The purpose of this subpart is to implement requirements for the administration of the Multifamily Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1981 (the Act) (12 U.S.C. 3701-3717), that clarify, or are in addition to, the requirements contained in the Act, which are not republished here and must be consulted in conjunction with the requirements of this subpart. The Act creates a uniform Federal remedy for foreclosure of multifamily mortgages. Under a delegation of authority published on February 5, 1982 (47 FR 5468), the Secretary has delegated to the HUD General Counsel his powers under the Act to appoint a foreclosure commissioner or commissioners and to substitute therefor, to fix the compensation of commissioners, and to promulgate implementing regulations.

(a) Under the Act and this subpart, the Secretary may foreclose on any defaulted Secretary-held multifamily mortgage encumbering real estate in any State. The Secretary may use the provisions of these regulations to foreclose on any multifamily mortgage regardless of when the mortgage was executed.

(b) The Secretary may, at the Secretary's option, use other procedures to foreclose defaulted multifamily mortgages, including judicial foreclosure in Federal court and nonjudicial foreclosure under State law. This subpart applies only to foreclosure procedures authorized by the Act and not to any other foreclosure procedures the Secretary may use.

The definitions contained in the Act (at 12 U.S.C. 3702) shall apply to this subpart, in addition to and as further clarified by the following definitions. As used in this subpart:

General Counsel means the General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

Multifamily mortgage does not include a mortgage covering a property on which there is located a one- to four-family residence, except when the one- to four-family residence is subject to a mortgage pursuant to section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), or section 811 (42 U.S.C. 8013) of the National Affordable Housing Act. The definition of multifamily mortgage also includes a mortgage taken by the Secretary in connection with the previous sale of the project by the Secretary (purchase money mortgage).

Before commencement of a foreclosure under the Act and this subpart, HUD will provide to the mortgagor an opportunity informally to present reasons why the mortgage should not be foreclosed. Such opportunity may be provided before or after the designation of the foreclosure commissioner but before service of the notice of default and foreclosure.

(a) When the Secretary determines that a multifamily mortgage should be foreclosed under the Act and this subpart, the General Counsel will select and designate one or more foreclosure commissioners to conduct the foreclosure and sale. The method of selection and determination of the qualifications of the foreclosure commissioner shall be at the discretion of the General Counsel, and the execution of a designation pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section shall be conclusive evidence that the commissioner selected has been determined to be qualified by the General Counsel.

(b) After selection of a foreclosure commissioner, the General Counsel shall designate the commissioner in writing to conduct the foreclosure and sale of the particular multifamily mortgage. The written designation shall be duly acknowledged and shall state the name and business or residential address of the commissioner and any other information the General Counsel deems necessary. The designation shall be effective upon execution by the General Counsel or his designate. Upon receipt of the designation, the commissioner shall demonstrate acceptance by signing the designation and returning a signed copy to the General Counsel.

(c) The General Counsel may at any time, with or without cause, designate a substitute commissioner to replace a previously designated commissioner. Designation of a substitute commissioner shall be in writing and shall contain the same information and be made effective in the same manner as the designation of the original commissioner. Upon designation of a substitute commissioner, the substitute commissioner shall serve a copy of the written notice of designation upon the persons listed at sections 369(1) (A) through (C) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3708(1) (A) through (C)) either by mail, in accordance with section 369(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3708(1)), except that the time limitations in that section will not apply, or by any other manner which in the substitute commissioner's discretion is conducive to giving timely notice of substitution.

(a) Within 45 days after accepting his or her designation to act as commissioner, the commissioner shall commence the foreclosure by serving a Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale.

(b) The Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale shall contain the following information:

(1) The Notice shall state that all deposits and the balance of the purchase price shall be paid by certified or cashier's check. The Notice shall state that no deposit will be required of the Secretary when the Secretary bids at the foreclosure sale.

(2) Any terms and conditions to which the purchaser at the foreclosure sale must agree under § 27.20. The Notice need not describe at length each and every pertinent term and condition, including any required use agreements and deed covenants, if it describes these terms and conditions in a general way and if it states that the precise terms will be available from the commissioner upon request.

(c) The Notice need not be mailed to mortgagors who have been released from all obligations under the mortgage.

(d) In deciding which newspaper or newspapers to select as general circulation newspapers for purposes of publication of the required notice, the commissioner need not select the newspaper with the largest circulation.

