(a) If, after making a loan or a grant, the Administrator determines that the circumstances under which the loan or grant was made have sufficiently changed to make the project or activity for which the loan or grant was made available no longer appropriate, the Administrator may allow the loan borrower or grant recipient to use property (real and personal) purchased or improved with the loan or grant funds, or proceeds from the sale of property (real and personal) purchased with such funds, for another project or activity that:
(1) Will be carried out in the same area as the original project or activity;
(2) Meets the criteria for a loan or grant described in section 381E(d) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, as amended; and
(3) Satisfies such additional requirements as are established by the Administrator.
(b) For the purpose of this section, Administrator means the Administrator of the Rural Housing Service or Rural Business-Cooperative Service that has the delegated authority to administer the loan or grant program that covers the property or the proceeds from the sale of property proposed to be used in another way.
(c) If the new use of the property is under the authority of another Administrator, the other Administrator will be consulted on whether the new use will meet the criteria of the other program. Since the new project or activity must be carried out in the same area as the original project or activity, a new rural area determination will not be necessary.
(d) Borrowers and grantees that wish to take advantage of this option may make their request through the appropriate Rural Development State Office. Permission to use this option will be exercised on a case-by-case-basis on applications submitted through the State Office to the Administrator for consideration. If the proposal is approved, the Administrator will issue a memorandum to the State Director outlining the conditions necessary to complete the transaction.
[72 FR 55018, Sept. 28, 2007]