Policy News from the Administration

Housing Assistance Council Statement on Reconciliation Legislation

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On July 4, President Trump signed into law a sweeping reconciliation package that includes several important tax and housing provisions—some that mark long-sought progress for affordable housing in rural communities, and others that fail to address persistent gaps in federal support.

“The most positive provisions of this broad and complex bill are the tax incentives that aid community development and housing, including several that recognize the unique housing market dynamics and capital needs of rural communities,” said David Lipsetz, President & CEO of the Housing Assistance Council (HAC). “Unfortunately, these are coupled with measures that will dramatically increase the cost of food and doctor visits for poor, small town families while giving tax cuts to wealthy people living in high income areas and corporations headquartered in far off cities. That hardly seems like a good deal for people living in rural and Tribal areas.”

The reconciliation act’s improvements to the rural housing and community development landscape include:

  • Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Improvements: The package makes permanent the 12 percent allocation increase for 9 percent LIHTC credits and lowers the private activity bond threshold from 50 percent to 25 percent. These are major wins for housing developers, helping to unlock more financing and expand project feasibility in high-cost or low-income regions, including in rural and Native communities.
  • Targeted Opportunity Zones (OZ) Reform: The bill revises the Opportunity Zones program by increasing basis percentages and reducing the substantial improvement test requirements to 50 percent. It also adds a marginal incentive to invest in small cities, exurban areas, and places with fewer than 50,000 people. Presumably this is to address the failure of the original OZ program to generate activity in rural communities.
  • Permanent Extension of New Market Tax Credit (NMTC): The bill makes the New Markets Tax Credit permanent, providing long-term certainty for lenders and investors in underserved rural areas. NMTCs have played an essential role in bringing grocery stores, health centers, and community facilities to areas where traditional financing does not reach.

 

The affordable housing and community development sector hoped several other broadly supported, bipartisan proposals would be adopted in the bill, but they were left out of the final version. These remaining gaps and challenges include:

  • No Rural Difficult Development Areas (DDAs) Provision: Although contained in the initial House-passed reconciliation bill, the final legislation failed to include a longstanding provision of the bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act that would designate rural and Native communities as Difficult Development Areas for LIHTC purposes. This denied a 30 percent basis boost that would have helped projects in these communities overcome historically lower credit pricing and tighter capital margins. This omission is significant and jeopardizes growth in rural areas.
  • Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA) Excluded: The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which would have supported rehab and construction of owner-occupied homes in distressed rural neighborhoods, was not incorporated into the final reconciliation act. This omission is a particularly painful loss for communities with aging housing stock and no clear source of gap financing.
  • Misaligned OZ and LIHTC Standards: While the Opportunity Zones reforms for rural areas are a step forward, the continued disconnect between the OZ and LIHTC substantial improvement tests leaves many rural revitalization efforts out of reach.
  • Food and Healthcare Made More Scarce and Expensive: Provisions in the bill restrict eligibility for SNAP and Medicaid while reducing resources to veterans and decimating access to rural These cuts will hurt rural families who earn less than is needed to buy food and go to the doctor while still paying their mortgage or rent. Some of these cuts are set to phase in over the course of several years.

“We are grateful to the Members of Congress who championed the housing and community development tax incentives in this massive, fast-moving legislation,” said David Lipsetz. “Hopefully Congress finishes the job on a bipartisan basis later this session, leveling the playing field for all Americans by identifying rural areas as DDAs, adopting NHIA, and aligning OZs with LIHTC.”

Read a more detailed HAC analysis of the final reconciliation act.

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Reconciliation Law Supports Some Tax Provisions for Affordable Housing, But Broadly Damages the Safety Net

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The budget reconciliation bill, formerly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, became law on July 4 with President Trump’s signature after a lengthy voting process in Congress. HAC’s review below focuses primarily on the bill’s positives for affordable housing and community development and offers some recommendations for improving them further in future legislation.

Major Non-Housing Provisions Will Impact Affordable Housing

Estimates indicate the law will have significant impacts on federal taxes, deficits, and spending. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office calculated that it will add $3.4 trillion to the federal debt over the next ten years. Analyses by the Penn Wharton Business Model, CNN, the Tax Policy Center, the Economic Policy Institute, and others show that the law will provide significant tax cuts for the highest income Americans, fewer benefits for middle-income households, and some negative impacts for those with the lowest incomes. Revisions to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act mean millions will lose health insurance. Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will remove food support for millions.

