HAC News: April 16, 2026

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TOP STORIES

White House budget would support most rural housing programs, cut HUD 

The administration’s budget request for fiscal year 2027, released on April 3, proposes to hold most of USDA’s rural housing programs at or near their FY26 funding levels, while eliminating or revising many HUD programs. More details are posted on HAC’s website, along with a recording of a HAC webinar about the budget. HAC President and CEO David Lipsetz expressed grave concern about the housing programs that would be underfunded or eliminated by the budget and called on Congress to support these resources, as well as to add specific language to appropriations bills requiring the administration to spend appropriated funding.  

The budget process now moves to the House and Senate, which will develop funding bills that may or may not resemble the administration’s requests. In the House, the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a USDA bill on April 23, followed by a full committee markup on April 28. The Transportation-HUD bill will come before its subcommittee on May 21 and the full committee on June 4. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not yet released its schedule. 

Simple Transfer Pilot Program extended for USDA-financed rentals 

USDA has extended its Simple Transfer Pilot Program until December 31, 2027. This initiative streamlines ownership transfers for some Section 515 rural rental housing and 514 farm labor housing properties.  

Opportunity Zones designation information published 

The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance for governors (and equivalent CEOs of territories and D.C.) to nominate census tracts for designation as Opportunity Zones. The document’s appendix identifies the 25,332 census tracts that are eligible for OZ designation based on income levels. Of the eligible tracts, 8,334 are considered to be entirely rural. Between July 1 and September 28, governors will nominate tracts. The IRS and Treasury Department will designate final selections by January 1, 2027. See the Economic Innovation Group’s State OZ 2.0 Resources map for links to state websites with information about public involvement in the nomination process. Recommendations for making the OZ designations in a way that will drive investments into rural communities facing persistent poverty are provided in a guide and webinar recently produced by HAC in conjunction with Partners for Rural Transformation and HOPE Enterprise Corporation.

RuralSTAT

Consistent with national trends, population gain in counties outside metropolitan areas has moderated from past levels. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, the population outside metropolitan areas increased by 76,234 or 0.2% between 2024 and 2025. Nationally the U.S. population increased by 0.5% between the two years. Population change dynamics in rural areas were evenly split with half of outside metro counties gaining population (972 counties) and the other half (986 counties) losing between 2024 and 2025. Source: HAC tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025. 

OPPORTUNITIES

CDFI Fund FY25 monies closer to being used, rule changes coming, budget proposes revamp for FY27 

On April 9 the Office of Management and Budget “apportioned“ $289 million to the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, representing part of the agency’s FY25 appropriation. Amounts for the FY25 Capital Magnet Fund and Emergency Capital Investment Program were not included. OMB apportionment is one step towards allowing the funds to be used; next, the CDFI Fund must announce awards and obligate the money before it expires on September 30.  

On the same day, Treasury announced the CDFI Fund will issue new proposed regulations relating to CDFIs’ compliance with the law prohibiting support for undocumented persons and with anti-discrimination laws. It did not indicate when the proposal might be released for public comment.  

The administration’s budget for FY27 asks Congress to defund the existing CDFI programs and provide $100 million for a Rural Financial Assistance Program. The White House made the same request for FY26 but Congress did not enact it. HAC’s response to the FY27 proposal commended the focus on rural-serving CDFIs, but did not condone the suggested elimination of other CDFI programs.  

USDA rescinds Rural Energy for America Program funding notice 

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service has rescinded its Notice of Funding Opportunity for grants, guaranteed loans, and combined grants and guaranteed loans under the Rural Energy for America Program. The NOFO was published in October 2024 and covered fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027. RBCS plans to change the REAP regulations and will announce available funding after those changes are published. Applicants who previously submitted applications will be required to submit new applications and must comply with the new regulations.  

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Income and asset changes for USDA tenants take effect 

USDA finalized its changes to the calculation of income and net family assets for Section 515 and 514/516 residents, aligning them with HUD’s regulations under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). The changes are effective immediately.  

HUD seeks comment on HOME program’s per-unit subsidy limits 

Comments are due May 11 on HUD’s methodology for determining maximum per-unit subsidy limits for the HOME program. The notice explaining the methodology also establishes the limits that apply to projects for which HOME funds are committed on or after May 11.  

Some fair housing guidance withdrawn 

HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has withdrawn guidance documents related to source of income, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation, criminal records, advertising, animals as reasonable accommodations, source of income testing, and special purpose credit programs. The withdrawals are effective September 25, 2025, although HUD’s announcement was published April 6, 2026.  

Compliance date set for HOME and Housing Trust Fund property inspection standards 

A new HUD notice sets April 14, 2027 as the compliance date for National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) standards for the HOME and Housing Trust Fund programs. It also provides guidance to HOME participating jurisdictions and HTF grantees on how to develop HOME and HTF written property standards and inspect assisted projects.  

EVENTS

Workshop to explore strategies for sustaining creative spaces in rural communities 

The Department of Public Transformation will host an Activate Rural Public Workshop on May 6, offering a virtual space for artists, community leaders, and rural practitioners to explore strategies for sustaining creative community spaces. The session will focus on practical tools, shared experiences, and approaches to maintaining and strengthening rural creative places as hubs for connection and local development.  

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Paper published on progress in the heirs’ property field

A recent paper examines changes in the heirs’ property field and developments in research, policy, and legal work over the last several decades. The report summarizes major developments and recognizes milestones in research, including HAC’s 2023 national estimate of heirs’ property in the United States. It also offers guidelines for future research to keep moving the heirs’ property field forward.

HAC research highlighted on Heirs’ Property Central 

HAC’s newest website, Heirs’ Property Central, https://heirscentral.org/, now houses all of HAC’s research focused on heirs’ property. Visit the site’s HAC research page to access the publications, including our latest report on the legal process of clearing tangled titles, Understanding Ownership, Unlocking Investment.  

