Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1283

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PUBLIC LAW 98-181—NOV. 30, 1983 97 STAT. 1251 1^^ centum of the total costs associated with the rehabilitation of that structure; "(4) be used to provide other comparable assistance that the Secretary deems appropriate to carry out the purpose of this section, designed to reduce the costs of such repair and rehabili- tation in order to make such housing affordable by persons of low income and, to the extent feasible, by persons and families whose incomes do not exceed 50 per centum of the area median income; "(5) benefit low- and very low-income persons and families in rural areas, without causing the displacement of current resi- dents; and "(6) raise health and safety conditions to meet those specified in section 509(a). "(c)(1) The Secretary shall allocate rehabilitation grant funds for usc in each State on the basis of a formula contained in a regulation prescribed by the Secretary using the average of the ratios between— "(A) the population of the rural areas in that State and the population of the rural areas of all States; "(B) the extent of poverty in the rural areas in that State and the extent of poverty in the rural areas of all States; and "(C) the extent of substandard housing in the rural areas of that State and the extent of substandard housing in the rural areas of all States. Any funds which are allocated to a State but uncommitted to grantees will be transferred to the State office of the Farmers Home Administration in a timely manner and be used for authorized rehabilitation activities under section 504. "(2) Unless there is only one eligible grantee in a State, a single grantee may not receive more than 50 per centum of a State's allocation. "(d)(1) Eligible grantees may submit a statement of activity to the Secretary at the time specified by the program administrator, con- taining a description of its proposed rehabilitation program. The statement shall consist of the activities each entity proposes to undertake for the fiscal year, and the projected progress in carrying out those activities. The statement of activities shall be made avail- able to the public for comment. "(2) In preparing such statement, the grantee shall consult with and consider the views of appropriate local officials. "(3) The Secretary shall evaluate the merits of each statement on the basis of such criteria as the Secretary shall prescribe, including the extent— "(A) to which the repair and rehabilitation activities will assist persons of low income who lack adequate shelter, with priority given to applications assisting the maximum number of persons and families whose incomes do not exceed 50 per centum of the area median income; "(B) to which the repair and rehabilitation activities include the participation of other public or private organizations in providing assistance, in addition to the assistance provided under this section, in order to lower the costs of such activities or provide for the leveraging of available funds to supplement the rural housing preservation grant program; Ante, p. 1242. Funding allocations. Uncommitted funds. 42 USC 1474. Activity statements by grantees. Public availability. Evaluation by Secretary.