The law increases funding for immigration enforcement. It reduces funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) but does not go as far as an earlier version of the bill passed by the House, which would have eliminated the CFPB entirely. It does not require that public lands be sold to create space for development of new housing, another provision that was in the House bill.

The law also repeals the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and rescinds unobligated funds remaining for the program. It cancels funding for a number of other energy-related programs created in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, including HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, and cancels a number of energy-efficiency tax credits. Last-minute changes temporarily reduced, but did not eliminate, some of the law’s negative impacts on wind and solar projects. Taken as a whole, these provisions are likely to increase energy costs, with a disproportionately high impact on the lowest-income families because they pay the largest proportion of their incomes for energy.

Some of the law’s negative impacts will be especially significant for rural Americans. For example, while it increases funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program from $25 billion to $50 billion, that will not replace the $87 billion cut from rural hospital funding under the law’s other provisions. Rural communities already face unique health challenges including limited access to care, and closing hospitals can only add to their difficulties.

While HUD and USDA housing assistance programs are not directly affected by the law, the people they serve will feel its effects. States were authorized to use Medicaid for health-related needs, including housing (although the current administration may be rethinking that flexibility). When the proportion of income needed for food and medical care rises, the amount remaining for housing is reduced. People who need Medicaid and SNAP assistance may also qualify for housing aid, so any reduction in support will increase the number of low-income people juggling insufficient dollars to cover basic expenses.

Research has also found that high proportions of people experiencing homelessness rely on Medicaid, that use of Medicaid to provide supportive housing helps people leave homelessness, and that a large-scale loss of Medicaid in Tennessee led to a 24.5 percent increase in completed evictions. Homelessness in rural places has already been growing, with HUD data showing a 12 percent increase in total rural homelessness and a 36 percent increase in unsheltered rural family homelessness from 2023 to 2024.

Low Income Housing Tax Credit Permanently Expanded

The positive news for housing begins with an expansion of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, which incentivizes private investment in affordable rental housing. The reconciliation law increases the annual allocation for 9 percent tax credits by 12 percent. And it permanently reduces the financed-by test, which requires tax exempt private activity bonds to finance a certain portion of a project in order for that property to be fully eligible to generate 4 percent tax credits. The project proportion, formerly 50 percent, will now be 25 percent. Together, these provisions will expand the impact of the limited 9 percent credits and allow states to support more affordable housing developments within their maximum cap of Private Activity Bonds.

Unfortunately, the final law does not include a provision passed by the House that would have designated rural and Native American areas as Difficult Development Areas, providing projects there with a 30 percent basis boost from 2026 through 2029. HAC strongly supports adoption of this provision in future legislation.

Opportunity Zones are Permanent, With Mixed Results for Rural Places and Absence of Benefits that Target Affordable Housing

While the LIHTC program applies to financing for affordable housing developments, the Opportunity Zone (OZ) incentive is based on geography, offering support for both businesses and housing in underdeveloped census tracts. The OZ program has been successful in producing rental housing, but the units have not necessarily been affordable for low-income residents. OZs have also been used far more widely in urban and suburban areas than in rural places.

The law turns the program from a temporary investment incentive to a permanent one, with OZs to be redesignated every ten years. It establishes revised criteria for tracts to be eligible for designation. It takes steps to increase OZ financing in rural areas, including by providing investments in those tracts with a 30 percent step-up in basis after five years, but does not provide added incentives to support affordable housing. Unlike the Rural Opportunity Zone and Investment Act, a bill proposed in 2023, the reconciliation law does not incorporate persistent poverty measurements into the definition of rural OZs.

The program requires properties being rehabilitated with OZ investments to be “substantially improved.” That has been defined to require the improved value of the property to be 100 percent greater than its pre-rehab value. The reconciliation law drops the threshold to 50 percent. Notably, this is one of the few OZ provisions that is effective immediately.

