[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7990-7995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3407]


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FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD

12 CFR Parts 950 and 980

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

12 CFR Parts 1266 and 1272

RIN 2590-AA24


Use of Community Development Loans by Community Financial 
Institutions To Secure Advances; Secured Lending by Federal Home Loan 
Banks to Members and Their Affiliates; Transfer of Advances and New 
Business Activity Regulations

AGENCY:  Federal Housing Finance Agency; Federal Housing Finance Board.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Section 1211 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 
(HERA) amended the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) to expand the 
types of eligible collateral that community financial institution (CFI) 
members may pledge to secure Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) advances to 
include secured loans for community development activities and to allow 
Banks to make long-term advances to CFI members for purposes of 
financing community development activities. Section 1211 further 
provides that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shall define 
the term ``community development activities'' by regulation. 
Consequently, FHFA is proposing to amend the advances regulations to 
allow CFI members to pledge secured loans for community development 
activities as eligible collateral for advances, to provide that CFI 
members may use long term advances to fund community development 
activities and to define ``community development,'' ``community 
development loan,'' and other related terms necessary to implement 
these provisions. The proposal would also transfer the advances and new 
business activities regulations from the Federal Housing Finance Board 
(FHFB) regulations to the FHFA regulations, and make other conforming 
amendments. Finally, the proposed rule would also make a change to the 
advances regulation which would incorporate a long-standing policy 
previously established by the FHFB that any form of secured lending by 
a Bank to a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank System (Bank System) 
is deemed to be an advance. The proposed rule would extend that policy 
to cover secured lending transactions by a Bank to affiliates of 
members.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 26, 2010. 
For additional information, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments, identified by regulatory 
information number (RIN) 2590-AA24, by one of the following methods:
    <bullet> U.S. Mail, United Postal Service, Federal Express, or 
Other Mail Service: The mailing address for comments is: Alfred M. 
Pollard, General Counsel, Attention: Comments/RIN 2590-AA24, Federal 
Housing Finance Agency, Fourth Floor, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20552.
    <bullet> Hand Delivered/Courier: The hand delivery address is: 
Alfred M. Pollard, General Counsel, Attention: Comments/RIN 2590-AA24, 
Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fourth Floor, 1700 G Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20552. The package should be logged at the Guard Desk, 
First Floor, on business days between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    <bullet> E-mail: Comments to Alfred M. Pollard, General Counsel may 
be sent by e-mail to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4614232105292b2b2328323506202e202768212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="da88bfbd99b5b7b7bfb4aea99abcb2bcbbf4bdb5ac">[email protected]</span></a>. Please include ``RIN 2590-
AA24'' in the subject line of the message.
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. If you submit your 
comment to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, please also send it by e-
mail to FHFA at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a586f6d496567676f647e794a6c626c6b246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="095b6c6e4a6664646c677d7a496f616f68276e667f">[email protected]</span></a> to ensure

[[Page 7991]]

timely receipt by FHFA. Please include ``RIN 2590-AA24'' in the subject 
line of the message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas E. Joseph, Senior Attorney 
Advisor, Office of General Counsel, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#22564a4d4f43510c484d5147524a62444a44430c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6c2ded9dbd7c598dcd9c5d3c6def6d0ded0d798d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a>, (202) 414-
3095, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fourth Floor, 1700 G Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20552; Louis Scalza, Associate Director, Policy and 
Program Development, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#523e3d273b217c2131333e283312343a34337c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f03001a061c411c0c0e03150e2f0907090e41080019">[email protected]</span></a>, (202) 408-2953; or Julie 
Paller, Senior Financial Analyst, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#204a554c49450e50414c4c455260464846410e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cca6b9a0a5a9e2bcada0a0a9be8caaa4aaade2aba3ba">[email protected]</span></a> (202) 408-2842, 
(not toll-free numbers), Division of Federal Home Loan Bank Regulation, 
Federal Housing Finance Agency, 1625 Eye Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20006. The telephone number for the Telecommunications Device for the 
Hearing Impaired is (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Comments

    FHFA invites comments on this proposed rule, and will consider all 
comments before adopting final amendments to its regulations. Copies of 
all comments will be posted on the FHFA Internet Web site at http://www.fhfa.gov. In addition, copies of all comments received will be 
available for examination by the public on business days between the 
hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, 
Fourth Floor, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552. To make an 
appointment to inspect comments, please call the Office of General 
Counsel at (202) 414-6924.