(e) In addition to Notice posting requirements included in the Act, the Notice shall also be posted in the project office and in such other appropriate conspicuous places as the commissioner deems appropriate for providing notice to all tenants. Posting shall not be required if the commissioner in his or her discretion finds that the act of posting is likely to lead to a breach of the peace or may result in the increased risk of vandalism or damage to the property. Any such finding will be made in writing. Entry on the premises by the commissioner for the purpose of posting shall be privileged as against all other persons.

(f) When service of the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale is made by mail, the commissioner shall at the same time and in the same manner serve a copy of the instrument by which the General Counsel, under § 27.10(b), has designated him or her to act as commissioner.

(g) At least 7 days before the foreclosure sale, the commissioner will record both the instrument designating him or her to act as commissioner and the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale in the same office or offices in which the mortgage was recorded.

(a) The requirements of section 367(b)(2)(A) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3706(b)(2)(A)) apply if a majority of the residential units in a property subject to foreclosure sale pursuant to the Act and this subpart are occupied by residential tenants either on the date of the foreclosure sale or on the date on which the General Counsel designates the foreclosure commissioner.

(b) Terms which the Secretary may find appropriate to require pursuant to section 367(b) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3706(b)), and such other provisions of law as may be applicable, may include provisions relating to use and ownership of the project property, tenant admission standards and procedures, rent schedules and increases, and project operation and maintenance. In determining terms which may be appropriate to require, the Secretary shall consider:

(1) The history of the project, including the purposes of the program under which the mortgage insurance or assistance was provided, and any other program of HUD under which the project was developed or otherwise assisted and the probable causes of project failure resulting in its default;

(2) A financial analysis of the project, including an appraisal of the fair market value of the property for its highest and best use;

(3) A physical analysis of the project, including the condition of the structure and grounds, the need for rehabilitation or repairs, and the estimated costs of any such rehabilitation or repairs;

(4) The income levels of the occupants of the project;

(5) Characteristics, including rental levels, of comparable housing in the area, with particular reference to whether current conditions and discernible trends in the area fairly indicate a likelihood that, for the foreseeable future after foreclosure and sale, the project will continue to provide rental or cooperative housing and market rentals obtainable in the project will be affordable by low- or moderate-income persons;

(6) The availability of or need for rental housing for low- and moderate-income persons in the area, including actions being taken or projected to be taken to address such needs and the impact of such actions on the project;

(7) An assessment of the number of occupants who might be displaced as a result of the manner of disposition;

(8) The eligibility of the occupants of the property for rental assistance under any program administered by HUD and the availability of funding for such assistance if necessary in order that the units occupied by such occupants will remain available to and affordable by such persons, or if necessary in order to assure the financial feasibility of the project after foreclosure and sale subject to the terms to be required by the Secretary; and

(9) Such other factors relating to the project as the Secretary shall consider appropriate.

(c) Terms which the Secretary may require to be agreed to by the purchaser pursuant to section 367(b) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3706(b)) shall generally not be more restrictive, or binding for a longer duration, than the terms by which the mortgagor was bound prior to the foreclosure. For example: If the mortgage being foreclosed was held by the Secretary under section 312 of the Housing Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 1452b), any terms required by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall be in effect no longer than five years after the completion of the rehabilitation work funded by the section 312 loan. No terms shall be required pursuant to this section if the foreclosure sale occurs more than five years after the completion of such rehabilitation work (signified by the due date for commencement of amortization payments in the section 312 loan note).

(d) The limitation contained in paragraph (c) of this section applies only to such terms as the Secretary may require the purchaser to agree to, as a condition and term of the sale, under paragraph (a) of this section. Nothing contained in paragraph (c) of this section shall prevent the Secretary and the purchaser from entering into a subsidy agreement under any program administered by the Secretary containing terms binding upon either party which are longer in duration than would be permitted to be required by paragraph (c) of this section.

(e) Any terms required by the Secretary to be agreed to by the purchaser as a condition and term of sale under this section and section 367(b) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3706(b)) shall be embodied in a use agreement to be executed by the Secretary and the purchaser. Such terms also may be included, or referred to, in appropriate covenants contained in the deed to be delivered by the foreclosure commissioner under § 27.45. Terms required by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall be stated or described in the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale under § 27.15.

(f) The defaulting mortgagor, or any principal, successor, affiliate, or assignee thereof, on the multifamily mortgage being foreclosed, shall not be eligible to bid on, or otherwise acquire, the property being foreclosed by the Department under this subpart or any other provision of law. A “principal” and an “affiliate” are defined as provided at 24 CFR 24.105.