Further improvements to the OZ program can be made through legislation in Congress next year. HAC recommends that such a bill should:

  • Add enhanced benefits for investments in rural affordable housing developments. While the new OZ legislation provides an enhanced benefit for all rural projects, further enhancements to basis, deferral, and timing benefits should be extended to projects that meet affordability levels similar to those required by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
  • Require that one-third of the OZs designated in each new round be rural. The first version of the law passed by the House would have included this provision.
  • Reduce the amount of added value in a rehabilitated property that is needed to qualify for OZ investments. While the reduction from 100 percent substantial improvement to 50 percent is significant, the LIHTC program’s requirement is only 20 percent. Rural areas would be well served by making the LIHTC and OZ programs consistent on this point so they could be used together for affordable rental housing preservation. A lower threshold in rural places could also help attract investments there.
  • Adopt a more precise definition of rural OZs than the one provided in the bill. The law’s definition of rural areas includes places with populations up to 50,000, does not take population density into account, and relies partly on a definition of “urbanized area” that is no longer used by the U.S. Census Bureau. HAC recommends use of the rural definition adopted in the Duty to Serve regulations of the Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA). FHFA’s rural definition is well suited to the OZ context for several reasons. Like the OZ program, FHFA’s definition is based on census tracts. It was crafted specifically to include rural residents living in outlying counties of metropolitan areas, to remain stable over time, and to be easy to implement and operationalize. Also, it has been adopted by other financing programs such as the Capital Magnet Fund administered by the Treasury Department’s CDFI Fund.
  • Create a State and Community Dynamism Fund to build the “last rural mile” of OZ delivery infrastructure. Recognizing the insufficient OZ activity in rural areas, states have leveraged federal programs, such as those from USDA and HUD, to attract and stimulate investments. These preexisting community development programs are already oversubscribed, however, and likely to be even more stressed if their funding is cut in fiscal year 2026 and beyond. To fill the gap, the bipartisan, bicameral Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act proposes a new and specific $1 billion “Dynamism Fund” to promote OZ funds and projects in lower-income and rural communities. Funding would be distributed by formula to states to support technical and capacity-building assistance, outreach to investors, and other field building activities.
  • Make mission-driven intermediaries as well as state governments eligible for Dynamism Fund grants. The New Markets Tax Credit, which utilizes Community Development Entities (CDEs) to access the program, could provide a model. The Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund could certify community-based OZ investment intermediaries through a process similar to CDE/CDFI certification. These efforts would strengthen the ecosystem for rural Opportunity Zone investments, ensuring more effective deployment in areas that need it the most.
  • Allow for investments through CDFI and similar mission-driven intermediaries as qualified investments, and remove barriers that would allow those entities to aggregate multi-project investments. Allowing for the placement of investment in CDFIs and CDEs would open the door for mission-focused funds to be developed. These funds could meet the needs of rural projects while offsetting the limiting characteristics of rural projects: scattered, smaller projects, with desperate timelines.

New Markets Tax Credit Gets Permanent Extension

The bill makes the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) permanent, providing long-term certainty for lenders and investors in underserved rural areas. NMTCs have played an essential role in bringing grocery stores, health centers, and community facilities to areas that traditional financing does not reach.

Neighborhood Homes Investment Act is Not Included

The final law did not include provisions from the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA), which would create a federal tax credit to build and rehabilitate affordable homes. NHIA was introduced earlier in 2025 in both the House and Senate. HAC supports its enactment as a stand-alone bill.

Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster - Flood Image

Ohio River Valley and Mississippi Valley Floods Rural Response Guide

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Rural Response Guide

Ohio River Valley and Mississippi Valley Floods

Heavy rainfall led to extreme flooding throughout the states along the Ohio River Valley and the Mississippi Valley beginning on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Flash flood emergency and tornado warnings were issued through the following Saturday in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. In response to the storms, the governors of Arkansas and Kentucky declared a state of emergency. President Trump approved the governor of Kentucky’s request for an emergency disaster declaration which allowed for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to be made available in Kentucky. The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) offers the following resources with information for communities and organizations dealing with loss and damage from the recent flooding: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

In response to the flooding, the National Weather Service issued Flash Flood Emergencies in multiple states. The American Red Cross of Utah’s disaster team deployed to the affected states to provide recovery and rescue efforts.

