HAC News: December 8, 2022

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TOP STORIES

Congressional action needed on government funding by December 16

It is not yet clear whether Congress will be able to pass an omnibus appropriations measure to cover the rest of FY23 before the current continuing resolution expires on December 16. A full-year continuing resolution, holding most programs at FY22 levels, is also a possibility. Lawmakers may first enact another short-term CR to give themselves another week to negotiate. The Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding, a coalition of organizations including HAC, explains how a full-year CR could harm housing programs.

USDA launches simple transfer pilot for preserving rental properties

A pilot program simplifying the process of transferring ownership of Section 515 properties will be in effect from December 9, 2022 through December 9, 2024. USDA’s notice explains and lists the requirements for three types of transfers. The most complex of the three is the “two-step” transfer process USDA tested previously, which allows a nonprofit or public agency to close on a purchase of a Section 515 property based on a plan for undertaking rehabilitation/recapitalization within two years. For general information about the pilot, contact Stephanie Vergin, USDA. Those interested in participating in the pilot program should contact their property’s assigned servicing specialist.

HAC and other organizations offer technical assistance to nonprofits on transfers of Section 515 properties. Current owners of 515 properties who are interested in transferring ownership to a nonprofit organization, or nonprofits who are interested in acquiring one, can reach out to Kristin Blum, HAC, or find another TA provider on the Contact tab at this link.

HAC comments on defining colonias, preserving rural rental housing, and reducing greenhouse gases

Responding to federal agency requests for comments, HAC recently submitted information on three topics relevant to affordable rural housing.

  • Defining colonias: The Federal Housing Finance Agency proposed to change the way it determines what geographic areas are considered colonias for purposes of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s Duty to Serve activities. The proposal was based on research conducted by HAC. HAC’s comments support FHFA’s approach and suggest that activities in rural colonias census tracts, where needs are greater, should receive more weight than those in urban or suburban places.
  • Preserving rural rental housing: FHFA requested comments on modifications Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac requested in their Duty to Serve plans for 2023. HAC’s response opposed Freddie Mac’s proposal to remove support for Section 515 rural rental housing loans, supported Fannie Mae’s addition of equity investments in Native CDFIs, and reminded FHFA of comments HAC previously submitted on improving service to Indian Country.
  • Reducing greenhouse gases connected with housing: The Environmental Protection Agency is developing a new $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program that could fund a variety of activities, including those related to housing. HAC recommended that EPA include CDFIs and housing improvements in the program, address the unique needs of rural and persistent poverty communities, and incorporate equity principles throughout the program design.

RuralSTAT

The number of jobs approved for the H-2A visa program, which allows U.S. agricultural employers to hire foreign workers temporarily, increased from around 75,000 in FY 2010 to around 275,000 in FY 2020, when they accounted for about 10% of the average employment on U.S. crop farms. Source: USDA Economic Research Service.

OPPORTUNITIES

HAC offers capacity building for housing provision to people in recovery from substance use

Safe, healthy, and affordable housing is foundational to successful recovery from substance use disorders and opioid use disorders. HAC’s Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities Cohort is accepting applications through December 20. Rural nonprofit organizations and local municipalities aiming to create safe, healthy, and stable housing for residents in recovery from substance use disorders and opioid use disorders are encouraged to apply. The scheduled cohort activities include access to HAC’s Rural Resource Guide: Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities, the Housing and Recovery Symposium, and an in-person peer exchange and learning experience. For more information and to apply, visit HAC’s website.

YouthBuild grants available

Nonprofits, state, local, and Tribal governments, and others can apply by February 7 for YouthBuild grants to provide pre-apprenticeship services that support education, occupational skills training, and employment services to youth, ages 16 to 24, who left high school prior to graduation and also have other risk factors. For more information, contact Department of Labor staff, YB_FOA-ETA-23-17@dol.gov.

USDA will make grants to aid small rural businesses

Rural Business Development Grants are available to nonprofits, coops, and state, local, and Tribal governments. Recipients provide targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Applications are submitted to USDA RD state or local offices, which have varying deadlines. For state-specific information, visit the RBDG website and select a state from the drop down menu.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

New regulations proposed for Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program

HUD’s proposed rule is intended to encourage homeownership opportunities in Indian Country by modernizing the Section 184 program’s regulations and providing clarity for lenders who make mortgage loans with Section 184 guarantees. Comments are due March 6. For more information, contact Krisa Johnson, HUD, 202-402-4978.