Evictions and climate-related events seem to be largest drivers of homelessness, research concludes 

An academic article titled Factors Associated with Rising Homelessness within US States, 2019 to 2024 reports on an analysis of state-level factors correlated with rising homelessness. Eviction moratoriums were found to be associated with lower increases in homelessness, and homes lost to climate-related events were associated with higher increases. Average rents, unemployment, emergency rental assistance, and substance use were not correlated with year-over-year changes in homelessness.  

News story describes delays and cost increases due to Buy America requirements 

A Build America, Buy America Law is Causing Construction Delays amid the US Housing Crisis, an AP article, says HUD has been taking at least six months to approve many waivers that would allow specific affordable housing developments to use non-American construction materials when they cannot find cost-effective sources for American products, as required by the Build America, Buy America statute. The article quotes Scott McReynolds, Executive Director of the Housing Development Alliance in Hazard, KY, whose difficulties with sourcing materials have led to plans to build small developments that are not subject to BABA.

HAC

HAC is hiring

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

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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Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

Policy News town

Over 200 Groups Sign on to Support the RHS Reform Act in Congressional Housing Package Negotiations

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Congress is currently negotiating a broad package of housing supply reforms. The Rural Housing Service Reform Act (S. 1260/H.R. 4957) is one of the provisions under consideration for inclusion. This bill is the result of years of significant bipartisan consensus-building and represents a critical opportunity to modernize the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service programs. HAC led a sign-on letter to Congress supporting the inclusion of the RHS Reform Act in any final housing package, with more than 200 national and local groups joining to show their support. Thanks to everyone who signed for your partnership!
RHS Reform Act Sign on April 2026 Final

HAC CEO Responds to FY 2027 Budget Proposal

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On Friday, April 3rd, the White House released its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Proposal. While there are a few improvements over FY 2026 for housing affordability programs, the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is gravely concerned about the number of programs that are slated for underfunding or elimination.

“The FY 2027 budget includes positive steps, such as restored support for USDA’s Section 502 Direct program,” said David Lipsetz, President & CEO of the Housing Assistance Council. “We welcome support for low-income homeownership during an affordability crisis. However, the proposal falls short of what is needed by failing to preserve the nation’s aging stock of rural rental housing and eliminating proven initiatives.”

At the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), funding for both USDA’s Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and its Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization programs would remain at FY 2026 levels, but the budget fails to provide returns on investment or asset management fees for nonprofit and public agency owners.  Additionally, although the budget continues to support Stand‑Alone Rental Assistance to protect tenants when USDA mortgages mature, it proposes eliminating Section 542 vouchers without clearly addressing the impact on current households currently in the voucher program.

If enacted, the Administration’s budget proposal would be particularly damaging to people experiencing homelessness and unaffordable housing by eliminating a number of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs that have a proven track record when it comes to serving Americans. The proposal eliminates the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Continuum of Care Program, the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, Native American programs and Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants, and fair housing activities.

HAC commends the Administration’s focus on rural-serving Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in its Treasury Department funding proposal. But our organization recognizes we live in a deeply interconnected nation. We have argued that if rural areas are left behind, the whole nation suffers. The opposite is true also; thus we cannot condone the Administration’s dramatic funding reduction and consolidation of the current CDFI grant programs into a single Rural Community Development Fund.

Perhaps most concerning, the proposal severely cuts funding for capacity building and technical assistance for rural communities. More than anywhere in America, small towns and rural places can struggle to maintain the expertise needed to succeed in the complex world of housing and community development. The budget calls for eliminating Rural Capacity Building at HUD and both the Rural Community Development Initiative and Preservation Technical Assistance at USDA. Such cuts to technical assistance and capacity building programs will prevent community organizations from getting new housing projects off the ground, while also limiting the critical resources they need to complete ongoing projects.

HAC urges Congress to strengthen the FY 2027 budget by restoring technical assistance for rural housing preservation, ensuring rental assistance transitions do not leave tenants behind, fully funding all programs at HUD, and providing nonprofit owners with the tools they need to sustain affordable housing over the long term. In addition, HAC also urges Congress to continue the efforts begun in the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill by specifically adding language to compel the Administration to spend appropriated funding. Read HAC’s full analysis of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal for USDA and for HUD.

USDA’s Rural Housing Budget Supports Most Programs

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April 3, 2026 – The administration’s budget request for fiscal year 2027 was released on April 3. The proposals for USDA’s rural housing programs are slightly better than those in the FY26 budget.

Join HAC on April 8 at 2:00 pm Eastern time to learn more about the budget. In this webinar, HAC policy staff will cover what the budget includes for rural housing programs at USDA, HUD, and the CDFI Fund, and what the rest of the funding process will look like. Register here.

— Information about FY27 funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development is available here. —

Homeownership

Last year USDA proposed to defund the Section 502 direct program but this year it suggests a $983 million program level. USDA estimates this amount will finance 5,355 homes.

The budget would eliminate the $5 million relending program that enables Native Community Development Financial Institutions to provide mortgages for Native American homebuyers.

The budget would change the current mortgage requirement for homeowners obtaining Section 504 repair loans. It would allow loans of up to $15,000 – rather than the current $7,500 – to be secured by a promissory note rather than a mortgage.

The administration would continue to support local organizations administering self-help programs under Section 523, despite its recent defunding of technical assistance providers to help them.

Rental Housing

The budget includes support for some of the elements of USDA’s rental preservation work, proposing to hold the Section 515 and Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) programs at their FY26 levels. It would not, however, provide returns on investment or asset management fees for nonprofit and public agency owners. And it would not fund technical assistance to help nonprofits and public agencies purchase properties in need of preservation; USDA explains that it expects carryover funding from prior years to be sufficient to satisfy the demand.

The budget again supports decoupling Section 521 Rental Assistance from Section 515 and Section 514 mortgages, allowing tenants in rental properties where USDA mortgages are ending to continue to receive Rental Assistance. There would be no limit on the number of these Stand-Alone Rental Assistance (SARA) units.

