This subpart provides for the establishment of the HECM Counselor Roster (Roster) and sets forth the requirements for the operation of the HECM Counselor Roster.

(a) HECM Counselor Roster. FHA maintains a Roster of HECM counselors. Only counselors listed on the Roster and employed by a participating agency are approved to provide HECM counseling. A prospective borrower applying for a HECM loan to be insured by FHA must receive the required HECM counseling from one of the counselors on the Roster.

(b) Disclaimer. The inclusion of a HECM counselor on the Roster does not create or imply a warranty or endorsement by FHA of the listed counselor to a prospective HECM borrower or to any other organization or individual, nor does it represent a warranty of any counseling provided by the listed HECM counselor. The inclusion of a counselor on the Roster means that a listed counselor has met the FHA-prescribed qualifications and conditions for inclusion on the Roster and that the counselor is approved to provide HECM counseling by telephone or face-to-face.

(a) Application. To be considered for placement on the Roster, a housing counselor must apply to FHA in a form and in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner.

(b) Eligibility. FHA will approve an application for placement on the Roster if the application demonstrates that the housing counselor:

(1) Is employed by a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or an affiliate of a HUD-approved intermediary or State housing finance agency;

(2) Successfully passed a standardized HECM counseling exam administered by FHA, or a party selected by FHA, within the last 3 years. In order to maintain eligibility, a HECM counselor must successfully pass a standardized HECM counseling exam every 3 years;

(3) Received training and education related to HECMs within the prior 2 years;

(4) Has access to and is supported by technology that enables FHA to track the results of the counseling offered to each loan applicant, e.g., what action(s), if any, did the client take after receiving the HECM counseling; and

(5) Is not listed on:

(i) The General Services Administration's Suspension and Debarment List;

(ii) HUD's Limited Denial of Participation List; or

(iii) HUD's Credit Alert Interactive Response System.

(a) General. FHA reserves the right to remove a HECM counselor from the Roster, in accordance with this section.

(b) Cause for removal. Cause for removal of a HECM counselor from the Roster includes, but is not limited to:

(1) Failure to comply with the education and training requirements of § 206.308;

(2) Failure to respond within a reasonable time to HUD inquiries or requests for documentation;

(3) Misrepresentation or fraudulent statements;

(4) Promotion, representation, or recommendation of any specific mortgagee;

(5) Failure to comply with applicable fair housing and civil rights requirements;

(6) Failure to comply with applicable statutes and regulations;

(7) Failure to comply with applicable statutory counseling requirements found at section 255(f) of the National Housing Act, which include, but are not limited to, providing information about: options other than a HECM, the financial implications of entering into a HECM, the tax consequences of a HECM, and any other information that HUD or the applicant may request;

(8) Failure to maintain any registration, license, or certification requirements of a State or local authority;

(9) Unsatisfactory performance in providing counseling to HECM loan applicants. FHA may determine that a HECM counselor's performance is unsatisfactory based on a review of counseling files or other monitoring activities, or if the counselor fails to employ the minimum competencies, as measured by the FHA-administered HECM counseling exam; or

(10) For any other reason HUD determines to be so serious as to justify an administrative sanction.

(c) Automatic removal from HECM Counselor Roster for failure to maintain required State or local licensure. A HECM counselor who is required to maintain a State or local registration, license, or certification and whose registration or certification is revoked, suspended, or surrendered will be automatically suspended from the Roster until FHA receives evidence demonstrating that the local- or State-imposed sanction has been lifted.

(d) Removal procedure. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the following procedures apply to removal of a HECM counselor from the Roster.

(1) FHA will give the HECM counselor written notice of the proposed removal. The notice will state the reasons for and the duration of the proposed removal.

(2) The HECM counselor will have 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice (or such time as described in the notice, but in no event less than a period of 30 days) to submit a written appeal of the proposed removal, along with a written request for a conference.

(3) An FHA official will review the appeal and render a response affirming, modifying, or canceling the removal. The FHA official will not be a person who was involved in FHA's initial removal decision. FHA will respond with a decision within 30 days after the date of receiving the appeal or, if the HECM counselor has requested a conference, within 30 days after the conference was held. FHA may extend the 30-day period by providing written notice to the counselor.

(4) If the HECM counselor does not submit a timely written response, the removal will be effective 31 days after the date of FHA's initial removal notice (or after the period provided in the notice, if longer than 30 days). If a written response is submitted, and the removal decision is affirmed or modified, the removal will be effective on the date of FHA's notice affirming or modifying the initial removal decision.

(e) Maximum time period of removal. The maximum time period for removal from the Roster is 12 months from the effective date of removal for all removed counselors. A counselor who has been removed must apply for reinstatement on the Roster.

(f) Placement on the Roster after removal. A counselor who has been removed from the Roster must apply for reinstatement on the Roster (in accordance with § 206.304) after the period of the counselor's removal from the Roster has expired. FHA may require the counselor to retake and pass the HECM exam for reinstatement when the reason for removal from the Roster was particularly egregious. Typically, the counselor will not be required to take and pass the HECM exam; however, FHA must be ensured by the counselor that the HECM counseling requirements are understood and will be followed. An application from a counselor for reinstatement on the Roster will be rejected if the period of the counselor's removal from the Roster has not expired.

(g) Voluntary removal. A HECM counselor will be removed from the Roster upon FHA's receipt of a written request from the counselor.

(h) Other action. Nothing in this section prohibits HUD from taking such other action against a HECM counselor or from seeking any other remedy against a counselor available to HUD by statute or other authority.

A HECM counselor listed on the Roster must receive, on a continuing basis, training, education, and technical assistance related to HECMs. The HECM counselor must maintain evidence of the successful completion of such continuing education, and such evidence must be made available to FHA upon request. FHA will consider a HECM counselor's successful completion of a HECM course no less than once every 2 years as satisfying the requirements of this section.