If you or your family have been affected by the recent flooding, or wish to help victims, organizations like The American Red Cross, All Hands and Hearts, and The Salvation Army have resources available. If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located.

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account.

Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) For hearing impaired callers only: 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) 1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service) Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Arkansas

Arkansas Division of Emergency Management

Phone: (501) 683-6700

https://dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management/adem/

Kentucky

Kentucky Emergency Management

Phone: (800) 255-2587

https://kyem.ky.gov/Pages/contact.aspx

Mississippi

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency

Phone: (601) 993-6362

https://www.msema.org/

Ohio

Ohio Emergency Management Agency

Phone: (614) 889-7150

https://ema.ohio.gov/help-center/contact-us

Tennessee

TN Emergency Management Agency

Phone: (615) 741-0001

https://www.tn.gov/tema.html

Texas

Texas Department of Emergency Management

Phone: (512) 424-2208

https://www.tdem.texas.gov/about/contact

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Arkansas

Little Rock Field Office

600 West Capitol Ave

Richard Arnold Sheppard US Courthouse

Room A400

Little Rock, AR 72201

Phone: (501) 918-5700

Field Office Director: Reginald D. Marable, Sr.

https://www.hud.gov/states/arkansas

Kentucky

Louisville Field Office

601 W Broadway, Room 110

Louisville, KY 40202

Phone: (502) 582-5251

Field Office Director: Charles E. President Jr.

https://www.hud.gov/states/kentucky

Mississippi

Jackson Field Office

100 W. Capitol Street, Suite 910

Jackson, MS 39269

Phone: (601) 965-4757

Field Office Director: Adrenace Williams

https://www.hud.gov/states/mississippi

Ohio

Cleveland Field Office

1001 Lakeside Ave, Suite 350

Cleveland, OH 44114

Phone: (216) 357-7900

Field Office Director: Kevin Laviano

https://www.hud.gov/states/ohio

Tennessee

Knoxville Field Office

US Department of Housing and Urban Development
John J. Duncan Federal Building
710 Locust Street, Suite 300
Knoxville, TN 37902-2526

Phone: (865) 545-4370

Field Office Director: Walter N. Perry

https://www.hud.gov/states/tennessee

Texas

Houston Field Office

1331 Lamar Street, Suite 550
Houston, TX 77010

Phone: (713) 718-3199

Field Office Director: Eric R. Cobb

Fort Worth Regional Office

307 W 7th Street, Suite 1000

Fort Worth, TX 76102

Phone: (817) 978-5965

San Antonio Field Office

615 E Houston Street

San Antonio, TX 78205

Phone: (210) 475-6800

https://www.hud.gov/states/texas

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Arkansas

700 West Capitol, Room 3416
Little Rock, AR 72201-3225

Phone: (501) 301-3216

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ar

Kentucky

771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200

Lexington, KY 40503

Phone: (859) 224-7300

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ky

Mississippi

100 W. Capitol Street, Suite 831

Jackson, MS 39269

Phone: (601) 965-4316

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ms

 

Ohio

200 North High Street, Room 507

Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 255-2400

https://www.rd.usda.gov/oh

 

Tennessee

441 Donelson Pike, Suite 310
Nashville, TN 37214

Phone: (615) 783-1300

https://www.rd.usda.gov/tn

Texas

101 South Main Street, Suite 102

Temple, Texas 76501

Phone: (254) 742-9700

https://www.rd.usda.gov/tx

Policy News from the Administration

HAC CEO Responds to Executive Order Impacting Rural CDFIs

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I’ve worked in enough small towns across America to know this: rural communities prosper when they have financial partners ready to invest in homeownership dreams and small business start-ups. A recent Executive Order targeting Community Development Financial Institutions has me concerned that rural America could lose access to the $6 billion in business CDFIs generate in their local economies.

For years, rural areas faced dwindling access to financial services. The number of rural headquartered banks fell by over 3,600 since 1995, an astounding 57% decline. Thankfully over that same 30-year period over 500 rural CDFIs have been created, filling gaps in the banking landscape of every State. And they do it effectively, leveraging $8 in private investment for every $1 in federal support. This has been especially helpful for local organizations with projects that are too small or specialized for the remaining banks or distant commercial lenders to finance.

