HAC News

HAC News: April 2, 2020

HAC News Formats. pdf

April 2, 2020
Vol. 49, No. 7
 

April is National Fair Housing Month. 

Coronavirus relief bill stops evictions, funds HUD but not USDA rural housing. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27imposes a 120-day moratorium on tenant evictions in federally assisted housing (including USDA Sections 515, 514/516, 533 and 538, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits). It sets a 60-day moratorium on foreclosures of homeowners receiving federal assistance. Assisted homeowners can also request mortgage forbearance for 180 days, and owners of assisted multifamily rental housing can request forbearance for 30 days; these time periods can be extended. More details are available online from HAC and the National Housing Law Project. The law includes funds for HUD’s CDBG, Section 8 vouchershomeless assistance, public housing, tribal housing, Section 202 and 811, and more programs, but does not provide relief funds needed for USDA rural housing. USDA housing may be included in a future stimulus package, but it is not clear when that might be enacted.  

USDA offers relief and guidance for rural renters, landlords, homeowners. 

USDA RD’s notices are posted on its site and HAC’s site.  

HUD releases coronavirus information for tribes and tribally designated housing entities. 

Answers to frequently asked questions, a recording of an informational conference call, and other resources are posted on HUD’s Office of Native American Programs’ website.  

HAC continues to post news on coronavirus impacts on rural housing and rural arts organizations. 

Visit HAC’s website for ongoing updates. 

Simple tax returns required for some to receive stimulus payments.  

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is intended to provide cash to middle- and lower-income adults in the U.S. The Treasury Department will use income tax filings for 2018 and 2019 to identify most recipients and their bank information or mailing addresses. Social Security recipients wilautomatically receive payments the same way they receive their Social Security benefits. The IRS has announced that some taxpayers who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive a payment. An earlier version of the IRS notice said it was developing a new web portal for filing those simple returns, but an April 1 update does not mention thatIt does say a new web portal will allow those who filed in 2018 or 2019 to add direct deposit information for their bank accountsThe statement does not mention people who do not have bank accounts, internet access or Social Security numbersIt asks people not to call with questions, but to check https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus for updates. 

Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants available. 

Nonprofits and public agencies are eligible for grants to rehabilitate owner-occupied or rental housing. Preapplications are due to USDA RD State Offices on May 7. For more information, contact an RD State Office.  

ReConnect broadband application deadline extended again to April 15. 

After recently extending the application period for ReConnect loans, grants and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas, USDA has moved it farther. The deadline is now April 15. For more information, visit https://reconnect.usda.gov or contact Laurel Leverrier, USDA, 202-720-9554.  

CFPB requests comments on federal consumer finance laws. 

Comments are invited by June 1 for a new CFPB Taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law, which will examine the existing legal and regulatory environment for consumer financial products and services and recommend changes to the relevant laws. It will cover topics including mortgage origination and servicing, debt collection, and credit repair, along with other forms of consumer debt such as credit cards. For more information contact Nat Weber or Matt Cameron, CFPB, 202-435-7700.  

Recent publications and media of interest 

Need capital for your affordable housing project?  HAC’s loan funds provide 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, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. 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).