HUD names Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee members

HUD has announced the members of the first-ever Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. The group is intended to supplement HUD’s Tribal consultation process to strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship between HUD and Tribal communities, coordinate policy across all HUD programs, and advise on the housing priorities of the American Indian and Alaska Native peoples. For more information, contact Heidi J. Frechette, HUD, 202-401-7914.

USDA adopts final rule for broadband program

The Rural Broadband Program, previously called the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, has been functioning under an interim rule since 2020. USDA has now adopted the interim rule as final. For more information, contact Laurel Leverrier, USDA, 202-720-3416.

FY 2023 median family incomes and income limits to be delayed

Following its usual process, HUD would have calculated median family incomes and income limits for fiscal 2023 using American Community Survey data from 2020, but the data collection was affected by the pandemic and the Census Bureau is not releasing the results. HUD intends to base its FY 2023 calculations on ACS 2021 data instead, and expects to release the figures around May 15 rather than in March or April as usual.

Administration hopes to make Tribal consultation more consistent

A memo from President Biden to executive branch agencies is meant to improve and streamline the process of consulting with Tribes when developing federal policies that have Tribal implications and to ensure more consistency between agencies. It requires each agency to designate a primary point of contact for Tribal consultation matters, provide an informational notice when it schedules a consultation, maintain records, provide training for employees involved in consultation, and more.

Final RD state director named

Maximiliano Trujillo has been named USDA Rural Development State Director in Puerto Rico. His background includes work on economic development and other topics in Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. All state director positions have now been filled.

USDA changes tenant recertification for 2023

USDA regulations require incomes of Section 515 and Section 514/516 tenants to be recertified annually or whenever a change in household income of $100 or more per month occurs. Because Social Security and SSI benefits will rise by 8.7%, an average increase of $140 per month, beginning on January 1, USDA is temporarily waiving the recertification requirement for tenants whose household income, regardless of income type, increases by $100 or more, but less than $200. This temporary waiver will be in place through calendar year 2023. For more information, contact Michael Resnik, USDA, 202-430-3114.

EVENTS

Online summit scheduled on residential retrofits

Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity (R2E2) plans to center environmental justice and racial equity to address housing affordability, energy insecurity, and climate change. This new nationwide initiative will provide training to community-based organizations and to state, local, and Tribal governments to jumpstart energy upgrades for affordable housing. R2E2 will begin its training and technical assistance with a free online summit on January 19 and 20. The program is a partnership of the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy, Elevate, Emerald Cities Collaborative, and HR&A Advisors, with People’s Climate Innovation Center advising and with funding from several foundations. For more information, email R2E2@aceee.org.

Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is December 21

National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day takes place annually on December 21, the longest night of the year. The National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Consumer Advisory Board, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness offer a resource manual for communities to hold memorial events or take other steps to remember people experiencing homelessness who have died in the past year.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Fair housing complaints increased in 2021

The National Fair Housing Alliance’s 2022 Fair Housing Trends report states that government agencies and private organizations received 8.7% more complaints in 2021 than in 2020. More than 72% of claims were processed by private nonprofits. Discrimination based on disability accounted for more than half the complaints filed. Race was the basis for just under 19% of all complaints, compared to almost 17% in 2020.

Community land trusts build resilient, affordable housing after hurricane

Yes! Magazine reports on a community land trust in the Florida Keys working to rebuild after Hurricane Ian. Disasters reduce housing stock and drive up rent, while CLTs stave off displacement and ensure long-term affordability.

Study finds differences increasing between “New West” and “Old West”

A report titled New West and Old West in the Twenty-First Century: The Rich Get Richer explores changes in rural areas of the Mountain West region. The study (which is online but behind a paywall) is summarized in Income Disparity Rising in Rural Communities, BYU Study Says, a KLS.com article. Researchers compared counties in 2000 and 2019, finding a large increase in income differences between residents of “New West” and “Old West” counties. New West counties have recreational amenities and are a draw for new, wealthier residents, while Old West counties’ economies tend to be based in government, mining and manufacturing, or agriculture. The growing New West counties in turn have increasing costs of living that may price locals out of communities.

USDA publishes 2022 rural America overview

USDA’s Economic Research Service published Rural America at a Glance: 2022 Edition discussing population trends, demographics of the labor force, and the structure of the economic sector. The rural workforce is becoming increasingly racially diverse in many economic sectors.