HAC is one of those rural-serving CDFIs. Our work is supported by the resources the recent Executive Order is trying to undermine. We want to continue delivering real results for real people.

  • In Clearfield County, PA, where 45% of grandparents are raising grandchildren due to the opioid epidemic, HAC’s financing helped build the Village of Hope, a multigenerational affordable housing development designed for seniors and youth to live together.
  • In Pahokee, FL, our loan helped Diverse Housing Services breathe new life into Amaryllis Gardens, 44-units of workforce housing for employees of the surrounding farms.
  • In Visalia, CA, HAC’s $12 million in financing to Self-Help Enterprises has enabled over 300 low-income families to help construct their own homes as “sweat equity” downpayments.

The good news here is that the Executive Order is to be “implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.” The CDFI Fund is not a discretionary policy—it’s embedded in federal statutes such as the Riegle Act, the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, and the Small Business Jobs Act. And funds for CDFI’s were included in this year’s appropriations and continuing resolutions.

It also helps that the CDFI Fund programs were created and supported by bipartisan consensus. Leaders across political lines and branches of government understand that rural America’s need for economic opportunity and stable housing is a shared national priority. We are encouraged by Treasury Secretary Bessent’s recent statement recognizing “the important role that the CDFI Fund and CDFIs play in expanding access to capital” and affirming that “CDFIs are a key component of President Trump’s commitment to supporting Main Street America.” For over 50 years, HAC has worked directly with rural policy-makers — Republican, Democrat, and Independent alike — to make affordable housing a reality. We hope that under the current Administration, the CDFI Fund will continue to be staffed and funded as Congress has legislated.

HAC stands ready to continue serving the millions of Americans who depend on the stability and opportunity CDFIs’ investments create. The path forward must strengthen, not undermine, our ability to serve hardworking rural families. They deserve nothing less.

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HAC CEO issues statement on cuts to housing programs and professionals

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In response to reports of extensive cuts in federal programs and staff that serve rural and small town interests at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Housing Assistance Council CEO David Lipsetz made the following statement.

After this fall’s election, I observed that urban and rural voters had come closer together, as their shared frustration with the economy put a new Administration in the White House.  It seemed this would lead to a rebalancing of public and private investment in housing—one where small towns finally get their fair shot at prosperity. One-quarter of all rural families—5.6 million rural households—are paying more than they can afford for housing. Rural communities are experiencing unprecedented levels of homelessness, with rents outpacing household income, and a housing market that puts the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for many young working families. I expressed hope that the outcome of the election would finally bring national attention to the severe housing crisis facing rural communities.

However, this glimmer of hope is now fading. The public frustration that I thought would drive positive changes to an imperfect system is instead fueling an indiscriminate effort to dismantle the very programs and professionals we need. Recent cuts at USDA and HUD are setting small towns back.

Millions of rural Americans can rent decent apartments and buy good homes in places that banks and builders do not serve because we the people believe everyone deserves a chance. Hundreds of thousands of rural families—many elderly and disabled—live in HUD’s publicly supported housing or rely on HUD and USDA rental programs to find a place they can call home. These public programs sustain rural communities as they cycle through tough times.

When the market doesn’t generate enough good housing in small towns, mortgages from USDA and rent vouchers from HUD fill the gap. Yet, these are not simple programs to run. For these programs to ensure that good housing is built and maintained, we need experienced professionals in the administration. Plans to terminate half of HUD’s workforce and dismiss employees at USDA threaten to severely disrupt these vital investments in rural housing. A bank would never tell its shareholders it plans to fire half its underwriters and still expects to make good quality loans.

We cannot afford this kind of disruption to programs that rural communities depend on. Congress has appropriated funding for these programs, rural families need them, and they cannot operate effectively without adequate, experienced staff to administer them.

HAC has been in small towns for 54 years and plans to be here for 54 more. We stand ready to work with the President and everyone else who wants to build up rural communities. We look forward to partnering with new leaders at HUD and USDA to make sure they have the resources to address rural America’s pressing housing challenges.  But one thing is clear: the affordable housing crisis in rural America requires more capacity and attention, not less.

Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster - Flood Image

Central Appalachia Floods Rural Response Guide

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Central Appalachia Floods

In Eastern Kentucky rainfall began on Friday, February 14, 2025, which led to devastating flooding throughout the area over the weekend. The severe storms and flooding also impacted Southwest Virginia, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Thousands have been left without power after the storms. HAC offers the following resources with information for communities and organizations dealing with loss and damage from the recent flooding: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.  

In response to the flooding, President Trump approved an emergency declaration for the state of Kentucky. The action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate disaster relief efforts. In addition to these resources, the Kentucky National Guard has assisted with the evacuation of residents. 

Resources for Individuals

If you or your family have been affected by the recent flooding, or wish to help victims, organizations like The American Red Cross, Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) Foundation Relief Fund, and The United Way of Southern West Virginia have resources available. If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located. 

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account. 

Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) For hearing impaired callers only: 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) 1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service) Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET 

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery. 

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Kentucky  

Kentucky Emergency Management  

Phone: (800) 255-2587 

https://kyem.ky.gov/Pages/contact.aspx 

 

Tennessee 

TN Emergency Management Agency  

Phone: (615) 741-0001 

https://www.tn.gov/tema.html  

 

Virginia 

Virginia Department of Emergency Management  

Phone: (804) 267-7600 

https://www.virginia.gov/agencies/department-of-emergency-management/ 

 

West Virginia  

West Virginia Emergency Management Division  

Phone: (304) 558-5380  

https://emd.wv.gov/Preparedness/Pages/Emergency-Information-.aspx 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Kentucky 

Louisville Field Office 

601 W Broadway, Room 110 

Louisville, KY 40202 

Phone: (502) 582-5251 

 

Field Office Director: Charles E. President Jr.  

https://www.hud.gov/ky#LocalOffice 

 

Tennessee 

Knoxville Field Office 

US Department of Housing and Urban Development
John J. Duncan Federal Building
710 Locust Street, Suite 300
Knoxville, TN 37902-2526 

Phone: (865) 545-4370 

 

Field Office Director: Walter N. Perry 

https://www.hud.gov/states/tennessee#LocalOffice 

 

Virginia 

Richmond Field Office 

600 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Richmond, VA 23219-4920 

Phone: (800) 842-2610 

 

Field Office Director: Carrie S. Schmidt 

https://www.hud.gov/va#LocalOffice 

 

West Virginia 

Charleston Field Office 

414 Summers St 

Charleston, WV 25301 

Phone: (304) 347-7000 

 

Field Office Director: Julie Alston 

https://www.hud.gov/wv#LocalOffice 

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Kentucky 

771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200 

Lexington, KY 40503 

Phone: (859) 224-7300 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ky 

Tennessee 

441 Donelson Pike, Suite 310
Nashville, TN 37214 

Phone: (615) 783-1300 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/tn 

Virginia 

1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238
Richmond, VA  23229 

Phone: (804) 287-1500  

https://www.rd.usda.gov/va 

West Virginia 

1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 101 

Morgantown, WV 26505 

Phone: (800) 295-8228 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/wv 

HUD Extends Foreclosure Moratoriums in Areas Devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton

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WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced it is extending through April 11, 2025, its foreclosure moratoriums for FHA-insured Single Family Title II forward and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages in Presidentially Declared Major Disaster Areas (PDMDAs) declared as a result of this past summer’s Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This extension provides borrowers affected by these catastrophic events with additional time to access federal, state, or local housing resources; to consult with a HUD-approved housing counselor; and/or to rebuild their homes.

“When disaster strikes, we know that families and communities need not only resources, but time to recover,” said HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman. “Today, by extending our foreclosure moratorium, we continue the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to help those affected by the catastrophic Hurricanes Helene and Milton to repair and rebuild their homes, communities, and lives.”

When Hurricanes Helene and Milton occurred, FHA implemented automatic 90-day foreclosure moratoriums that required mortgage servicers to halt the initiation or completion of all foreclosure actions in PDMDAs on the date that each disaster was declared. FHA is extending the foreclosure moratoriums for all Hurricanes Helene and Milton PDMDAs, regardless of their declaration date, through April 11, 2025. FHA is also extending the deadline dates for servicers to perform certain legal actions related to foreclosure for an additional 180 days following the end of the foreclosure moratoriums.