Relying on SARA to cover tenants, the budget would eliminate funding for Section 542 vouchers. As it did last year, it makes no provisions for renters currently relying on these vouchers, explaining without details that “between the set of current recipients whose income would not allow them to re-qualify, the value of the voucher diminishing over time, and natural attrition from the program, very few of the current recipients will be affected. For the remaining few, options would include vacancies at other USDA properties with rental assistance, applying for HUD funded housing assistance or other similar programs at the state and local level.”

Other Information

USDA’s document explaining its Rural Development budget to Congress provides some additional information:

  • the department’s request includes funding for a contract with a consultant to help implement the Build America, Buy America Act;
  • a breakdown of staffing by state shows that Rural Development had the equivalent of 4,409 full-time staff in FY24 and 4,452 in FY25, and is expected to have 3,057 in both FY26 and FY27. It does not indicate whether the figures are calculated at the beginning of the fiscal year or at the end.

The Rural Housing Service budget explanation includes information about how the housing programs’ funds were used in FY24 and FY25.

Next Steps

This budget represents the first step in a lengthier process to set appropriations for FY27. Both the House and the Senate will develop their own appropriations bills, which may or may not resemble the President’s proposal. The House and Senate should resolve any differences between their bills and send final versions to the President for signature by September 30. If they do not meet that deadline, a continuing resolution would be needed to keep the government running.

For ongoing news on appropriations and other topics related to rural housing, subscribe to HAC emails, which include the free biweekly HAC News.

Table: USDA Rural Housing Service Funding Levels

Program

($ in millions)

FY26 Final

FY27 Budget

FY27 House*

FY27 Senate*

 FY27 Final*
502 SF Direct Loans

$1,000

$983.2
     Nat. Amer. SF Demo

5

0
502 SF Guar. Loans

25,000

20,000
504 VLI Repair Loans

25

25
504 VLI Repair Grants

21

20
515 MF Direct Loans

50

50
514 Farm Labor Hsg. Loans

15

15
516 Farm Labor Hsg. Grants

6

6
521 Rental Asst.

1,715

1,795
523 Self-Help TA

25

25
533 Hsg. Prsrv. Grants

6

6
538 MF Guar. Loans

400

500
542 Vouchers

48

0
Rental Prsrv. Demo (MPR)

30

30
Rental Prsrv. TA

2

0
Rural Cmty. Dev’t Init.

5

0
Cmty. Facil. Direct Loans

1,250

1,250
Cmty. Facil. Grants**

13

0
Tribal Colleges CF Grants

8

0
Cmty. Facil. Guar.

650

650

*These columns will be filled in as the appropriations process moves forward.

 

Abbreviations key

  • NA: Not Available
  • MF: Multifamily (Rental)
  • SF: Single-Family (Homeownership)
  • TA: Technical Assistance
  • VLI: Very Low-Income

 

HUD Budget Would Eliminate Several Programs, Cut Others

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April 3, 2026 – As it did last year, the administration proposes to eliminate the HOME and Community Development Block Grant programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its budget request for fiscal year 2027, released on April 3, would also cut funding for Native American and Native Hawaiian housing, defund capacity building programs including the Rural Capacity Building program, earmark all Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity funds to Habitat for Humanity, and completely revamp the federal approach to aiding people experiencing homelessness.

Join HAC on April 8 at 2:00 pm Eastern time to learn more about the budget. In this webinar, HAC policy staff will cover what the budget includes for rural housing programs at USDA, HUD, and the CDFI Fund, and what the rest of the funding process will look like. Register here.

— Information about FY27 funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural housing programs is available here. —

Consistent with changes the administration has proposed for the FY24-26 Continuum of Care program, which have been challenged in court, the budget would direct its entire $4.02 billion in homeless funding to the Emergency Solutions Grants program and none to Continuums of Care. ESG funds, $290 million in FY26, are distributed to state and local governments. The budget proposes language to prioritize this ESG spending on transitional housing, to allow preferences for elderly people or those with disabilities, and to give HUD special flexibility in administering the program.

Native American housing funds would be reduced by one-third. Fair housing would also see a large cut: the Fair Housing Assistance Program, which funds state fair housing activities, would receive $26 million, slightly below its $26.4 million level in FY26. No funding would be provided for the Fair Housing Initiative Program, fair housing training, or assistance for people with limited English proficiency.

Public housing agencies would be required to impose work requirements for most people receiving rental assistance, and households would be limited to five years of aid.

A new $30 million program would combat fraud, waste, and abuse in federally assisted housing.

Next Steps

This budget represents the first step in a lengthier process to set appropriations for FY27. Both the House and the Senate will develop their own appropriations bills, which may or may not resemble the President’s proposal. The House and Senate should resolve any differences between their bills and send final versions to the President for signature by September 30. If they do not meet that deadline, a continuing resolution would be needed to keep the government running.

For ongoing news on appropriations and other topics related to rural housing, subscribe to HAC emails, which include the free biweekly HAC News.

Table: HUD Funding Levels

Program ($ in millions)

FY26 Final

FY27 Budget

FY27 House*

FY27 Senate*

FY27 Final*
CDBG

$3,300

0
HOME

1,250

0
PRICE Manuf. Hsg. Prsrv.

0

0
Self-Help Hmownrshp (SHOP)

12

16**
Veterans Home Rehab

0

0
Rural Cap’y Bldg (RCB)

7

0
Tenant-Based Rental Asst.

38,439

38,846
   VASH

15

0
Project-Based Rental Asst.

18,143

17,640
Public Hsg. Capital Fund

3,200

3,200
Public Hsg. Operating Fund

5,024

5,377
202 Hsg. for Elderly

1,031

959
811 Hsg. for Disabled

287

266
Native Amer. Hsg.

1,354

887
Native Hawaiian

22.3

0
Tribal VASH

10

10
Homeless Asst. Grants total

4,417

4,024
   Emergency Solutions Grants

290

4,024
  Continuum of Care

4,010

0
      Permanent Supportive Housing

52

0
Hsg. Oppties for Persons w/ AIDS (HOPWA)

529

0
Fair Hsg.

86.4

26
Healthy Homes & Lead Control

296

110
Hsg. Counseling

57.5

0

* These columns will be filled in as the appropriations process moves forward.

