42 U.S.C. § 12713 — Eligibility under first-time homebuyer programs

(a) Eligibility of displaced homemakers and single parents for federal assistance (1) Displaced homemakers: A federal program that assists first-time homebuyers cannot deny a displaced homemaker eligibility just because, while they were a homemaker, they owned a home together with their spouse or lived in a home their spouse owned. (2) Single parents: The same rule protects single parents — a program cannot deny them eligibility because, while they were married, they owned a home with their spouse or lived in a home their spouse owned. (b) Definitions (1) "Displaced homemaker" means someone who (A) is an adult, (B) has not worked full-time, year-round in the paid workforce for a number of years, but instead worked mainly without pay caring for the home and family during those years, and (C) is unemployed or underemployed and having trouble finding or improving a job. (2) "First-time homebuyer" means someone who has never had — or has not had during a specified period — any current ownership interest in a home they live in as their main residence. (3) "Single parent" means someone who (A) is unmarried or legally separated from a spouse, and (B) either (i) has custody or joint custody of one or more minor children, or (ii) is pregnant. (c) Applicability: This section applies to every federal program that assists first-time homebuyers, unless a law specifically amends this section, or refers to it, to create an exemption.