Banco y Agencia de Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico v. Urbanizadora Villalba
Banco y Agencia de Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico v. Urbanizadora Villalba
Opinion of the Court
OPINION AND ORDER
The Banco y Agencia de Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico (“Housing Bank”) originally filed these two separate cases in the Superior Court of Puerto Rico, San Juan part, seeking declaratory judgments. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), one of the several defendants in both actions, timely filed petitions for removal in both. The Housing Bank moves to remand both cases, and the FDIC seeks to dismiss them under Fed.R. Civ.P. 12(b)(6). Because both cases present identical issues of law and very similar issues of fact, they are consolidated for purposes of this opinion and order. For the following reasons, we deny the motions to remand, and grant the motions to dismiss.
I.
The FDIC invokes 12 U.S.C. sec. 1819(4) as a jurisdictional base for removal.
The eleventh amendment established the principle of sovereign immunity that “the entire judicial power granted by the Constitution does not embrace authority to entertain a suit brought by private parties against a State without consent given.” Salkin v. Commonwealth, 408 F.2d 682 (1st Cir. 1969); Ex parte State of New York, 256 U.S. 490, 497, 41 S.Ct. 588, 589, 65 L.Ed. 1057 (1921). Thus, it provides immunity to unconsenting states from suits in federal court brought by its own citizens, Hans v. Louisiana, 134 U.S. 1, 10 S.Ct. 504, 33 L.Ed. 842 (1890), and from suits brought by citizens of another state, Great Northern Life Insurance Co. v. Read, 322 U.S. 47, 64 S.Ct. 873, 88 L.Ed. 1121 (1944). The general rule is that the suit is against the state if “ ‘the judgment sought would expend itself on the public treasury or domain, or interfere with the public administration,’ or if the effect of the judgment would be ‘to restrain the Government from acting, or to compel it to act.’ ” Pennhurst State School & Hospital v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 100 n. 11, 104 S.Ct. 900, 908 n. 11, 79 L.Ed.2d 67 (1984) (quoting Dugan v. Rank, 372 U.S. 609, 620, 83 S.Ct. 999, 1006, 10 L.Ed.2d 15 (1963)).
As the above principles illustrate, the eleventh amendment prevents a state from being sued in or brought in federal court as a defendant. It does not bar a suit by a state as a plaintiff in federal
II.
In passing on a motion to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), the court accepts as true all the material allegations contained in the plaintiff’s complaint. Williams v. City of Boston, 784 F.2d 430, 433 (1st Cir. 1986); O’Brien v. DiGrazia, 544 F.2d 543, 545 (1st Cir. 1976), cert. denied, 431 U.S. 914, 97 S.Ct. 2173, 53 L.Ed.2d 223 (1977). The basis of FDIC’s motions to dismiss is that both complaints have alleged neither a case or controversy within the scope of Article III of the U.S. Constitution, nor an actual controversy within the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. sec. 2201. The complicated nature of the facts which gave rise to the complaints are similar in both cases. At this juncture we find it appropriate to summarize the general allegations of both complaints, and then to summarize the essential allegations of each, as best we are able from the lengthy complaints.
In both cases the Housing Bank insured the preliminary financing that Girod Trust Company (“Girod”)
In civil case No. 86-0487, Girod provided the initial financing to Coamo Developers
A. 86-0487: The Coamo Project
In 1978, Girod provided Coamo Developers over $4 Million in initial financing under a Loan and Pledge Agreement (“Loan”) to construct the Coamo Project. The Housing Bank under Law 72 insured the project and issued Girod an insurance certificate. Four days after the loan was executed Girod assigned its interest in the loan to the J. Henry Schroeder Bank and Trust Company (“Schroeder”). The Century Builder Corporation (“Century”) was the general contractor. The firm of Prann, López, Matos & Associates (“Prann”) managed the project. At the request of Coamo Developers, in 1980 Girod increased the initial financing from $4 Million to over $12 Million, and the number of housing units was increased. The Housing Bank subsequently insured this loan and issued its new insurance certificate, and Girod sold 76.2% of the loan to Schroeder. In 1981, Prann issued a progress report, stating that 195 units were finished, 44 were in progress, and 206 were to be built. It cited problems with the Coamo project such as slow deliveries that were increasing the life of the project, and that additional financing was needed to finish the construction. Prann issued a July 1982 progress report stating that lack of personnel, equipment, and materials had paralyzed the project. Girod proposed to the Housing Bank a restructuring of the financing for a second time, but the Housing Bank declined. In 1983, the Housing Bank wrote to Girod stating that Coamo violated the agreement to construct the project, and that it considered Law 72 violated as well. In 1983, Coamo Developers sold the project to both the Colony Construction Corporation (“Colony”) and the Urban Development Corporation (“URDE-CO”) in separate deeds of sale, which the Housing Bank alleges resulted in a double sale of a single asset. Colony and URDE-CO assumed the mortgage contract as the new mortgagees. As a result, Girod claimed from the Housing Bank the insurance benefits under the Law 72 insurance certificate and agreement, and informed that it was ready to transfer titles of the properties in accordance with the Insurance Regulation. Girod later withdrew its claim, and again proposed to restructure the financing. On August 21, 1984, the Housing Bank cancelled the Law 72 insurance alleging that Girod defaulted. Two days later, the FDIC informed the Housing Bank that Girod became insolvent, and that it was appointed the receiver of Girod’s assets, which included the loans for the Coamo project. In 1985 FDIC prepared a statement regarding the loan, stating, among other things, that the amount insured by the Housing Bank was $8.5 Million.