**The budget proposes $16 million to be earmarked for Habitat for Humanity’s SHOP and Section 4 technical assistance activities. Other SHOP grantees such as HAC would receive no funding.

 

HAC News: April 2, 2026

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TOP STORIES

Administration’s budget expected April 3

The administration is expected to release its budget request for fiscal year 2027 on Friday, April 3. HAC will analyze the proposal and post information on our website as soon as possible. The administration’s FY27 requests for USDA and HUD are likely to resemble its FY26 asks, which proposed significant program cuts that were largely rejected by Congress. House and Senate appropriators will be developing their own FY27 funding proposals in the coming months.

USDA updates registration requirements for program participants

Entities receiving federal awards are required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM). USDA Rural Development has posted new guidance about registration, including a table explaining who must register. It replaces guidance from 2023. Two additional documents cover debarment and suspension screening.

Self-help groups lose technical support

USDA has not renewed the contracts of the four Technical and Management Assistance contractors for the Section 523 self-help program, so their funding to support local organizations ended on March 31. The local self-help programs will continue, reports NeighborGood Partners, one of the T&MA contractors. The other T&MA contractors are Florida Non-Profit Housing, LIFT Community Action Agency, and Rural Community Assistance Corporation. USDA’s website tells nonprofits and Tribes interested in administering self-help programs to contact their USDA state office. NeighborGood Partners will continue to host the Self-Help Spotlight website for interested homebuyers.

April is Fair Housing Month

The National Association of Realtors offers a draft proclamation for local officials to recognize the occasion.

RuralSTAT

The average U.S. homeowners insurance premium rose 3% in 2019-2024, but at least 10 zip codes in North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Florida, and California had increases of more than 25%. Many coastal areas of North Carolina and Texas saw increases above 50%, as did two zip codes in South Florida. (All figures are adjusted for inflation.) Source: Government Accountability Office, Homeowners Insurance: Premiums Generally Tracked Inflation but Rose More in Disaster-Prone Areas.

OPPORTUNITIES

HUD announces some Continuum of Care awards

On March 31 HUD announced the award of renewal funds for Continuum of Care projects that expired in the first quarter of calendar year 2026. In HUD’s FY26 appropriations legislation, Congress required it to provide one-year non-competitive renewals of CoC grants each quarter while legal actions challenging its changes to the program continue.

FEMA reopens Building Resilient Communities and Infrastructure program

After a court ordered FEMA to move forward with its Building Resilient Communities and Infrastructure program, the agency has posted a notice offering FY24 and FY25 funds. States, territories, D.C., and Tribes can apply by July 23 for grants to fund construction and resilient infrastructure that will mitigate natural hazard risks.

Housing counseling funds available

HUD is offering funds for both Comprehensive Housing Counseling and Housing Counseling Training. Eligible applicants are nonprofits HUD has approved for participation. State housing finance agencies that meet specific criteria are also eligible for CHC funding. Scoring criteria include points for Minority Serving Institutions and for applicants serving rural areas (as defined for USDA’s rural housing programs) or Opportunity Zones. FAQs are posted here. HUD will hold a webinar for potential applicants on April 9. Applications are due May 26.

Input requested on building stronger muscles for rural policy and systems change

Strong Foundations for Rural Advancement, a project of the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International, is mapping the rural systems-change ecosystem to identify how to strengthen policy, advocacy, networks, and narrative change. NCBA CLUSA invites you to share your experience, insights, and ideas for building stronger muscles for policy and systems change in a short survey to make sure this work reflects your perspective. Take the survey here by April 17.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

New USDA environmental rules revised

USDA has finalized, with some changes, an interim final rule published in July 2025. The new final rule rescinds the environmental protection regulations of individual parts of the department, including Rural Development, and provides uniform procedures across USDA. It is effective on April 3.

Proposal would make it easier for Section 502 guaranteed borrowers to earn income at home

USDA proposes to revise its regulations to allow the Section 502 guarantee program to finance a single-family home with one or more income-producing accessory dwelling units. The change would also allow loans for properties with features designed to accommodate home-based income-generating operations such as child care, product sales, or craft production. Comments are due June 1.

Court rules USDA and HUD cannot require new energy efficiency standards

A federal judge in Texas has ruled that in 2024 USDA and HUD improperly adopted new energy efficiency standards for new construction. Both departments had repeatedly delayed the compliance dates for the new standards and had requested new public comments.

USDA pilot program will test exceptions to new Section 502 loan limits

On February 10, along with other changes to the Section 502 direct program, USDA changed the definition of modest homes that are eligible for Section 502 direct mortgages. A modest home must be valued at not more than 60% of the area’s Federal Housing Administration Section 203(b) loan limits, rather than the previous 80%. Now the agency has launched a pilot program in 24 states that sets higher limits for certain homes. Appraised values for self-help participants, or for homebuyers who receive additional housing assistance such as grants, may exceed the maximum area loan limit, so long as the amount of the Section 502 loan is at or below the maximum loan limit. The pilot will remain in effect until March 23, 2028.

Executive order prohibits “illegal DEI” by federal contractors, adds new penalties

On March 26, President Trump issued an executive order instructing all federal agencies to ensure that their “contracts and contract-like instruments” include clauses promising the contractor and subcontractors will not engage in “illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion activities. It tells the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to agencies; that might provide more details including clarification of which funding recipients are covered by this order. It does make clear that the required language must be added to existing contracts. To ensure compliance, contractors must allow contracting agencies to review their books and records. If a contractor or any of its subcontractors does not comply, consequences can include cancellation, termination, or suspension of the contract and suspension or debarment from government contracting.

Two court decisions support Continuum of Care program

Two recent decisions address legal challenges to HUD’s efforts to change its CoC program. On March 31 a federal district court ruled that HUD illegally revised the funding notice for the CoC Builds program, imposed new criteria, and provided only one week for applicants to act. It ordered HUD to fund applications based on the original criteria. A similar lower court holding was affirmed on April 1 by a federal appeals court, which kept in place a preliminary injunction requiring HUD to use its original funding notice for the larger CoC program. Both cases are likely to continue with further appeals.

