PROCEDURE NOTICE

RD MANUAL CHANGES

INSERT RD INS 440.1 INTEREST RATES, AMORTIZATION, GUARANTEE FEE, ANNUAL CHARGE, AND FIXED PERIOD. This Instruction is partially revised as follows:

Exhibit B: To update the Treasury Judgement rate and the effective date of June 1, 2025; and

RD HANDBOOK CHANGES

INSERT RD HB-1-3550 DIRECT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING LOANS AND GRANTS - FIELD OFFICE HANDBOOK. This Handbook is partially revised. The specific revisions are outlined below.

Glossary:

• Added definition for Colonia to clarify that the definition is not specific to Section 306W WWD Grant applications only, but also applies to Section 502 and Section 504 applications located in colonias.
• Revised Manufactured home definition to remove Thermal Performance Standards reference as part of Updating Manufactured Housing Provisions final rulemaking.

Appendix 4:

• Appendix 4 is revised to include the June 1, 2025, interest rate for the Above Moderate Single Family Housing non-program loans.

Appendix 6:

• Updated definition of Colonias to align with WEP definition stating that Colonia’s eligible areas include the entire county where more than half of the area of the county is within 150 miles of the United States and Mexico border.
• Removed individual limits for water and sewer lines, connections, and/or bathroom construction, leaving only one total lifetime limit for Section 306C WWD grants.
• Updated record keeping processes.
• Clarified ownership/occupancy requirements.

RD HANDBOOK CHANGES (Con.)

Appendix 13:

• Paragraph VI. Updated to reference 180-day expiration of Handbook Letter 16A.
• Paragraph IX. Remove bullet related to Department of Labor Notification which is no longer required.

FORM REPLACEMENT

RD 400-4 ASSURANCE AGREEMENT dated 06-25. Prescribed in RD Instructions 444.8, 1901-E, 1942-A, 1944-I, 1944-K, 1948-B, 1951-E, 1955-A, 1955-C, 1980-E, 4284-F, and RUS Instruction 1780 and FSA Transferred Instructions 1943-A, 1945-D and 1965-A. The Form and FMI are revised to comport with the Administration's Executive Order "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity" and "Designating English as the Official Language of the United States." The Form and FMI can be located on the eForms website eForms Home (usda.gov).