Black homeownership rate falling after early pandemic rise

Since the nationwide Black homeownership rate jumped higher in 2019-2020, it has fallen back to 45%, far below its high-water mark of nearly 50% in 2004. The National Association of Real Estate Brokers’ 2022 State of Housing in Black America: The Elusive Dream of Black Homeownership examines reasons for the decline. For the first time, this annual study also addresses the impact of climate change on Black communities.

HAC

HAC seeks Portfolio Manager, Self-Help Housing and Housing Specialist – Native American Communities

  • The Portfolio Manager, Self-Help Housing is responsible for the overall asset management, monitoring and reporting for an assigned portfolio of primarily self-help housing loans made to entities engaged in affordable housing activities in rural communities throughout the United States. This position is eligible for telecommuting.
  • The Housing Specialist – Native American Communities is responsible for providing direct technical assistance, coaching, and training to tribal communities, tribal housing departments, tribal housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations serving tribal communities. Travel is required. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October 2023

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 in Washington, DC and online.

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!

 

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 1/18: HAC is Seeking a Consulting Partner to Assist with Our Strategic Plan

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Are you an emerging consulting firm passionate about working with CDFIs, Non-Profits, and/or Rural Communities? We invite you to submit a proposal for HAC’s strategic planning process!

The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) seeks a consultant to support the organization and our stakeholders in the creation of a three-to-five-year strategic plan. Through the strategic planning process, we hope to:

  • Build on HAC’s current momentum and growth.
  • Re-affirm and/or refine the organization’s values.
  • Inclusively engage with staff, Board, and external stakeholders.
  • Identify measurable goals for HAC’s key community development and housing programs.
  • Explore new approaches to address historic housing challenges in rural community development.

If you are interested, please review the attached RFP for greater detail on aims, scopes, deliverables, and proposal layout.

HAC reviews proposals, hires consultants, and employs staff with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and providing the opportunity for those of us from communities that have been underserved based on race, color, ethnicity, gender, national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, marital or familial status, ancestry, or status as a veteran. Businesses owned and run by people of those communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

For any questions about this RFP, contact strategic@ruralhome.org.

All Applications are Due by Thursday, 1/18/2023 *DEADLINE EXTENDED*

Download the RFP
Policy News field

HAC Submits Comments on Colonia Census Tract Definition

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HAC submitted comments in response to the October 5, 2022 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the Enterprise Duty to Serve Underserved Markets Amendments published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). HAC has conducted significant research on housing finance, including numerous aspects of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s statutory Duty to Serve Underserved Markets. The regulatory change under consideration, in fact, is based on HAC research for Fannie Mae. Thus HAC is well positioned to comment on this proposal.

HAC generally supports FHFA’s proposed definition and use of “colonia census tracts” to target efforts by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) to meet the credit needs of these high-poverty rural areas. As the NPRM explains, the colonia census tract model is based on Colonias Investment Areas, a concept developed by HAC for use by Fannie Mae in meeting its Duty to Serve the colonias. HAC’s research makes clear that using census tracts containing colonias as a basis for identifying and evaluating colonias activities would not only provide clarity, but would also meet the goals of the Duty to Serve statute and regulations.

Key Takeaways

  1. Census tracts are the best available geography for a revised colonia definition, as HAC’s research has demonstrated, and HAC supports FHFA’s proposal to base its definition on tracts.
  2. Focusing activities in the places FHFA identifies as colonias census tracts would meet the goals of the Duty to Serve requirement.
  3. Alternative definitions have proven to be too broad or too difficult to use.
  4. HAC recommends providing greater weight to Duty to Serve activities in colonia census tracts in rural areas than to those in urban or suburban places, because rural tracts have greater needs.
  5. The colonias census tract database should be updated more often than every ten years if interim changes warrant.

To learn more about HAC’s full recommendations, read our full comment letter.

HAC Final Comments on the Colonias Definition
Policy News town

HAC Submits Comments on Proposed Duty to Serve Modifications

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) requested comments on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s (the Enterprises) proposed modifications to their Duty to Serve 2022 Underserved Markets Plans. If implemented robustly, Duty to Serve has the potential to improve the lives of people living in the most underserved communities. HAC’s comments highlighted two proposed modifications:

Key Takeaways

  1. USDA Section 515 preservation is critical to the Duty to Serve mission. Freddie Mac’s proposal to remove the Section 515 purchases from their Plan should be rejected.
  2. Equity investments in CDFIs are the single most impactful action that the FHFA could currently take to improve Duty to Serve outcomes. Fannie Mae’s proposal to add equity investments in Native CDFIs to their plan is a step in the direction of better serving Indian Country. For more suggestions on how the Enterprises could better serve Indian Country, see HAC’s comments from the July 2022 Native American Housing Listening Session.