“Because the consecutive Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused a great deal of damage and disruption, FHA believes it is appropriate to extend our foreclosure moratoriums by 120 days,” said Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. “This extension will provide more time for homeowners to review a range of options with their mortgage servicer if they are unable to resume regular mortgage payments due to the impact of the disaster.”

Borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages located in Hurricanes Helen and Milton PDMDAs should contact their mortgage or loan servicer immediately for assistance. Multiple options are available for those who cannot resume their regular mortgage payments yet. Borrowers can also obtain additional assistance in the following ways:

  • Visit the FHA Disaster Relief site or call the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320 to learn more about disaster relief options.
  • Contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. These agencies have counselors available to assist those impacted by natural disasters in determining assistance needs and identifying available resources. Homeowners can find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency online or use HUD’s telephone look-up tool by calling (800) 569-4287. The telephone look-up tool includes access to information in more than 250 different languages. Borrowers do not have to have an FHA-insured mortgage to meet with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. There is never a fee for foreclosure prevention counseling.
  • For borrowers whose homes are destroyed or damaged to an extent that requires reconstruction or complete replacement, contact an FHA-approved lender about FHA’s Section 203(h) program. This program provides 100 percent financing for eligible homeowners to rebuild their home or purchase a new one.
  • For borrowers seeking to purchase and/or repair a home that has been damaged, contact an FHA-approved lender about FHA’s Section 203(k) loan program. This program allows individuals to finance the purchase or refinance of a house, as well as the costs of repair or renovation, through a single mortgage.
Policy News field

Post-Election Insights: A Hope for New Opportunity for Rural Housing

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On November 5, a majority of American voters returned Donald Trump to the White House, along with a Republican majority in the Senate and—it now seems likely—the House of Representatives. Rural voters were a big part of his constituency. In fact, rural America gave President Trump more votes than urban America gave Vice President Harris.

The Housing Assistance Council is one of the only national housing organizations that focuses 100% of our work on small towns and rural places. All HAC loans, research reports, training programs and policy work are intended to help rural American communities address their affordable housing needs. So as you might guess, the election results prompted plenty of calls from friends in the housing industry asking versions of the same question, “Have rural and urban drifted further apart?” It may surprise you that my answer is an emphatic, “Nope, the gap just narrowed.”

Initial post-election analysis points to the economy as the decisive issue. Millions of suburban and urban Americans joined rural voters to send a message that the current economy is failing them. This is a familiar refrain for those of us who have spent years working in rural America. While the country is undoubtedly deeply divided on many fronts, perhaps this broader expression of economic pain provides an opportunity for progress toward an American future where working families in every geography have an opportunity not just to survive, but to get ahead.

Notably, because high housing costs are at the center of so many families’ economic struggles, for the first time in recent memory, housing took center stage throughout the campaign. This included an awareness that rural families earning rural wages can’t afford homes in their own hometowns. The day before the election I authored an op-ed in HousingWire that offered a set of bipartisan housing policy initiatives that would address the unique shape of the housing crisis in rural America.

With roots deep in rural communities, HAC has over 50 years’ experience providing elected officials data on rural conditions and nonpartisan analysis of public policies. We stand ready to share our expertise with the Trump Administration and 119th Congress to ensure that rural communities fully benefit from efforts to address the current housing crunch. The White House and Congress have the tools to reverse our current course. Homeownership and rental markets can be turned to meet the needs of ordinary Americans. Indeed, our nation’s history includes numerous examples in which the federal government boldly responded to housing crises with game-changing legislation, uniformly enacted on a bipartisan basis, from the National Housing Acts of 1934 and 1949 to the creation of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

So with a broader voicing of economic discontent across rural, suburban and urban voters in this election, I expect the calls for changes to our economy and our housing markets will only grow louder. As we love to do at HAC, let me close with a couple of maps to illustrate the issue at hand. The map on the left is 1980. The one on the right is 2021. You can see the economy of the last forty years has left few places in which local wages allow local families to afford a place to live.

