1. (a) General. Prospective applicants should request assistance by filing SF 424.2, “Application for Federal Assistance (For Construction),” with the Local or Area Rural Development Office. When practical, approval officials should meet with prospective applicants before an application is filed to discuss eligibility and Rural Development requirements and processing procedures. Throughout loan processing, Rural Development should confer with applicant officials as needed to ensure that applicant officials understand the current status of the processing of their application, what steps and determinations are necessary, and what is required from them. Rural Development should assist the applicant as needed and generally try to develop and maintain a cooperative working relationship with the applicant.

2. (b) Unfavorable decision. If, at any time prior to loan approval, it is decided that favorable action will not be taken on an application, the approval official will notify the applicant, in writing, of the reasons why the request was not favorably considered. The notification to the applicant will state that a review of this decision by Rural Development may be requested by the applicant in accordance with subpart B of part 1900 of this chapter. The following statement will also be made on all notifications of adverse action:

   The Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided that the applicant has the capacity to enter into a binding contract); because all or part of the applicant's income is derived from any public assistance program; or because the applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. The Federal agency that administers compliance with this law is the Federal Trade Commission, Equal Credit Opportunity, Washington, DC 20580.

[52 FR 43726, Nov. 16, 1987, as amended at 54 FR 47197, Nov. 13, 1989; 55 FR 13504, Apr. 11, 1990; 68 FR 65830, Nov. 24, 2003; 68 FR 69001, Dec. 11, 2003]