Read HAC’s full comments.

HAC Duty to Serve Plan Modification Comments

HAC also signed on to a letter from the Underserved Mortgage Markets Coalition with a longer set of comments on the proposed modifications.

All the comments received by the FHFA can be viewed here.

 

Policy News field

HAC Submits Comments on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

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HAC submitted comments in response to the October 21, 2022 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GHGRF) published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). GHGRF is a new program created by the Inflation Reduction Act and will be administered by EPA. This first-of-its-kind program will provide $27 billion in competitive grants to mobilize financing and leverage private capital for clean energy and climate projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with an emphasis on projects that benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities. A wide range of activities, including those related to housing, could qualify for GHGRF.

GHGRF funds are divided into three pools. There are $7 billion for competitive grants to enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy or benefit from zero-emission technologies, including distributed technologies on residential rooftops. Nearly $12 billion will be used for competitive grants to eligible entities to provide financial and technical assistance to projects that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Another $8 billion is for competitive grants to eligible entities to provide financial and technical assistance to projects that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

HAC’s comments focused on four main points.

Key Takeaways

  1. Leverage the extensive existing network of CDFIs to ensure rapid and widespread investment.
  2. Address the unique needs of rural and persistent poverty communities.
  3. Recognize the key role of housing assistance in meeting GHGRF’s goals.
  4. Include fairness principles in all elements of the GHGRF program design.

To learn more about HAC’s full recommendations, read our full comment letter.

GGRFCommentHACFinal

 

HAC News: November 22, 2022

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TOP STORIES

Congressional lame duck session must address spending, possibly tax measures

Remaining business for the outgoing Congress includes providing funds to keep the federal government open beyond the December 16 expiration of the current continuing resolution. Legislators may also decide to extend expiring tax measures before the end of December, and could use that bill to expand the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.

HAC testifies on persistent poverty before House subcommittee

Lance George, HAC’s Director of Research and Information, was one of several witnesses at a November 15 hearing on Persistent Poverty in America: Addressing Chronic Disinvestment in Colonias, the Southern Black Belt, and the U.S. Territories before the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance. His testimony described persistent poverty’s impacts in these largely rural places.

Senators mention housing needs during Farm Bill hearing

Farm Bill 2023: Rural Development and Energy Programs, a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on November 15, featured testimony from USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small and others. Although rural housing is generally under the jurisdiction of the Senate Banking Committee rather than the Ag Committee, Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who serves on both panels, and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who chairs the Banking Committee, mentioned rural housing needs during the hearing.

RuralSTAT

In 2021, people 65 years and older made up more than 20% of the population outside metro areas for the first time in U.S. census history, up from 16% in 2010. Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Rural America at a Glance: 2022 Edition.

OPPORTUNITIES

Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration funds available

Nonprofits and state, local, or tribal governments that have active DOE Weatherization Assistance Program grants or HUD Healthy Homes Production grants are eligible for Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration grants. Awards may be used for housing interventions in lower-income households that are served by both programs to determine whether coordination between the programs is cost-effective and leads to better outcomes in improving the safety and quality of homes. The deadline is January 5. For more information, contact Brenda M. Reyes, HUD.

Project for Public Spaces Community Placemaking Grant applications due

The Project for Public Spaces Fall 2022 Community Placemaking Grant closes November 28. Two selected applicants will receive $75,000 grant awards for physical and programmatic improvements to outdoor public spaces and technical assistance for community placemaking. Nonprofits or local governments with projects in specific counties in 14 states are eligible.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Community investment programs comment deadline extended

Housing, community facilities, and broadband programs are included along with programs to strengthen community lenders, small businesses, and more, in a request for comment from the new Interagency Community Investment Committee, which hopes to improve the operations and delivery of federal community investment programs through stronger federal collaboration. The comment deadline is now December 19, rather than December 5 as originally announced. For more information, contact Viraj Parikh, Treasury Department, 202-923-5161.

USDA releases new but incomplete guidance on Violence Against Women Act

A new Guide for Administering and Complying with the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Attachment 6-K), issued September 30, provides explanations, examples, and forms to help USDA staff and multifamily property owners and managers comply with VAWA. It does not, however, include information about the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, which took effect on October 1. Explanations of the expansions adopted in 2022 are available from the National Housing Law Project, which will also offer a webinar on November 29, The Violence Against Women Act 2022 Reauthorization: Overview and Updates.