B. 86-332: The Ciales Project
Girod provided Villalba over $4 Million under a 1980 Loan and Pledge Agreement for this project, a 159-unit, duplex housing complex. Constructora Archi, Inc. (“Ar-chi”) was the general contractor. Engineers Orlando Rey and José Meléndez designed the construction plans. The Housing Bank contracted Prann as Consulting Engineer and auditor. Without authorization from the Housing Bank, Girod approved a change in the construction to provide 28 additional units. By early 1981, the Housing Bank became concerned that the project was progressing slowly. The delays were the result of lack of equipment, non-utilization of heavy equipment, and
C. Requests for Relief
In Civil No. 86-0487, the Housing Bank requests a declaration of the following: whether Law 72 and the Insurance Regulation were complied with to create Housing Bank liability to the insured; whether terms of the loan agreement between Girod and Coamo Developers were complied with; whether the Housing Bank was induced by fraud to enter into the amended guarantee of the preliminary financing; whether the builders or Girod defaulted in not providing sufficient funds to finish the project; whether the insurance the Housing Bank provided under Law 72 was reduced to a bond; whether there was a conflict of interest between several of the parties; whether FDIC, as the receiver of Girod’s assets, or Schroeder, possesses the right to claim the insurance benefits under Law 72 and the insurance certificate.
In Civil No. 86-0332, the Housing Bank requests a declaration of similar issues: whether Law 72 and the insurance regulation were complied with in order to create Housing Bank liability to the insured; whether the loan agreement between Girod and Villalba were complied with; whether the Housing Bank was induced by fraud to enter into both the original insurance agreement and the amended agreement; whether the facts as developed will vitiate the agreement to insure the temporary financing.
In both cases, the Housing Bank in essence seeks a declaration that it is not liable to pay the insurance benefits under law 72 to FDIC or any other party. It says there are some twenty other construction projects in similar precarious positions and its potential liability in all these projects may be $90 Million. It requests an advance determination from the court as to whether the insurance guarantee constitutes binding obligations.
The court has concisely simplified the complicated facts in the complaint that led to the paralyzation of these projects. FDIC argues notwithstanding the above facts, neither complaints present a case or controversy within article III of the Constitution and the terms of the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. sec. 2201, and that the Housing Bank is seeking merely an advisory opinion from the court. To determine whether there exists a justiciable controversy under Article III and whether we can grant declaratory relief, we must decide whether there exists “a live and acute controversy that must be resolved,” Steffel v. Thompson, 415 U.S. 452, 459, 94 S.Ct. 1209, 1216, 39 L.Ed.2d 505 (1974), and whether the case presents “a substantial controversy, between parties having adverse interests, of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant the issuance of a declaratory judgment.” Maryland Casualty Co. v. Pacific Coal & Co., 312 U.S. 270, 273, 61 S.Ct. 510, 512, 85 L.Ed. 826 (1941).
FDIC’s arguments are well taken. The Housing Bank’s real concern is that FDIC, as the receiver of Girod’s assets, will claim the insurance benefits under the insurance certificates and Law 72. By obtaining a declaratory judgment, the Housing Bank will preempt FDIC’s action. However, FDIC has not commenced any action to claim the benefits. Furthermore, under the statutory and regulatory scheme of the Loan Program, FDIC must take several steps before it may commence any action to recover the insurance benefits from the Housing Bank. Neither party has cited a case claiming the insurance benefits, the holder of the insurance certificate must pursue legal action to foreclose the mortgaged property insured by the Agency, obtain title at the judicial sale, and transfer free and clear title to the Housing Bank. The holder must file with the Housing Bank the claim for benefits within thirty days of either the date he acquired title of the foreclosed property or the date or dates of the award of the judicial sale. The holder must accompany his claim with a report of the debt, which must include the balance of the loan, interest owed, and a breakdown of the expenses and taxes incurred.
Though the court recognizes that the construction projects are at a standstill, because neither FDIC nor any other interested party
Conclusion
The motions to remand are DENIED. The motions to dismiss are GRANTED. Judgment will be entered dismissing both complaints for failure to present a justicia-ble case and controversy.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
. That section provides in pertinent part that "[FDIC] may, without bond or security, remove any such action, suit, or proceeding from a State court to the United States district court ... by following any procedure for removal now or hereafter in effect ...”
. “The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens of another state or by citizens or subjects of any foreign state.” U.S. Const, amend. XI. The Commonwealth of Puer-to Rico is entitled to the eleventh amendment protections. Paul N. Howard v. Puerto Rico Aqueduct Sewer, 744 F.2d 880, 886 (1st Cir. 1984) cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1191, 105 S.Ct. 965, 83 L.Ed.2d 970 (1985); Ezratty v. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 648 F.2d 770, 776 n. 7 (1st Cir. 1981).
. Girod Trust Company is now a defunct, insolvent trust company. The same was liquidated by the FDIC.
. Though of course the Housing Bank requests declaratory judgments under the local rules rather than the Declaratory Judgment Act, the federal standard must apply. Federal law ap
. There may be an issue in Civil No. 86-0487 whether FDIC and/or Schroeder are the holders of the insurance claim.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BANCO y AGENCIA de FINANCIAMIENTO de la VIVIENDA de PUERTO RICO v. URBANIZADORA VILLALBA, Defendants BANCO y AGENCIA de FINANCIAMIENTO de la VIVIENDA de PUERTO RICO v. FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published