II. Background

A. Establishment of FHFA

    Effective July 30, 2008, Division A of HERA, Public Law No. 110-
289, 122 Stat. 2654 (2008), created FHFA as an independent agency of 
the Federal government. HERA transferred the supervisory and oversight 
responsibilities over the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie 
Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) 
(collectively, Enterprises), the Banks, and the Bank System's Office of 
Finance, from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight 
(OFHEO) and the FHFB to FHFA. HERA provided for the abolishment of 
OFHEO and FHFB one year after the date of enactment. FHFA is 
responsible for ensuring that the Enterprises and the Banks operate in 
a safe and sound manner, including being capitalized adequately, and 
that they carry out their public policy missions, including fostering 
liquid, efficient, competitive, and resilient national housing finance 
markets. The Enterprises and the Banks continue to operate under 
regulations promulgated by OFHEO and FHFB until FHFA issues its own 
regulations.\1\
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    \1\ See section 1302 of HERA.
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B. Statutory and Regulatory Background

    Each Bank is a cooperative institution that is owned by its 
members. Any eligible institution (generally a federally insured 
depository institution or state-regulated insurance company) may become 
a member of a Bank if it satisfies certain criteria and purchases a 
specified amount of the Bank's capital stock. See 12 U.S.C. 1424, 1426; 
12 CFR part 925. Only members or certain eligible housing associates 
(such as state housing finance agencies) may obtain access to secured 
loans, known as advances, or other products provided by a Bank. See 12 
U.S.C. 1426(a)(4), 1430(a), 1430b.
    Prior to HERA, CFIs were defined under the Bank Act as depository 
institutions insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 
1811 et seq.) with average total assets of less than $500 million, as 
adjusted annually for inflation thereafter. 12 U.S.C. 1422(13) (2008). 
Section 1211 of HERA raised the $500 million average total assets cap 
to $1 billion. See section 1211 Public Law 110-289, 122 Stat. 2790 
(amending 12 U.S.C. 1422(10)).
    By Notice published in the Federal Register in February 2009, FHFA 
adjusted the $1 billion figure for inflation to $1.011 billion. See 74 
FR 7438 (Feb. 17, 2009). As part of FHFA's separate rulemaking 
addressing Bank membership for community development financial 
institutions, FHFA included a technical amendment to the definition of 
``CFI'' in existing Sec.  925.1 of the FHFB regulations to implement 
the average total asset cap increase to $1 billion made by HERA.\2\
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    \2\ Effective February 4, 2010, FHFA relocates the part 925 
regulations to part 1263 of the FHFA's regulations. See 74 FR 22848, 
22857 (May 15, 2009); 75 FR 678, 691 (Jan. 5, 2010).
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    Under the Bank Act, any member, including a CFI, that wishes to 
borrow from its Bank must pledge certain types of collateral to secure 
its repayment obligation on advances, and must otherwise demonstrate to 
the Bank that it is creditworthy. See 12 U.S.C. 1430(a). Each Bank sets 
its own lending and collateral policies, which may vary from Bank to 
Bank and will apply to all borrowing members of that Bank. Prior to 
HERA, section 10(a)(3) of the Bank Act specified that a member may 
pledge the following types of collateral to secure an advance: (i) 
Fully disbursed, whole first mortgages on improved residential property 
not more than 90 days delinquent, or securities representing a whole 
interest in such mortgages; (ii) securities issued, insured or 
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any agency thereof; (iii) cash or 
deposits of a Bank; (iv) other real estate-related collateral 
acceptable to the Bank, provided the value of such collateral is 
readily ascertainable and the Bank can perfect its security interest in 
the collateral; and (v) for institutions that qualify as CFIs, secured 
loans for small business or agriculture, or securities representing a 
whole interest in such secured loans.\3\ See 12 U.S.C. 1430(a)(3). 
Section 1211 of HERA amended section 10(a)(3)(E) to broaden the 
collateral that may be pledged by CFI members to include secured loans 
for community development activities.\4\
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    \3\ In addition, the Banks under their Community Investment Cash 
Advance programs (CICA) may provide advances to support economic 
development that benefit persons based on defined targeted income 
levels or targeted geographic areas. See 12 CFR part 952.
    \4\ See section 1211 of HERA (amending 12 U.S.C. 1430(a)(3)(E)).
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    In addition, prior to HERA, section 10(a)(2) of the Bank Act 
provided that a Bank could make a long-term advance to a member only 
for the purposes of providing funds to the member for residential 
housing finance; it also allowed long term advances to CFI members for 
purposes of funding small business, small farm, and small agri-business 
lending.\5\ See 12 U.S.C. 1430(a)(2). Section 1211 of HERA amended 
section 10(a)(2)(B) of the Bank Act so that a Bank also may make long 
term advances to a CFI member to fund community development 
activities.\6\
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    \5\ Applicable regulations define a long term advance as one 
``with an original term to maturity of greater than five years.'' 12 
CFR 950.1.
    \6\ See section 1211 of HERA (amending 12 U.S.C. 1430(a)(2)(B)).
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    Section 1211 of HERA also amended section 10(a)(6) of the Bank Act 
to provide that the term ``community development activities'' shall 
have the meaning given such term by regulation by the Director of FHFA. 
See id. (amending 12 U.S.C. 1430(a)(6)). The legislative history of 
HERA does not further illuminate Congress' intent in making these 
amendments.

