The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a description of the form and procedures by which application for the assistance may be made, and any deadlines relating to the award or allocation of the assistance. Such description shall be designed to help eligible applicants to apply for such assistance.
Not less than 30 days before any deadline by which applications or requests for assistance under any program or discretionary fund administered by the Secretary must be submitted, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register the criteria by which selection for the assistance will be made. Subject to section 1439 of this title, such criteria shall include any objective measures of housing need, project merit, or efficient use of resources that the Secretary determines are appropriate and consistent with the statute under which the assistance is made available.
The Secretary may waive the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) if the Secretary determines that the waiver is required for appropriate response to an emergency. Not less than 30 days after providing a waiver under the preceding sentence, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register the Secretary’s reasons for so doing.
Information regarding any related assistance from the Federal Government, a State, or a unit of general local government, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, that is expected to be made available with respect to the project or activities for which the applicant is seeking assistance. Such related assistance shall include but not be limited to any loan, grant, guarantee, insurance, payment, rebate, subsidy, credit, tax benefit, or any other form of direct or indirect assistance.
The name and pecuniary interest of any person who has a pecuniary interest in the project or activities for which the applicant is seeking assistance. Persons with a pecuniary interest in the project or activity shall include but not be limited to any developers, contractors, and consultants involved in the application for assistance or the planning, development, or implementation of the project or activity. For purposes of this paragraph, residency of an individual in housing for which assistance is being sought shall not, by itself, be considered a pecuniary interest.
A report satisfactory to the Secretary of the expected sources and uses of funds that are to be made available for the project or activity.
During the period when an application is pending or assistance is being provided, the applicant shall update the disclosure required under the previous subsection within 30 days of any substantial change.
The Secretary shall certify that assistance within the jurisdiction of the Department, as such term is defined in subsection (m), except that for purposes of this subsection such term shall not include any mortgage insurance provided pursuant to title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.) [1] to any housing project shall not be more than is necessary to provide affordable housing after taking account of assistance described in subsection (b)(1). The Secretary shall adjust the amount of such assistance awarded or allocated to an applicant to compensate in whole or in part, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, for any changes reported under subsection (c).
Whenever any person knowingly and materially violates any provision of subsection (b) or (c), the Secretary may impose a civil money penalty on that person in accordance with the provisions of this section. This penalty shall be in addition to any other available civil remedy or any available criminal penalty, and may be imposed whether or not the Secretary imposes other administrative sanctions.
The amount of the penalty, as determined by the Secretary, may not exceed $10,000 for each violation.
In determining the amount of a penalty under subsection (f), consideration shall be given to such factors as the gravity of the offense, ability to pay the penalty, injury to the public, benefits received, deterrence of future violations, and such other factors as the Secretary may determine in regulations to be appropriate.
The Secretary’s determination or order imposing a penalty under subsection (f) shall not be subject to review, except as provided in subsection (h).
After exhausting all administrative remedies established by the Secretary under subsection (g)(1), a person against whom the Secretary has imposed a civil money penalty under subsection (f) may obtain a review of the penalty and such ancillary issues as may be addressed in the notice of determination to impose a penalty under subsection (g)(1)(A) in the appropriate court of appeals of the United States, by filing in such court, within 20 days after the entry of such order or determination, a written petition praying that the order or determination of the Secretary be modified or be set aside in whole or in part.
The court shall not consider any objection that was not raised in the hearing conducted pursuant to subsection (g)(1) unless a demonstration is made of extraordinary circumstances causing the failure to raise the objection. If any party demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that additional evidence not presented at the hearing is material and that there were reasonable grounds for the failure to present such evidence at the hearing, the court shall remand the matter to the Secretary for consideration of such additional evidence.
The decisions, findings, and determinations of the Secretary shall be reviewed pursuant to section 706 of title 5.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any such review, the court shall have the power to order payment of the penalty imposed by the Secretary.
If any person fails to comply with the determination or order of the Secretary imposing a civil money penalty under subsection (f), after the determination or order is no longer subject to review as provided by subsections (g)(1) and (h), the Secretary may request the Attorney General of the United States to bring an action in an appropriate United States district court to obtain a monetary judgment against the person and such other relief as may be available. The monetary judgment may, in the court’s discretion, include the attorneys’ fees and other expenses incurred by the United States in connection with the action. In an action under this subsection, the validity and appropriateness of the Secretary’s determination or order imposing the penalty shall not be subject to review.
The Secretary may compromise, modify, or remit any civil money penalty which may be, or has been, imposed under this section.
The Secretary shall deposit all civil money penalties collected under this section into miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury.
This section shall take effect on the date specified in regulations implementing this section that are issued by the Secretary after notice and public comment.