General. To prevent or correct a compliance violation or to prevent or cure a default in a situation that cannot be resolved through regular servicing, the Agency may approve a deferral of loan payments or a loan restructuring. Nothing herein precludes the Agency from initiating appropriate legal action to correct a compliance violation if the Agency determines such action is more in the Government's interest than entering into a special servicing agreement as provided for in this section. Procedures for debt collection are discussed in § 3560.460. As part of a workout agreement, the Agency may agree to accept less than full monthly payment installments due on an Agency loan for a specified period of time, not to exceed the effective period of the workout agreement.

Loan reamortizations. A loan reamortization is a restructuring of loan terms and conditions over a period of time that does not exceed the remaining useful life of the housing project.

Loan reamortizations will only be approved when they are in the best interest of the Federal Government and tenants and when the following conditions are met.

The Agency determines that the borrower will be unable to meet their obligations without a reduction in monthly payment installments; and

The Agency is satisfied that the security, including the potential income for debt service, will be adequate to protect the Agency's interest over the term of the reamortization and that the reamortization will not adversely affect the Federal Government's lien priority.

If the Agency approves a reamortization of a loan under this section, it will be at the existing note rate, or the current interest rate at the time of reamortization closing or approval, whichever is less.

Loan reamortization may be used to:

Restructure loan repayments to prevent or correct a compliance violation or cure a default caused by circumstances beyond the borrower's control in situations where the borrower is otherwise in compliance with Agency requirements;

Repay principal, outstanding interest, overage, and advances made by the Agency for recoverable cost items when less than full payments were authorized under the provisions of an Agency approved workout agreement;

Restructure a borrower's loan payments in conjunction with an incentive package developed in accordance with § 3560.656 to prevent prepayment of the loan;

Restructure an existing loan in conjunction with a subsequent loan for rehabilitation; or

Restructure remaining debt when a portion of the property serving as loan security is sold and there is a need to reestablish the financial stability of the housing project.

Loan writedowns. A loan writedown is a reduction of a borrower's debt approved by the Agency.

Loan writedowns will only be approved when they are in the best interest of the Federal Government and when the following conditions exist:

Sound management of the housing project is evident or sound management practices are proposed for correction in accordance with an Agency approved workout agreement; and

The housing project's financial stability is being affected by conditions beyond the borrower's control, such as market weaknesses, unforeseen site problems, or natural disasters.

Prior to Agency approval for a loan writedown, the borrower must obtain an appraisal of the housing project that concludes the “ ‘as-is’ market value,” subject to restricted rents, conducted in accordance with subpart P of this part. The Agency will not approve a loan write-down unless the appraisal indicates the Federal Government's interests are secured at the proposed writedown level.

Any writedown will be conditioned on a finding that the borrower does not have the ability to pay a higher loan payment, even if the loan is reamortized.

Loan writedowns may be used to allow for a loan transfer and assumption for less than the total amount of outstanding debt.