TN Code § 13-23-116 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 13 - Public Planning and Housing|Chapter 23 - Housing Development Agency|Part 1 - Tennessee Housing Development Agency Act|§ 13-23-116. Insured Construction Loans for Development or Rehabilitation — Loans for Energy-Saving Improvements and Solar Water Heaters — Energy Use Considered in Making Loans

  The agency shall be empowered to make or participate in the making of insured construction loans to qualified sponsors, developers and builders for land development and/or residential housing, including the rehabilitation thereof, for lower and moderate income persons or families when the financial assistance programs of this part become effective under this part. However, the agency will not make or participate in the making of any insured construction loans until it has notified all qualified lenders that the insured construction loan program is in effect and that the agency is prepared to enter into working agreements with qualified lenders for the making of insured construction loans to qualified sponsors, developers and builders; and it has determined that the insured construction loan is not otherwise available, totally or in part, from qualified lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions. Except as provided herein, the agency may make such loans directly only after the agency has notified all qualified lenders with whom working agreements have been established of a sponsor's, developer's or builder's loan application with the agency and after a reasonable time from the date of notification, no qualified lender has agreed in writing with the sponsor to make the insured construction loan either as a mortgagee or agent for a mortgagee, upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions. Such loans made under this section to public housing agencies, public and private nonprofit corporations or other public or private nonprofit entities, or limited distribution entities, may be made by the agency to such borrower directly when the agency has determined that the loan is not otherwise available, totally or in part, from private qualified lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions.    The agency may make loans to qualified lenders under terms and conditions requiring the proceeds thereof to be used for the making of loans for the construction or rehabilitation of residential housing by qualified sponsors, developers, and builders. Such loans may be made only after the agency has issued to the qualified sponsor, developer, or builder its commitment to make or participate in the making of an insured mortgage loan, or the agency has received evidence of an existing commitment to make the permanent loan, and the qualified lender has entered into an agreement with the agency agreeing to make the construction or rehabilitation loan on terms and conditions consistent with this part and the agency's rules and regulations.   The agency may require that such loans to qualified lenders be secured as to payment of both principal and interest by a pledge of and lien upon collateral security in such amounts as the agency shall determine to be necessary to assure the payment of such loans and the interest thereon as the same become due. Such collateral security shall consist of:  Direct general obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States or the state;   Bonds, debentures, participation certificates or notes issued by the federal national mortgage association or the federal home loan mortgage corporation or by an agency or corporation which has been or is hereafter created by or pursuant to an act of the congress of the United States as an agency or instrumentality thereof; or   Mortgages insured or guaranteed by the United States or an instrumentality thereof as to payment of principal and interest.       In making loans for rehabilitation of residential housing, the agency shall consider proposals for energy-saving improvements and solar hot water heaters, and, if feasible, include the costs of such improvements or heaters in the amount of the loan.   The agency shall be empowered to make loans for energy-saving improvements and solar hot water heaters to persons and families of lower and moderate incomes for residential housing occupied and owned or rented by such person or family. Such loans shall be under such conditions, with such security, and with such repayment plans as the agency may determine. In determining repayment schedules, however, the agency shall attempt to match repayments with the savings resulting to the person or family in their residential utility bill from the improvement or solar water heater. Consideration shall also be given to providing a revolving loan fund.   The agency shall be provided with standards for a listing of reliable and efficient solar hot water heaters by the appropriate federal agency.   The agency shall give consideration, in making any loan authorized by this chapter, to energy-saving improvements and appliances included in the proposed design, improvement or rehabilitation of residential housing and shall, in making loans, give maximum consideration to any proposal which would decrease energy use typical of present construction or designs.