HAC News Formats. pdf

July 17, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 14

• Cordray confirmed as CFPB director • DeMarco faces litigation over National Housing Trust Fund • Senate Farm Bill includes rural housing definition extension, House does not • Border Community Capital Initiative funding offered • HUD proposes new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule • OMB issues 2013 Circular A-133 Compliance Supplement • CFPB updates list of rural or underserved counties for 2014 • Origination fees increased for Section 502 refinance pilot • HUD data shows decline in public housing, increases in vouchers and tax credits • Two HUD studies find discrimination continues • 2013 Kids Count data show higher ratings for education, health, and poverty • Op-ed describes sequestration’s impacts on Pine Ridge • Bipartisan Policy Center Housing Commission to hold regional forums • Register now for training on seniors and veterans housing

July 17, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 14

CORDRAY CONFIRMED AS CFPB DIRECTOR. After resolution of a partisan stand-off, on July 16 the Senate confirmed Richard Cordray as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

DEMARCO FACES LITIGATION OVER NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND. The National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Right to the City Alliance, and several individuals filed suit on July 9 against Ed DeMarco, acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, claiming he has violated the law by not requiring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to finance the trust fund created by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

SENATE FARM BILL INCLUDES RURAL HOUSING DEFINITION EXTENSION, HOUSE DOES NOT. All places currently eligible for USDA housing funds would remain eligible until the 2020 Census – so long as their populations remain below 35,000 – under Section 6202 of S. 954, passed by the Senate on June 10. H.R. 2642, passed by the House on July 11, is silent on the subject. A National Rural Housing Coalition petition is available online.

BORDER COMMUNITY CAPITAL INITIATIVE FUNDING OFFERED. Local nonprofits and tribes can apply by August 26 for funds to provide affordable housing, small business and community facilities to benefit colonias residents. Contact HUD’s Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development, 877-787-2526.

HUD PROPOSES NEW AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING RULE. Comments will be due 60 days after Federal Register publication on July 19. Changes include HUD data, clarification of the AFFH process’s goals, and a new mechanism for HUD review and oversight. Contact Camille Acevedo, HUD, 202-708-1793.

OMB ISSUES 2013 CIRCULAR A-133 COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT. Comments are due October 31 on the annual supplement to this circular, which governs audits of states, nonprofits, and local organizations receiving federal funds. For more information contact a funding agency.

CFPB UPDATES LIST OF RURAL OR UNDERSERVED COUNTIES FOR 2014. The list is used for several different regulations. Some counties have been added and about 50 have been removed. Contact CFPB, 202-435-7700.

ORIGINATION FEES INCREASED FOR SECTION 502 REFINANCE PILOT. Administrative Notice 4720 (July 16, 2013) allows fees at 2% of the loan amount or $3,000, whichever is less, rather than the 1% previously permitted. Contact an RD office or Kristina Zehr, RD, 309-452-0830 ext. 111.

HUD DATA SHOWS DECLINE IN PUBLIC HOUSING, INCREASES IN VOUCHERS AND TAX CREDITS. HUD recently released its Picture of Subsidized Households data for 2009 through 2012. A National Low Income Housing Coalition analysis found that since 2009 the average median income of households living in subsidized housing has dropped. The number of public housing units fell nationwide, while the numbers of housing choice vouchers and Low Income Housing Tax Credit units increased. Voucher recipients and public housing residents had similar economic situations, but heads of voucher households were more likely to be single mothers and less likely to be elderly.

TWO HUD STUDIES FIND DISCRIMINATION CONTINUES. Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012 reports that in paired tests conducted in metro areas, minorities were shown fewer homes or apartments than whites. An Estimate of Housing Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples reports on the first study of its kind, also using paired testing in metro areas. Same-sex couples received significantly fewer responses to e-mail inquiries about advertised units than heterosexual couples.

2013 KIDS COUNT DATA SHOW HIGHER RATINGS FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND POVERTY. Tracking 16 indicators of child well-being, the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2013 Kids Count Data Book reports that education and health continue to make gains although poverty rates are growing, as are disparities by income and family structure.

OP-ED DESCRIBES SEQUESTRATION’S IMPACTS ON PINE RIDGE. Former North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan wrote in the New York Times on July 10 that funding cuts are reducing the already inadequate resources for housing, health care, and education on the reservation, and recommended tribes be exempt from sequestration.

BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER HOUSING COMMISSION TO HOLD REGIONAL FORUMS. Free and open to the public, the events on August 13 in Dallas, August 22 in Ketcham, ID, and August 27 in Columbus, OH will feature panels discussing issues including the state of the housing market, affordable rental housing, rural housing, and reform of the U.S mortgage system. Register online at https://bipartisanpolicy.org/events/upcoming.

REGISTER NOW FOR TRAINING ON SENIORS AND VETERANS HOUSING. HAC will host “Housing Seniors and Veterans in Rural America: Preservation, Development, and Services” in Council Bluffs, IA on August 28-29. Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) will speak on August 28. Visit HAC’s website, www.ruralhome.org.