C. Considerations of Differences Between the Banks and the Enterprises

    Section 1201 of HERA requires the Director, when promulgating 
regulations relating to the Banks, to consider the following 
differences between the Banks and the Enterprises: Cooperative 
ownership structure; mission of providing liquidity to members; 
affordable housing and community

[[Page 7992]]

development mission; capital structure; and joint and several 
liability.\7\ The Director also may consider any other differences that 
are deemed appropriate. In preparing this proposed regulation, the FHFA 
considered the differences between the Banks and the Enterprises as 
they relate to the above factors. The FHFA requests comments from the 
public about whether differences related to these factors should result 
in any revisions to the proposal.
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    \7\ See section 1201 of HERA (amending 12 U.S.C. 4513).
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III. The Proposed Regulation

    The FHFA is proposing definitions for community development, 
community development loans, and other terms as needed, to implement 
the new CFI collateral provisions adopted by HERA. The FHFA also 
proposes to amend the regulations addressing the purposes for which a 
Bank may make long term advances to include community development loans 
made by CFI members. The proposed rule also would make a change to the 
advances regulation which would incorporate a long standing policy 
previously established by the FHFB that any form of secured lending by 
a Bank to a member of the Bank System is deemed to be an advance and 
extend that policy to cover secured lending transactions by a Bank to 
affiliates of members. Finally, the FHFA is proposing to transfer the 
existing advances regulations from part 950 and the existing new 
business activity regulation from part 980 of the FHFB's regulations 
(12 CFR parts 950 and 980) to new parts 1266 and 1272 of the FHFA's 
regulations, incorporate certain definitions that had been in part 900 
of the FHFB rules into new proposed parts 1266 and 1272, and make 
additional conforming changes to these rules.\8\
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    \8\ The definitions in part 900 of the FHFB rules apply only to 
regulations contained in chapter 9 of Title 12 of the Combined 
Federal Regulations. Thus, definitions in part 900 would no longer 
be applicable to the advances or the new business activities 
regulations once they transferred to new parts 1266 and 1272.
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A. Proposed Definitions

