Affiliate means any entity that Controls, is Controlled by, or 
is under common Control with, another entity. Control is defined as:
    (1) Ownership, control or power to vote 25 percent or more of the 
outstanding shares of any class of Voting Securities (as that term is 
defined in 12 CFR 1805.104(mm)) of any legal entity, directly or 
indirectly or acting through one or more other persons; or
    (2) Control in any manner over the election of a majority of the 
directors, trustees, or general partners (or individuals exercising 
similar functions) of any legal entity; or
    (3) The power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling 
influence, as determined by the CDFI Fund, over the management, credit 
decisions, investment decisions, or policies of any legal entity;
    (c) Agency Administrative Fee means a fee in an amount equal to 10 
basis points (0.1 percent) of the amount of the unpaid principal of the 
Bond Issue, payable annually to the CDFI Fund by a Qualified Issuer;
    (d) Agreement to Guarantee means the written agreement between the 
Guarantor and the Qualified Issuer which sets forth the terms and 
conditions on which the Guarantor will provide the Guarantee;
    (e) Appropriate Federal Banking Agency has the same meaning as in 
section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1813(q), and 
includes, with respect to an Insured Credit Union (as such term is 
defined in 12 CFR 1805.104(bb)), the National Credit Union 
Administration;
    (f) Appropriate State Agency means an agency or instrumentality of 
a State that regulates and/or insures the member accounts of a State-
Insured Credit Union (as such term is defined in 12 CFR 1805.104(e));
    (g) Bond means a security in the form of a draw-down bond or note 
issued by the Qualified Issuer, with each advance of funds thereunder 
bearing interest at an applicable Bond Rate established by the Bond 
Purchaser in accordance with section 1808.300 of this part, and sold to 
the Bond Purchaser, the proceeds of which will be used for Eligible 
Purposes, and which benefit from a Guarantee;
    (h) Bond Documents mean, for each Bond, the respective Bond, Bond 
Trust Indenture, Agreement to Guarantee, Bond purchase agreement, and 
all other instruments and documentation pertaining to the issuance of 
the Bond;
    (i) Bond Issuance Fees mean amounts paid by an Eligible CDFI for 
reasonable and appropriate expenses, administrative costs, and fees for 
services incurred in connection with the issuance of the Bond (but not 
including the Agency Administrative Fee) and the making of the Bond 
Loan;
    (j) Bond Issue means at least $100,000,000, and no more than 
$1,000,000,000, in aggregate principal amount of Bonds secured by a 
single Guarantee; each Bond (or series of Bonds) in the Bond Issue 
being in the minimum principal amount of at least $10,000,000;
    (k) Bond Issue Date means the date on which the Bond is deemed to 
be issued or originated;
    (l) Bond Loan means a loan of Bond Proceeds by a Qualified Issuer 
to an Eligible CDFI. A Bond Loan must be in an initial principal amount 
that is not less than $10,000,000, and Bond Loan proceeds must be used 
for Eligible Purposes;
    (m) Bond Loan Payment Default Rate means, in the event of a Bond 
Loan payment default, the applicable interest rate on any overdue 
amount from its due date to the date of actual payment and shall be 
calculated in the same manner as a late charge rate is calculated in 
the underlying Bond;
    (n) Bond Loan Rate means the rate of interest for each advance of 
funds under a Bond Loan, which shall be the same as the Bond Rate;
    (o) Bond Loan Requirements means the credit criteria, established 
by the CDFI Fund, for assessing the creditworthiness and capacity of 
each Eligible CDFI applicant to receive a Bond Loan;
    (p) Bond Proceeds means the funds that are advanced by the Bond 
Purchaser to the Qualified Issuer under a Bond;
    (q) Bond Purchaser (or Bondholder) means the Federal Financing 
Bank, the body corporate and instrumentality of the Federal Government 
created by the Federal Financing Bank Act of 1973 (12 U.S.C. 2281 et 
seq.);
    (r) Bond Rate means the rate of interest for each advance of funds 
under a Bond;
    (s) Bond Trust Indenture means the agreement between the Qualified 
Issuer and the Master Servicer/Trustee that sets forth the rights, 
duties, responsibilities and remedies of the Qualified Issuer and 
Master Servicer/Trustee with respect to the Bonds, to include 
responsibilities regarding the management of the collateral, the 
management of the funds and accounts, the repayment and redemption of 
the Bonds, and the circumstances and processes surrounding any default;
    (t) Capital Distribution Plan means the component of the Guarantee 
Application that demonstrates the Qualified Issuer's comprehensive plan 
for lending, disbursing, servicing, and monitoring each Bond Loan and 
that meets the requirements of Sec.  1808.401 of this interim rule and 
such other requirements as may be designated in the applicable Notice 
of Guarantee Availability. The Capital Distribution Plan includes, 
among other components (specified in Sec.  1808.401 of this interim 
rule), a Statement of Proposed Sources and Uses of Funds, and shall 
include one or more Secondary Capital Distribution Plans;
    (u) CDFI Bond Guarantee Program (or Program) means the program of 
providing Guarantees for Bonds issued as part of a Bond Issue by 
Qualified Issuers to make Bond Loans to Eligible CDFIs for Eligible 
Purposes, as authorized by subsections 1134 and 1703 of the Act (12 
U.S.C. 4713a), and implemented under this part;
    (v) Certified Community Development Financial Institution (or 
Certified CDFI) means a financing entity that has a primary mission of 
promoting community development and that has been certified by the CDFI 
Fund as meeting the eligibility requirements set forth in 12 CFR 
1805.201;
    (w) Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (or CDFI 
Fund) means the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, a 
wholly owned government corporation within the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury, established under the Riegle Community Development Banking 
and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.), as 
amended;
    (x) Credit Enhancement means such instrument or document proffered 
by an Eligible CDFI to enhance the credit quality of a Bond and/or Bond 
Loan. Credit Enhancements may include, but are not limited to, pledges 
of financial resources and lines and letters of credit issued by: an 
Eligible CDFI; an Affiliate; a regulated financial institution; a 
foundation; or another entity. The Risk-Share Pool is not a form of 
Credit Enhancement;
    (y) Department Opinion means an internal opinion by the CDFI Fund 
regarding compliance by the Qualified Issuer with the requirements for 
approval of a Guarantee;
    (z) Designated Bonding Authority (or DBA) means a Qualified Issuer 
selected by the CDFI Fund to issue Bonds on behalf of certain Eligible 
CDFIs and

[[Page 8313]]

make Bond Loans to such Eligible CDFIs, pursuant to this interim rule;
    (aa) Eligible Community Development Financial Institution (or 
Eligible CDFI) means a Certified CDFI that has submitted an application 
to a Qualified Issuer for a Bond Loan, has been deemed creditworthy 
based on the Bond Loan Requirements, and has received a Bond Loan;
    (bb) Eligible Community or Economic Development Purpose (or 
Eligible Purpose) means the allowable uses of Bond Proceeds and Bond 
Loan proceeds, which includes financing or Refinancing for community or 
economic development purposes described in 12 U.S.C. 4707(b), including 
but not limited to community or economic development purposes in Low-
Income Areas or Underserved Rural Areas, as deemed eligible by the CDFI 
Fund in its sole discretion; Bond Issuance Fees in an amount not to 
exceed one percent of Bond Loan proceeds; and capitalization of Loan 
Loss Reserves in an amount that is up to five percent of the par amount 
of the Bond Loan, or such other amount that is determined by the CDFI 
Fund in its sole discretion;
    (cc) Guarantee means the guarantee by the Guarantor, pursuant to an 
Agreement to Guarantee, of the repayment of 100 percent of the 
Verifiable Losses of Principal, Interest, and Call Premium, if any, on 
the corresponding Bonds issued as part of a Bond Issue; each Guarantee 
shall be for a Bond Issue of at least $100,000,000, plus the related 
interest and call premiums;
    (dd) Guarantee Application means the application document that a 
Qualified Issuer submits in order to apply for a Guarantee;
    (ee) Guarantor means the Secretary of the Treasury or the 
Secretary's designee;
    (ff) Investment Area means a geographic area meeting the 
requirements of 12 CFR 1805.201(b)(3)(ii);
    (gg) Loan Loss Reserves means the use of Bond Loan proceeds 
(secured by a Principal Loss Collateral Provision) for a set aside in 
the form of cash reserves that serve as a safeguard to protect the 
Eligible CDFI against future losses for any loans for community or 
economic development purposes described in 12 U.S.C. 4707 (b), 
including community or economic development purposes in Low-Income 
Areas or Underserved Rural Areas, within the Eligible CDFI's portfolio;
    (hh) Low-Income means an income, adjusted for family size, of not 
more than: (1) for Metropolitan Areas, 80 percent of the area median 
family income; and (2) for non-Metropolitan Areas, the greater of: (1) 
80 percent of the area median family income; or (2) 80 percent of the 
Statewide non-Metropolitan Area median family income;
    (ii) Low-Income Area means a census tract or block numbering area 
in which the median income does not exceed 80 percent of the median 
income for the area in which such census tract or block numbering area 
is located. With respect to a census tract or block numbering area 
located within a Metropolitan Area, the median family income shall be 
at or below 80 percent of the Metropolitan Area median family income or 
the national Metropolitan Area median family income, whichever is 
greater. In the case of a census tract or block numbering area located 
outside of a Metropolitan Area, the median family income shall be at or 
below 80 percent of the statewide non-Metropolitan Area median family 
income or the national non-Metropolitan Area median family income, 
whichever is greater;
    (jj) Master Servicer/Trustee means a third party trust company or 
financial institution that is in the business of administering 
facilities similar to the Bonds and Bond Loans, has been deemed 
acceptable by the CDFI Fund, and whose duties include, among others, 
exercising fiduciary powers to enforce the terms of Bonds and Bond 
Loans pursuant to the Bond Trust Indenture entered into by and between 
the Master Servicer/Trustee and the Qualified Issuer, overseeing the 
activities of Servicers, and facilitating Bond principal and interest 
payments to the Bond Purchaser;
    (kk) Metropolitan Area means an area that contains an urban core 
based statistical area of 50,000 or more population and is designated 
as such by the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 
3504(e), 31 U.S.C. 1104(d) and Executive Order 10253 (3 CFR, 1949-1953 
Comp., p. 758), as amended;
    (ll) Notice of Guarantee Availability (or NOGA) means the notice, 
published by the CDFI Fund, that announces to all interested parties 
the opportunity to submit Qualified Issuer Applications and Guarantee 
Applications pursuant sections 1808.400 and 1808.401 of this interim 
rule;
    (mm) Principal Loss Collateral Provision means a cash or cash 
equivalent guarantee or facility provided in lieu of pledged collateral 
set forth in the Bond Documents and Bond Loan documents;
    (nn) Program Administrator means the Qualified Issuer, or an entity 
designated by the Qualified Issuer and approved by the CDFI Fund, that 
performs certain administrative duties related to application 
preparation, compliance monitoring, and reporting, as well as other 
duties set forth under section 1808.606 of this interim rule;
    (oo) Qualified Issuer means a Certified CDFI, or any entity 
designated by a Certified CDFI to issue Bonds on its behalf, that meets 
the qualification requirements set forth in section 1808.200 of this 
interim rule, and that has been approved as such by the CDFI Fund 
pursuant to review and evaluation of the Qualified Issuer Application;
    (pp) Qualified Issuer Application means the application document 
that a Certified CDFI (or any entity designated by a Certified CDFI to 
issue Bonds on its behalf) submits to the CDFI Fund in order to be 
approved as a Qualified Issuer prior to, or simultaneously with, a 
Guarantee Application;
    (qq) Qualified Secondary Loan Receivable means payment receivables 
from the Secondary Loan(s) relating to the corresponding Bond Loan;
    (rr) Refinance (or Refinancing) means the use of Bond Proceeds to 
refinance an Eligible CDFI's or Secondary Borrower's existing loan, 
which must have been used for an Eligible Purpose;
    (ss) Relending Fund means the fund maintained by the Master 
Servicer/Trustee to allow an Eligible CDFI to relend Secondary Loan 
repayments for Eligible Purposes, not to exceed 10 percent of the 
principal amount outstanding of the Bonds, minus the Risk Share Pool; 
the Relending Fund will include a Relending Account for each Bond 
Issue; and each Relending Account will include a Relending Subaccount 
for each Bond Loan;
    (tt) Risk-Share Pool means an account maintained by the Master 
Servicer/Trustee throughout the term of a Guarantee to cover losses 
before the Guarantee is exercised; the Risk-Share Pool is capitalized 
by pro rata payments equal to three percent of the amount disbursed on 
the Bonds from all Eligible CDFIs within a Bond Issue; payments must be 
funded at each disbursement under the Bond and associated Bond Loan; 
amounts in the Risk-Share Pool will not be returned to the Eligible 
CDFIs until maturity of all of the Bonds, and termination of all Bond 
Loans, within a Bond Issue;
    (uu) Secondary Borrower means an entity that has made application 
to the Eligible CDFI for a Secondary Loan, been deemed creditworthy by 
the Eligible CDFI, meets the criteria set forth in the applicable 
Secondary Loan Requirements to receive a Secondary Loan, and has 
received a Secondary Loan;