States sue HUD over fair housing limits

A group of state attorneys general filed suit against HUD on March 16, charging that the department’s instructions to the states imposed illegal conditions on their activities as Fair Housing Assistance Program grantees. HUD required them to limit their fair housing enforcement to the protections now recognized by the federal government, eliminating protections for several categories including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and source of income, as well as to stop pursuing claims based on disparate impact.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Opportunity Zones mapping updates available

Novogradac has added new data layers, including persistent poverty counties and other ways to identify distressed rural areas, to its Opportunity Zone Mapping Tool. The company intends to provide additional information in an upcoming blog post.

Revitalization of South Dakota town based on housing

A story distributed by AP News, Housing Jumpstarts Revitalization of Herreid, SD, Population 400, describes the role that housing development played in attracting new residents and bolstering the town’s economy. Funding sources ranged from USDA Rural Development to the state to foundations and banks, as well as local fundraising events.

HAC

HAC is hiring

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

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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

HAC News: March 19, 2026

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TOP STORIES

Housing bill passes Senate

The Senate approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on March 12 with an 81-10 vote. It includes the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, but not the Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development (AFFORD) Act (S. 3940), a package of four bills that support CDFIs, including USDA’s Native American Section 502 demonstration program. It is still not clear whether the House will vote on the Senate’s bill or will choose to negotiate regarding the differences between it and the House-passed Housing for the 21st Century Act. The Bipartisan Policy Center explains the differences between the bills here.

Administration proposes new certifications for federal funds applicants

The administration proposes to require new certifications related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), illegal immigration, and terrorism from all entities registering on the System for Award Management (SAM), the portal used for nonprofits, state and local governments, and others to apply for federal financing. The new provisions, available in draft form, would state that applicants are not discriminating through “illegal” DEI, not encouraging illegal immigration, and not supporting violence or terrorism. They are intended to align with an executive order and Department of Justice guidance that call for the elimination of “illegal” DEI. Comments are due March 30.

Two executive orders target housing supply and affordability

On March 13, President Trump issued two executive orders intended to help address the housing shortage. Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction instructs HUD, USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies to eliminate regulations that burden construction of housing and infrastructure. It tells HUD to develop best practices for state and local governments, and calls for aligning programs and incentives with the Opportunity Zone program and the New Markets Tax Credit. Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit tells federal agencies to make it easier for community banks and small lenders to issue mortgage loans, to “modernize” appraisals, and to reduce enforcement actions against mortgage lenders. It also asks the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to consider raising the asset threshold for exemption from Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data collection.

Rental housing report documents affordability crisis

America’s Rental Housing 2026, from Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies, reports that the national cost burden rate for renters has risen 8.8 percentage points since 2001. Over the same time period, the amount of money available to lower-income renters each month after paying for housing and utilities has fallen by 60 percent to a record low of $210 and the costs of food and healthcare are rising. The pace of multifamily construction slowed in 2025, but remained above the average pace in the years leading up to the pandemic. Between January 2020 and December 2025, the prices of residential construction materials increased 42% and the employment cost index for private industry construction workers was up 24%. Renters also face challenges related to repairs and preservation, energy efficiency, and natural disasters.

RuralSTAT

From 2019 to 2024, cost burden rates for all renters in counties outside metropolitan areas increased by 1.2 percentage points to 39%. The cost burden rate in 2024 was a far higher 71% for renters outside metro areas with incomes in the bottom fifth of all households. Source: Joint Center for Housing Studies, America’s Rental Housing 2026.

OPPORTUNITIES

Apply for HAC’s OneRural technical assistance

HAC is now accepting applications for OneRural Technical Assistance Services, offering customized support to rural nonprofits, Tribal housing entities, and Tribes. This program helps organizations strengthen their housing and community development efforts through expert guidance and capacity building. Applications received by March 31 will receive priority consideration. If space remains after the priority review, additional applications will be considered through April 15. Learn more and apply here.

CDFI Fund extends deadline for some FY25 applications

In September, the CDFI Fund notified some applicants that they could revise their applications by October 27 to meet the administration’s priorities. Because the government shut down in October and part of November, now the CDFI Fund is extending the deadline for revisions to April 10. The new deadline applies to the CDFI and Native CDFI Financial Assistance and Technical Assistance programs.

Nonprofit creates RuralFunding.org to fill gap left by Rural.gov

Rural Progress, a national nonpartisan nonprofit, has launched RuralFunding.org to fill the gap left by Rural.gov. That site was created to help rural communities find federal funding opportunities, technical assistance, and programs, but its content has been removed. RuralFunding.org is intended to make the rural federal funding landscape navigable by increasing transparency, improving access to opportunity information, highlighting where money is flowing, and giving rural leaders better data. It combines information on available funding, awarded funding, county-level data, news alerts, and more.

CAPITOL HILL

Tribal homeownership act approved by both Senate and House

The Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act, passed by the Senate in December, was approved by the House on March 4 and now awaits President Trump’s signature. The bill establishes deadlines for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to review and act on documents needed for mortgages on trust land and requires a Government Accountability Office report on digitizing such documents.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Lenders to approve Section 502 guaranteed loans under USDA pilot

The Lender Interactive Test Environment (LITE) Delegated Authority Pilot Program will delegate USDA’s loan approval authority to selected lenders for the Section 502 single-family guaranteed loan program. The pilot will run from September 1, 2026 to September 28, 2028, when a new regulation expanding the delegation to the entire program is set to take effect. USDA says the change will bring the program in line with FHA and VA loan programs.