FHA to accept private flood insurance

Effective on December 21, homeowners with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration will have the option to purchase private flood insurance rather than federally backed insurance. Like USDA, VA, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FHA requires property owners (including owners of manufactured homes) who live in flood hazard areas to carry flood insurance. For more information, contact Elisa Saunders, HUD, 202-708-2121, or an FHA lender.

EVENTS

HAC offers USDA 502 packaging training in South Carolina

The three-day USDA Section 502 Direct Certified Loan Application Packaging Training, designed for those experienced in using Section 502, will provide participants with a strong understanding of 502 direct underwriting and packaging standards, which will ensure that submitted loan dockets are complete and accessible for processing. The course will be held in Charleston, SC, on December 6-8. Registration is $750. For more information, contact HAC staff, registration@ruralhome.org, 202-516-6271.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

90% of U.S. counties experienced climate disasters in last 10 years

Maps and data for the 50 states show county-by-county climate impacts in an Atlas of Disaster compiled by Rebuild by Design, APTIM, and iParametrics. Recognizing that disasters are experienced unequally based on underlying vulnerabilities such as race/ethnicity and income, the maps depict which areas have been hit the hardest by recent climate events, where recovery funds are focused, where people with high social vulnerabilities live, and which areas have the least energy reliability. The report’s recommendations focus on addressing inequities.

News reports describe homelessness for rural youth and elderly

Young and Homeless in Rural America, a New York Times article and podcast, describes the plight of homeless youth in rural Ohio, where the lack of support systems leaves schools and churches to fill gaps. The impact of rising housing costs on elders is covered in More Older Americans Become Homeless as Inflation Rises and Housing Costs Spike, a National Public Radio piece focusing on Montana, where a survey found 44% of older adults struggled with housing and only 10% considered housing affordable.

HAC

HAC seeks Portfolio Manager, Self-Help Housing; Research Associate; and Housing Specialist – Native American Communities

  • The Portfolio Manager, Self-Help Housing is responsible for the overall asset management, monitoring and reporting for an assigned portfolio of primarily self-help housing loans made to entities engaged in affordable housing activities in rural communities throughout the United States. This position is eligible for telecommuting.
  • The Research Associate conducts original research, manages data, and disseminates information that informs local strategies and national policies to improve conditions for rural Americans. This position is eligible for telecommuting.
  • The Housing Specialist – Native American Communities is responsible for providing direct technical assistance, coaching, and training to tribal communities, tribal housing departments, tribal housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations serving tribal communities. Travel is required. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October 2023

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 in Washington, DC and online.

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!

 

Policy News field

HAC’s Research Director Testifies on Persistent Poverty on Capitol Hill

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On Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 10:00 am EST the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance convened a hybrid hearing entitled, “Persistent Poverty in America: Addressing Chronic Disinvestment in Colonias, the Southern Black Belt, and the U.S. Territories.” Lance George, HAC’s Director of Research and Information, provided testimony during the hearing.

Watch the Hearing

For more information on Persistent Poverty, read The Persistence of Poverty in Rural America.

HAC News: November 10, 2022

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TOP STORIES

USDA indicates Buy America requirements apply to multifamily housing, HUD requests comments on three waivers

Federal agencies including USDA and HUD have been developing plans to implement the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act that was adopted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. BABA mandates that iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in federally funded “public infrastructure” projects – whether funded through the 2021 Act or not – be American made. Owner-occupied housing seems likely to be exempted because in implementation guidance the Office of Management and Budget stated that a project “consisting solely of the purchase, construction, or improvement of a private home for personal use . . . would not constitute an infrastructure project.” In comments to both USDA and HUD, HAC has argued that no housing or Community Facilities projects should be considered “public infrastructure.”

  • USDA has posted a document stating that BABA will apply to all Community Facilities financing and to specific housing programs: Section 515 loans, Section 538 loan guarantees, the MPR rental preservation program, and Section 523/524 site loans and self-help housing land development loans. This information was provided in a waiver, approved by OMB on September 13, that exempts all USDA-funded projects with total costs under $250,000, as well as minor components of larger projects, from BABA requirements. USDA RD has not yet provided full implementation details for funding recipients or information about a process to request project-specific waivers on other grounds.
  • HUD requests comments by November 15 on two proposed waivers of BABA’s requirements. One would apply when the total cost of a project or the HUD funding provided is less than $250,000 and for minor components of larger projects. The second would apply in “exigent circumstances” such as recovery from natural disasters. Both proposed waivers refer to “infrastructure projects” and do not indicate whether HUD considers housing projects to be infrastructure. For more information, contact Joseph Carlile, HUD, 202-402-7082.
  • A third HUD proposal would phase in BABA requirements, making them active initially only for the purchase of iron or steel products in infrastructure projects funded by CDBG formula grants obligated by HUD on or after November 15. Comments are due November 17. For more information, contact Joseph Carlile, HUD, 202-402-7082.