(a) Before withdrawing the security property from foreclosure under section 369A(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3709(a)), the commissioner shall notify the Secretary of the proposed withdrawal by telephone or telegram and shall provide the Secretary with a written statement of the reasons for the proposed withdrawal along with all documents submitted by the mortgagor in support of the proposed withdrawal. Upon receipt of this statement, the Secretary shall have 10 days within which to demonstrate orally or in writing why the security property should not be withdrawn from foreclosure. The Secretary shall provide the mortgagor with a copy of any statement prepared by the Secretary in opposition to the proposed withdrawal at the same time the statement is submitted to the commissioner. If the Secretary receives the commissioner's written statement less than 10 days before the scheduled foreclosure sale, the sale shall automatically be postponed for 14 days. Under these circumstances, notice of the rescheduled sale shall be served as described in section 369B(c) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3710(c)).

(b) The commissioner may not withdraw the security property from foreclosure under section 369A(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3709(a)) more than once unless the Secretary consents in writing to such withdrawal.

(c) The commissioner shall, in the case of a sale adjourned to a later date, mail a copy of the revised Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale to the Secretary at least seven days before the date to which the sale has been adjourned.

(d) If upon application by the mortgagor, the commissioner refuses to withdraw the property from foreclosure under section 369A(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3709(a)), the commissioner shall provide the mortgagor and the Secretary with a written statement of the reasons for the refusal.

(a) The commissioner shall accept written one-price sealed bids from any party including the Secretary so long as those bids conform to the requirements described in the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale. The commissioner shall announce the name of each such bidder and the amount of the bid. The commissioner shall accept oral bids from any party, including parties who submitted one-price sealed bids, if those oral bids conform to the requirements described in the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale. The commissioner will announce the amount of the high bid and the name of the successful bidder before the close of the sale.

(b) Relatives of the commissioner who may not bid at the foreclosure sale include parents, siblings, spouses and children. Related business entities which may not bid include entities or concerns whose relationship with the commissioner at the time the commissioner is designated is such that, directly or indirectly, one concern or individual formulates, directs, or controls the other concern; or has the power to formulate, direct, or control the other concern; or has the responsibility and authority either to prevent in the first instance, or promptly to correct, the offensive conduct of the other concern. Business concerns are also affiliates of each other when a third party is similarly situated with respect to both concerns.

(c) If the commissioner employs an auctioneer to conduct the foreclosure sale, the auctioneer must be a licensed auctioneer, an officer of State or local government, or any other person who commonly conducts foreclosure sales in the area in which the security property is located.

Pursuant to section 369C(5) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3711(5)), a commission to the foreclosure commissioner for the conduct of the foreclosure will be paid in an amount to be determined by the General Counsel. A commission may be allowed to the commissioner notwithstanding termination of the sale or appointment of a substitute commissioner before the sale takes place.

(a) The priority of the Secretary's lien shall be determined by the Federal first-in-time first-in-right rule. State laws affording priority to liens recorded after the mortgage are preempted.

(b) If there is more than one party holding a lien or assessment payable from sales proceeds, the claim of each party holding the same kind of lien or assessment will be given the relative priority to which it would be entitled under the law of the State in which the security property is located.

(c) The commissioner will keep such records as will permit the Secretary to verify the costs claimed under section 369C of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3711), and otherwise to audit the commissioner's disposition of the sale proceeds.

(a) If the Secretary is the successful bidder, the foreclosure commissioner shall issue a deed to the Secretary upon receipt of the amount needed to pay the costs listed in sections 369D (1) through (3) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 3712(1) through (3)). If the Secretary is not the successful bidder, the foreclosure commissioner shall issue a deed to the purchaser upon receipt of the entire purchase price and execution by the Secretary and the purchaser of any use agreement referred to in § 27.20(e). Any covenants reflecting terms required by § 27.20 shall be contained in the commissioner's deed.

(b) Subject to any terms required to be agreed to by § 27.20, any commercial tenant and any residential tenant remaining in possession after the expiration of his or her lease or after the passage of one year, whichever event occurs first, shall be deemed a tenant at sufferance and may be evicted in accordance with applicable State or local law.

When the Secretary is the purchaser of the security property, the Secretary shall manage and dispose of it in accordance with section 203 of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1701z-11,and.