HUD converts eviction notice rule to a proposal

In late February HUD published an interim final rule removing requirements for PHAs and multifamily owners to give tenants 30 days’ notice before evicting them for nonpayment of rent. The rule was to be effective on March 30. The National Housing Law Project and others filed suit claiming, among other things, that HUD should have published a proposed rule and reviewed public comments. HUD has now announced it will treat the interim final rule as a proposed rule that will not take effect until after HUD has reviewed comments and published a final rule. Comments are still due April 27.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Only 3% of U.S. philanthropic grant dollars went to rural places, USDA reports

Rural America’s Philanthropic Sector reviews the scope of the philanthropic sector in counties outside metropolitan areas between 2014 and 2021. Only 8% of philanthropic organizations were based in rural communities and they issued $3.5 billion in grant dollars, just 3% of the total grantmaking during that time period. One-third of rural counties had no locally based grantmaking organizations. Public charities (entities that accept contributions from the general public) in rural places were, on average, nearly 25% larger and issued more than twice as many grants as rural private foundations. Rural grant makers in human services, community services, and capacity building issued far greater shares of grant dollars than those addressing the same topics in urban places. Data for individual counties is available here.

HUD publication focuses on rural

The winter 2026 issue of Evidence Matters concentrates on rural housing. The publication, from HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research, covers an overview of rural housing conditions and challenges, discusses the variety of definitions of “rural” and their implications for research and policy, and highlights state programs that address housing barriers in rural areas.

Owners and managers are largest factors in affordability after Section 515 loans mature, research concludes

A Successful USDA Program That Has Supported More Than 533,000 Affordable Rental Homes in Rural America is Getting Phased Out, an article in The Conversation, summarizes academic research published in Housing Policy Debate with the title Preservation of Affordable Rural Rental Properties by Understanding Owners, Managers, Subsidies, and the Local Market. Based on data from nearly 15,000 Section 515 properties, researchers concluded that buildings owned by for-profits were far more likely to leave the program than those belonging to nonprofits. Buildings run by small property management companies or by the building owners were more likely to exit than those run by larger management companies. Landlords owning more residential properties were also more likely to exit the program, as were properties in areas with high unemployment rates, large military populations, and low housing inventory. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, including HAC research posted here and here.

HAC

HAC is hiring

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

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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

HAC News: March 5, 2026

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TOP STORIES

Revised housing bill moves forward in Senate

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, introduced on March 2 by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), combines provisions from the ROAD to Housing Act approved by the Senate Banking Committee in July, the Housing for the 21st Century Act passed by the House in February, and the White House’s desire to limit institutional investor ownership of housing. The White House supports this bill. It includes most of the provisions of the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, supported by HAC. The full Senate is likely to consider the bill soon and may adopt amendments such as a package of provisions on CDFIs, including making USDA’s Native CDFI pilot program permanent. After passage of a Senate bill, the House and Senate could negotiate a revised bill acceptable to both, or the House could vote on the Senate’s measure.

HUD proposes allowing work requirements and time limits

A proposed rule would allow – but not require – public housing agencies and rental property owners to impose work requirements and set time limits for residents in public housing or with Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Vouchers, or Project-Based Rental Assistance. Up to 40 hours of work per week could be required for tenants meeting certain criteria. Term limits could be two years or longer. Comments are due May 1.

Opportunity Zone recommendations released, webinar set for March 12

Activating Rural Investments in the Next Round of Opportunity Zones: Recommendations for States, a guide just released by HAC, Partners for Rural Transformation, and Hope Policy Institute, offers concrete recommendations states can act on now to ensure the upcoming round of Opportunity Zone designations delivers transformative rural investment. On March 12, a webinar titled Opportunity Zones 2.0: A Guide for Activating Rural Investments will cover all things rural OZs: what has changed, what’s at stake, and where state leadership matters most.

HAC reports on title resolution for heirs’ property

HAC’s latest research report, Understanding Ownership, Unlocking Investment: Clarifying the Legal Process for Title Resolution and Opportunities for Financial Funding for Heirs’ Property, is now available on Heirs’ Property Central. The report explains the various forms of shared land tenure, the legal process of title resolution, obstacles faced by collective landowners with tangled titles, and how funding can be designed for successful outcomes in heirs’ property work.

March is National Women’s History Month

The National Women’s History Alliance explains the 2026 theme, Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.

RuralSTAT

Recent annual shipments of new manufactured homes in the United States remained relatively unchanged from the previous year. In 2025, an estimated 102,700 manufactured homes were shipped from factories – down slightly from 103,300 shipments in 2024. Source: Housing Assistance Council tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufactured Housing Survey data.

OPPORTUNITIES

Apply for HAC’s OneRural technical assistance

HAC is now accepting applications for OneRural Technical Assistance Services, offering customized support to rural nonprofits, Tribal housing entities, and Tribes. This program helps organizations strengthen their housing and community development efforts through expert guidance and capacity building. Applications received by March 31 will receive priority consideration. If space remains after the priority review, additional applications will be considered through April 15. Learn more and apply here.

CAPITOL HILL

House Agriculture Committee marks up Farm Bill

The House Agriculture Committee approved H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on March 5. The bill includes very few rural development provisions. The Senate has not yet released the text of its version of the bill.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD and USDA end some 30-day notices before evictions

HUD and USDA have issued separate regulations ending requirements for 30-day notices before property owners evict assisted tenants for nonpayment of rent. A suit has been filed challenging HUD’s rule.

USDA’s provision is a final rule that was effective immediately on February 25, the day it was published. It applies to properties with Section 515 or Section 514 loans. It rescinds a 2024 rule that implemented a 30-day notice requirement enacted by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. USDA explains that the regulatory provision was unnecessary because compliance with the CARES Act 30-day notice requirement “is generally captured” in its project management requirements. USDA also rescinded a requirement for borrowers to provide information to tenants when federal emergency funding is available, explaining that the agency will notify tenants.

HUD’s provision is different in several ways. It is an interim final rule, effective on March 30, with comments due on April 27. It rescinds a rule that was not based on the CARES Act, but required a 30-day notice before eviction for nonpayment. The National Housing Law Project explains that, without that protection, in some places renters can be evicted for being as little as one dollar short or one day late on rent. This rule change does not impact the CARES Act’s notice requirement. NHLP and others filed suit, charging that HUD should have published a proposed rule and considered public comments before finalizing it.

