The authorities contained in this subpart apply to all assets, functions, and programs now or hereafter administered or serviced by the Rural Development, including but not limited to those relating to indebtedness, security, and other assets obtained or contracted through the Secretary of Agriculture, Resettlement Administration, Farm Security Administration, or Emergency Crop and Feed Loan Offices of the Farm Credit Administration, the Soil Conservation Service in connection with water conservation and utilization projects; the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Commission and successor agencies in connection with Puerto Rico Hurricane relief loans to individuals; State Rural Rehabilitation Corporations, the United States of America or its officials as trustees of the assets of State Rural Rehabilitation Corporations, Regional Agricultural Credit Corporations, Defense Relocation Corporations, land leasing and purchasing associations, corporations, and agencies, and whether the interest of the United States in the indebtedness, instrument of debt, security, security instrument, or other assets is that of obligee, owner, holder, insurer, assignee, mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee or other interest. This subpart is inapplicable to Farm Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs.

The following officials of the Rural Development, in accordance with applicable laws, and the regulations implementing these laws, are severally authorized, for and on behalf of and in the name of the United States of America or the Rural Development, to do and perform all acts necessary in connection with making and insuring loans, making grants and advances, servicing loans and other indebtedness and obtaining, servicing and enforcing security and other instruments related thereto: The Deputy Administrator Program Operations, the Assistant Administrators for Farmer Programs, Housing, and Community and Business Programs, the Assistant Administrator Accounting and Director Finance Office; each Director and the Insured Loan Officer, Finance Office; the Directors for the Water and Waste Disposal Division, the Community Facilities Division, the Business and Industry Division, the Multi-Family Housing Processing Division, the Multi-Family Housing Servicing and Property Management Division, the Single Family Housing Processing Division, the Single Family Housing Servicing and Property Management Division, the Farm Real Estate and Production Division, the Emergency Division; and each State Director within the area of that State Director's jurisdiction; and in the absence or disability of any such official, the person acting in that official's position; and the delegates of any such official. The authority includes, but is not limited to, the authority to:

(a) Effect the assignment of, or the declaration of trust with respect to, insured security instruments to place them in trust with the United States of America as trustee for the benefit of any holder of the promissory note or bond secured by such security instrument.

(b) Acknowledge receipt of notice of sale or assignment of insured loans and security instruments.

(c) Appoint or request the appointment of substitute trustees in deeds of trust.

(d) Execute proofs of claim in bankruptcy, death, and other cases.

(e) Consent to sale or assignment of, or sell or assign, direct or insured loans and security instruments (except that in the case of Agency asset sales, District Directors and County Supervisors are delegated the authority to assign security instruments), endorsements, reinsurance agreements, or other instruments in connection therewith; and execute agreements to insure and reinsure, and to purchase and repurchase insured loans and security instruments.

(f) Compromise, adjust, cancel or charge off indebtedness (except that County Supervisors are delegated authority to approve all settlements of sections 502 and 504 single family housing debt(s)).

(g) Modify contracts and other instruments and compromise claims owed to the Rural Development and covered by the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 and the joint regulations issued under it by the Attorney General and the Comptroller General as provided for in applicable program regulations.

(h) Perform all actions pertaining to the sale (or other disposal) of real or chattel property or interests therein and to execute and deliver bills of sale or other instruments to effect such sale (or disposition), which includes but is not limited to offering property for sale; advertising; receiving and accepting offers or bids; and closing sale transactions, including the collection of sale proceeds, and delivery of quitclaim deeds, easements, and right-of-way conveyances after those documents have been executed. The authority to execute any deeds of conveyance of inventory real property, including quitclaim deeds, easements, rights-of-way, or sale of any use rights is reserved to the State Director, and this authority may not be redelegated.

(i) Approve and consent to transfers of security property to other parties with or without assumption of debts; and approve and accept transfers of security property or interests therein to the United States of America, and execute release from liability after determination is made in accordance with applicable program regulations.

(j) Execute and deliver, or approve in writing, suspensions, releases or terminations of assignments, of income, renewals, extensions, partial and full releases and satisfactions of security, and personal or indemnity liability for indebtedness, waivers, subordination agreements, severance agreements, affidavits, acknowlegements, certificates of residence, evidence of consent, and other instruments or documents.