    Under the proposed transfer of the current part 950 advances 
regulation, the definition section of that regulation would be 
redesignated as Sec.  1266.1. FHFA is proposing to amend redesignated 
Sec.  1266.1 to make changes necessary to implement the CFI collateral 
amendments adopted by HERA, as described above, and to make other 
conforming changes.
    First, FHFA is proposing to define ``community development'' with 
reference to the definition for this term adopted by CFI members' 
primary federal regulators under Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) 
regulations.\9\ The definitions were jointly adopted by the Office of 
the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve Board (FRB), and Office of Thrift 
Supervision (OTS) and are substantively the same.\10\ Under the 
definitions, ``community development'' encompasses affordable housing, 
community services targeted to low- and moderate-income individuals, 
economic development activities through financing of businesses and 
farms that meet size eligibility standards of the Small Business 
Administration's Development Company or Small Business Investment 
Company Programs or have gross annual revenues of $1 million or less, 
and activities that revitalize or stabilize low- or moderate- income 
geographies, designated disaster areas, or certain designated, 
distressed, or underserved non-metropolitan middle-income 
geographies.\11\ Basing the new definition on the current CRA 
regulations should strengthen the CFI members' ability to use advances 
in financing the development needs of their local communities as 
embodied by their CRA obligations.
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    \9\ See 12 CFR 25.12, 228.12, 345.12, and 563e.12.
    \10\ See 60 FR 22156 (May 4, 1995); 61 FR 21363 (May 10, 1996); 
70 FR 44266 (Aug. 2, 2005); 71 FR 18618 (Apr. 12, 2006).
    \11\ See 12 CFR 25.12, 228.12, 345.12, 563e.12.
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    In turn, FHFA is proposing to define ``community development loan'' 
as a loan that has community development as its primary purpose. FHFA 
recognizes, however, that many loans that are extended to support 
community development, as that term is defined in the referenced CRA 
regulations, would already be acceptable collateral for advances under 
existing FHFA regulations. For example, all loans for affordable 
housing likely would qualify as eligible security for advances as 
mortgages or other real estate-related collateral. Because FHFA does 
not intend the proposed definition to call into question the validity 
of any security pledged (or to be pledged) under the categories of 
eligible collateral already identified in the advances regulation for 
all members, the proposed definition of ``community development loan'' 
would exclude categories of eligible collateral now identified in Sec.  
950.7(a) of the advances rule \12\ from its scope. FHFA recognizes that 
there would also likely be overlap between ``community development 
loans'' and other types of collateral that may be pledged exclusively 
by CFI members. For example, loans that promote economic development by 
financing small businesses and farms could already qualify for use by 
CFI members as advances collateral, as small business loans, small farm 
loans, or small agri-business loans, as currently defined in the 
advances regulation. However, these types of collateral including the 
new community development loans can be pledged only by CFI members, so 
there appears to be no need to carve out the existing categories of 
eligible CFI collateral from the proposed definition.
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    \12\ As part of the proposed transfer of the advances regulation 
to part 1266, this provision would be redesignated as Sec.  
1266.7(a).
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    The proposed definition of ``community development loan'' also 
specifically excludes consumer loans or credit extended to one or more 
individuals for household, family, or other personal expenditures. This 
exclusion is intended to make clear that FHFA is not proposing that 
consumer loans, such as auto loans, even if made to low- or moderate-
income individuals or households, would be considered eligible 
collateral for advances as a ``community development loan.'' This 
proposed provision, however, would not change the status of any loan 
that qualifies as eligible collateral for advances under existing 
categories of collateral in the current regulations. For example, the 
proposed language would not affect the status of home equity loans as 
other real estate-related collateral eligible to secure advances.
    Although many community development loans would be eligible 
collateral for CFI members under pre-HERA statutory and regulatory 
provisions, FHFA believes that the proposed definitions of ``community 
development'' and ``community development loan'' would allow for at 
least marginal expansion in the types of loans that CFI members can 
pledge as security for advances. For example, the proposed definition 
could allow CFI members to accept certain types of loans that are meant 
to revitalize or stabilize certain designated, distressed, or 
underserved non-metropolitan middle income geographies that would 
qualify as community development loans under the referenced definitions 
adopted by federal banking regulators but would not necessarily qualify 
as collateral under existing advances regulations. FHFA specifically 
requests comments on whether, and how, these proposed definitions might 
be altered to better help CFI members fund community development 
activities while continuing to assure that advances be secured only by 
high quality collateral.