[[Page 8314]]

    (vv) Secondary Capital Distribution Plan means the component of the 
Capital Distribution Plan that pertains to the making of Secondary 
Loans, demonstrates the Eligible CDFI's comprehensive plan for lending, 
disbursing, servicing and monitoring Secondary Loans, includes a 
description of how the proposed Secondary Loan will meet Eligible 
Purposes and meets such other the requirements as may be designated in 
the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability;
    (ww) Secondary Loan means the use of Bond Loan proceeds by an 
Eligible CDFI to finance or Refinance a loan to a Secondary Borrower 
for Eligible Purposes, which meets the applicable Secondary Loan 
Requirements;
    (xx) Secondary Loan Requirements mean the minimum required criteria 
used by each Eligible CDFI (in addition to the Eligible CDFI's 
underwriting criteria) to evaluate a request by a Secondary Borrower 
applicant for a Secondary Loan. The Secondary Loan Requirements will be 
established by the CDFI Fund and incorporated into the Bond Loan 
documents;
    (yy) Servicer means the Qualified Issuer, or an entity designated 
by the Qualified Issuer and approved by the CDFI Fund, to perform 
various Bond Loan servicing duties, as set forth in this part;
    (zz) Special Servicer means the Master Servicer/Trustee, or an 
entity designated by the Master Servicer/Trustee and approved by the 
CDFI Fund, that performs certain administrative duties related to the 
restructuring of Bond Loans that are in or about to enter into an event 
of default as well as other duties set forth under section 1808.606(d) 
of this interim rule;
    (aaa) State means any of the States of the United States, the 
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Island, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American 
Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any other 
territory of the United States;
    (bbb) Statement of Proposed Sources and Uses of Funds means the 
component of the Guarantee Application that describes the proposed uses 
of Bond Proceeds and the proposed sources of funds to repay principal 
and interest on the Bonds and the Bond Loans;
    (ccc) Targeted Population means individuals or an identifiable 
group of individuals who are Low-Income persons or lack adequate access 
to Financial Products or Financial Services and meet the requirements 
of 12 CFR 1805.201(b)(3)(iii);
    (ddd) Trust Estate means the Bond Loan agreement and promissory 
notes evidencing the Bond Loan, all funds and accounts related to the 
Bonds and held by the Master Servicer/Trustee pursuant to the Bond 
Trust Indenture including, but not limited to, the Revenue Accounts and 
the Relending Accounts (as such terms are defined in subsection 
1808.606(f)), and any additional collateral pledged directly by the 
Eligible CDFI;
    (eee) Underserved Rural Area means an area that has significant 
unmet needs for loans, Equity Investments, or Financial Services (as 
those terms are defined in 12 CFR 1805.104) and is not contained within 
either a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSA) or Primary 
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSA), as such areas are defined in OMB 
Bulletin No. 99-04 (Revised Statistical Definitions of Metropolitan 
Areas (MAs) and Guidance on Uses of MA Definitions); and
    (fff) Verifiable Losses of Principal, Interest, and Call Premium 
means any portion of required debt payments related to or arising out 
of a Bond and Bond Loan, or the enforcement of either of them, that the 
Qualified Issuer is unable satisfy.

Sec.  1808.103  Participant not instrumentality.

    No participant in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program shall be deemed 
to be an agency, department, or instrumentality of the United States.

Sec.  1808.104  Deviations.

    To the extent that such requirements are not specified by statute, 
the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Office of 
Management and Budget, may authorize deviations on an individual or 
general basis from the requirements of this interim rule upon a finding 
that such deviation is essential to program objectives, and the special 
circumstances stated in the proposal make such deviation clearly in the 
best interest of the Federal Government. All proposals must be in 
writing and supported by a statement of the facts and the grounds 
forming the basis of the deviation. For deviations of general 
applicability, after a determination is made by the Secretary of the 
Treasury based on the deviation proposal, the CDFI Fund must publish 
notification of granted deviations in the Federal Register. Any 
deviation that was not captured in the original credit subsidy cost 
estimate will require either additional fees, or discretionary 
appropriations to cover the cost.

Sec.  1808.105  Relationship to other CDFI Fund programs.

    Award funds received under any other CDFI Fund program cannot be 
used by any participant, including Qualified Issuers, Eligible CDFIs 
and Secondary Borrowers, to pay principal, interest, fees, 
administrative costs, or issuance costs (including Bond Issuance Fees) 
related to the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, or to fund the Risk-Share 
Pool.

Sec.  1808.106  OMB control number.

    The collection of information requirements in this part are subject 
to the review of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Subpart B--Eligibility

Sec.  1808.200  Qualified Issuers.

    (a) Requirements and qualifications. An applicant shall be deemed a 
Qualified Issuer if it is determined, in writing by the CDFI Fund, to 
meet the following criteria:
    (1) The applicant must be a Certified CDFI, or an entity designated 
by a Certified CDFI to issue Bonds on its behalf;
    (2) The applicant must have appropriate expertise, capacity, and 
experience, or otherwise be qualified to issue Bonds for Eligible 
Purposes;
    (3) The applicant must have appropriate expertise, capacity, and 
experience, or otherwise be qualified to make Bond Loans for Eligible 
Purposes;
    (4) The applicant must have appropriate expertise, capacity, and 
experience to serve or have identified qualified entities that will 
serve as its Program Administrator and Servicer; and
    (5) The applicant must meet such other criteria as may be required 
by the CDFI Fund pursuant to this interim rule and the applicable 
Notice of Guarantee Availability.
    (b) Approval. The designation of an applicant as a Qualified Issuer 
does not ensure that the Guarantor will approve a Guarantee Application 
or issue a Guarantee. In order for the Guarantor to approve a Qualified 
Issuer's Guarantee Application, the Qualified Issuer must meet all 
applicable Guarantee Application requirements including, but not 
limited to, creditworthiness and other requirements.
    (c) Qualified Issuer responsibilities. The responsibilities of a 
Qualified Issuer shall include, but are not limited to:
    (1) Preparing and submitting the Guarantee Application on behalf of 
Eligible CDFI applicants that designated it to serve as Qualified 
Issuer, including providing any additional information needed for 
review by the CDFI Fund;

[[Page 8315]]

    (2) During the CDFI Fund's review and evaluation of the Guarantee 
Application, serving as primary point of contact between the CDFI Fund 
and the Eligible CDFI applicants that designated the Qualified Issuer 
to serve on their behalf;
    (3) Issuing the Bond for purchase by the Bond Purchaser;
    (4) Making Bond Loans to Eligible CDFIs, ensuring that 100 percent 
of Bond Proceeds are used to make Bond Loans;
    (5) Charging interest on the Bond Loans as set forth in this 
interim rule and Bond Loan documents, and providing for such a schedule 
of repayment of Bond Loans as will, upon the timely repayment of the 
Bond Loans, provide adequate and timely funds for the payment of 
principal and interest on the Bonds;
    (6) During the duration of the Bonds and the Bond Loans, serving as 
primary point of contact between the CDFI Fund and Eligible CDFIs;
    (7) Overseeing the work of, or serving in the capacity of, the 
Program Administrator and Servicer;
    (8) Enforcing the terms and requirements of the Bond Trust 
Indenture including, but not limited to: ensuring the repayment of Bond 
Loans in a timely manner pursuant to the terms of Bond Loan documents; 
assigning delinquent Bond Loans to the Guarantor upon demand by the 
CDFI Fund or the Guarantor; and ensuring that the Master Servicer/
Trustee establishes and maintains the Risk-Share Pool throughout the 
term of the Guarantee;
    (9) Reviewing collateral and Credit Enhancement requirements for 
each Bond Loan and providing information on such collateral and Credit 
Enhancement, as requested, to the CDFI Fund;
    (10) Making payment of the Agency Administrative Fee to the CDFI 
Fund;
    (11) Submitting all required reports and additional documentation 
(including reconciling financial data and Capital Distribution Plan 
updates, as necessary); and
    (12) Such other duties and responsibilities as the CDFI Fund, the 
Guarantor, or the Bondholder may require.
    (d) Bond Issuance Fees. The Qualified Issuer may charge Bond 
Issuance Fees and all fees reasonable and necessary for administering 
and servicing the Bonds or the Bond Loans, post issuance, to Eligible 
CDFIs.
    (e) Restriction. A Qualified Issuer may not receive a Bond Loan 
under any Bond Issuance for which it serves as a Qualified Issuer.

Sec.  1808.201  Designated Bonding Authority.

    (a) General. In its sole discretion, the CDFI Fund may solicit 
Qualified Issuer Applications from entities proposing to serve as the 
Designated Bonding Authority (DBA). The CDFI Bond Guarantee Program 
shall only have one DBA at any given time. In order to be selected to 
serve as the DBA, the entity must meet all qualifications of a 
Qualified Issuer set forth in section 1808.200 of this interim rule; 
additional qualifications may be set forth in the applicable NOGA as 
determined by the CDFI Fund.
    (b) Selection. The DBA will serve as a CDFI Fund-selected Qualified 
Issuer and designated Qualified Issuer for Eligible CDFIs that do not 
elect to designate another Qualified Issuer. The DBA will prepare and 
submit a Guarantee Application on behalf of such Eligible CDFI 
applicants, in accordance with such criteria set forth in this interim 
rule, the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability and the Qualified 
Issuer Application.

Sec.  1808.202  Eligible CDFIs.

    Each Eligible CDFI applicant seeking a Bond Loan must meet the 
following criteria:
    (a) Be certified by the CDFI Fund as meeting the eligibility 
requirements set forth in 12 CFR 1805.201;
    (b) Have the appropriate expertise, capacity, and experience, or 
otherwise be qualified to use the proceeds of Bond Loans for Eligible 
Purposes; and
    (c) Meet such other criteria and requirements set forth in the 
applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability, the Guarantee Application, 
the Bond Loan Requirements, related Bond and Bond Loan documents, and 
such other requirements of the CDFI Fund.

Subpart C--Interest Rates; Terms and Conditions of Bonds, Bond 
Loans, and Secondary Loans

Sec.  1808.300  Interest rates.

    (a) Interest rates. (1) A Bond Rate will be established by the Bond 
Purchaser as of the date of the respective advance of funds, as 
provided in the Bond. The Bond Rate for each advance of funds must be 
fixed and consistent with Federal credit policies outlined in OMB 
Circular A-129. The FFB, as Bond Purchaser, will set rates to the 
borrower pursuant to section 6(b) of the Federal Financing Bank Act (12 
U.S.C. 2285(b)) and the FFB Lending Policy. This rate will be indexed 
to the appropriate Treasury rate based on the Treasury yield curve and 
include a spread to be determined by the Bond Purchaser; variable Bond 
Rates are not permitted.
    (2) Interest on each advance of funds under a Bond shall be 
computed as provided in the Bond.
    (3) A principal and interest payment schedule will be determined 
and provided to the Qualified Issuer for each advance of funds under a 
Bond, based on the Bond Rate established for the respective advance. 
The final principal and interest payment schedule for amounts due under 
a Bond will be the aggregation of the individual principal and interest 
payment schedules for all advances of funds under the Bond.
    (4) The Bond Loan Rate shall be the same as the Bond Rate on the 
particular advance of funds under the Bond that funds the Bond Loan.
    (5) The rate of interest for each Secondary Loan shall be 
established by the Eligible CDFI in accordance with subsection 
1808.307(c), and may be subject to limitations specified in the 
applicable NOGA.
    (b) Bond Loan payment default interest rate. In the event of a 
payment default on a Bond Loan, the Eligible CDFI shall pay interest on 
any overdue amount from its due date to the date of actual payment at 
the Bond Loan Payment Default Rate. The Bond Loan Payment Default Rate 
shall be calculated in the same manner as a late charge is calculated 
under the underlying Bond.

Sec.  1808.301  Eligible uses of Bond Proceeds.

    Bond Proceeds must be used by a Qualified Issuer to finance Bond 
Loans or Refinance loans to Eligible CDFIs for Eligible Purposes as 
defined in section 1808.102 of this interim rule. A Qualified Issuer 
that is also a Certified CDFI may not finance a Bond Loan to itself or 
refinance its own loan. One hundred percent of the principal amount of 
each Bond must be used to make Bond Loans. As a Bond Loan is repaid, 
such repaid Bond Loan proceeds in excess of those required for debt 
service payments on the Bond must be used to repay the Bond or held in 
the Relending Account and used for additional Secondary Loans, to the 
extent authorized under Sec.  1808.308.

Sec.  1808.302  Bond terms and conditions.

