Helping Hands for Homeownership Act of 2004
PL 108-285 (H.R.4363), enacted 08/02/2004

118 STAT. 917
PUBLIC LAW 108–285—AUG. 2, 2004
Public Law 108–285
108th Congress
An Act
To facilitate self-help housing homeownership opportunities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Helping Hands for Homeowner-
ship Act of 2004’’.
SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR SELF-HELP HOUSING PROVIDERS.
Paragraph (1) of section 11(b) of the Housing Opportunity Pro-
gram Extension Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 12805 note) is amended
by striking ‘‘dwelling’’ and inserting ‘‘dwellings’’.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF DOUG BEREUTER SECTION 502 SINGLE
FAMILY HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.
(a) CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing
Act, enacted November 28, 1990, established the section 502
single family housing loan guarantee program of the Rural
Housing Service of the United States Department of Agri-
culture;
(2) Congressman Doug Bereuter of Nebraska was the legis-
lative author of the single family housing loan guarantee pro-
gram;
(3) 316,625 single family loans have been guaranteed under
the program since its implementation in 1991;
(4) the program facilitates home ownership for low- to
moderate-income borrowers in rural areas and nonmetropolitan
communities who are unable to obtain conventional home mort-
gage financing; and
(5) in 2003, the average income of a borrower with a
loan guaranteed under the section 502 guarantee program was
$34,124.
(b) DESIGNATION.—Subsection (h) of section 502 of the Housing
Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(h)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (13) as para-
graphs (2) through (14), respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)
the following new paragraph:
‘‘(1) SHORT TITLE.—This subsection may be cited as the
‘Doug Bereuter Section 502 Single Family Housing Loan Guar-
antee Act’.’’; and
(3) by striking the subsection designation and heading and
inserting the following:
42 USC 1472
note.
42 USC 1441
note.
Helping Hands
for
Homeownership
Act of 2004.
Aug. 2, 2004
[H.R. 4363]
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118 STAT. 918
PUBLIC LAW 108–285—AUG. 2, 2004
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4363:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108–546 (Comm. on Financial Services).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 150 (2004):
June 21, considered and passed House.
July 14, considered and passed Senate.
‘‘(h) DOUG BEREUTER SECTION 502 SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING
LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.—’’.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (h) of section 502
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(h)), as amended by
section 2 of this Act, is further amended—
(1) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ‘‘paragraph (12)(A)’’
and inserting ‘‘paragraph (13)’’; and
(2) in paragraph (14)—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘GENERAL’’ and
inserting ‘‘GENERAL’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (E)—
(i) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1) and paragraphs (2),
(5), (6)(A), (7), and (9)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (2)
and paragraphs (3), (6), (7)(A), (8), and (10)’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘paragraphs (1) through (12)’’ and
inserting ‘‘paragraphs (2) through (13)’’.
Approved August 2, 2004.
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