[[Page 7993]]

    FHFA is also proposing a new definition of ``residential housing 
finance assets'' that would incorporate community development loans and 
thereby implement the HERA amendment that allows CFIs to rely on long-
term advances to fund this type of loan. To avoid confusion with the 
term ``community development loan'', FHFA is also proposing to remove 
the reference to ``community lending'' from the current definition and 
incorporate each element of ``community lending'', as defined in Sec.  
900.2,\13\ into the definition of ``residential housing finance 
assets''. Thus, the proposed new definition of ``residential housing 
finance assets'' would specifically refer to ``loans or investments 
providing financing for economic development projects for targeted 
beneficiaries'' and for CFI members, to the extent not already 
included, ``small business loans, small farm loans, small agri-business 
loans, or community development loans.'' Other than adding ``community 
development loans'', the proposed changes are editorial in nature and 
would not alter the scope of the current definition for ``residential 
housing finance assets''.
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    \13\ The current definition of ``residential housing finance 
assets'' incorrectly states that ``community lending'' is defined in 
Sec.  900.1 rather than in Sec.  900.2.
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    FHFA is also proposing to add to newly designated Sec.  1266.1 
definitions for ``Bank Act'', ``advances'', ``Bank'', and ``targeted 
beneficiaries''. These definitions are contained in Sec.  900.1 or 
Sec.  900.2 of the FHFB rules, and FHFA is proposing to carry them over 
to newly designated part 1266 without substantive change.\14\
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    \14\ See n.8, supra.
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B. Long-Term Advances

    Current Sec.  950.3 implements section 10(a)(2) of the Bank Act by 
providing that a Bank shall make long-term advances only for the 
purpose of enabling a member to purchase or fund new or existing 
residential housing finance assets, which include, for CFI members, 
small business loans, small farm loans, and small agri-business loans. 
This provision would be redesignated as Sec.  1266.3 by the proposed 
rule. Because, as already noted, FHFA is proposing to add specific 
references to small business loans, small farm loans, small agri-
business loans, and community development loans in the definition of 
``residential housing finance assets'', FHFA also is proposing to 
remove references to such CFI-specific collateral from the redesignated 
Sec.  1266.3(a) as redundant. No other changes are being proposed for 
this section.

C. Collateral

    Current Sec.  950.7(b) implements section 10(a)(3)(E) of the Bank 
Act, which sets forth additional eligible collateral that can be 
pledged by CFI members only to secure advances from a Bank. Section 
950.7 would be redesignated as Sec.  1266.7 under this proposed rule. 
The FHFA is proposing to implement the HERA provision allowing CFI 
members to pledge loans for community development activities as 
collateral for advances by adding ``community development loans'' to 
the list of CFI-specific collateral set forth in the redesignated Sec.  
1266.7(b)(1). No other changes are being proposed to this provision.
    A Bank's acceptance of ``community development loans'' would need 
to meet the same requirements as its acceptance of other types of CFI 
collateral. Thus, community development loans pledged by CFI members to 
secure advances would need to be fully secured by collateral other than 
real estate. In addition, any eligible community development loan would 
have to have a readily ascertainable value, be able to be reliably 
discounted to account for liquidation or other risk, and be able to be 
liquidated in due course, and the Bank would have to be able to perfect 
a security interest in such loan. A Bank's acceptance of specific types 
of ``community development loans'' to secure an advance would also be 
subject to its first meeting the requirements of the new business 
activities rule, currently set forth in 12 CFR part 980.\15\ The 
proposed changes would also allow a Bank to accept as collateral for 
advances, a security representing a whole interest in community 
development loans, subject to the Bank's first fulfilling any 
obligations under the new business activities rule. A Bank's acceptance 
of ``community development loans'' would also be subject to all 
relevant FHFA policies and guidance that apply to acceptance of other 
types of collateral to secure advances, such as the guidance on anti-
predatory lending policies contained in Advisory Bulletin 2005-AB-08.
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    \15\ As already noted, this rulemaking would also relocate the 
part 980 rules in their entirety to 12 CFR part 1272.
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D. Status of Secured Lending Under the Advances Regulation