    (a) Maturity date. As required by 12 U.S.C. 4713a(e)(1)(D), the 
maturity date of a Bond shall not be later than 30 years after the Bond 
Issue Date. The maturity date for any advance of funds under a Bond 
shall not be later than the maturity date of the Bond.
    (b) Nonrecourse obligation. Each Bond shall be a nonrecourse 
obligation of the Qualified Issuer, payable solely

[[Page 8316]]

from amounts available pursuant to the Bond Documents.
    (c) Terms. The Bonds may contain only terms that are consistent 
with the lending policies and terms of the Bond Purchaser.
    (d) No subordination. The Bonds or Bond Loans may not be 
subordinated to any new or existing liability and effective 
subordination of the Bonds or Bond Loans to tax-exempt obligations will 
render the Guarantee void, in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-129 
(Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables) and 
applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
    (e) Other limitations. The CDFI Fund may impose other limitations 
as appropriate to administer the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program including, 
but not limited to, requiring Qualified Issuers to obtain Credit 
Enhancement to safeguard against the risk of default.
    (f) Terms for Bond issuance and disbursement of Bond Proceeds. (1) 
The Qualified Issuer must execute Bond Loan documents for 100 percent 
of the principal amount of each Bond on the Bond Issue Date. There will 
be an annual assessment to determine whether the Qualified Issuer is 
subject to the repayment provision established in 12 U.S.C. 
4713a(c)(4). Terms and conditions for the annual assessment will be set 
forth in the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability.
    (2) Disbursements of Bond Proceeds to the Qualified Issuer shall be 
made pursuant to an advance request process established by the Bond 
Purchaser and the CDFI Fund under which the Qualified Issuer shall 
request an advance of funds under a Bond.
    (g) Amortization of Bond. The principal amount of each advance of 
funds under a Bond shall amortize in level debt service payments of 
principal and interest, which payments shall be due either quarterly or 
semi-annually, as determined by the Qualified Issuer and the Bond 
Purchaser, and which shall begin on the first principal payment date 
specified in the Bond, as determined by the Qualified Issuer and the 
Bond Purchaser. Prior to the first principal payment date, interest 
accrued shall be due on the payment dates specified in the Bond, as 
determined by the Qualified Issuer and the Bond Purchaser.
    (h) Optional prepayment of Bonds. All or a portion of any advance 
of funds under a Bond, or the Bond in its entirety, may be prepaid by 
the Qualified Issuer at any time. Any partial prepayment of an advance 
shall be in an amount equal to at least $100,000 of principal. Each 
partial prepayment of an advance of funds under a Bond shall be applied 
in the manner set forth in the Bond. Any partial or full prepayment of 
an advance of funds under a Bond shall be subject to the payment of a 
prepayment price, as provided in the Bond Documents.
    (i) Mandatory prepayment of Bonds. (1) Any Bond shall be subject to 
mandatory prepayment if Bond Loans or Secondary Loans are not made in a 
timely manner, as follows:
    (i) On the Calculation Date (as defined in subsection 1808.308(e)) 
of each year, any amount retained in the Relending Subaccount that 
exceeds the Relending Subaccount Maximum (as defined in subsection 
1808.308(d)) by $100,000 or more shall be applied to prepay Bonds on 
the next succeeding payment date.
    (ii) Any amounts derived from the liquidation of collateral from 
the Bond Loan and/or Secondary Loan in connection with the exercise by 
the Guarantor, the Qualified Issuer or the Bondholder of remedies upon 
default of the Bond Loan shall be applied, immediately upon 
liquidation, in the following order (inclusive of reasonable fees and 
expenses associated therewith):
    (A) To the repayment of any amounts drawn under the Guarantee;
    (B) To the prepayment of Bonds, in a like amount;
    (C) To the replenishment of any funds drawn from the Risk-Share 
Pool Fund; and
    (D) To the Eligible CDFI for application in accordance with the 
Secondary Loan documents.
    (2) When an amount is required to be applied as a mandatory 
prepayment of Bonds, the Qualified Issuer may select which advances of 
funds under a Bond are to be prepaid. Any amount applied as a partial 
prepayment of an advance under a Bond shall be applied as provided in 
the Bond. Any partial or full prepayment of an advance of funds under a 
Bond shall be subject to the payment of a prepayment price, as provided 
in the Bond Documents.

Sec.  1808.303  Risk-Share Pool.

    The Master Servicer/Trustee, on behalf of the Qualified Issuer and 
for the benefit of the Bondholder, shall establish a Risk-Share Pool 
that is funded at each disbursement of the Bond Loan proceeds by 
payment from each Eligible CDFI in accordance with 12 U.S.C. 4713a(d). 
The Risk-Share Pool must remain in place throughout the term of the 
Guarantee. Amounts in the Risk Share Pool Fund will not be returned to 
Eligible CDFIs until maturity of all of the Bonds, and termination of 
all of the Bond Loans, within a Bond Issue.
    (a) At each disbursement of the Bond Loan proceeds, each Eligible 
CDFI shall deposit an amount that is equal to three percent of the 
disbursement, for a total of three percent of the guaranteed amount 
outstanding of the Bond, from monies other than Bond Loan proceeds, 
into the applicable subaccount of the Risk-Share Pool Fund. Such monies 
shall remain in said account throughout the term of the Bond.
    (b) Any interest on a Bond Loan in excess of the Bond Loan Rate 
derived by the Qualified Issuer during any period during which the Bond 
Loan Payment Default Rate applies shall also be deposited in the Risk-
Share Pool Fund.
    (c) The Risk-Share Pool Fund shall be applied by the Master 
Servicer/Trustee to payments of debt service on the Bond Issue in the 
event that the Eligible CDFI defaults in the corresponding payment of 
debt service on the Bond Loan. The defaulted Eligible CDFI's deposit 
shall be applied first to any such payment of debt service. After 
depletion of the defaulted Eligible CDFI's deposit, each remaining 
Eligible CDFI's deposit shall be applied prorata to any such payment of 
debt service. Monies on deposit in the Risk-Share Pool Fund shall be 
applied to such payments and shall be depleted in full prior to any 
draw on the Guarantee.
    (d) Eligible CDFIs (excluding the Eligible CDFI in default and 
responsible for a draw) shall not be required to replenish the Risk-
Share Pool Fund in the event of a draw.
    (e) The Risk Share Pool deposit shall be sufficient collateral to 
secure any draw on Bond Loan proceeds related to the costs of issuance 
pursuant to 1808.304(b).
    (f) In the event of a payment default on the Bond Loan by an 
Eligible CDFI, the Qualified Issuer shall notify the CDFI Fund and 
request permission to draw from the Risk-Share Pool to cover any 
default of principal and interest payments due to the Bond Purchaser.
    (g) Amounts in the Risk Share Pool Fund will not be returned to 
Eligible CDFIs until maturity of all of the Bonds, and termination of 
all of the Bond Loans, within a Bond Issue. Upon maturity of all of the 
Bonds, and termination of the Bond Loans, within a Bond Issue, the pro 
rata amount of each Eligible CDFI's payments in the Risk-Share Pool 
shall be returned to each Eligible CDFI; provided however, that such 
Eligible CDFI has properly replenished any draws on the Risk-Share Pool 
attributed to nonpayment of its Bond Loan and the corresponding Bond.

[[Page 8317]]

Sec.  1808.304  Eligible uses of Bond Loan proceeds.

    (a) Eligible uses. Bond Loan proceeds shall be only used for 
Eligible Purposes, to prefund one monthly installment of Bond Loan 
payments, and to pay Bond Issuance Fees. As a Bond Loan is repaid, such 
repaid Bond Loan proceeds must be held in the Relending Account and 
used for additional Secondary Loans, to the extent authorized under 
Sec.  1808.308.
    (b) Bond Issuance Fees. (1) Amounts not to exceed one percent of 
Bond Loan proceeds may be applied to pay Bond Issuance Fees. Bond Loan 
proceeds that are used to pay Bond Issuance Fees shall be applied in 
the following order of priority:
    (i) To pay reasonable transaction fees and expenses of the 
Qualified Issuer, its advisors and consultants, related to the Bond 
issuance (but not including any salaries or administrative costs of the 
Qualified Issuer unrelated to the Bond issuance);
    (ii) To pay reasonable transaction fees and expenses of the Master 
Servicer/Trustee, its advisors and consultants, related to the Bond 
issuance; and
    (iii) To pay reasonable transaction fees and expenses of the 
Eligible CDFI, its advisors and consultants, related to the making of 
the Bond Loan.
    (2) Any fees and expenses arising out of each transaction which, in 
the aggregate, exceed the one percent limit on Bond Issuance Fees 
payable from Bond Loan proceeds must be paid by the Eligible CDFI from 
monies other than Bond Loan proceeds.
    (c) Prefunding of Bond Loan payments. Bond Loan proceeds may be 
used to prefund one monthly installment of Bond Loan payments.

Sec.  1808.305  Bond Loan terms and conditions.

    (a) Maturity date. The maturity date of a Bond Loan shall not be 
later than 30 years after the Bond Issue Date. The maturity date of 
Bond Loans may be earlier than, but may not be later than, the maturity 
date of the corresponding Bond.
    (b) Bond Loan general recourse obligation; Collateral. (1) The Bond 
Loan shall be a general recourse obligation of the Eligible CDFI.
    (2) The Bond Loan shall be further secured by a first lien of the 
Master Servicer/Trustee, on behalf of the Bondholder, on:
    (i) The Trust Estate;
    (ii) Qualified Secondary Loan Receivables; and
    (iii) Either:
    (A) An assignment of the Secondary Loan collateral (other than a 
Principal Loss Collateral Provision) from the Eligible CDFI to the 
Master Servicer/Trustee; or
    (B) Provision of a Principal Loss Collateral Provision for the 
benefit of the Master Servicer/Trustee, in accordance with the Bond 
Loan Requirements and the Secondary Loan Requirements, as applicable.
    (3) The CDFI Fund may, in its sole discretion, approve alternative 
forms of Bond Loan collateral.
    (4) A parity first lien on pledged collateral may be accepted, in 
the sole discretion of the CDFI Fund.
    (5) If any collateral becomes non-performing during the term of the 
Bond Loan, the Guarantor may require the applicable Eligible CDFI to 
substitute other collateral that is of equal quality to the initial 
collateral, when performing, acceptable to the Guarantor in its sole 
discretion.
    (6) An Eligible CDFI's parent organization, Affiliate, or an entity 
that is related to the Eligible CDFI through its management structure, 
may assume limited recourse obligation for the Bond Loan if it provides 
Credit Enhancement and/or pledges financial resources or such other 
financial support or risk mitigation that would enhance the Eligible 
CDFI's creditworthiness and its ability to repay the Bond Loan, thereby 
decreasing the risk underlying the Guarantee.
    (c) Disbursement of Bond Loan proceeds. (1) Bond Loans shall be 
draw-down loans. Disbursements of Bond Loan proceeds to the Eligible 
CDFI shall be made pursuant to a requisition process established by the 
Bond Purchaser and the CDFI Fund, which shall include a process by 
which the Qualified Issuer shall request an advance from the Bondholder 
under the Bond and a process by which the Eligible CDFI shall request 
disbursement from the Qualified Issuer.
    (2) Each requisition shall be accompanied by invoices and 
certifications by the Eligible CDFI (and the Secondary Borrower, if 
applicable) as to expenditure of proceeds for Eligible Purposes.
    (3) No Bond Loan proceeds may be disbursed later than 60 months 
after the Bond Issue Date. Any Bond Loan proceeds not disbursed will 
have been forfeited by the Eligible CDFI.
    (4) Disbursements to capitalize the Eligible CDFI's Loan Loss 
Reserves shall be made pursuant to a requisition process established by 
the Qualified Issuer and the CDFI Fund.
    (d) Amortization of Bond Loan. Each Bond Loan shall amortize in the 
same manner as the corresponding Bond; provided that principal and/or 
interest on each Bond Loan shall be payable to the Qualified Issuer in 
monthly installments based on the required quarterly or semi-annual 
installments, as applicable, due on the corresponding Bond; provided 
further, that each Eligible CDFI shall prefund one monthly payment 
installment not later than the thirtieth day prior to the first payment 
date of the corresponding Bond so that on the thirtieth day prior to 
such Bond payment date, the Eligible CDFI shall have paid in full all 
amounts due on the Bond payment date.
    (e) Optional prepayment of Bond Loan. The Bond Loan shall be 
subject to prepayment, in whole or in part, at the option of the 
Eligible CDFI in accordance with the optional prepayment provisions of 
the corresponding Bond (including the required prepayment minimums of 
$100,000) and shall be subject to the payment of a prepayment price, as 
determined by the Bondholder in accordance with the corresponding Bond.
    (f) Mandatory prepayment of Bond Loan. The Bond Loan shall be 
subject to mandatory prepayment by the Eligible CDFI in accordance with 
the mandatory prepayment provisions of the corresponding Bond.

Sec.  1808.306  Conditions precedent to Bond and Bond Loan.

