
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC1476]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
       CHAPTER 8A--SLUM CLEARANCE, URBAN RENEWAL, AND FARM HOUSING
 
                      SUBCHAPTER III--FARM HOUSING
 
Sec. 1476. Buildings and repairs


(a) Construction in accordance with plans and specifications; 
        supervision and inspection; technical services and research

    In connection with financial assistance authorized in this 
subchapter, the Secretary shall require that all new buildings and 
repairs financed under this subchapter shall be substantially 
constructed and in accordance with such building plans and 
specifications as may be required by the Secretary. Buildings and 
repairs constructed with funds advanced pursuant to this subchapter 
shall be supervised and inspected as required by the Secretary. In 
addition to the financial assistance authorized in this subchapter, the 
Secretary is authorized to furnish, through such agencies as he may 
determine, to any person, including a person eligible for financial 
assistance under this subchapter, without charge or at such charges as 
the Secretary may determine, technical services such as building plans, 
specifications, construction supervision and inspection, and advice and 
information regarding farm dwellings and other buildings.

(b) Research and technical studies for reduction of costs and adaptation 
        and development of fixtures and appurtenances

    The Secretary is further authorized and directed to conduct 
research, technical studies, and demonstrations relating to the mission 
and programs of the Farmers Home Administration and the national housing 
goals defined in section 1441 of this title. In connection with such 
activities, the Secretary shall seek to promote the construction of 
adequate farm and other rural housing, with particular attention to the 
housing needs of the elderly, handicapped, migrant and seasonal 
farmworkers, Indians and other identifiable groups with special needs. 
The Secretary shall conduct such activities for the purposes of 
stimulating construction and improving the architectural design and 
utility of dwellings and buildings. In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary may permit demonstrations involving innovative housing units 
and systems which do not meet existing published standards, rules, 
regulations, or policies if the Secretary finds that in so doing, the 
health and safety of the population of the area in which the 
demonstration is carried out will not be adversely affected, except that 
the aggregate expenditures for such demonstrations may not exceed 
$10,000,000 in any fiscal year.

(c) Research, study, and analysis of farm housing

    The Secretary is further authorized to carry out a program of 
research, study, and analysis of farm housing in the United States to 
develop data and information on--
        (1) the adequacy of existing farm housing;
        (2) the nature and extent of current and prospective needs for 
    farm housing, including needs for financing and for improved design, 
    utility, and comfort, and the best methods of satisfying such needs;
        (3) problems faced by farmers and other persons eligible under 
    section 1471 of this title in purchasing, constructing, improving, 
    altering, repairing, and replacing farm housing;
        (4) the interrelation of farm housing problems and the problems 
    of housing in urban and suburban areas; and
        (5) any other matters bearing upon the provision of adequate 
    farm housing.

(d) Research capacity within Farmers Home Administration; establishment; 
        authority

    In order to carry out this section, the Secretary shall establish a 
research capacity within the Farmers Home Administration which shall 
have authority to undertake, or to contract with any public or private 
body to undertake, research authorized by this section.

(e) Preparation and submission of estimates of housing needs

    The Secretary of Agriculture shall prepare and submit to the 
President and to the Congress estimates of national rural housing needs 
and reports with respect to the progress being made toward meeting such 
needs and correlate and recommend proposals for such executive action or 
legislation necessary or desirable for the furtherance of the national 
housing objective and policy established by this Act with respect to 
rural housing, together with such other reports or information as may be 
required of the Secretary by the President or the Congress.

(f) Study of housing available for migrant and settled farmworkers

    (1) The Secretary shall conduct a study of housing which is 
available for migrant and settled farmworkers. In conducting such study, 
the Secretary shall--
        (A) determine the location, number, quality, and condition of 
    housing units which are available to such farmworkers and the cost 
    assessed such farmworkers for occupying such units;
        (B) recommend legislative, administrative, and other action 
    (including the need for new authority for such action) which may be 
    taken for the purpose of improving both the availability and the 
    condition of such housing units; and
        (C) determine the possible roles which individual farmworkers, 
    farmworker associations, individual farmers, farmer associations, 
    and public and private nonprofit agencies can perform in improving 
    the housing conditions of farmworkers.

    (2) The Secretary shall transmit the results of the study described 
in paragraph (1) to each House of the Congress within one year after 
October 31, 1978.

