PUBLIC LAW 106-569—DEC. 27, 2000 114 STAT. 3013 TITLE VII—RURAL HOUSING HOMEOWNERSHIP SEC. 701. GUARANTEES FOR REFINANCING OF RURAL HOUSING LOANS. Section 502(h) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(13) GUARANTEES FOR REFINANCING LOANS.— "(A) IN GENERAL. —Upon the request of the borrower, the Secretary shall, to the extent provided in appropriation Acts and subject to subparagraph (F), guarantee a loan that is made to refinance an existing loan that is made under this section or guaranteed under this subsection, and that the Secretary determines complies with the requirements of this paragraph. "(B) INTEREST RATE.—To be eligible for a guarantee under this paragraph, the refinancing loan shall have a rate of interest that is fixed over the term of the loan and does not exceed the interest rate of the loan being refinanced. "(C) SECURITY. —To be eligible for a guarantee under this paragraph, the refinancing loan shall be secured by the same single-family residence as was the loan being refinanced, which shall be owned by the borrower and occupied by the borrower as the principal residence of the borrower. "(D) AMOUNT.— To be eligible for a guarantee under this paragraph, the principal obligation under the refinancing loan shall not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the balance of the loan being refinanced and such closing costs as may be authorized by the Secretary, which shall include a discount not exceeding 200 basis points and an origination fee not exceeding such amount as the Secretary shall prescribe. "(E) OTHER REQUIREMENTS.— The provisions of the last Applicabmty. sentence of paragraph (1) and paragraphs (2), (5), (6)(A), (7), and (9) shall apply to loans guaranteed under this paragraph, and no other provisions of paragraphs (1) through (12) shall apply to such loans. "(F) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH LIMITATION.— The Secretary may establish limitations on the number of loans guaranteed under this paragraph, which shall be based on market conditions and other factors as the Secretary considers appropriate.". SEC. 702. PROMISSORY NOTE REQUIREMENT UNDER HOUSING REPAIR LOAN PROGRAM. The fourth sentence of section 504(a) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1474(a)) is amended by striking "$2,500" and inserting "$7,500". SEC. 703. LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ELIGIBILITY FOR FARM LABOR HOUSING LOANS. The first sentence of section 514(a) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484(a)) is amended by striking "nonprofit limited partnership" and inserting "limited partnership".
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