    The ability of the Qualified Issuer to issue a Bond and make a Bond 
Loan shall be subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions 
precedent:
    (a) Evidence satisfactory to the Qualified Issuer that the Eligible 
CDFI will comply with the terms and conditions of the Bond Loan 
documents, including repayment of the Bond Loan;
    (b) Evidence satisfactory to the Qualified Issuer, the Guarantor, 
and the CDFI Fund that the Eligible CDFI has the authority to enter 
into the Bond Loan, has secured the Credit Enhancement, if any, 
demonstrated a reasonable prospect of repayment of the Bond Loan, and 
pledged the collateral (including executed security documents, UCC-1 
financing statements or mortgages, as applicable);
    (c) A Guarantee Application that has been approved by the 
Guarantor;
    (d) A satisfactory credit review by the CDFI Fund and in compliance 
with the Bond Loan Requirements, including submission of complete and 
accurate Guarantee Application materials, submitted in a timely manner, 
demonstrating the Eligible CDFI's ability to repay the Bond Loan;
    (e) Opinions of legal counsel to the Qualified Issuer and the 
Eligible CDFI;
    (f) Executed Bond Loan documents;

[[Page 8318]]

    (g) Organizational documents of the Eligible CDFI;
    (h) Certifications by the Qualified Issuer and Eligible CDFIs that 
Bond Proceeds and Bond Loan proceeds will not be used for lobbying by 
recipients of Federal loans or guarantees;
    (i) A statement that no default, event of default, or due and 
unsatisfied liability has occurred and is continuing with respect to 
any obligations of the Qualified Issuer and each Eligible CDFI to the 
CDFI Fund, the Guarantor, the Bond Purchaser, the U.S. Internal Revenue 
Service, or any other agency, authority or instrumentality of the 
Federal Government; and
    (j) Any other conditions precedent set forth in the Bond Loan 
documents, including documentation that any credit enhancements have 
been secured by the Eligible CDFI.

Sec.  1808.307  Secondary Loan Eligible Purposes; Terms and conditions.

    (a) Eligible Purposes. Eligible CDFIs must make Secondary Loans for 
Eligible Purposes. Secondary Loan proceeds may not be used to 
capitalize loan loss reserves.
    (b) Making Secondary Loans. (1) If the Eligible CDFI uses Bond Loan 
proceeds to make Secondary Loans, the Eligible CDFI must execute 
Secondary Loan documents (in the form of promissory notes) with 
Secondary Borrowers as follows:
    (i) Not later than 12 months after the Bond Issue Date, Secondary 
Loan documents representing at least 50 percent of the Eligible CDFIs' 
Bond Loan proceeds allocated for Secondary Loans; and
    (ii) Not later than 24 months after the Bond Issue Date, Secondary 
Loan documents representing 100 percent of the Eligible CDFIs' Bond 
Loan proceeds allocated for Secondary Loans (excluding any amounts used 
for payment of Bond Issuance Fees pursuant to section 1808.304(b)).
    (2) In the event that the Eligible CDFI does not comply with the 
foregoing requirements of paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this 
section, the available Bond Loan proceeds at the end of the applicable 
period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between 
the amount required by paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) minus the amount 
previously committed to the Secondary Loans in the applicable period. 
Consistent with the corresponding Bond Loan, the Secondary Loans shall 
be drawn down by the Secondary Borrowers upon demonstration of an 
Eligible Purpose.
    (c) Secondary Loan interest rate. The rate of interest with respect 
to each Secondary Loan shall be determined by each Eligible CDFI in 
accordance with the following limitations:
    (1) With respect to each Secondary Loan, the Eligible CDFI will be 
required to propose to the CDFI Fund:
    (i) A minimum and maximum spread over the corresponding Bond Loan 
Rate which will represent the standard minimum and maximum interest 
rate (Minimum Secondary Loan Rate and Maximum Secondary Loan Rate, 
respectively); and
    (ii) A maximum spread over the Maximum Secondary Loan Rate in event 
of a Secondary Loan default (Maximum Secondary Loan Default Spread).
    (2) The CDFI Fund reserves the right to evaluate, approve, modify, 
or disapprove the proposed Minimum Secondary Loan Rate, Maximum 
Secondary Loan Rate, and Maximum Secondary Loan Default Spread before 
approving any Guarantee Application.
    (d) Secondary Loan default rate. The Eligible CDFI may charge a 
default rate on the Secondary Loan so long as such rate does not exceed 
the Maximum Secondary Rate, plus the Maximum Secondary Loan Default 
Spread.
    (e) Secondary Loan maturity. The maturity date with respect to the 
Secondary Loan shall be in accordance with the requirements of the 
applicable Secondary Loan Requirements. The maturity date of Secondary 
Loans may be earlier than, but may not be later than, the maturity date 
of the corresponding Bond.
    (f) Secondary Loan collateral. (1) The Secondary Loan shall be 
payable from amounts made available pursuant to the Secondary Loan 
documents, and secured by:
    (i) A first lien of the Eligible CDFI on pledged collateral in an 
amount that is consistent with the loan-to-value ratio requirements set 
forth in the Secondary Loan Requirements; or
    (ii) A Principal Loss Collateral Provision for the benefit of the 
Master Servicer/Trustee, in accordance with the Bond Loan Requirements 
and the Secondary Loan Requirements, as applicable.
    (2) Qualified Secondary Loan Receivables may be used as collateral; 
provided however, that such collateral is secured by a first lien on 
the Secondary Loan collateral in accordance with the Bond Loan 
Requirements and the Secondary Loan Requirements, as applicable.
    (3) A parity first lien on pledged collateral may be accepted, in 
the sole discretion of the CDFI Fund.
    (g) Commitments for Secondary Loans. Each proposed Secondary Loan 
shall be approved by the credit committee of the Eligible CDFI or its 
equivalent, in accordance with the applicable Secondary Loan 
Requirements and the Eligible CDFI's own underwriting requirements.
    (h) Disbursement of Secondary Loan proceeds. (1) Consistent with 
the corresponding Bond Loan, Secondary Loans shall be draw-down loans. 
Disbursements of Secondary Loan proceeds to the Secondary Borrower 
shall be made pursuant to a requisition process established by the 
Qualified Issuer and the CDFI Fund and shall mirror the requirements 
for the disbursement of Bond Proceeds.
    (2) Each requisition shall be accompanied by invoices and 
certifications by the Secondary Borrower as to expenditure of proceeds 
for Eligible Purposes. The Eligible CDFI must also attest that the 
Secondary Loan conforms to the requirements set forth in the applicable 
Secondary Loan Requirements. In the case of Refinancings, the Eligible 
CDFI must also attest that the original loan was used for an Eligible 
Purpose.
    (3) Secondary Loan proceeds shall be disbursed in accordance with 
the applicable Secondary Loan Requirements which shall set forth, among 
other requirements, that Secondary Loan disbursements shall be made in 
accordance with commercially reasonable standards and timeframes for 
disbursement based on the nature of the Eligible Purposes. The 
Secondary Loan Requirements shall also specify what constitutes a 
commercially reasonable timeframe for disbursement in connection with 
specific types of Eligible Purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 
each Eligible CDFI shall propose a timeframe for disbursement in 
connection with each Secondary Loan, which timeframe shall be subject 
to the requirements set forth in the Secondary Loan Requirements.
    (i) Amortization of Secondary Loans. Secondary Loans shall amortize 
as determined by the Eligible CDFI; provided that Secondary Loan 
amortization installments shall conform to the requirements of the 
applicable Secondary Loan Requirements.
    (j) Prepayment of Secondary Loans. Secondary Loans shall be subject 
to prepayment as determined by the Eligible CDFI; provided that the 
Secondary Loan documents may provide for modification of Secondary Loan 
terms (so long as such modification does not affect the corresponding 
Bond or Bond Loan) and shall provide for mandatory prepayment of the 
Secondary Loan from liquidation of collateral upon the exercise of 
default remedies by the Eligible CDFI, the

[[Page 8319]]

Qualified Issuer or the Guarantor as required by the Bond, the Bond 
Loan documents, or the Agreement to Guarantee, as applicable.
    (k) Repayment of Secondary Loans. As Secondary Loans are repaid, 
the Eligible CDFI may, through the Relending Fund, Refinance and 
substitute as collateral for the Bond Loan other loan(s) for Eligible 
Purposes that meet the required Secondary Loan Requirements, provided 
that the Eligible CDFI makes Bond Loan payments as required. If the 
outstanding principal balance of the Bond Loan exceeds the outstanding 
principal balance of the Bond Loan in use for the Eligible Purposes, 
the Eligible CDFI shall repay the difference, which shall be deposited 
in the Relending Account, and credited to the corresponding Relending 
Subaccount.

Sec.  1808.308  Relending Fund; Relending Account.

    (a) General. As Bond Loans are repaid, such amounts in excess of 
those required for debt service payments on the Bonds may be held in 
the Relending Account and used for additional Secondary Loans, to the 
extent authorized in this section.
    (b) Application of funds to Secondary Loans. Amounts on deposit in 
the Relending Account shall be applied by the Eligible CDFI to make 
additional Secondary Loans, the term of which shall not exceed the 
maturity of the Bond.
    (c) Requirements of Secondary Loans from Relending Account. 
Secondary Loans made from the Relending Account shall meet all the 
requirements of the Secondary Loan Requirements, and conform to the 
following additional conditions:
    (1) The Qualified Issuer has received and approved a Bond Loan 
commitment request submitted by the Eligible CDFI;
    (2) No material event has occurred and is continuing or is 
threatened at the Eligible CDFI level or Qualified Issuer level that 
adversely affects the Eligible CDFI, the Bond or the Bond Loan;
    (3) No Eligible CDFI event of default has occurred and is 
continuing with respect to the Bond Loan;
    (4) No Qualified Issuer event of default has occurred and is 
continuing with respect to the Bond;
    (5) There exists no unreplenished draw on the Risk-Share Pool Fund 
by the Eligible CDFI;
    (6) The maturity of Secondary Loans made from the Relending Fund 
shall not extend beyond the maturity date of the corresponding Bond; 
and
    (7) Any other conditions set forth in this interim rule, the 
applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability, the Secondary Loan 
Requirements or the Bond Loan documents.
    (d) Relending Subaccounts. The balance of each subaccount of the 
Relending Fund (each a Relending Subaccount) shall not equal more than 
10 percent of the principal amount outstanding of the Bond Loan, minus 
the prorata share of the Risk-Share Pool, as of the Calculation Date 
(the Relending Subaccount Maximum).
    (e) Notification Date. For purposes of this section, Notification 
Date means the date on which the Master Servicer/Trustee notifies the 
Eligible CDFI that the balance in the applicable Relending Subaccount 
exceeds the applicable Relending Subaccount Maximum. Calculation Date 
means, following the Notification Date, the earlier of:
    (1) The date on which the balance in such Relending Subaccount 
becomes less than or equal to the applicable Relending Subaccount 
Maximum, or
    (2) Six months following the Notification Date.
    (f) Mandatory redemption. Any amounts retained in the Relending 
Subaccount that exceeds the Relending Subaccount Maximum by $100,000 or 
more as of the applicable Calculation Date shall be transferred to the 
Redemption Account of the Debt Service Fund (as defined in Sec.  
1808.606(f)) to effectuate a mandatory redemption of the corresponding 
Bond in accordance with the terms of the Bond Trust Indenture. The 
determination of the actual amount on deposit on any Calculation Date 
shall exclude amounts then obligated pursuant to any executed 
promissory notes, whether then disbursed or undisbursed.

Sec.  1808.309  Restrictions on uses of Bond Proceeds and Bond Loan 
proceeds.

    Pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 47123a(c)(5), Bond Loan proceeds shall not be 
used for:
    (a) Political activities;
    (b) Lobbying, whether directly or through other parties;
    (c) Outreach;
    (d) Counseling services;
    (e) Travel expenses;
    (f) For the salaries or administrative costs of the Qualified 
Issuer or any recipients of Bond Proceeds, other than those costs 
covered by Bond Issuance Fees;
    (g) To fund the Risk-Share Pool;
    (h) To pay fees other than Bond Issuance Fees; or
    (i) Any other use as may be specified in the applicable Notice of 
Guarantee Availability.

Subpart D--Applications for Guarantee and Qualified Issuer

Sec.  1808.400  Notice of Guarantee Availability.

    Interested parties will be invited to submit Qualified Issuer 
Applications and Guarantee Applications in accordance with this interim 
rule and the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability. The NOGA will 
set forth application and eligibility requirements for an entity that 
wishes to be designated as a Qualified Issuer (including, in the CDFI 
Fund's sole discretion, the Designated Bonding Authority) and a 
Qualified Issuer that wishes to be approved to receive a Guarantee. The 
NOGA may also contain eligibility requirements, application procedures, 
and additional terms and conditions for entities wishing to serve as 
Servicers, Program Administrators, and other roles as may be determined 
by the CDFI Fund. The NOGA will advise interested parties on how to 
apply and will establish criteria, deadlines, and other Qualified 
Issuer and Guarantee Application requirements, including specifying any 
additional terms and conditions, limitations, special rules, 
procedures, and restrictions for a given application period.

Sec.  1808.401  Application requirements.