(k) Accelerate and declare entire real estate or chattel indebtedness due and payable, foreclose or request foreclosure of real estate security instruments by exercise of power of sale or otherwise, and bid for and purchase at any foreclosure or other sale or otherwise acquire real property pledged, mortgaged, conveyed, attached, or levied upon to collect indetedness, and accept title to any property so purchased or acquired.

(l) Require and accept further or additional security.

(m) Accelerate and declare entire non-real estate indebtedness due and payable, and foreclose or request foreclosure of chattel security instruments by exercise of power of sale or otherwise.

(n) Bid for and purchase at any foreclosure or other sale, or otherwise acquire personal property pledged, mortgaged, conveyed, attached, or levied upon to collect indebtedness, and accept title to any property so purchased or acquired.

(o) Take possession of, maintain, and operate security or acquired real or personal property or interests therein, sell or otherwise dispose of such personal property, and execute and deliver contracts, caretaker's agreements, leases, and other instruments in connection therewith, as appropriate.

(p) Execute proofs of loss on insurance contracts and endorse without recourse loss payment drafts and checks.

(q) Issue, publish and serve notices and other instruments.

(r) File or record instruments, whether separate instruments, or by making marginal entries, or by use of other methods permissible under State law.

The following officials and employees of the Rural Development, in accordance with applicable laws, and the regulations implementing these laws, for and on behalf of, and in the name of the United States of America or the Rural Development, are also severally authorized within the area of their respective jurisdictions to perform the acts specified in paragraphs (g) through (r) of § 1900.2; and within their loan approval authority to sell or otherwise dispose of real or chattel property or interests therein and to execute and deliver bills of sale or other instruments to effect such sale or disposition: Chief, Farmer Programs/Specialist; Chief, Rural Housing/Specialist; Chief, Community Programs/Specialist; Chief, Business and Industry/Specialist; Chief, Community and Business Programs/Specialist; Chief, Appraisal Staff/Appraiser; Chief, Underwriting Staff/Underwriter; Chief, Underwriting and Appraisal Staff; Chief, Servicing and Inventory Staff/Credit Management Specialist/Realty Specialist; each District Director, Assistant District Director, Loan Specialist General, County (including Parish) Supervisor, Emergency Loan Supervisor, Assistant Emergency Loan Supervisor, or other supervisor or assistant supervisor, and in the absence or disability of any such official or employee, the person acting in the position.

All written instruments affecting title to real or personal property, including but not limited to deeds, releases, satisfactions, subordination agreements, severance agreements, consents, waivers, assignments, declarations of trust, and heretofore executed by officials or employees of the agencies or other entities referred to in § 1900.1 to carry out any purpose authorized by law, incident to the administration of programs under the jurisdiction of said agencies or other entities, are hereby approved, confirmed, and ratified.

The State Director may, in writing, assign responsibilities and functions to a different office or staff position within the Rural Development State organizational structure other than that referred to in regulations, provided no benefits, rights, or opportunities of the public are changed.

The Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force is delegated the following authorities, to be exercised until September 30, 1996:

(a) The responsibility for, under applicable Rural Development regulations, collecting and settling all delinquent direct Farmer Program loans as defined in the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, as amended, that have received all primary servicing rights and pre-acceleration homestead and preservation loan servicing rights under 7 CFR part 1951, subpart S;

(b) The responsibility for making and directing the making of loan servicing decisions, under applicable Rural Development regulations, concerning delinquent direct Farmer Programs loans for which accrued principal and interest equals or exceeds one million dollars, to extend to borrowers their remaining primary servicing rights and pre-acceleration homestead and preservation loan servicing rights under 7 CFR part 1951, subpart S;

(c) Authority for approving the grant of exceptions pursuant to §§ 1951.916, 1955.21, 1956.99 and 1965.35 of this chapter, to the extent necessary to carry out the responsibilities described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

This subpart does not revoke or modify any other delegation or redelegation, instruction, procedure, or regulation issued by, or under authority of, the Under Secretary for Rural Development.