November is National Native American Heritage Month

President Biden issued a proclamation and USDA Rural Development announced it is renewing its commitment to strengthen its partnerships with Tribes and Tribal communities.

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month

President Biden’s proclamation states, “During National Veterans and Military Families Month, we pay homage to the unrelenting bravery and dedication of all who wear the uniform and to the unwavering love and support of all who serve alongside them.”

RuralSTAT

Approximately 4 million veterans live in rural America, comprising 8.5% of the adult rural population. Nationwide, veterans make up roughly 7% of the adult population. Source: HAC tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016-2020 American Community Survey.

OPPORTUNITIES

VA offers funds to aid veterans experiencing homelessness

  • Supportive Services for Veteran Families Grants are available to community-based nonprofit agencies and consumer collaboratives to coordinate or provide services to very low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Apply by February 10, 2023. For more information, contact John Kuhn, VA.
  • Per Diem Only grants under the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem program will fund nonprofits, PHAs, tribes and tribal housing entities, and state and local governments to provide transitional supportive housing beds or service centers. Apply by February 6, 2023. For more information, contact Chelsea Watson, VA.
  • Transition in Place grants, also through the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem program, support provision of permanent housing by nonprofits, PHAs, tribes and tribal housing entities, and state and local governments. Apply by January 30, 2023. For more information, contact Chelsea Watson, VA.

HUD multifamily housing eligible for COVID-19 Supplemental Payment funding

HUD has announced the final opportunity for owners of properties participating in HUD’s Section 202 elderly housing, Section 811 housing for persons with disabilities, and Section 8 project-based rental assistance programs to request reimbursements of expenses associated with protecting residents and staff from COVID-19 between March 27, 2020, and January 31, 2023. Apply by February 21, 2023. Contacts for more information vary by program and are explained in HUD’s notice.

HOPE VI Main Street Program open to communities under 50,000

The HOPE VI program makes grants to local governments for affordable housing connected to Main Street revitalization that is already in progress. To be eligible, a community must have a population below 50,000 and 100 or fewer physical public housing units within its jurisdiction. The deadline is January 31, 2023. For more information, contact Susan A. Wilson, HUD, 202-402-4500.

Some USDA RD programs will have community planning setasides

USDA Rural Development’s Strategic Economic and Community Development program is intended for projects that support multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. Funds will be set aside for SECD under upcoming funding notices for Community Facility Loans, Grants, and Guaranteed Loans; Water and Waste Disposal Loans, Grants, and Guaranteed Loans; Rural Business Development Grants; and Community Connect Grants. Applicants may request the setaside funds when applying under one of these programs. For more information, contact an RD State Office.

EVENTS

Congressional hearing to examine persistent poverty

On November 15, Persistent Poverty in America: Addressing Chronic Disinvestment in Colonias, the U.S. Territories, and the Southern Blackbelt will be the focus of a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee’s housing subcommittee. HAC’s Director of Research and Information, Lance George, will be one of the witnesses.

HAC offers USDA 502 packaging training in South Carolina

The three-day USDA Section 502 Direct Certified Loan Application Packaging Training, designed for those experienced in using Section 502, will provide participants with a strong understanding of 502 direct underwriting and packaging standards. The course will be held in Charleston, SC, on December 6-8. Registration is $750. For more information, contact HAC staff, registration@ruralhome.org, 202-516-6271.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Comments sought on Duty to Serve plans

Public comments are due December 5 on Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s proposed modifications to their plans for serving underserved markets. Both suggest increasing some goals and decreasing others. Freddie Mac proposes to eliminate its objective of purchasing loans to preserve Section 515 properties, stating that the need is being met by Section 538 guaranteed loans.

Rural Partners Network expands

Communities in Alaska, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have been added to the RPN, described on its website as “an all-of-government program that helps rural communities find resources and funding to create jobs, build infrastructure, and support long-term economic stability on their own terms.”