    (a) Qualified Issuer Application. A Qualified Issuer applicant 
shall provide all required information in its Qualified Issuer 
Application to establish that it meets all criteria for designation as 
a Qualified Issuer and can carry out all Qualified Issuer 
responsibilities and requirements including, but not limited to, 
information that demonstrates that the applicant has the appropriate 
expertise, capacity, and experience and is qualified to make, 
administer and service Bond Loans for Eligible Purposes. After receipt 
of a Qualified Issuer Application, the CDFI Fund may request additional 
information and clarifying or technical information on the materials 
submitted as part of the Qualified Issuer Application. The CDFI Fund 
will provide the template for the Qualified Issuer Application.
    (b) Guarantee Application. (1) A Qualified Issuer shall provide all 
required information in its Guarantee Application to establish that it 
meets all criteria set forth in this interim rule to receive a 
Guarantee and can carry out all Guarantee requirements including, but 
not limited to, information that demonstrates that the Qualified Issuer 
has the appropriate expertise, capacity, and experience and is 
qualified to make, administer and service Bond Loans for Eligible 
Purposes. The Guarantee

[[Page 8320]]

Application shall include a Capital Distribution Plan and a Secondary 
Capital Distribution Plan for each potential Eligible CDFI, as well as 
any other requirements set forth in the applicable Notice of Guarantee 
Availability or as may be required by the CDFI Fund in its sole 
discretion for the evaluation and selection of Guarantee applicants. 
After receipt of a Guarantee Application, the CDFI Fund may request 
additional information and clarifying or technical information on the 
materials submitted as part of the Guarantee Application. The CDFI Fund 
will provide the template for the Guarantee Application.
    (2) The Capital Distribution Plan shall include, but not be limited 
to, the following information:
    (i) Statement of Proposed Sources and Uses of Funds;
    (ii) For the Qualified Issuer and each Certified CDFI seeking a 
Bond Loan, an organizational capacity statement, a plan that describes 
how the proposed Bond Loan will meet Eligible Purposes, and a 
description of Credit Enhancement, if any;
    (iii) A Secondary Capital Distribution Plan, if applicable; and
    (iv) Assurances and certifications that not less than 100 percent 
of the principal amount of Bonds will be used to make Bond Loans for 
Eligible Purposes beginning on the Bond Issue Date, and that Secondary 
Loans shall be made as set forth in subsection 1808.307(b).

Subpart E--Evaluation and Selection

Sec.  1808.500  Evaluation of Qualified Issuer Applications.

    (a) General. Each Qualified Issuer Application will be evaluated by 
the CDFI Fund and, if acceptable, the applicant will be designated as a 
Qualified Issuer, at the sole discretion of the CDFI Fund. The 
Qualified Issuer Application review and evaluation process will be 
based on established standard operating procedures, which may include 
interviews of applicants and/or site visits to applicants conducted by 
the CDFI Fund. Through the application review process, the CDFI Fund 
will evaluate Qualified Issuer applicants on a merit basis and in a 
fair and consistent manner. Each Qualified Issuer applicant will be 
reviewed on its ability to successfully implement the activities 
proposed in its Qualified Issuer Application and carry out the 
responsibilities of a Qualified Issuer over the life of the Bond. The 
CDFI Fund will periodically reevaluate the Qualified Issuer over the 
life of the Bond to ensure it meets the performance standards over the 
life of the facilities.
    (b) Eligibility and completeness. A Qualified Issuer applicant will 
not be eligible to be designated as a Qualified Issuer if it fails to 
meet the eligibility requirements described in Sec.  1808.200 of this 
part and the applicable NOGA, or if it has not submitted complete and 
timely Qualified Issuer Application materials. The CDFI Fund reserves 
the right to request additional information from the Qualified Issuer 
applicant, as the CDFI Fund deems appropriate.
    (c) Substantive review. When evaluating Qualified Issuer 
Applications and selecting applicants to be designated as Qualified 
Issuers, the CDFI Fund will apply the criteria set forth in the Act at 
12 U.S.C. 4713a(a)(8), this interim rule, and the applicable NOGA 
including, but not limited to, the following evaluation factors:
    (1) The extent to which the Qualified Issuer Application 
demonstrates that the applicant possesses the appropriate expertise, 
capacity and experience, or other qualifications to manage the Bond 
Issue on the terms and conditions set forth in this interim rule and 
the applicable NOGA;
    (2) The expertise and experience of its Program Administrator and 
Servicers;
    (3) The Qualified Issuer applicant's demonstrated performance of 
financially sound business practices relative to the industry norm for 
bond issuers, as evidenced by reports of Appropriate Federal Banking 
Agencies, Appropriate State Agencies, and/or auditors;
    (4) Information that demonstrates the applicant, its Program 
Administrator and Servicers have the appropriate expertise, capacity, 
and experience or otherwise be qualified to originate, underwrite, 
service and monitor loan portfolios that serve Eligible Purposes and 
are targeted toward Low-Income and Underserved Rural Areas; and
    (5) Such other criteria that the CDFI Fund deems appropriate for 
purposes of evaluating the merits of a Qualified Issuer Application.

Sec.  1808.501  Evaluation of Guarantee Applications.

    (a) General. After being designated as a Qualified Issuer, the 
Qualified Issuer may submit a Guarantee Application, seeking authority 
to issue Bonds and receive a Guarantee on the proposed Bond Issue. A 
successful Guarantee Application must:
    (1) Demonstrate that the Qualified Issuer and the proposed Eligible 
CDFIs have a feasible plan to successfully repay the Bond (including 
principal, interest, and call premium) and Bond Loans according to 
their respective terms, to the satisfaction of the CDFI Fund; and
    (2) Meet any other requirements deemed appropriate by the CDFI Fund 
and the Guarantor.
    (b) Eligibility and completeness. A Qualified Issuer will not be 
eligible to receive a Guarantee if it fails to meet the eligibility 
requirements set forth in Sec.  1808.200 of this part and the 
applicable NOGA, or if it has not submitted complete and timely 
Guarantee Application materials. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to 
request additional information from the Qualified Issuer, or to reject 
a Guarantee Application as the CDFI Fund may deem appropriate.
    (c) Substantive review. In evaluating Guarantee Applications and 
selecting a Qualified Issuer to receive a Guarantee, the CDFI Fund and 
the Guarantor will apply the criteria set forth in this interim rule 
and the applicable NOGA including, but not limited to, the following 
evaluation factors:
    (1) The extent to which the Guarantee Application proposes 
strategies that demonstrate the Qualified Issuer's ability to implement 
the Capital Distribution Plan;
    (2) The adequacy of proposed risk mitigation provisions designed to 
protect the financial interests of the Federal Government based on 
information that includes, but is not limited to: the amount and 
quality of any Credit Enhancements; the amount and quality of any other 
financial resources to be pledged or risk mitigation to be provided by 
an Affiliate to the Eligible CDFI through its management structure, 
that will assume limited obligation for the Bond Loan and enhance the 
Eligible CDFI's creditworthiness and its ability to repay the Bond 
Loan; and the provision for an orderly retirement of principal;
    (3) The extent to which the Guarantee Application demonstrates that 
the Qualified Issuer possesses the appropriate expertise, capacity and 
experience, or other qualifications to manage the Bond Issue on the 
terms and conditions set forth in this interim rule and the applicable 
NOGA;
    (4) The Qualified Issuer's demonstrated performance of financially 
sound business practices relative to the industry norm for bond 
issuers, as evidenced by financial audits and reports of Appropriate 
Federal Banking Agencies, Appropriate State Agencies, independent 
regulators, or auditors;
    (5) Information that demonstrates that the Qualified Issuer has the 
appropriate expertise, capacity, and experience or is

[[Page 8321]]

otherwise qualified to make, service and monitor Bond Loans;
    (6) The extent to which the proposed Bond Loans are likely to serve 
Low-Income Areas or Underserved Rural Areas; and
    (7) Such other criteria that the CDFI Fund and the Guarantor deem 
appropriate for purposes of evaluating the merits of a Guarantee 
Application.

Sec.  1808.502  Evaluation of Designated Bonding Authority 
Applications.

    In addition to the evaluation criteria for Qualified Issuers set 
forth above, DBA applicants must demonstrate the existence of resources 
to perform functions of the DBA as set forth in section 1808.201 and 
meet any other criteria set forth in the applicable NOGA and that may 
be required by the CDFI Fund.

Sec.  1808.503  Consultation with Appropriate Regulatory Agencies.

    In the case of any CDFI Bond Guarantee Program applicant that is a 
Federally regulated financial institution (or an Affiliate thereof), 
the CDFI Fund may consult with the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency 
or Appropriate State Agency prior to designating the applicant as a 
Qualified Issuer, Servicer, Master Servicer/Trustee, Program 
Administrator or other role, making a final Guarantee commitment, 
issuing a Guarantee, and/or entering into an Agreement to Guarantee. 
The CDFI Fund also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to 
consult with the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency and Appropriate 
State Agency with respect to any Eligible CDFI that is proposed to 
receive a Bond Loan or any Secondary Borrower that is proposed to 
receive a Secondary Loan.

Sec.  1808.504  Selection of Qualified Issuers; Approval for Guarantee.

    (a) General. Designation of an applicant as a Qualified Issuer 
shall be based on the foregoing evaluation criteria and processes, and 
any other requirements or processes that may be set forth in the 
applicable NOGA. An applicant may simultaneously apply for Qualified 
Issuer designation and a Guarantee; however, the entity must be 
designated as a Qualified Issuer before being selected to receive a 
Guarantee.
    (b) The Guarantor will determine whether a Qualified Issuer will be 
authorized to issue Bonds and receive a Guarantee based on the 
foregoing evaluation criteria and processes, and any other requirements 
or processes set forth in the applicable NOGA.
    (1) Not later than 30 days after receipt of a complete Guarantee 
Application (or 30 days after designation as a Qualified Issuer, if 
submitting simultaneous applications) by a Qualified Issuer, the CDFI 
Fund shall provide an internal Department Opinion regarding compliance 
by the Qualified Issuer with the requirements of the CDFI Bond 
Guarantee Program.
    (2) The Guarantor shall approve or deny a Guarantee Application no 
later than 90 days after receipt of a complete Guarantee Application, 
and all other required information by the CDFI Fund or the Guarantor 
with respect to a request for such Guarantee.
    (c) The Guarantor may limit the number of Guarantees made per year 
or Guarantee Applications accepted to ensure that a sufficient 
examination of Guarantee Applications is conducted.
    (d) The CDFI Fund shall notify the Qualified Issuer in writing of 
the Guarantor's approval or disapproval of a Guarantee Application.
    (e) The Guarantor reserves the sole discretion to approve a 
Guarantee Application for a Guarantee amount that is less than that 
which is requested.
    (f) In the event that there are material changes after submission 
of a Guarantee Application (including, but not limited to, a revision 
of the Capital Distribution Plan or a change in the Certified CDFIs 
that are proposed for receiving Bond Loans) prior to or after the 
designation as a Qualified Issuer or approval of a Guarantee 
Application or Guarantee, the Qualified Issuer or Guarantee applicant 
must notify the CDFI Fund of such material changes information in a 
timely and complete manner. The Guarantor will evaluate such material 
changes, along with the Guarantee Application, to approve or deny the 
Guarantee Application and/or determine whether to modify the terms and 
conditions of the Guarantee.

Subpart F--Terms and Conditions of Guarantee

Sec.  1808.600  Full faith and credit and incontestability of 
Guarantee.

    The full faith and credit of the Federal Government is pledged to 
the payment of all Bonds issued as part of a Bond Issue with respect to 
Verifiable Losses of Principal, Interest, and Call Premium. An executed 
Guarantee shall be conclusive evidence that: the Guarantee has been 
properly authorized; the underlying Bond qualified for such Guarantee; 
and, but for fraud or material misrepresentation, such Guarantee will 
be presumed to be legally valid, binding, and enforceable.

Sec.  1808.601  Assignment and transfer of Guarantee.

    The Guarantee shall be fully assignable and transferrable to the 
capital markets, on terms and conditions that are consistent with 
comparable bonds guaranteed by the Federal Government and satisfactory 
to the Guarantor and the CDFI Fund.

Sec.  1808.602  Offer of Guarantee.

    Upon approval of the Guarantee Application, the Qualified Issuer 
will receive from the Guarantor an offer of Guarantee that will set 
forth certain required terms and conditions to be fulfilled prior to 
issuance of the Guarantee.

Sec.  1808.603  Issuance of Guarantee.

    (a) Conditions precedent. The commitment of the Guarantor to issue 
a Guarantee shall be subject to conditions precedent that are usual and 
customary for financings of this type or otherwise deemed appropriate 
by the Guarantor including, but not limited to, the following:
    (1) The conditions precedent to the Bond Issue and the making of 
the Bond Loan have been satisfied, including a credit review that 
indicates a reasonable prospect of repayment as demonstrated by the 
CDFI Fund's analysis of the cash flow and collateral provisions of the 
Eligible CDFI;
    (2) The Qualified Issuer shall have submitted to the CDFI Fund a 
complete Guarantee Application, containing all required information 
relating to the Bond and the Bond Loan, as required by the Guarantor;
    (3) There have been no material changes to the Bond and Bond Loan 
documents from the forms thereof approved by the Guarantor and the CDFI 
Fund;
    (4) The Bond Purchaser and the Qualified Issuer shall have executed 
a Bond Purchase Agreement; and
    (5) Such additional information or documents as may be required by 
the CDFI Fund, the Guarantor, or the Bond Purchaser.
    (b) Rescission of approval. The Guarantor, in its sole discretion, 
may rescind its approval of a Guarantee Application if:
    (1) The Guarantor or the CDFI Fund determines that the Qualified 
Issuer cannot, or is unwilling to, provide adequate documentation and 
proof of compliance with paragraph (a) of this section within the time 
provided for in the offer of Guarantee, or
    (2) The Guarantor or the CDFI Fund determines, in its sole 
discretion, that the Qualified Issuer no longer meets applicable CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program criteria and requirements.

