The decision-making process in § 55.20 shall not apply to the following categories of proposed actions:

(a) HUD's mortgage insurance actions and other financial assistance for the purchasing, mortgaging, or refinancing of existing one- to four-family properties in communities that are in the Regular Program of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and in good standing (i.e., not suspended from program eligibility or placed on probation under 44 CFR 59.24), where the action is not a critical action and the property is not located in a floodway, coastal high hazard area, or LiMWA;

(b) Financial assistance for minor repairs or improvements on one- to four-family properties that do not meet the thresholds for “substantial improvement” under § 55.2(b)(12);

(c) HUD or a recipient's actions involving the disposition of individual HUD or recipient held one- to four-family properties;

(d) HUD guarantees under the Loan Guarantee Recovery Fund Program (24 CFR part 573), where any new construction or rehabilitation financed by the existing loan or mortgage has been completed prior to the filing of an application under the program, and the refinancing will not allow further construction or rehabilitation, nor result in any physical impacts or changes except for routine maintenance;

(e) The approval of financial assistance to lease an existing structure and/or units within an existing structure located within the floodplain, but only if;

(1) The structure is located outside the floodway or coastal high hazard area, and is in a community that is in the Regular Program of the NFIP and in good standing (i.e., not suspended from program eligibility or placed on probation under 44 CFR 59.24);

(2) The project is not a critical action; and

(3) The entire structure is or will be fully insured or insured to the maximum extent available under the NFIP for at least the term of the lease.

(f) Special projects for the purpose of improving the energy or water efficiency of utilities or installing renewable energy that involve the repair, rehabilitation, modernization, weatherization, or improvement of existing structures or infrastructure, do not meet the thresholds for “substantial improvement” under § 55.2(b)(12), and do not include the installation of equipment below the FFRMS floodplain elevation; and