In addition to providing insurance as otherwise authorized under this chapter, and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter inconsistent with this section, the Secretary, upon request of any mortgagee and for such mortgage insurance premium as he may prescribe (which premium, or other charges to be paid by the mortgagor, shall not exceed the premium, or other charges, that would otherwise be applicable), may insure and make a commitment to insure under any provision of this subchapter any mortgage, advance, or loan otherwise eligible under such provision, pursuant to a co-insurance contract providing that the mortgagee will—

(1) assume a percentage of any loss on the insured mortgage, advance, or loan in direct proportion to the amount of the co-insurance, which co-insurance shall not be less than 10 per centum, subject to any reasonable limit or limits on the liability of the mortgagee that may be specified in the event of unusual or catastrophic losses that may be incurred by any one mortgagee; and

(2) carry out (under a delegation or otherwise and with or without compensation but subject to audit, exception, or review requirements) such credit approval, appraisal, inspection, commitment, property disposition, or other functions as the Secretary, pursuant to regulations, shall approve as consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

No insurance shall be granted pursuant to this section with respect to dwellings or projects approved for insurance prior to the beginning of construction unless the inspection of such construction is conducted in accordance with at least the minimum standards and criteria used with respect to dwellings or projects approved for mortgage insurance pursuant to other provisions of this subchapter.

The Secretary shall not withdraw, deny, or delay insurance otherwise authorized under any other provision of this chapter by reason of the availability of insurance pursuant to this section. The Secretary shall exercise his authority under this section only to the extent that he finds that the continued exercise of such authority will not adversely affect the flow of mortgage credit to older and declining neighborhoods and to the purchasers of older and lower cost housing.

Where the mortgage covers a multifamily housing proj­ect, the co-insurance contract may provide that the mortgagee assume (i) the full amount of any loss on the insured mortgage up to an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the outstanding principal balance of the mortgage at the time of claim for insurance benefits, or (ii) the full amount of any losses on insured mortgages in a portfolio of mortgages approved by the Secretary up to an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the outstanding principal balance of all mortgages in such portfolio at the time of claim for insurance benefits on a mortgage in the portfolio, plus a share of any loss in excess of the amount under clause (i) or (ii), whichever is applicable.

(1) Where the mortgage covers a multifamily housing proj­ect, the co-insurance contract may provide that the mortgagee assume (i) the full amount of any loss on the insured mortgage up to an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the outstanding principal balance of the mortgage at the time of claim for insurance benefits, or (ii) the full amount of any losses on insured mortgages in a portfolio of mortgages approved by the Secretary up to an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the outstanding principal balance of all mortgages in such portfolio at the time of claim for insurance benefits on a mortgage in the portfolio, plus a share of any loss in excess of the amount under clause (i) or (ii), whichever is applicable.

(2) The Secretary may make loans, from the applicable insurance fund, to public housing agencies in connection with mortgages which have been insured pursuant to this subsection and which are in default.

(3) The Secretary may insure and make a commitment to insure in connection with a co-insurance contract pursuant to this subsection (A) a mortgage on a project assisted under the second proviso in the first sentence of section 1715z–1(b) of this title, and (B) a mortgage or advance on a mortgage made to a public housing agency on a project under construction which is not approved for insurance prior to construction.

(4) As used in this subsection, the term “public housing agency” has the meaning given such term in section 1437a(b)(6) of title 42.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Secretary may include in the determination of replacement cost of a project to be covered by a mortgage made to a public housing agency and insured pursuant to this subsection, such reserves and development costs, not to exceed 5 per centum of the amount otherwise allowable, as may be established or authorized by the public housing agency consistent with such agency’s procedures and underwriting standards.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the case of a mortgage insured under section 1715n(f) of this title secured by property which is to be rehabilitated or developed under section 1437o [1] of title 42, such co-insurance may include provisions that—

(1) insurance benefits shall equal the sum of (A) 90 per centum of the mortgage on the date of institution of foreclosure proceedings (or on the date of acquisition of the property otherwise after default), and (B) 90 per centum of interest arrears on the date benefits are paid;

(2) the mortgagee shall remit to the Secretary, for credit to the General Insurance Fund, 90 per centum of any proceeds of the property, including sale proceeds, net of the mortgagee’s actual and reasonable costs related to the property and the enforcement of security;

(3) payment of such benefits shall be made in cash unless the mortgagee submits a written request for debenture payment; and

(4) the underwriter of co-insurance may reinsure 10 per centum of the mortgage amount with a private mortgage insurance company or with a State mortgage insurance agency.