(July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title V, Sec. 506, 63 Stat. 435; Pub. L. 87-70, 
title VIII, Secs. 804(b)(1), 805(a), June 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 188; Pub. 
L. 87-723, Sec. 4(c)(2), Sept. 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 672; Pub. L. 88-560, 
title V, Sec. 503(c), Sept. 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 798; Pub. L. 89-117, title 
X, Sec. 1005(d), Aug. 10, 1965, 79 Stat. 501; Pub. L. 89-348, Sec. 1(5), 
Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1310; Pub. L. 93-383, title V, Secs. 506, 519(a), 
Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 694, 699; Pub. L. 95-128, title V, Sec. 510, 
Oct. 12, 1977, 91 Stat. 1142; Pub. L. 95-557, title V, Sec. 502, Oct. 
31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2111; Pub. L. 98-181, title V, Sec. 505, Nov. 30, 
1983, 97 Stat. 1242; Pub. L. 104-66, title I, Sec. 1011(m), Dec. 21, 
1995, 109 Stat. 710.)

                       References in Text

    This Act, referred to in subsec. (e), is act July 15, 1949, ch. 338, 
63 Stat. 413, as amended, known as the Housing Act of 1949, which is 
classified principally to this chapter (Sec. 1441 et seq.). For complete 
classification of that Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out 
under section 1441 of this title and Tables.


                               Amendments

    1995--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104-66 struck out at end ``The Secretary 
shall report to the Congress at the close of each fiscal year on the 
results of such demonstrations.''
    1983--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98-181 inserted provision relating to 
demonstrations involving innovative housing units and systems not 
meeting existing standards with expenditures not to exceed $10,000,000 
in any fiscal year and a report to be made to Congress at the close of 
each fiscal year.
    1978--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95-557, Sec. 502(a), revised the 
provisions of this subsection to bring particular attention to the 
housing needs of the elderly, handicapped, migrant and seasonal 
farmworkers, Indians and other identifiable groups.
    Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 95-557, Sec. 502(b), added subsec. (f).
    1977--Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95-128 substituted provision respecting 
establishment and authority of a research capacity within the Farmers 
Home Administration for provision to carry out subsec. (b) and (c) 
research and study programs through grants by the Secretary to land-
grant colleges on such terms, conditions, and standards as he may 
prescribe or through such other agencies as he may elect.
    1974--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93-383, Sec. 519(a), substituted ``as 
required by the Secretary'' for ``as may be required by the Secretary, 
by competent employees of the Secretary''.
    Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 93-383, Sec. 506(a), substituted provisions 
authorizing grants to such other private or public organizations as 
selected by the Secretary upon finding that required research and study 
could not be performed by personnel and facilities of Department of 
Agriculture or land-grant colleges, for provisions authorizing grants to 
such other agencies as selected by the Secretary.
    Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 93-383, Sec. 506(b), substituted ``rural 
housing'' for ``farm housing'' wherever appearing.
    1965--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89-117 substituted ``this subchapter'' 
for ``sections 1471 to 1474 and sections 1484 to 1486 of this title'' 
wherever appearing.
    Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 89-348, which directed the repeal in subsec. 
(b) of the requirement of the report of estimates of national farm 
housing needs and of progress made toward meeting such needs, probably 
was intended to repeal such reporting requirement in subsec. (e) in view 
of the redesignation of subsec. (b) as (e) by Pub. L. 87-70.
    1964--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88-560 inserted reference to section 1486 
of this title wherever appearing.
    1962--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87-723 substituted ``sections 1484 and 
1485'' for ``section 1484'' wherever appearing.
    1961--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87-70, Secs. 804(b)(1), 805(a)(1), 
inserted a reference to section 1484 of this title in two places, and 
struck out provisions which authorized the conduct of research and 
technical studies including the development, demonstration, and 
promotion of construction of adequate farm dwellings and other buildings 
for the purposes of stimulating construction, improving architectural 
design and utility, utilizing new and native materials, economies in 
materials and construction methods, and new methods of production, 
distribution, assembly, and construction, which provisions are now 
contained in subsec. (b) of this section.
    Subsecs. (b) to (e). Pub. L. 87-70, Sec. 805(a)(2), (3), added 
subsecs. (b) to (d) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (e). 
Provisions of subsec. (b) were formerly contained in subsec. (a).


           Study of Emergency Potable Water and Sewage Program

    Section 508 of Pub. L. 95-557 required Secretary of Agriculture to 
determine the approximate number of rural housing units without access 
to sanitary toilet facilities or potable water, prepare a projection of 
the cost providing such facilities and supplies, and report to Congress 
not later than six months after Oct. 31, 1978.


           Report of Estimates of National Farm Housing Needs

    Pub. L. 89-348, Sec. 1(5), Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1310, repealed 
provisions of subsec. (e) of this section which related to reports of 
the estimates of national farm housing needs and of progress toward 
meeting such needs.