    FHFA is also proposing to amend newly designated Sec.  1266.2 of 
the advances regulation to incorporate a long-standing position that 
any secured lending by a Bank to members is deemed an advance subject 
to all requirements related to advances. This position was first taken 
by the FHFB in 1995 by resolution; this resolution has not been 
rescinded and is still in effect. See Fin. Brd. Res. No. 95-13 (Aug. 9, 
1995). The purpose of the resolution was to prevent Banks from using 
other forms of secured lending to members, such as reverse repurchase 
transactions, to avoid specific requirements and obligations associated 
with making advances to members.
    This remains a concern, even if, because of amendments to the Bank 
Act, the specific issue which motivated the original resolution is no 
longer relevant. FHFA is proposing to codify the position taken in the 
old FHFB resolution as new Sec.  1266.2(e) to make clear that it 
intends this restriction to continue to apply and that it does not 
believe that members, or the Banks, should be able to avoid 
requirements applied to advances, including stock purchase 
requirements, by allowing members to borrow from the Banks using other 
forms of secured transactions. Further, to assure that the proposed 
provision cannot be circumvented by a Bank extending secured credit to 
an affiliate of a member, the proposed provision also would be applied 
to any affiliate of a member.\16\ Members and their affiliates are able 
to enter transactions with each other to provide funding and liquidity, 
and thereby, can extend the benefits of borrowing from the Bank among 
affiliated parties. In fact, the advances regulation has long 
recognized that affiliates of a member can play a role in helping the 
member secure financing from a Bank, and has allowed affiliates to 
pledge collateral for advances subject to certain specific 
requirements. See Sec.  950.7(g). Given this link, FHFA believes that 
it is appropriate to close what could be another means for members to 
avoid regulatory requirements associated with advances by incorporating 
into the regulations a provision providing that, because secured 
extensions of credit are deemed to be advances, they are not to be made 
to member affiliates.
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    \16\ An ``affiliate'' is currently defined in the advances 
regulation as ``any business entity that controls, is controlled by, 
or is under common control with, a member.'' See Sec.  950.1.
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E. New Business Activities

    FHFA is proposing to transfer the new business activities rule from 
part 980 of the FHFB regulations to part 1272 of FHFA regulations. FHFA 
is also proposing to make conforming changes

[[Page 7994]]

to part 1272, including adding definitions for ``Bank'' and ``FHFA''. 
The proposed definitions are the same as those being proposed in part 
1266. No substantive changes to the new business activities regulation 
are being proposed.

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection contained in the Data Reporting Manual, 
entitled ``Advances to Housing Associates,'' has been assigned control 
number 2590-0001 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The 
proposed amendments to the advances regulations do not substantively or 
materially modify the approved information collection. The proposed 
changes to the new business activity regulation do not contain any 
collections of information pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Therefore, FHFA has not submitted any 
information to the OMB for review.

V. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The proposed amendments apply only to the Banks, which do not come 
within the meaning of small entities as defined in the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (RFA). See 5 U.S.C. 601(6). Therefore in accordance 
with section 605(b) of the RFA, FHFA certifies this proposed 
regulation, if promulgated as a final regulation, will not have 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Parts 950, 980, 1266 and 1272

    Community development, Credit, Federal home loan banks, Housing, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Federal Housing Finance 
Agency proposes to amend chapters IX and XII of title 12 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations as follows:

CHAPTER IX--FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD

CHAPTER XII--FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

PART 950--[REDESIGNATED AS PART 1266]

    1. Transfer 12 CFR part 950 from chapter IX, subchapter G, to 
chapter XII, subchapter D, and redesignate as 12 CFR part 1266.

PART 980--[REDESIGNATED AS PART 1272]

    2. Transfer 12 CFR part 980 from chapter IX, subchapter J, to 
chapter XII, subchapter D, and redesignate as 12 CFR part 1272.

PART 1266--ADVANCES

    3. The authority citation for newly redesignated part 1266 is 
revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 1426, 1429, 1430, 1430b, 1431, 4511(b), 
4513, 4526(a).

