TOP STORIES 

Congress begins new housing effort

The ROAD to Housing Act, which had been attached to the National Defense Authorization Act, was not included in the final NDAA, which has now passed both the House and the Senate. A new effort to enact housing changes is underway in the House. H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21^st Century Act, has been approved by the House Financial Services Committee. For USDA, the House bill would allow up to 40% of Section 504 home repair loan funds to be used for low-income homeowners rather than very low-income and would raise to $15,000 the dollar limit for which a lien is required. It would also require faster processing of Section 502 and 504 applications, require USDA to provide an annual report on its housing programs, and ask the Government Accountability Office for a report on the Rural Housing Service’s technology. HAC issued a statement supporting the House bill and calling for passage of important rental preservation parts of the RHS Reform Act.

HUD withdraws homelessness funding announcement

HUD has cancelled its recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Continuum of Care program. The withdrawal was announced just before a December 8 hearing on two lawsuits that seek to block this NOFO, which proposed significant changes in the CoC program. A hearing covering both suits is now scheduled for December 19. HUD’s website says it will “make appropriate revisions to the NOFO … to account for new priorities” and will issue a modified version “well in advance of the deadline for obligation of available Fiscal Year 2025 funds.”

“Overwhelmingly negative” responses on USDA’s reorganization plan

USDA’s analysis of public comments on the department’s reorganization proposal reports “overwhelmingly negative” responses. Almost 47,000 responses were received, of which 14,000 were not form letters or spam, and 82% of those “expressed negative sentiment.” Commenters’ top recommendations included ensuring offices in every county, increasing stakeholder involvement in the reorganization, and protecting agriculture research and the Forest Service. Housing is not mentioned in the summary.

Happy holidays from HAC!

The Housing Assistance Council wishes everyone a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call home! HAC will be closed from December 24 through January 1.

RuralSTAT

The homeownership rate in rural America (73.2%) is 8 percentage points higher than the overall national rate (65%). But from 2010 to 2023, rural homeownership levels declined for every age group except the youngest and oldest households. Source: Housing Assistance Council tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data.

Want to learn more about housing conditions and trends in your community? Visit Rural Data Central.

OPPORTUNITIES

HAC opens Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans Initiative

Local nonprofit housing development organizations can apply by January 19 for grants to meet or help meet the affordable housing needs of veterans with low incomes in rural places. Grants typically range up to $30,000 per organization and must support bricks-and-mortar projects that assist low-income, elderly, and/or disabled veterans with critical home repair or accessibility modifications, support homeless veterans, help veterans become homeowners, and/or secure affordable rental housing. HAC’s AHRV Initiative is funded through the generous support of The Home Depot Foundation. For more information, contact HAC staff, ahrv@ruralhome.org. No phone calls please. Program staff will be available to answer questions during the AHRV RFP overview webinar on January 7.

Opioid response planning grants posted

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Planning, which funds planning activities only, is intended to be a critical first step to creating substance abuse disorder service systems in rural places. Public and private nonprofit and for-profit entities are eligible. Apply by April 6.

VA offers Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program funds

The Department of Veterans Affairs is offering funding for four of its Grant and Per Diem Program components. Nonprofits and consumer cooperatives that provide supportive services to very low-income veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing can apply by February 19 for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. Nonprofits, state and local governments, Tribes, and public/Indian housing authorities are eligible for three other programs. The Transition In Place program provides supportive housing services to facilitate veteran engagement in permanent housing. The deadline is February 17. The Per Diem Only program makes resources available for transitional supportive housing beds or service centers. The deadline is February 18. The Special Need Renewal program allows current SN grantees to continue their work. The deadline is February 17.

Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants available

Local governments and public or Indian housing authorities that previously received Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants are eligible to apply for Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grants to support implementation of the plans they developed. Applications are due March 9.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Disparate impact removed from one rule, removal from another proposed

The Justice Department has issued a final rule, without first making a proposal and obtaining public comment, that removes disparate impact – the legal concept that conduct is discriminatory if it has inequitable effects, even if there was no intent to discriminate – from its regulations that apply the 1964 Civil Rights Act to recipients of federal funding. At least two national housing organizations issued statements opposing the change: the National Fair Housing Alliance and the National Housing Conference.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a similar change to its Equal Credit Opportunity Act rules, along with some other revisions. HAC submitted a comment arguing that disparate impact is a necessary tool to identify discrimination in mortgage lending, including discrimination against rural residents.

USDA updates reserve request process for multifamily housing

USDA Rural Development is modernizing the reserve request process for multifamily housing. Starting in January and February 2026 (exact dates differ by region), borrowers must submit requests by email with standardized forms and attachments. Attend virtual info sessions on January 15 or February 5 to learn more.

Bank regulator proposes simplified strategy plan process under CRA

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency proposes to issue guidance on a simplified process for the community banks it regulates – those with under $30 billion in assets – to use when developing and implementing strategic plans for their Community Reinvestment Act performance. OCC intends to make the strategic plan option a more viable alternative for more community banks and to reduce their regulatory burden. Comments will be due 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

National Housing Trust Fund allocations announced

The national Housing Trust Fund received $223 million for FY25 based on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s business volume. HUD announced the amount it is allocating to each state.

Section 8 Annual Adjustment Factors published

The annual adjustment factors that are applied to rents for some HUD Section 8 units have been established and are effective December 9, 2025.

FEMA reform report delayed

On December 11, the administration’s FEMA Review Council was expected to vote on a report providing recommendations for the agency, but the council’s meeting was cancelled. CNN reported exclusively that the plan suggested “dramatically reducing the federal agency’s role in disaster response by cutting its workforce in half and rolling out a new block grant system,” placing more responsibility for disaster response on state, local, and Tribal governments.

HUD reopens comment period for reverse mortgages

In October HUD requested input on the market for senior homeowners to access equity in their homes and possible improvements to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage and HECM mortgage-backed securities programs. The comment period ended on December 1, but has now been reopened until January 5.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Article encourages funding support to address heirs’ property

Inside Philanthropy’s new article, Heirs’ Property Issues are Causing Black Wealth Loss. Just One Major Funder is on the Case, highlights the impacts of heirs’ property on families and actions taken by the only private foundation investing in the space, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. RWJF supports the movement to address issues associated with heirs’ property and encourages other philanthropic entities to engage in this essential work.

“At 91, Eva Clayton is Still Fighting for Food Justice and Farmers’ Rights”

A profile published by Civil Eats covers the life story and continued activism of Eva Clayton, a former member of HAC’s board of directors. Among other achievements, she was North Carolina’s first Black congresswoman.

HAC

HAC submits comments on housing supply

Rural areas are lagging in production of new housing units, HAC pointed out in comments submitted to the House Financial Services Committee in connection with a hearing on housing supply issues. HAC also reminded lawmakers that preservation of the current housing stock is essential to provide an adequate supply.

HAC is hiring

HAC job listings and application links are available on our website.

• Housing Specialist | Community Builder
• Lending Loan Asset Manager
• Social Enterprise Manager
• Chief Financial Officer

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including Tribes).

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