Input requested on USDA data and research

Comments are due April 9 on a USDA request for information on opportunities, challenges, and emerging areas in statistical data, analysis, and research produced by three of its agencies: the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the Office of the Chief Economist’s World Agricultural Outlook Board.

Nominations for USDA Tribal Advisory Committee reopened

Nominations for USDA’s Tribal Advisory Committee can be submitted by representatives of Tribes, Tribal organizations, or national or regional organizations with relevant expertise such as national or regional Tribal serving organizations, land-grant institutions, and Native CDFIs. The deadline is March 31.

USDA announces “disposal” of two DC-area buildings

On February 25 Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and other administration officials announced “the imminent disposal” of USDA’s South Building in Washington, DC. It is not clear whether the building will be sold or when and where its occupants will move. Food and Nutrition Service offices in suburban Virginia will be moved to other DC-area locations and the lease on their building will be terminated.

Some Community Facilities applications must now have multiple high-level reviews

New guidance from USDA Rural Development instructs field staff to obtain National Office review at three points in the application process for some Community Facilities direct loans and grants.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

U.S. has only 35 homes for every 100 extremely low-income renters, report shows

The lowest-income renters in the U.S. face a shortage of 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes. Nationwide, only 35 affordable and available homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. No state has an adequate supply of affordable and available homes for extremely low-income renters.

Basic data principles and sources explained

Analyzing Demographics Within Rural Populations, an article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can guide researchers on ways to avoid treating rural communities as monoliths. The piece provides insight into when it is advisable to disaggregate data by demographic or economic characteristics, the challenges that can arise when doing so, and the best ways to make comparisons. Those seeking housing data might also refer to The Evolution of Housing Data in the United States, Part 2: The Rise of Modern Housing Data, a brief article from HUD that summarizes many of the currently available data sets on the subject. HAC has combined many of these data sets in one place at Rural Data Central.

Policy brief and video explain CDFIs

Community Lending: Leveraging Private Capital for Public Good examines how Community Development Financial Institutions function within the broader financial system. Using real-world examples – including HAC – and market data, this brief and an accompanying video from the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders are designed to inform policymakers, financial institutions, and stakeholders seeking to understand how community lending delivers outcomes for housing, small businesses, and local economies.

Resource supports tenants facing loss of housing supports

The National Housing Law Project’s Toolkit for Defending Tenants Against Homelessness Prevention Cuts offers strategies, scenario examples, sample templates, and fair housing information to help advocates defend renters facing potential loss of vital federal housing supports. This guide is designed to support legal defense against evictions and program reductions that could push families into homelessness.

HAC

HAC testifies before U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature on heirs’ property

On January 29, HAC Research Director Lance George testified on heirs’ property before the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure, and Planning of the Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Included in HAC’s testimony was a presentation of Heirs’ Property: Elevating the Story, a video presenting the complex, nuanced, and diverse experiences of heirs’ property owners, community members, and the organizations that support them in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This feature is one in a series of videos highlighting the voices of community members, leaders, and practitioners that can now be viewed on HAC’s new interactive clearinghouse, Heirs’ Property Central.

HAC is hiring

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

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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

PRT, HAC, HOPE Release Opportunity Zone 2.0 Recommendations

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The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) in collaboration with Partners for Rural Transformation (PRT) and Hope Credit Union/Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Policy Institute (HOPE) Wednesday released recommendations for the Opportunity Zone 2.0 designations to drive investments into rural communities facing persistent poverty.

PRT President Farah Ahmad said: “Opportunity Zones hold tremendous potential to drive investment into rural communities facing persistent poverty across the country – if they are done correctly. This guide offers a framework for state policymakers and local practitioners to ensure that this once-in-a-decade opportunity is not missed in the rural communities millions of people call home.”

HAC President and CEO David Lipsetz said: “Investment in persistently poor rural places is an essential step to address our nation’s affordable housing crisis. State officials have an important opening this year to identify the right places for this investment. This guide explains what’s at stake and how they can take action.”

HOPE Senior Advisor for Policy and Advocacy Diane Standaert said: “With this upcoming round of Opportunity Zone selections, states have a once-in-decade chance to get it right for rural places. HOPE’s experience demonstrates how it’s possible to align community-driven solutions, private investors, and public policy to drive transformative change in rural communities, including those experiencing persistent poverty. With advance planning as recommended in this guide, states can ensure they do not overlook solutions for economic opportunity in the rural areas that need it most.”

Created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity Zones spur economic growth and job creation in low-income communities while providing tax benefits to investors. The first round of Opportunity Zones generated $120 billion in new investments across the country. However, only a fraction of that, about $6 billion, flowed into rural communities by 2022, and even less reached areas experiencing persistent poverty.

The program was amended in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and added new incentives for rural communities, including a 30% step-up in basis points for investments and a 50% threshold for showing substantial improvement to rehabilitation projects. However, an overly broad definition of “rural” risks funding being diverted away from targeted rural and Native communities. For example, Atlantic City meets the definition of a “rural Opportunity Zone” under the OBBBA.

Activating Rural Investments in the Next Round of Opportunity Zones: Recommendations for States  can be found here. The recommendations follow four guidelines:

  • Engage Rural Communities, Native Communities, and Practitioners: Hearing directly from rural communities through organizations like Community Development Financial Institutions and non-profit developers will help state and local leaders designate Opportunity Zones that will have the greatest impact.
  • Create a Map that Targets Unique Rural Needs and Development Goals: Mapping tools can assist state and local leaders in designating rural areas where investment is needed most and illuminate the opportunities to leverage additional investment incentives.
  • Create Priorities in State Funding Programs: States can take a more active role in driving investment into rural communities facing persistent poverty by prioritizing projects within preexisting state programs to attract additional resources and investors.  
  • Create an Assessment Tool: Establishing a clear decision-making rubric can ensure high-impact selections are made in a transparent manner.

PRT, HAC, and HOPE hosted a webinar on the guide for state policymakers, regional development hubs, and local non-profits on March 12. The recording is available here.   

