### §1490o. Reciprocity in approval of housing subdivisions among Federal agencies

#### (a) Administrative approval of housing subdivisions

The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each accept an administrative approval of any housing subdivision made by any of the others so that not later than January 1, 1984, there is total reciprocity for housing subdivision approvals among the agencies which they head.

#### (b) Certificates of reasonable value for one or more properties as constituting administrative approval of subdivision

For purposes of complying with subsection (a), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall consider the issuance by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a certificate of reasonable value for 1 or more properties in a subdivision to be an administrative approval for the entire subdivision. This subsection shall not apply after September 30, 1994.

#### (c) Report to Congress

Before the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (b), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall report to the Congress on housing subdivision approval policies and practices, if any, of the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report shall focus on the administration of environmental laws in connection with any such policies and practices, and shall recommend any statutory, regulatory, and administrative changes needed to achieve total reciprocity for such housing subdivision approvals. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall consult with the foregoing agencies, and such other agencies as the Secretary selects, in preparing the report.

#### (d) Approval by local, county, or State agencies

For loans made under this subchapter, the Secretary may accept subdivisions that have been approved by local, county, or State agencies.

(July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title V, §535, as added Pub. L. 98–181, title I [title V, §523], Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1254; amended Pub. L. 100–628, title X, §1067, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3276; Pub. L. 101–235, title III, §303, Dec. 15, 1989, 103 Stat. 2044; Pub. L. 101–625, title VII, §718(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4297; Pub. L. 102–54, §13(q)(5), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 280; Pub. L. 102–550, title VII, §716(a), (c), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3842; Pub. L. 103–120, §8(a), Oct. 27, 1993, 107 Stat. 1151.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–120 substituted "September 30, 1994" for "June 15, 1993".

1992—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–550, §716(a), inserted last sentence and struck out former last sentence which read as follows: "This subsection shall not apply after the expiration of the 18-month period beginning on December 15, 1989."

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–550, §716(c), added subsec. (d).

1991—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 102–54, §13(q)(5)(A), substituted "Secretary of Veterans Affairs" for "Administrator of Veterans' Affairs".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–54, §13(q)(5)(B), substituted "Department of Veterans Affairs" for "Veterans' Administration".

1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–625 substituted "18-month period" for "6-month period".

1989—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–235 substituted "6-month period beginning on December 15, 1989" for "1-year period beginning on November 7, 1988".

1988—Pub. L. 100–628 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (b) and (c).

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Retroactivity of Approval of Housing Subdivisions Among Federal Agencies

Pub. L. 103–120, §8(b), Oct. 27, 1993, 107 Stat. 1151, provided that: "An administrative approval of a housing subdivision made after June 15, 1993, and before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1993] is approved and shall be considered to have been lawfully made, but only if otherwise made in accordance with the provisions of section 535(b) of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1490o(b)]."

Pub. L. 102–550, title VII, §716(b), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3842, provided that: "Any administrative approval of any housing subdivision made after the expiration of the 18-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 [Dec. 15, 1989] and before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 1992] is approved and shall be considered to have been lawfully made, but only if otherwise made in accordance with the provisions of section 535(b) of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1490o(b)]."

Pub. L. 101–625, title VII, §718(b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4297, provided that: "Any administrative approval of any housing subdivision made after the expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 [Dec. 15, 1989] and before the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 28, 1990] is hereby approved and shall be considered to have been lawfully made, but only if otherwise made in accordance with the provisions of section 535(b) of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1490o(b)]."