USDA RD continues using 2010 census data

In February, RD anticipated that by October 1 it would be able to use updated figures for some of its income calculations, but the necessary data is not yet available from the Census Bureau. Therefore, the agency will continue to rely on 2010 census and American Community Survey data for its population, poverty, income, and state nonmetro median household income calculations. For more information, contact an RD State Office.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Veteran homelessness declines

Preliminary results of the 2022 Point-in-Time Count show an 11% decline in veteran homelessness since early 2020, the last time a full count was conducted. This is the biggest drop in veteran homelessness in more than five years and a 55.3% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness since 2010. A full report on the 2022 PIT count will be released later this year.

Recovery Ecosystem Index maps county resources

East Tennessee State University’s Center for Rural Health Research, the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, and the Fletcher Group created the Recovery Ecosystem Index and associated geospatial map to demonstrate each county’s ability to support recovery from substance use disorders (SUD). The index scores counties on SUD treatment, continuum of SUD support, and infrastructure and social factors. Indicators include access to recovery residences and severe housing cost burden.

Eviction filings increasing with limited federal rental assistance available

NBC News reports on the many Americans who are unable to keep pace with rising rents and decades-high inflation. Rural Clay County in Minnesota, for example, had three times as many eviction filings in September as before the pandemic and about half of the county’s 60,000 residents spend more than 30% of their income on rent.

Chronic waiting for broadband connection reduces digital dignity for rural residents

A study published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication describes the impact of inadequate internet connections on rural residents’ lives, revealing “the unequal power dynamics of digital inequality and waiting.”

HAC

HAC seeks Research Associate and Housing Specialist – Native American Communities

  • The Research Associate conducts original research, manages data, and disseminates information that informs local strategies and national policies to improve conditions for rural Americans. This position is eligible for telecommuting.
  • The Housing Specialist – Native American Communities is responsible for providing direct technical assistance, coaching, and training to tribal communities, tribal housing departments, tribal housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations serving tribal communities. Travel is required. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October 2023

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 in Washington, DC and online.

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: October 27, 2022

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TOP STORIES

New HUD effort addresses homelessness in disaster areas

HUD’s new Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) program will provide funding to address homelessness in places hit by disasters. To fill gaps in other programs, RUSH funding will help people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness. Eligible activities include emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, and outreach assistance, including assistance to meet urgent needs. On October 24, HUD announced it will distribute the first of two 2022 RUSH allocations to the state of Florida and seven localities impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Five barriers to affordable rural housing in the Black Belt

The Montgomery Advertiser reports on a discussion of affordable housing held by experts, including HAC President and CEO David Lipsetz, in rural Alabama. They identified several hurdles, including heirs’ property complications, a lack of infrastructure, and a shrinking construction workforce.

RuralSTAT

In the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas, adult residents of counties on the U.S.-Mexico border were more likely than their non-border counterparts to report delaying healthcare because of cost (16.0% versus 14.0%), and disparities were particularly pronounced among those living in counties outside metropolitan areas: 24.1% in border counties compared to 16.1% in non-border counties. Source: National Rural Health Association.

OPPORTUNITIES

Supportive Services for Veteran Families grants offered

Nonprofits and consumer coops can apply by February 10 for SSVF grants to coordinate or provide supportive services to very low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. For more information, contact John Kuhn, VA.

Funds available to help manufactured housing residents with water and wastewater

USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants program will fund nonprofits to provide technical assistance and training to help improve water treatment and waste disposal systems for rural people living in manufactured homes. Applications are due November 13. For more information, contact Lorrie A. Davis, USDA, 202-568-9046.

Microgrants support marginalized LGBTQ+ older people

SAGE, which provides “advocacy and services for LGBTQ+ elders,” is offering support for ongoing projects involving services and programming for marginalized LGBTQ+ older people (ages 50 and older), including those in rural places. Community groups, coalitions, or organizations with annual operating budgets of $50,000 or less are eligible. Awardees will receive unrestricted funds of up to $5,000, training and resources, and networking opportunities. Applications are due November 18. For more information, email equityinnovation@sageusa.org.

Pro bono staff capacity offered for reducing homelessness

The Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab’s Homelessness Prevention and Rehousing Accelerator offers free hands-on technical assistance for initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness. The GPL will provide dedicated staff capacity for at least 12 months, as well as training and information. State or local jurisdictions, or nonprofits that are Continuum of Care collaborative applicants with a government partner, are eligible. An informational webinar will be held November 2 and applications are due November 18. For more information, email govlab@hks.harvard.edu.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

FY23 Difficult Development Areas and Qualified Census Tracts listed

HUD’s annual lists of designations for use in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program have been posted online. For more information, contact Michael K. Hollar, HUD, 202-402-5878.

