PUBLIC LAW 102-550—OCT. 28, 1992 106 STAT. 3721

Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(dX12)) is amended to
read as follows:

"(12) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection
$365,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $380,330 for fiscal year 1994.".
(d) ELIGIBILITY FOR COUNSELING ASSISTANCE UNDER HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1968 AND CERTIFICATION AND
TRAINING PROGRAM.—Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Devel-
opment Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 170Ix) is amended by adding at
the end the following new subsections:
"(e) CERTIFICATION.—

"(1) REQUIREMENT FOR ASSISTANCE.—An organization may
not receive assistance for counseling activities under subsection
(a)(l)(iii), (a)(2), (c), or (d), unless the organization provides
such counseling, to the extent practicable, by individuals who
have been certified by the Secretary under this subsection
as competent to provide such counseling.

"(2) STANDARDS AND EXAMINATION.—The Secretary shall, Regulations.
by regulation, establish standards and procedures for testing
and certifying counselors. Such standards and procedures shall
require for certification that the individual shall demonstrate,
by written examination (as provided under subsection (f)(4)),
competence to provide counseling in each of the following areas:
"(A) Financial management.
"(B) Property maintenance.

"(C) Responsibilities of homeownership and tenancy.
"(D) Fair housing laws and requirements.
"(E) Housing affordability.

"(F) Avoidance of, and responses to, rental and mort-
gage delinquency and avoidance of eviction and mortgage
default.

"(3) ENCOURAGEMENT.—The Secretary shall encourage
organizations engaged in providing homeownership and rental
counseling that do not receive assistance under this section
to employ individuals to provide such counseling who are cer-
tified under this subsection or meet the certification standards
established under this subsection.

"(f) HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTAL COUNSELOR TRAINING AND
CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS.—

"(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—To the extent amounts are provided
in appropriations Acts under paragraph (7), the Secretary shall
contract with an appropriate entity (which may be a nonprofit
organization) to carry out a program under this subsection
to train individuals to provide homeownership and rental coun-
seling and to administer the examination under subsection
(e)(2) and certify individuals under such subsection.
"(2) ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION.—

"(A) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to provide the training
and certification program under this subsection, an entity
shall have demonstrated experience in training homeowner-
ship and rental counselors.

"(B) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall provide for enti-
ties meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) to
submit applications to provide the training and certification
program under this subsection. The Secretary shall select
an application based on the ability of the entity to—