    4. Revise the heading in the newly redesignated part 1266 to read 
as set forth above.
    5. Amend the newly redesignated part 1266 as indicated in the table 
below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          By removing the reference
                 Amend:                              to:                       And adding in its place:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   1266.1, Definition of CFI member  Sec.   925.1, each place    Sec.   1263.1.
                                          that it appears.
Sec.   1261.1, Definition of State       Sec.   926.1 of this        Sec.   926.1 of this title.
 housing finance agency.                  chapter.
Sec.   1266.4(g)(2)(i).................  Sec.   950.2(b)(2)........  Sec.   1266.2(b)(2).
Sec.   1266.4(g)(2)(ii)................  Sec.   950.2(a)...........  Sec.   1266.2(a).
Sec.   1266.6(a).......................  Sec.   917.4 of this        Sec.   917.4 of this title.
                                          chapter.
Sec.   1266.9(a).......................  Sec.   950.2(c)...........  Sec.   1266.2(c).
Sec.   1266.10(a)......................  Sec.   917.4 of this        Sec.   917.4 of this title.
                                          chapter.
Sec.   1266.16.........................  Sec.  Sec.   950.14 and     Sec.  Sec.   1266.14 and 1266.17.
                                          950.17.
Sec.   1266.17(a)......................  part 925..................  part 1263.
Sec.   1266.17(b)(2)(i)................  Sec.   926.3(b)...........  Sec.   926.3(b) of this title.
Sec.   1266.17(b)(2)(i)(A).............  Sec.   950.7(a)(1) or (2).  Sec.   1266.7(a)(1) or (2).
Sec.   1266.17(b)(2)(i)(B).............  Sec.   950.7(a)(3)........  Sec.   1266.7(a)(3).
Sec.   1266.17(b)(2)(i)(C).............  Sec.   950.7(a)(4)........  Sec.   1266.7(a)(4).
Sec.   1266.17(c)(2)(i)................  Sec.   950.3(b), each time  Sec.   1266.3(b).
                                          it appears.
Sec.   1266.17(c)(2)(ii)...............  Sec.   950.5(b)(2)........  Sec.   1266.5(b)(2).
Sec.   1266.17(e)(2)...................  part 926 of this chapter..  part 926 of this title.
Sec.   1266.17(e)(3)...................  part 926 of this chapter..  part 926 of this title.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. In newly redesignated part 1266, revise all references to 
``Finance Board'' to read ``FHFA'' and revise all references to ``Act'' 
to read ``Bank Act''.
    7. In newly redesignated Sec.  1266.1, add in correct alphabetical 
order definitions for ``Advance'', ``Bank'', ``Bank Act'', ``Community 
development'', ``Community development loan'', ``FHFA'', and ``Targeted 
beneficiaries'', and revise the definition of ``Residential housing 
finance assets'' to read as follows:


Sec.  1266.1  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Advance means a loan from a Bank that is:
    (1) Provided pursuant to a written agreement;
    (2) Supported by a note or other written evidence of the borrower's 
obligation; and
    (3) Fully secured by collateral in accordance with the Bank Act and 
this part.
* * * * *
    Bank, written in title case, means a Federal Home Loan Bank 
established under section 12 of the Bank Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 
1432).
    Bank Act means the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, as amended (12 
U.S.C. 1421 through 1449).
* * * * *
    Community development has the same meaning as under the definition 
set forth in the Community Reinvestment rule for the Federal Reserve 
System (12 CFR part 228), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (12 CFR 
part 345), the Office of Thrift Supervision (12 CFR part 563e) or the 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (12 CFR part 25), whichever 
is the CFI member's primary federal regulator.
    Community development loan means a loan that has as its primary 
purpose community development, but such loans shall not include:
    (1) Any loan or instrument that qualifies as eligible security for 
an

[[Page 7995]]

advance under Sec.  1266.7(a) of this part; or
    (2) Consumer loans or credit extended to one or more individuals 
for household, family or other personal expenditures.
* * * * *
    FHFA means the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
* * * * *
    Residential housing finance assets means any of the following:
    (1) Loans secured by residential real property;
    (2) Mortgage-backed securities;
    (3) Participations in loans secured by residential real property;
    (4) Loans or investments providing financing for economic 
development projects for targeted beneficiaries;
    (5) Loans secured by manufactured housing, regardless of whether 
such housing qualifies as residential real property;
    (6) Any loans or investments which the FHFA, in its discretion, 
otherwise determines to be residential housing finance assets; and
    (7) For CFI members, and to the extent not already included in 
categories (1) through (6), small business loans, small farm loans, 
small agri-business loans, or community development loans.
* * * * *
    Targeted beneficiaries has the meaning set forth in Sec.  952.1 of 
this title.
    8. Revise newly designated Sec.  1226.2 by adding new paragraph (e) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  1266.2  Authorization and application for advances; obligation to 
repay advances.