HAC makes recommendations for H-2A farmworker pilot

The USDA Farm Service Agency’s Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Grant Program should incentivize accessible, affordable, and decent housing for farmworkers, HAC stated in recent comments. Responding to a request for input on the initiative, HAC also supported regular wellness checks, a survey to collect data on farmworker housing conditions, use of appropriate language and communications methods, and training in workers’ rights.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

New programs incentivize home energy upgrades

Home Energy Upgrade Incentives: Programs in the Inflation Reduction Act and Other Recent Federal Laws, a policy brief from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, summarizes programs that will or could provide significant resources for energy efficiency retrofits for existing single-family and multifamily homes.

HUD offers resilience resources for communities and PHAs

  • HUD’s Community Resilience Toolkit is designed to help communities enhance their resilience to climate-related natural hazards and risks. It offers resources to help identify climate-related natural hazard risks; enhance the resilience of housing, infrastructure, and residents to those hazards; and implement resilience actions using HUD funds and other innovative financing options.
  • An updated Public Housing Agency Disaster Readiness, Response, and Recovery Guidebook recommends actions and funding sources for PHAs.

Flaws identified in FEMA housing inspections process

Disaster Assistance: Actions Needed to Strengthen FEMA’s Housing Inspections Process reports on a GAO review of the housing inspections FEMA conducted for some applicants to its Individuals and Households Program after major disasters in 2018-2021. One change reduced award amounts, while allowing applicants to assess their own damages (now discontinued) resulted in underestimates of damages. GAO made several recommendations, including that FEMA assess the accuracy of its damage level approach and take steps to ensure that its policies on the use of self-assessments are supported by evidence.

Housing program changes needed for people with disabilities

“Disabled people are housing instable and housing insecure, and federal programs are not meeting their needs,” states a fact sheet from the Urban Institute and the Kelsey. People with Disabilities Living in the US Face Urgent Barriers to Housing: Federal Programs Are Not Meeting the Housing Needs of Disabled People reports that 84% of disabled people with low incomes in the U.S., nearly 18 million people, were eligible for housing assistance in 2021 but did not receive it. The authors include several recommendations to reduce barriers to affordable housing for people with disabilities.

Research considers digitalization and housing

Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies released Digitalization and Housing: Framing Paper for “Bringing Digitalization Home: How Can Technology Address Housing Challenges?” This is the first in a series of papers exploring how digitalization – “the strategic use of technologies that collect, create, process, organize, analyze, use, and monetize data” – can be used to address housing affordability, segregation, discrimination, displacement, resiliency, and other current housing-related challenges.

HAC

HAC seeks Research Associate and Housing Specialist – Native American Communities

  • The Research Associate conducts original research, manages data, and disseminates information that informs local strategies and national policies to improve conditions for rural Americans. This position is eligible for telecommuting.
  • The Housing Specialist – Native American Communities is responsible for providing direct technical assistance, coaching, and training to tribal communities, tribal housing departments, tribal housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations serving tribal communities. Travel is required. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October 2023

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 in Washington, DC and online.

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 Advises Housing Protections and Education for H-2A Farmworkers

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HAC responded on October 24, 2022, to a request for information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), which is developing a Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program.  FSA says this “grant program will use up to $65 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide support for agricultural employers in implementing robust labor standards to promote a safe, healthy work environment for both U.S. workers and workers hired from Northern Central American countries under the seasonal H-2A visa program.”

HAC’s comments noted that currently, the H-2A program requires employers to provide free housing to visa holders that complies with a set of guidelines. While the law requires these living quarters to be inspected before occupancy, Department of Labor (DOL) data shows that neither federal nor state governments have allocated sufficient resources to conduct these inspections. In 38 states, there is no regulation of farmworker housing or dedicated agency to perform the required inspections. States that do have housing inspection systems in place are often under resourced.

Key takeaways:

  • Affordable, Decent Housing

    The pilot program should incentivize accessible, affordable, and decent housing for farmworkers

  • Wellness Checks

    This pilot program should fund farmworker organizations and partner organizations who are on the ground and familiar with farmworker communities to perform regular wellness checks

  • Survey of Conditions

    The pilot program should fund a detailed, comprehensive survey on farmworker housing conditions

  • Appropriate Communication

    Services and information should be provided in appropriate languages and using appropriate communication techniques

  • Training in Rights

    Trainings and informational resources should be made available that cover workers’ rights (including housing) and how to report exploitative practices

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