Sec.  1808.604  Agreement to Guarantee.

    (a) General. The Qualified Issuer must enter into an Agreement to 
Guarantee

[[Page 8322]]

that sets forth the terms and conditions on which the Guarantor will 
provide the Guarantee of the Bonds issued as part of a Bond Issue.
    (b) Terms and conditions. The terms and conditions of the Agreement 
to Guarantee may include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (1) The form and amount of Guarantee;
    (2) Any prohibited amendments of Bond Documents or limitations on 
transfer of the Guarantee;
    (3) Terms and conditions of the Risk-Share Pool and any Credit 
Enhancement that may be required by the CDFI Fund and the Guarantor;
    (4) Provisions regarding the Agency Administrative Fee;
    (5) Representations and warranties of the Qualified Issuer;
    (6) Pledged security;
    (7) Financial covenants;
    (8) Events of default and remedies;
    (9) Assignment of Bond Loans to the Guarantor;
    (10) Guarantor payment does not discharge Qualified Issuer; 
subrogation;
    (11) Undertakings for the benefit of the Bondholder including: 
notices, registration, prohibited amendments, prohibited transfers, and 
indemnification;
    (12) Governing law;
    (13) Terms and conditions of Bond Loans;
    (14) Prohibition against subordination; and
    (15) Such other matters as the Guarantor or the CDFI Fund may deem 
necessary or appropriate.
    (c) Access to funds. In the event that the Qualified Issuer does 
not execute Bond Loan agreements for 100 percent of the Bond principal 
on the Bond Issue Date, the Qualified Issuer will have no further 
access to the amount of funds for which Bond Loan agreements were not 
executed.

Sec.  1808.605  Agency Administrative Fee.

    The Qualified Issuer shall pay the CDFI Fund annually a fee equal 
to 10 basis points (0.1 percent) of the amount of the unpaid principal 
of the Bond(s). The initial Agency Administrative Fee must be paid in 
full as a condition to closing any Agreement to Guarantee, no later 
than the effective date of the Agreement to Guarantee.

Sec.  1808.606  Program Administrator; Servicer; Master Servicer/
Trustee.

    (a) General. Bond Loans shall be overseen by qualified Program 
Administrators, Servicers, and a Master Servicer/Trustee. For purposes 
of maximizing efficiencies and minimizing costs, Program Administrator 
and Servicer duties may be consolidated and performed by Qualified 
Issuers.
    (b) Program Administrator. (1) Duties. The duties of a Program 
Administrator, which may be performed by the Qualified Issuer, shall 
include, but not be limited to:
    (i) Approving and qualifying Eligible CDFI applications for 
participation in the Guarantee Application;
    (ii) Bond and Bond Loan packaging;
    (iii) Reviewing and approving Secondary Loan commitments from 
Eligible CDFIs for funds from the Bondholder or the Relending Account 
based on the Secondary Loan Requirements;
    (iv) Compliance monitoring of Bond Loans and Secondary Loans;
    (v) Preparing and submitting reports required by this interim rule; 
and
    (vi) All other duties and related services that are customarily 
expected of a Program Administrator, and as may be required by the CDFI 
Fund or the Guarantor.
    (2) Selection. There shall be one Program Administrator for each 
Bond Issue. The Qualified Issuer applicant shall provide, in its 
Qualified Issuer Application, information on its proposed Program 
Administrator that demonstrates the appropriate expertise, capacity and 
experience, as well as any additional information that may be required 
to meet the criteria set forth in the applicable Notice of Guarantee 
Availability, including, but not limited to, information on the 
entity's management and organization, loan administration, and 
financial capability.
    (3) Fees and expenses. The Program Administrator's administrative 
fees and expenses shall be paid by the Eligible CDFI in accordance with 
applicable financing documents.
    (c) Servicer. (1) Duties. The duties of a Servicer, which may be 
performed by the Qualified Issuer, shall include, but not be limited 
to:
    (i) Billing and collecting Bond Loan payments from Eligible CDFIs;
    (ii) Initiating collection activities on past-due Bond Loans;
    (iii) Transferring Bond Loan payments to the respective funds and 
accounts managed by the Master Servicer/Trustee;
    (iv) Bond Loan administration and servicing;
    (v) Systematic and timely reporting of Bond Loan performance 
through remittance and servicing reports, and providing such reports as 
may be required by this interim rule;
    (vi) Proper measurement of annual outstanding Bond Loan 
requirements; and
    (vii) All other duties and related services that are customarily 
expected of Servicers, and as may be required by the CDFI Fund or the 
Guarantor.
    (2) Selection. There shall be one Servicer for each Bond Issue. 
Each Qualified Issuer applicant shall provide, in its Qualified Issuer 
Application, information on its proposed Servicer that demonstrates the 
appropriate expertise, capacity and experience, as well as any 
additional information that as may be required to meet the criteria set 
forth in the applicable Notice of Guarantee Availability including, but 
not limited to, information on the entity's management and 
organization, loan servicing, and financial capability.
    (3) Fees and expenses. The Servicer's administrative fees and 
expenses for each Bond Issue shall be paid by the associated Eligible 
CDFIs in accordance with applicable financing documents.
    (d) Special Servicer. (1) Duties. The duties of the Special 
Servicer shall be performed by the Master Servicer/Trustee and shall 
include, but not be limited to:
    (i) Negotiating the restructuring of Bond Loans that are in or 
about to enter into an event of Default;
    (ii) Initiating foreclosure action and appointing a receiver; and
    (iii) Enforcing deficiency judgments.
    (2) Evaluation. The Master Servicer/Trustee applicant shall 
provide, in its Master Servicer/Trustee application, information on its 
proposed Special Servicer capabilities and experience. These 
capabilities may be performed by the Master Servicer/Trustee or an 
entity designated by the Master Servicer/Trustee. The CDFI Fund shall 
evaluate the Master Servicer/Trustee applicant's or its designee's 
ability to perform the duties of Special Servicer based on the capacity 
and experience in the following areas:
    (i) Restructuring, recovery, and foreclosure of loans that are 
similar to Bond Loans;
    (ii) Financial strength and capacity;
    (iii) Managing regional or national intake, processing, or 
servicing operational systems and infrastructure of loans that are 
similar to Bond Loans;
    (iv) Managing regional or national originator communication systems 
and infrastructure;
    (v) Developing and implementing training and other risk management 
strategies on a regional or national basis;
    (vi) Compliance monitoring and reporting; and
    (vii) Such other criteria that may be required by the CDFI Fund.
    (3) Fees and expenses. The Bond Trust Indenture will outline the 
Special Servicer's administrative fees and expenses; these fees shall 
be paid by the Eligible CDFI in accordance with the

[[Page 8323]]

Bond Trust Indenture and related documents.
    (e) Master Servicer/Trustee. (1) Duties. The duties of the Master 
Servicer/Trustee shall include, but not be limited to:
    (i) The fiduciary power to enforce the terms of Bonds and the Bond 
Loans pursuant to the Bond Trust Indenture;
    (ii) Establishing and managing the funds and accounts set forth in 
this interim rule;
    (iii) Providing such reports as required;
    (iv) Overseeing the activities of Servicers and managing loan 
administration;
    (v) Servicing and monitoring of Bond Issues with respect to 
repayment obligations to the Bondholder and the terms of the Agreement 
to Guarantee;
    (vi) Tracking the movement of funds between the accounts of the 
Master Servicer/Trustee and all Servicers;
    (vii) Ensuring orderly receipt of the monthly remittance and 
servicing reports of the Servicers;
    (viii) Monitoring collection and foreclosure actions;
    (ix) Aggregating the reporting and distribution of funds to the 
Qualified Issuer, CDFI Fund, and the Bondholder, as necessary;
    (x) Removing and replacing Servicers, as necessary;
    (xi) Performing systematic and timely reporting of Bond Loan 
performance compiled from Servicers' reports, and providing such 
reports as required in this interim rule;
    (xii) Ensuring proper distribution of funds to Eligible CDFIs, 
servicing the Bonds, and repayment to the Bondholder; and
    (xiii) All other duties and related services that are customarily 
expected of a Master Servicer/Trustee, and as may be required by the 
CDFI Fund.
    (2) Selection. There shall be one Master Servicer/Trustee for the 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. The CDFI Fund shall solicit applications 
and make a selection of a Master Servicer/Trustee based on the capacity 
and experience of the applicant in the areas set forth in paragraph 
(a)(1) of this section and in the following paragraphs (a)(2)(i) 
through (vi):
    (i) Administration, servicing, and monitoring of loans that are 
similar to Bond Loans;
    (ii) Financial strength and capacity;
    (ii) Managing regional or national intake, processing, or servicing 
operational systems and infrastructure of loans that are similar to 
Bond Loans;
    (iii) Managing regional or national originator communication 
systems and infrastructure;
    (iv) Developing and implementing training and other risk management 
strategies on a regional or national basis;
    (v) Compliance monitoring and reporting; and
    (vi) Such other criteria that may be required by the CDFI Fund.
    (3) Fees and expenses. The Master Servicer/Trustee's administrative 
fees and expenses shall be paid by the Eligible CDFI in accordance with 
the Bond Trust Indenture and related documents.
    (f) Funds and accounts. The following funds shall be established by 
the Master Servicer/Trustee at the time of execution of the Bond Trust 
Indenture, on behalf of the Qualified Issuer and for the benefit of the 
Bondholder. On the Bond Issue Date, separate accounts shall be 
established therein for each Bond and, furthermore, within each account 
there shall be established a subaccount for each Bond Loan on the date 
of the closing of each Bond Loan:
    (1) The Project Fund, and therein a Project Account for each Bond: 
All disbursements of Bond Proceeds from the Bondholder pursuant to the 
requisition processes shall be deposited in the applicable Project 
Account or Subaccount, and the Master Servicer/Trustee shall disburse 
advances with respect to the Bond Loan to the Eligible CDFI therefrom;
    (2) The Revenue Fund, and therein a Revenue Account for each Bond: 
All payments of debt service or prepayments on the Bond Loan pursuant 
to the Bond Loan documents, other payments by the Eligible CDFI 
pursuant to the Bond Loan documents, and any investment income derived 
from the corresponding accounts or subaccounts in the Debt Service Fund 
shall be deposited in the accounts and subaccounts of the Revenue Fund;
    (3) The Debt Service Fund, and therein an Interest Account, a 
Principal Account and a Redemption Account for each Bond: Not later 
than 30 days prior to a Bond payment date, the Master Servicer/Trustee 
shall make the following transfers from the applicable account or 
subaccount of the Revenue Fund:
    (i) All scheduled payments (amortization installments or at 
maturity) of principal received from the Eligible CDFI on the Bond Loan 
shall be transferred to the Principal Account or Subaccount;
    (ii) All scheduled payments (amortization installments or at 
maturity) of interest received from the Eligible CDFI on the Bond Loan 
shall be transferred to the Interest Account or Subaccount; and
    (iii) All prepayments of principal, interest and premium, if any, 
received from the Eligible CDFI on the Bond Loan shall be transferred 
to the Redemption Account or Subaccount;
    (4) The Administrative Fees Fund, and therein an Administrative 
Fees Account for each Bond: All fees necessary for administering and 
servicing the Bond or the Bond Loan (including the Agency 
Administrative Fee and Bond Issuance Fees), payable by the Eligible 
CDFI pursuant to the Bond Loan documents, shall be deposited in the 
applicable account or subaccount of the Administrative Fees Fund and, 
thereafter, shall be disbursed by the Master Servicer/Trustee to the 
subject recipient in accordance with the terms of each such payment;
    (5) The Risk-Share Pool Fund, and therein a Risk-Share Pool Account 
for each Bond, in accordance with Sec.  1808.303 of this part;
    (6) The Relending Fund, and therein a Relending Account for each 
Bond, in accordance with Sec.  1808.308 of this part; and
    (7) Such other funds and accounts as may be required by the CDFI 
Fund and the Qualified Issuer in connection with a Bond Issue, Bond or 
Bond Loan.
    (g) Other funds and accounts. The Master Servicer/Trustee shall be 
permitted to establish such other funds and accounts as deemed 
necessary to administer the requirements of the Bond Trust Indenture. 
Each account shall be designated by the name of the applicable Bond and 
each subaccount shall be designated by the name of the applicable Bond 
Loan.
    (h) No commingling of funds. No commingling of monies shall be 
permitted between accounts or subaccounts.
    (i) Permitted investments. Monies on deposit in the Revenue Fund, 
the Debt Service Fund, the Risk-Share Pool Fund, the Relending Fund, if 
invested, shall be invested in U.S. Treasury securities with maturities 
that do not exceed the dates on which monies will be required for 
anticipated purposes and may be sold to the extent funds are needed 
sooner than anticipated. All interest shall be credited to the relevant 
account in the relevant fund.

Sec.  1808.607  Representations and warranties of Qualified Issuer with 
respect to Guarantee.