Any mortgagee which enters into a contract of co-insurance under this section shall have the authority to assign its interest in any note or mortgage subject to a contract of co-insurance to a warehouse bank or other financial institution which provides interim funding for a loan co-insured under this section, and to retain the co-insurance risk of such note or mortgage, upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall prescribe.

The Secretary shall, by January 15 and July 15 of each year (1) review the adequacy of capital and other requirements for mortgagees under this section, (2) assess the compliance by mortgagees with such requirements, and (3) make such adjustment to such requirements as the Secretary, after providing opportunity for hearing, determines to be appropriate to improve the long-term financial soundness of the Federal Housing Administration funds. Such requirements shall include the minimum capital or net worth of mortgagees; the ratio that mortgagees shall maintain between the mortgagee’s capital and the volume of mortgages co-insured by such mortgagee; and such other requirements as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to ensure the long-term financial soundness of the Federal Housing Administration funds. The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the review and assessment under the previous sentence, and an explanation of the Secretary’s reasons for making any adjustment in requirements authorized under this section.

(June 27, 1934, ch. 847, title II, § 244, as added Pub. L. 93–383, title III, § 307, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 679; amended Pub. L. 94–375, § 6, Aug. 3, 1976, 90 Stat. 1070; Pub. L. 95–60, § 1(d), June 30, 1977, 91 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 95–80, § 1(d), July 31, 1977, 91 Stat. 339; Pub. L. 95–128, title III, § 301(f), Oct. 12, 1977, 91 Stat. 1131; Pub. L. 95–406, § 1(f), Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 879; Pub. L. 95–557, title III, § 301(f), Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2096; Pub. L. 96–71, § 1(f), Sept. 28, 1979, 93 Stat. 501; Pub. L. 96–105, § 1(f), Nov. 8, 1979, 93 Stat. 794; Pub. L. 96–153, title III, § 301(f), Dec. 21, 1979, 93 Stat. 1111; Pub. L. 96–372, § 1(f), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1363; Pub. L. 96–399, title III, § 301(f), Oct. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1638; Pub. L. 96–470, title I, § 107(a), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2238; Pub. L. 97–35, title III, § 331(f), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 413; Pub. L. 97–289, § 1(f), Oct. 6, 1982, 96 Stat. 1230; Pub. L. 98–35, § 1(f), May 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 197; Pub. L. 98–109, § 1(f), Oct. 1, 1983, 97 Stat. 745; Pub. L. 98–181, title I [title III, § 303(a), title IV, §§ 401(e), 434], Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1206, 1207, 1222; Pub. L. 98–479, title I, § 104(a)(5), Oct. 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 2225; Pub. L. 99–120, § 1(e), Oct. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 502; Pub. L. 99–156, § 1(e), Nov. 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 815; Pub. L. 99–219, § 1(e), Dec. 26, 1985, 99 Stat. 1730; Pub. L. 99–267, § 1(e), Mar. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 73; Pub. L. 99–272, title III, § 3007(e), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 105; Pub. L. 99–289, § 1(b), May 2, 1986, 100 Stat. 412; Pub. L. 99–345, § 1, June 24, 1986, 100 Stat. 673; Pub. L. 99–430, Sept. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 986; Pub. L. 100–122, § 1, Sept. 30, 1987, 101 Stat. 793; Pub. L. 100–154, Nov. 5, 1987, 101 Stat. 890; Pub. L. 100–170, Nov. 17, 1987, 101 Stat. 914; Pub. L. 100–179, Dec. 3, 1987, 101 Stat. 1018; Pub. L. 100–200, Dec. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 1327; Pub. L. 100–242, title IV, §§ 401(a)(3), 414, 429(g), Feb. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1898, 1907, 1919; Pub. L. 101–235, title I, § 139(a), Dec. 15, 1989, 103 Stat. 2029.)