HAC News: February 19, 2026

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TOP STORIES

USDA significantly changes 502 direct program

The Rural Housing Service issued revisions to its Section 502 direct mortgage program on February 10, effective immediately, by changing provisions of its Handbook HB-1-3550. The changes include limiting loans to 60% (rather than the previous 80%) of HUD Section 203(b) loan limits, capping the packaging fee at $750 (rather than the previous $1,750-$2,000), requiring USDA RD state directors to approve each loan at two different points, excluding SNAP benefits from repayment calculations, and more. The agency’s handbooks do not have the legal effect of regulations, and handbook changes do not require public notice and an opportunity to comment. HAC and others are attempting to communicate with RHS about the changes and the process.

Housing bill passes House, Senate action expected soon

On February 9 the House approved the Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644) by a vote of 390 to 9. The White House expressed disappointment that the bill does not include a ban on institutional investors purchasing single-family homes. The Senate may take up its ROAD to Housing Act (S. 2651) during the week of February 23. HAC has endorsed both the House and Senate bills. The House bill includes some provisions regarding USDA’s rural housing programs and the Senate bill includes the full Rural Housing Service Reform Act. Supports for Community Development Financial Institutions, including expanding USDA’s Native CDFI lending program, may be added to the Senate bill. Comparisons of the two bills are available from several sources including Novogradac, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

HUD proposes ending prorated assistance for mixed-status households

A proposed rule would end HUD’s current practice of prorating assistance based on the number of people in a household with U.S. citizenship or eligible legal status. Housing providers would be required to verify the status of every household member, including seniors. Those without legal status would not be permitted to live in HUD-assisted housing. Comments are due April 21.

RuralSTAT

The homeownership rate for Black households in rural areas is 53%, eight percentage points higher than the rate for Black households nationally. At the same time, the rural Black homeownership rate is 20 percentage points lower than the 74% overall rate of homeownership in rural America. Source: HAC tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey.To learn more about heirs’ property and title resolution for your community, visit Heirs’ Property Central.

To learn more about homeownership in your community, visit Rural Data Central.

OPPORTUNITIES

HAC offers technical assistance for service coordination at Section 515 properties

With support from the AARP Foundation, HAC is offering free technical assistance to Section 515 property owners and managers. HAC will help a cohort of eight to ten owners and managers to build service coordination programs in elderly-designated 515 properties by utilizing the normal RD budget process. More information is posted on HAC’s website here and here. Apply by March 15. Anyone interested in attending an informational session in the coming weeks should contact Angela Shuckahosee, HAC, angela@ruralhome.org, 216-815-0114. For questions about the program, contact Seth Leonard, seth@ruralhome.org.

CAPITOL HILL

Farm Bill proposal released in House

On February 13 Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, released the text of a proposed 2026 Farm Bill. The committee will begin considering the bill on February 23. Like most farm bills, this one does not cover USDA’s housing programs (they do not fall under the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction), but it does include some rural development provisions, including one directing USDA to “provide technical assistance and strengthen local capacity to improve access to rural development programs administered by [USDA] for local partners (including local governments, cooperatives, businesses, and community anchor institutions) in geographically underserved and distressed areas.” The bill does not authorize any funding for this capacity building, however. The Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet released its Farm Bill draft.

Hill hearings consider housing issues

The House Financial Services Committee and two of its subcommittees held hearings on housing topics on February 10 and 11: Priced Out of the American Dream: Understanding the Policies Behind Rising Costs of Housing and Borrowing; Homeownership and the Role of the Secondary Mortgage Market; and Building a Solid Foundation: Restoring Trust and Transparency in Public Housing Agencies. Recordings of all three events are available online.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD offers toolkit to help share NAHASDA stories

In recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, HUD has posted a communications toolkit and graphics that Tribes and others can use to publicize the impact NAHASDA has had in Tribal communities.

EVENTS

Webinar will cover activating rural investments in Opportunity Zones 2.0

Opportunity Zones 2.0: A Guide for Activating Rural Investments, presented by HAC, Partners for Rural Transformation, and Hope Policy Institute, will introduce a new guide titled Activating Rural Investments in the Next Round of Opportunity Zones: Recommendations for States. This presentation will equip governors, state policymakers, regional development hubs, and local nonprofit leaders with actionable steps to maximize rural investment through Opportunity Zones 2.0. Speakers will cover all things rural OZs: what has changed, what’s at stake, and where state leadership matters most. Grounded in lessons from OZ 1.0 and real rural case studies, it will offer concrete recommendations states can act on now to ensure OZ 2.0 delivers transformative rural investment.

Rural housing needs assessments webinar set

The Minnesota Housing Partnership will present a webinar titled From Data to Decisions: A Practical Guide to Community-Driven Housing Needs Assessments on February 24. The session will introduce a guide to conducting housing needs assessments that are grounded in local context and designed to inform real decisions, focusing on rural and small communities and Native Nations. The framework is intended to help communities adapt the process to their capacity, data availability, and goals, without relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Report offers insurance strategies for multifamily affordable housing

Curbing the Insurance Spiral: Policy and Practitioner Strategies to Help Stabilize Multifamily Affordable Housing, published by Enterprise Community Partners, explores the growing insurance challenges for housing providers. The report includes practical guidance for practitioners and policymakers.

HAC

HAC opposes eliminating fair housing disparate impact rules

HAC submitted written comments responding to HUD’s proposal to eliminate its fair housing rules addressing on disparate impact – the legal concept that conduct is discriminatory if it has inequitable effects, even if there was no intent to discriminate. HAC’s comments strongly urge HUD to retain and enforce its current rule. HAC argues that disparate impact helps connect housing affordability and fair housing, rural residents need protection against differing impacts of facially equal treatment, HUD erred in interpreting court decision on disparate impact liability, and HUD has an explicit statutory responsibility to ensure equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination. HAC also joined a comment letter submitted by the National Housing Conference and several other organizations.

HAC is hiring

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

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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

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