    The Qualified Issuer shall represent and warrant to the Guarantor, 
at the execution of any Agreement to Guarantee to which it is a party 
and thereafter at the closing of any Bond Loan and the issuance of any 
Bond, the following:

[[Page 8324]]

    (a) The Qualified Issuer is duly organized, validly existing and in 
good standing in its State of organization with the power and authority 
to enter into the agreements and consummate the transactions thereby 
contemplated;
    (b) The information contained in the Qualified Issuer Application 
is true and correct;
    (c) The Bonds, when executed, are and will be duly authorized, 
executed, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Qualified 
Issuer;
    (d) Except as disclosed to the Guarantor, no claim or litigation is 
pending or threatened which would materially adversely affect the 
Qualified Issuer's ability to consummate the transactions contemplated 
by the Agreement to Guarantee, the Bond, or the Bond Loan;
    (e) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the 
Agreement to Guarantee, the Bond, and the Bond Loan will not conflict 
with or constitute an event of default under any law or agreement to 
which the Qualified Issuer is subject;
    (f) No authorization, approval or consent of a governmental 
authority is necessary on the part of the Qualified Issuer to 
consummate the transactions contemplated by the Bond or the Bond Loan 
which has not been obtained;
    (g) No funds from any other CDFI Fund program are being used to pay 
principal, interest, fees, administrative costs, or issuance costs 
(including Bond Issuance Fees) related to the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program, or to fund the Risk-Share Pool; and
    (h) Any other representation or warranty deemed appropriate by the 
Guarantor, the CDFI Fund or the Bond Purchaser.

Sec.  1808.608  Representations and warranties of Eligible CDFI with 
respect to each Bond Loan.

    The Eligible CDFI shall represent and warrant to the Qualified 
Issuer, at the execution of each set of Bond Loan documents and, 
thereafter, until repayment in full of such Bond Loan, the following:
    (a) The performance by the Eligible CDFI under the Bond Loan 
documents is duly authorized, does not require consent or approval of 
any governmental authority not already obtained, does not constitute a 
default of any law or agreement to which the Eligible CDFI is subject, 
will not result in the imposition of any lien (other than pursuant to 
the Bond Loan), and constitutes a valid, binding and enforceable 
obligation of the Eligible CDFI;
    (b) The information provided by the Eligible CDFI fairly represents 
the financial position (in conformity with generally accepted 
accounting principles), experience and capacity of the Eligible CDFI, 
and there have been no material adverse changes in the Eligible CDFI's 
financial condition since the date of such financial information;
    (c) No claim or litigation is pending or threatened which would 
materially adversely affect the Eligible CDFI's ability to consummate 
the transactions contemplated by the Bond Loan, or repay the Bond Loan;
    (d) No event of default or other material event which could become 
an event of default has occurred and is continuing;
    (e) The Eligible CDFI has filed all Federal, State and local tax 
returns required and paid all liabilities in connection therewith;
    (f) The Eligible CDFI has good and marketable title to the 
collateral;
    (g) The Bond Loan will be applied to Eligible Purposes;
    (h) The information provided in the Guarantee Application is true 
and accurate;
    (i) No default, event of default or due and unsatisfied liability 
has occurred and is continuing with respect to any obligations of the 
Eligible CDFI to the Guarantor, the CDFI Fund, the Bond Purchaser, the 
U. S. Internal Revenue Service, or any other agency, authority or 
instrumentality of the Federal Government;
    (j) No funds from any other CDFI Fund program are being used to pay 
principal, interest, fees, administrative costs, or issuance costs 
(including Bond Issuance Fees) related to the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program, or to fund the Risk-Share Pool; and
    (k) Any other representations and warranties set forth in the Bond 
Loan documents.

Sec.  1808.609  Representations and warranties of Secondary Borrower.

    Each Secondary Borrower shall make identical representations and 
warranties as the Eligible CDFI and shall make specific representations 
and warranties with respect to the collateral and the project that is 
proposed to be financed by the Secondary Loan, upon which the Eligible 
CDFI, the Qualified Issuer, the Bondholder, the Guarantor, and the CDFI 
Fund may rely. These representation and warranties shall be to the 
satisfaction of the Guarantor and the CDFI Fund.

Sec.  1808.610  Covenants of Qualified Issuer with respect to 
Guarantee.

    The Qualified Issuer shall covenant in the Agreement to Guarantee 
that it will:
    (a) Furnish to the CDFI Fund, at the Qualified Issuer's expense, 
all annual and periodic financial reporting as described in Sec.  
1808.619 of this part;
    (b) Maintain books and records related to each Bond Loan, the 
collateral and the project that is to be financed by Bond Proceeds, and 
allow inspection thereof;
    (c) Preserve its corporate existence and Certified CDFI status, if 
applicable;
    (d) Comply with all laws to which it is subject;
    (e) Maintain its solvency;
    (f) To the extent it assigns any of its obligations under the 
agreement to an Affiliate, guarantee performance of such obligations;
    (g) Allow audits and investigations by the CDFI Fund, the Treasury 
Inspector General, the Comptroller General, or such other Federal 
Government offices as may be designated by the Guarantor or the CDFI 
Fund;
    (h) Provide such reports as required in Sec.  1808.619 of this 
part;
    (i) Make, execute and deliver such instruments as the Guarantor or 
the CDFI Fund may reasonably request;
    (j) Sign and certify as true and correct all Bond Documents and 
Bond Loan documents;
    (k) Not amend or modify any agreement related to the Bond without 
the consent of the Bondholder, the Guarantor, or the CDFI Fund, as 
applicable;
    (l) Comply with the terms and conditions of the Agreement to 
Guarantee, the Bond Trust Indenture, and the Bond and Bond Loan 
documents;
    (m) Immediately notify the Guarantor and the CDFI Fund of any 
material change or event that affects any representation, warranty or 
covenant of the Guarantee, Bond or Bond Loan documents;
    (n) Pay and discharge all Federal, State and local taxes;
    and
    (o) Comply with all other covenants set forth in the Bond Documents 
and Bond Loan documents.

Sec.  1808.611  Covenants of Eligible CDFI with respect to Bond and 
each Bond Loan.

    The Eligible CDFI shall covenant in the Bond Loan agreement that it 
will:
    (a) Furnish to the Qualified Issuer, at the Eligible CDFI's 
expense, certain annual and periodic financial and performance 
reporting;
    (b) Maintain books and records related to the Bond Loan and 
Secondary Loans, the collateral and the project that is to be financed 
by Bond Loan proceeds, and allow inspection thereof;
    (c) Preserve its corporate existence and Certified CDFI status;

[[Page 8325]]

    (d) Comply with all laws to which it is subject;
    (e) Maintain insurance, as required by the Qualified Issuer, 
against such risks as would customarily be maintained by commercially 
reasonable companies in a similar line of business;
    (f) Pay and discharge all Federal, State and local taxes;
    (g) Ensure proper use of proceeds of the Bond Loan;
    (h) Pay all required administrative expenses;
    (i) Indemnify the Guarantor, the CDFI Fund, the Qualified Issuer 
and the Master Servicer/Trustee and their Affiliates;
    (j) Collaterally assign all rights, title, and interest in and to 
Secondary Loan collateral to the Master Servicer/Trustee;
    (k) Maintain the collateral;
    (l) Enforce the covenants against the Secondary Borrowers;
    (m) Be bound, to the extent applicable, to provisions of the Bond 
Trust Indenture;
    (n) Periodically, as directed by the CDFI Fund, furnish certain 
information designed to measure the impacts of the Bond Loan and the 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program;
    (o) Periodically, as directed by the CDFI Fund, furnish to the 
Qualified Issuer and/or the CDFI Fund updates to the Capital 
Distribution Plan; and
    (p) Comply with all other representations and warranties set forth 
in the Bond Loan documents.

Sec.  1808.612  Specific financial covenants of Eligible CDFI.

    The Eligible CDFI shall covenant in Bond Loan documents that it 
will comply with specific financial requirements as required by the 
Guarantor and the CDFI Fund. Such financial requirements will be 
determined based upon the quantity and the character of the existing 
loan facilities of the Eligible CDFI, among other factors. The specific 
financial covenants may include, but are not limited to, one or more of 
the following measures: consolidated net asset ratio; consolidated 
unrestricted net asset ratio; and minimum available liquidity (or, in 
the case of Eligible CDFIs that are regulated financial institutions, 
such ratios and information as may be required by the applicable 
Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or Appropriate State Agency). The 
specific financial requirements shall be measured based upon such 
Eligible CDFI's financial statements prepared in accordance with 
generally accepted accounting principles and consistent with 
historically applied accounting policies and practices.

Sec.  1808.613  Negative covenants of Eligible CDFI.

    The Eligible CDFI will covenant in Bond Loan documents that it will 
comply with certain negative covenants, as required by the CDFI Fund 
including, but not limited to, that it will:
    (a) Not incur or issue additional long-term or short-term debt to 
the extent that the incurrence of such additional debt would violate 
the specific financial covenants of such Eligible CDFI under the Bond 
Loan; and
    (b) Not permit liens on all or any part of the Bond Loan 
collateral, except as permitted pursuant to the Bond Loan documents, 
and only then to the extent consistent with the applicable laws and 
regulations governing the Bond Loan and as approved by the CDFI Fund.

Sec.  1808.614  Covenants of Secondary Borrower with respect to 
Secondary Loan.

    In addition to making specific representations and warranties with 
respect to the collateral and the project being financed by the 
Secondary Loan proceeds, each Secondary Borrower shall covenant in the 
Secondary Loan agreement that it will:
    (a) Periodically, as directed by the Eligible CDFI, furnish to the 
Eligible CDFI certain annual and periodic financial and performance 
reporting;
    (b) Maintain books and records related to the Secondary Loan, the 
collateral and the project that is to be financed by Bond Loan 
proceeds, and allow inspection thereof;
    (c) Preserve its corporate existence, as applicable;
    (d) Comply with all laws to which it is subject;
    (e) Maintain insurance, as directed by the Eligible CDFI, against 
such risks as would customarily be maintained by commercially 
reasonable companies in a similar line of business;
    (f) Pay and discharge all Federal, State and local taxes;
    (g) Ensure proper use of proceeds of the Secondary Loan;
    (h) Maintain the collateral;
    (i) Periodically, as directed by the Eligible CDFI, furnish to the 
Eligible CDFI certain information designed to measure the impacts of 
the Bond Loan and the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program;
    and
    (j) Comply with all other representations and warranties set forth 
in the Secondary Loan documents.

Sec.  1808.615  Negative covenants of Secondary Borrower.

    Any additional debt of the Secondary Borrower shall be in 
accordance with the requirements set forth in the applicable Secondary 
Loan Requirements and the Secondary Loan agreement, and may include, 
but shall not be limited to, that:
    (a) The Secondary Borrower will not incur or issue additional long-
term or short-term debt payable from and having a lien on all or a 
portion of the Secondary Loan collateral that is
    (1) Equally and ratably secured; or
    (2) Superior or senior to the lien thereon of the Secondary Loan as 
more specifically set forth in the Secondary Loan agreement; and
    (b) So long as no event of default has occurred and is continuing, 
the Secondary Borrower may, subject to the approval of the Eligible 
CDFI, incur or issue at any time additional debt payable from and 
having a lien on all or a portion of the Secondary Loan collateral that 
is subordinate or junior to the lien thereon of the Secondary Loan and 
enter into subordinate credit facility agreements, provided that no 
events of default have occurred and are continuing under the Secondary 
Loan documents or any parity senior loan documents and that such debt 
meets the requirements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section.

Sec.  1808.616  Events of default and remedies with respect to Bonds.

    (a) Events of default. An event of default with respect to any Bond 
shall include, but not be limited to:
    (1) Nonpayment of interest or the Agency Administrative Fee when 
due and payable;
    (2) Nonpayment of principal or prepayment price when due and 
payable;
    (3) The use of Bond Proceeds for any purpose other than an Eligible 
Purpose; and
    (4) Any other events of default set forth in the Bond or the Bond 
Trust Indenture.
    (b) Default of other Bonds. An event of default under one Bond 
shall not constitute an event of default under another Bond.
    (c) Remedies. Pursuant to the Agreement to Guarantee and the Bond 
Trust Indenture, remedies upon an event of default shall include, but 
not be limited to, the following:
    (1) Declaring the entire amount of unpaid principal and interest on 
the applicable Bond immediately due and payable; and
    (2) Exercising all remedies available under the applicable 
Agreement to Guarantee and the Bond Trust Indenture.
    (d) Notice and comment. Prior to imposing any remedies pursuant to 
this section or the Agreement to Guarantee, the Guarantor shall, to the 
maximum

[[Page 8326]]

extent practicable, provide the Qualified Issuer with written notice of 
the proposed sanction and an opportunity to comment. Nothing in this 
section, however, shall provide a Qualified Issuer the right to any 
formal or informal hearing or comparable proceeding not otherwise 
required by law.

Sec.  1808.617  Events of default and remedies with respect to Bond 
Loans.

