38 CFR § 18.405 - Assurances required.

§ 18.405 Assurances required.

(a) Assurances. An applicant for Federal financial assistance to which this part applies shall submit an assurance on a form specified by the Secretary, that the program or activity will be operated in compliance with this part.

(b) Duration of obligation.

(1) When Federal financial assistance is extended in the form of real property or structures on the property, the assurance will obligate the recipient or, in the case of a subsequent transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the real property or structures are used for the purpose for which Federal financial assistance is extended or for another purpose involving the provisions of similar services or benefits.

(2) Where Federal financial assistance is extended to provide personal property, the assurance will obligate the recipient for the period during which it retains ownership or possession of the property.

(3) In all other cases the assurance will obligate the recipient for the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended.

(c) Extent of application to institution or facility. An assurance shall apply to the entire institution or facility.

(d) Covenants.

(1) Where Federal financial assistance is provided in the form of real property or interest in the property from the Agency, the instrument effecting or recording this transfer shall contain a covenant running with the land to assure nondiscrimination for the period during which the real property is used for a purpose for which the Federal financial assistance is extended or for another purpose involving the provisions of similar services or benefits.

(2) Where no transfer of property is involved but property is purchased or improved with Federal financial assistance, the recipient shall agree to include the covenant described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section in the instrument effecting or recording any subsequent transfer of property.

(3) Where Federal financial assistance is provided in the form of real property or interest in the property from the Agency, the covenant shall also include a condition coupled with a right to be reserved by the Agency to revert title to the property if there is a breach of the covenant. If a transferee of real property proposes to mortgage or otherwise encumber the real property as security for financing construction of new, or improvement of existing, facilities on the property for the purpose for which the property was transferred, the Secretary may, upon request of the transferee and if necessary to accomplish such financing and upon such conditions as considered appropriate, agree to forbear the exercise of the right to revert title for as long as the lien of the mortgage or other encumbrance remains effective.

(e) Other methods of enforcement.

(1) Recipients are required to keep such records as the responsible VA official deems necessary for complete and accurate compliance reports. VA can specify intervals for reporting and prescribe the form and content of information required to ascertain whether the recipient has complied or is complying with the law.

(2) Periodic compliance reviews of training establishments will be conducted by VA compliance officers. During these reviews recipients are required to permit access by VA compliance officers during normal business hours to such of their books, records, accounts, facilities and other sources of information including interviews with personnel and trainees as may be pertinent to ascertain compliance with the law.

(3) From study of documentation, results of interviews, and observation of activities during tours of facilities, compliance officers will evaluate recipients' compliance status.

[45 FR 63268, Sept. 24, 1980, as amended at 51 FR 10385, Mar. 26, 1986; 68 FR 51370, Aug. 26, 2003]