* * * * *
    (e) Status of secured lending. All secured extensions of credit by 
a Bank to a member of any Bank, regardless of the form of the 
transaction, shall be considered an advance subject to the requirements 
of this part. Because advances to an affiliate of a member are not 
permitted under the Bank Act, or this part, secured extensions of 
credit also cannot be made by a Bank to an affiliate of any member.
    9. Revise newly redesignated Sec.  1266.3 to read as follows:


Sec.  1266.3  Purpose of long-term advances; Proxy test.

    (a) A Bank shall make long-term advances only for the purpose of 
enabling any member to purchase or fund new or existing residential 
housing finance assets.
    (b)(1) Prior to approving an application for a long-term advance, a 
Bank shall determine that the principal amount of all long-term 
advances currently held by the member does not exceed the total book 
value of residential housing finance assets held by such member. The 
Bank shall determine the total book value of such residential housing 
finance assets, using the most recent Thrift Financial Report, Report 
of Condition and Income, financial statement or other reliable 
documentation made available by the member.
    (2) Applications for CICA advances are exempt from the requirements 
of paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
    10. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  1266.7 by revising paragraph 
(b)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  1266.7  Collateral.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) General. Subject to the requirements set forth in part 1272 of 
this chapter, a Bank is authorized to accept from CFI members or their 
affiliates as security for advances small business loans, small farm 
loans, small agri-business loans, or community development loans, in 
each case fully secured by collateral other than real estate, or 
securities representing a whole interest in such loans, provided that:
    (i) Such collateral has a readily ascertainable value, can be 
reliably discounted to account for liquidation and other risks, and can 
be liquidated in due course; and
    (ii) The Bank can perfect a security interest in such collateral.
* * * * *

PART 1272--NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

    11. The authority citation for newly redesignated part 1272 is 
revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 1431(a), 1432(a), 4511(b), 4513, 4526(a).

    12. Revise the heading in the newly redesignated part 1272 to read 
as set forth above.
    13. Amend the references in the newly redesignated part 1272 as 
indicated in the table below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          By removing the reference
                 Amend:                              to:                       And adding in its place:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   1272.1, Definition of new         Sec.   950.7(a)(4)........  Sec.   1266.7(a)(4).
 business activity.
Sec.   1272.1, Definition of new         Sec.   950.7(b)...........  Sec.   1266.7(b).
 business activity.
Sec.   1272.3, Introductory text.......  Sec.   980.4(b)...........  Sec.   1272.4(b).
Sec.   1272.3(b), Introductory text....  Sec.   950.7..............  Sec.   1266.7.
Sec.   1272.3(b)(3)....................  Sec.   950.10.............  Sec.   1266.10.
Sec.   1272.4(a).......................  Sec.   980.3..............  Sec.   1272.3.
Sec.   1272.4(a).......................  Sec.   980.5(a)(1) through  Sec.   1272.5(a)(1) through (4).
                                          (4).
Sec.   1272.4(b).......................  Sec.   950.7(a)(4)........  Sec.   1266.7(a)(4).
Sec.   1272.4(b).......................  Sec.   980.3..............  Sec.   1272.3.
Sec.   1272.4(c).......................  Sec.   980.6..............  Sec.   1272.6.
Sec.   1272.5(a), Introductory text....  Sec.   980.3..............  Sec.   1272.3.
Sec.   1272.5(a)(4)....................  Sec.   980.7..............  Sec.   1272.7.
Sec.   1272.5(a)(5)....................  Sec.   980.7..............  Sec.   1272.7.
Sec.   1272.5(b).......................  Sec.   980.6..............  Sec.   1272.6.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    14. Amend newly redesignated part 1272 by revising all references 
to ``Finance Board'' to read ``FHFA''.
    15. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  1272.1 by adding in correct 
alphabetical order definitions for ``Bank'' and ``FHFA'' to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1272.1  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Bank, written in title case, means a Federal Home Loan Bank 
established under section 12 of the Bank Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 
1432).
    FHFA means the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
* * * * *

    Dated: February 16, 2010.
Edward J. DeMarco,
Acting Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010-3407 Filed 2-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P


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