    (a) Events of default. The following shall constitute an event of 
default with respect to each Bond Loan:
    (1) Nonpayment of interest when due and payable;
    (2) Nonpayment of principal or prepayment price when due and 
payable;
    (3) Failure of the Eligible CDFI to perform any condition or 
covenant under any Bond Loan document;
    (4) Any representation or warranty of the Eligible CDFI made in 
connection with the Guarantee Application or the Bond Loan is false or 
incorrect in any material respect;
    (5) Principal or interest on any indebtedness of the Eligible CDFI 
or any subsidiary of the Eligible CDFI in excess of $100,000 is not 
paid when due (subject to a cure period);
    (6) The holder of any junior or parity lien on collateral 
institutes a proceeding to enforce a lien on the collateral;
    (7) The Eligible CDFI files bankruptcy or consents to the 
appointment of a receiver or trustee for itself or the collateral;
    (8) Any money judgment is filed against the Eligible CDFI and 
remains unvacated for a period of 60 days from filing;
    (9) The use of Bond Loan proceeds for any purpose other than an 
Eligible Purpose; or
    (10) Any other events of default set forth in the Bond Loan 
documents.
    (b) Remedies. Remedies of the Qualified Issuer upon an event of 
default include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (1) Declaring the entire amount of unpaid principal and interest on 
the applicable Bond Loan immediately due and payable;
    (2) Applying for appointment of a receiver or trustee for the 
collateral;
    (3) At the direction of the Guarantor, terminating the Bond Loan 
agreement, declaring the entire amount of unpaid principal and interest 
on the applicable Bond Loan immediately due and payable; and
    (4) Exercising all remedies available under the applicable Bond 
Loan agreement, including declaring the Bond Loan Payment Default Rate 
in effect.
    (c) Enforcement rights. The Guarantor reserves all rights to 
enforce remedies upon an event of default.

Sec.  1808.618  Events of default and remedies with respect to 
Secondary Loans.

    (a) Events of default. The following shall constitute an event of 
default with respect to each Secondary Loan:
    (1) Nonpayment of interest when due and payable;
    (2) Nonpayment of principal when due and payable;
    (3) Failure of the Secondary Borrower to perform any condition or 
covenant under any Secondary Loan document;
    (4) Any representation or warranty of the Secondary Borrower made 
in connection with the Secondary Loan application or the Secondary Loan 
documents is false or incorrect in any material respect;
    (5) Principal or interest on any indebtedness of the Secondary 
Borrower or any subsidiary of the Secondary Borrower in excess of 
$100,000 is not paid when due (subject to a cure period);
    (6) The holder of any junior or parity lien on collateral 
institutes a proceeding to enforce a lien on the collateral;
    (7) The Secondary Borrower files bankruptcy or consents to the 
appointment of a receiver or trustee for itself or the collateral;
    (8) Any money judgment is filed against the Secondary Borrower and 
remains unvacated for a period of 60 days from filing; or
    (9) Any other events of default set forth in the Secondary Loan 
documents.
    (b) Remedies. The Qualified Issuer and the Guarantor will reserve 
certain rights to enforce (or direct enforcement of) remedies upon an 
event of default under the Secondary Loan documents.

Sec.  1808.619  Reporting requirements.

    The Bond Documents and Bond Loan documents shall specify such 
monitoring and financial reporting requirements as deemed appropriate 
by the CDFI Fund including, but not limited to the following:
    (a) Data--General. As long as the Bonds remain outstanding, a 
Qualified Issuer shall provide such reports and shall maintain such 
records as may be prescribed by the CDFI Fund that are necessary to:
    (1) Disclose the manner in which Bond Proceeds are used, including 
providing documentation to demonstrate proceeds of the Bond Loans were 
used for Eligible Purposes;
    (2) Demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this part and 
the Bond Documents;
    (3) Evaluate the impact of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program;
    (4) Ensure the Qualified Issuer meets the performance standards 
over the life of the facilities; and
    (5) Accomplish such other purposes that the CDFI Fund may deem 
appropriate.
    (b) Customer profiles. The Qualified Issuer shall require each 
Eligible CDFI to compile such data on the gender, race, ethnicity, 
national origin, or other information on individuals and entities that 
utilize its products and services as the CDFI Fund shall prescribe and 
as is permissible under applicable law. In general, such data will be 
used to determine whether residents of Investment Area(s) or members of 
Targeted Population(s) are adequately served and to evaluate the impact 
of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
    (c) Audits; Access to records. (1) The CDFI Fund may, if it deems 
appropriate, audit Qualified Issuers, Eligible CDFIs, Program 
Administrators, Servicers, and/or the Master Servicer/Trustee, or 
provide for or require an audit, at least annually. Portfolio 
management and loan monitoring will also employ risk-based, on-site 
verification of the Eligible CDFI's lending activities to Secondary 
Borrowers and compliance with the terms in Secondary Lending 
Requirements.
    (2) Qualified Issuers, Eligible CDFIs, Program Administrators, 
Servicers, the Master Servicer/Trustee, as applicable, must submit such 
financial and activity reports, records, statements, and documents at 
such times, in such forms, and accompanied by such reporting data, as 
required by the CDFI Fund to ensure compliance with the requirements of 
this interim rule and to evaluate the impact of the CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program.
    (3) The Federal Government, including the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury, the Comptroller General, and their duly authorized 
representatives, shall have full and free access to such entities' 
offices and facilities and all books, documents, records, and financial 
statements relating to the Guarantee and may copy such documents as 
they deem appropriate
    (4) The CDFI Fund, if it deems appropriate, may prescribe audit and 
access to record requirements for Eligible CDFIs and Secondary 
Borrowers.
    (d) Retention of records. Qualified Issuers, Eligible CDFIs, 
Program Administrators, the Master Servicer/Trustee, and Servicers 
shall comply with all record retention requirements as set forth in OMB 
Circular A-110 (as applicable).
    (e) Data collection and reporting. Qualified Issuers, Eligible 
CDFIs, the

[[Page 8327]]

Program Administrator, the Master Servicer/Trustee, and Servicers, as 
applicable, shall submit to the CDFI Fund, monthly, quarterly, and 
annually, as specified in the Bond Documents, and as long as the Bond 
shall remain outstanding, such information and documentation that will 
permit the CDFI Fund to review compliance with the Capital Distribution 
Plan and the terms and conditions of the Bond Documents, and to perform 
adequate portfolio management and loan monitoring. The information and 
documentation may include, but not be limited to, the following:
    (1) Financial statements, including but not limited to:
    (i) Annual financial statements for the Qualified Issuer and each 
Eligible CDFI that have been audited in conformity with generally 
accepted auditing principles; and
    (ii) With respect to any nonprofit Qualified Issuer and any 
Eligible CDFI that is required to have its financial statements audited 
pursuant to OMB Circular A-133 Audits of States, Local Governments and 
Non-Profit Organizations, annual A-133 audited financial statements. 
Non-profit Qualified Issuers and Eligible CDFIs that are not required 
to have financial statements audited pursuant to OMB Circular A-133 
must submit to the CDFI Fund a statement signed by the Qualified Issuer 
or Eligible CDFI's authorized representative or certified public 
accountant, asserting that a single audit pursuant OMB Circular A-133 
is not required;
    (2) Pro forma projection of the Qualified Issuer's and Eligible 
CDFI's respective balance sheet, income statement, and statement of 
cash flows over the ensuing five years, or such other time period as 
specified by the CDFI Fund;
    (3) Such institution-level and transaction-level reports as may be 
required by the CDFI Fund;
    (4) Information necessary to measure the financial condition of the 
Eligible CDFI. This includes, but is not limited to, measuring solvency 
by collecting data on fixed charge coverage, capital adequacy, debt 
coverage, and measuring liquidity by collecting data on core financial 
ratios, including current ratios, quick ratios, working capital, and 
operating liquidity ratio. This will also include credit reporting, 
financial statement analysis, trend analysis of financial conditions, 
market valuation, loan performance (30/60/90 payment history) of Bond 
Loans and Secondary Loans, valuation and eligibility of Secondary Loan 
collateral, and management and organization changes;
    (5) Information necessary to assess Program impact performance and 
outcome measures, including information necessary to evaluate the 
credit-worthiness of loan applicants; and
    (6) Other such information and reports as may be requested by the 
CDFI Fund.
    (f) Qualified Issuer reports. Qualified Issuers are responsible for 
the timely and complete submission of all required information and 
reports, even if all or a portion of the documents actually are 
completed by the Eligible CDFI. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to 
contact the Qualified Issuer or Eligible CDFI and require that 
additional information and documentation be provided.
    (g) Regulator information. The CDFI Fund's review of a regulated 
Qualified Issuer's or regulated Eligible CDFI's performance or 
compliance with the Bond Documents may also include information 
provided by the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or Appropriate State 
Agency, as the case may be.
    (h) Public inspection. The CDFI Fund shall make reports described 
in this section available for public inspection after deleting any 
materials necessary to protect privacy or proprietary interests 
pursuant to all applicable laws and regulations.
    (i) Availability of referenced publications. The publications 
referenced in this section are available as follows:
    (1) OMB Circulars may be obtained from the Office of 
Administration, Publications Office, 725 17th Street NW., Room 2200, 
New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or on the Internet 
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_circulars/); and
    (2) Government Accountability Office materials may be obtained from 
GAO Distribution, 700 4th Street NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20548.

Sec.  1808.620  Investments in Guaranteed Bonds ineligible for 
Community Reinvestment Act Purposes.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any investment by a 
financial institution in Bonds shall not be taken into account in 
assessing the record of such institution for purposes of the Community 
Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2901). Other forms of participation 
by financial institutions in CDFI Bond Guarantee Program transactions 
may be eligible for inclusion in Community Reinvestment Act records to 
the extent permitted by the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency.

Sec.  1808.621  Conflict of interest requirements.

    (a) Provision of Bond Loans or Secondary Loans to Affiliates. (1) A 
Qualified Issuer or Eligible CDFI that is not regulated by an 
Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or Appropriate State Agency may not 
use any Bond Proceeds or Bond Loan proceeds to make any Bond Loans or 
Secondary Loans available to an Affiliate unless it meets the following 
restrictions:
    (i) The loan must be provided pursuant to standard underwriting 
procedures, terms and conditions;
    (ii) The Affiliate receiving the loan shall not participate in any 
way in the decision-making regarding such loan;
    (iii) The board of directors or other governing body of the lender 
shall approve the extension of the loan; and
    (iv) The loan must be provided in accordance with a policy 
regarding credit to Affiliates that has been approved in advance by the 
CDFI Fund.
    (2) A Qualified Issuer or Eligible CDFI that is an Insured CDFI, a 
Depository Institution Holding Company or a State-Insured Credit Union 
(as such terms are defined in 12 CFR 1805.104) shall comply with the 
restrictions on insider activities and any comparable restrictions 
established by its Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or Appropriate 
State Agency, as applicable.
    (b) Standards of conduct. Qualified Issuers, Eligible CDFIs, 
Program Administrators, the Master Servicer, and Servicers shall 
maintain a code or standards of conduct acceptable to the CDFI Fund 
that govern the performance of employees engaged in the awarding and 
administration of any loan. No employee of a Qualified Issuer, Eligible 
CDFI, Program Administrators, the Master Servicer, and Servicer shall 
solicit or accept gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from 
any actual or potential borrowers for such loans. Such policies shall 
provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violation of the 
standards by employees.

Sec.  1808.622  Compliance with government requirements.

    In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to any agreements 
associated with the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, all Qualified Issuers, 
Eligible CDFIs, Program Administrators, Servicers, and the Master 
Servicer/Trustee shall comply with all applicable Federal, State, and 
local laws, regulations, and ordinances, OMB Circulars, and Executive 
Orders, including restrictions on lending to entities with delinquent 
Federal debt.

[[Page 8328]]

Sec.  1808.623  Lobbying restrictions.

    No fees or funds made available under this part may be expended by 
a party to pay any person to influence or attempt to influence any 
agency, elected official, officer or employee of a State or local 
government in connection with the making, award, extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any State or local 
government contract, grant, loan or cooperative agreement as such terms 
are defined in 31 U.S.C. 1352.

Sec.  1808.624  Criminal provisions.

    The criminal provisions of 18 U.S.C. 657 regarding embezzlement or 
misappropriation of funds are applicable to all CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program participants and insiders.

Sec.  1808.625  CDFI Fund deemed not to control.

    The CDFI Fund shall not be deemed to control a CDFI Bond Guarantee 
Program participant by reason of any Guarantee provided under the Act 
for the purpose of any applicable law.

Sec.  1808.626  Limitation on liability.

    The liability of the Federal Government arising out of any fees or 
funds obtained by a CDFI Bond Guarantee Program participant in 
accordance with this interim rule shall be limited to the amount of the 
fees or funds obtained by the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program participant. 
The Federal Government shall be exempt from any assessments and other 
liabilities that may be imposed on controlling or principal 
shareholders by any Federal law or the law of any State. Nothing in 
this section shall affect the application of any Federal tax law.

Sec.  1808.627  Fraud, waste and abuse.

    Any person who becomes aware of the existence or apparent existence 
of fraud, waste or abuse of any Guarantee, Bond, Bond Loan or Secondary 
Loan provided under this interim rule must report such incidents to the 
Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

    Dated: January 24, 2013.
Donna J. Gambrell,
Director, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 2013-02055 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-70-P
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