In fellowship,
David Lipsetz, President & CEO
Housing Assistance Council

Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster - Flood Image

Hurricane Helene Disaster Guide

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Hurricane Helene made an impact in northwestern Florida on Thursday night, September 26, 2024 as a Category 4 storm. The hurricane made its way through Florida’s Gulf Coast to Tennessee. There are reports of destruction, power outages, and flooding that reaches over 600 miles. HAC offers the following resources with information for communities and organizations dealing with loss and damage from Hurricane Helene: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

At President Biden’s direction this past weekend, the FEMA Administrator has begun to survey the damages with local and state officials in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The President approved Major Disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina which allows survivors to immediately access funds and resources for their recovery. Emergency declarations were also stated for Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. These emergency declarations allow FEMA to provide direct Federal support and other protective measures to affected states.

On Sunday, September 29, 2024, more than 3,300 rescue personnel were deployed across the Federal workforce. These resources are deployed to support relief efforts across the effected states and to address unmet needs. Though Hurricane Helene is no longer active, many are still without power and are in the process of seeking safety.

If you or your family has been affected by Hurricane Helene, or wish to help victims of the hurricane, organizations like All Hands and Hearts, The American Red Cross, and Americares all have resources available. If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account.

Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) For hearing impaired callers only: 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) 1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service) Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery.

Watch “Preparing your Organization for Disaster: A Guide to Rural Resilience” Webinar

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Alabama

Alabama Emergency Management Agency

Phone: 205-280-2200

https://ema.alabama.gov/contacts/

Georgia

Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency

935 United Ave. SE

Atlanta, GA 30316-0055

Phone: 404-635-7200

https://gema.georgia.gov/locations

Florida

Florida Division of Emergency Management

2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

Phone: 850-815-4000

https://www.floridadisaster.org/

North Carolina

North Carolina Emergency Management

Phone: 919-825-2500

https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management

Tennessee

TN Emergency Management Agency

Phone: 615-741-0001

https://www.tn.gov/tema.html

South Carolina

South Carolina Emergency Management Division

Phone: 803-737-8500

https://www.scemd.org/

Virginia

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Phone: 804-267-7600

https://www.virginia.gov/agencies/department-of-emergency-management/

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Alabama

Birmingham Field Office

417 20th Street North, Suite 700
Birmingham, AL 35203

Phone: (205) 731-2630

Field Office Director: Kenneth E. Free

https://www.hud.gov/states/alabama/offices

Georgia

Atlanta Regional Office

Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Building (MLK FOB)
77 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 331-5136

Georgia Field Office Director: Shea Johnson

https://www.hud.gov/states/georgia/offices

Florida

Miami Field Office
Brickell Plaza Federal Building
909 SE First Avenue, Room 500
Miami, FL 33131-3028

Phone: (305) 536-4456

Acting Field Office Director: Tiffany Cobb

Jacksonville Field Office

Charles East Bennett Federal Building

400 West Bay Street, Suite 1015

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904) 232-2627

Field Office Director: Alesia Scott-Ford

https://www.hud.gov/states/florida/offices

North Carolina

Greensboro Field Office

Asheville Building
1500 Pinecroft Road, Suite 401
Greensboro, NC 27407-3838

Phone: (336) 547-4000

Field Office Director: Lorenzo Claxton

https://www.hud.gov/states/north_carolina/offices

 

Tennessee

Knoxville Field Office

US Department of Housing and Urban Development
John J. Duncan Federal Building
710 Locust Street, Suite 300
Knoxville, TN 37902-2526

Phone: (865) 545-4370

Field Office Director: Walter N. Perry

https://www.hud.gov/states/tennessee/offices

 

South Carolina

Columbia Field Office
Strom Thurmond Federal Building
1835 Assembly Street, 13th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201-2480

Phone: (803) 765-5592

Field Office Director: Kristine G. Foye

https://www.hud.gov/states/south_carolina/offices

Virginia

Richmond Field Office

600 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Richmond, VA 23219-4920

Phone: (800) 842-2610

Field Office Director: Carrie S. Schmidt

https://www.hud.gov/states/virginia/offices

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Alabama

4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 601
Montgomery, AL 36106

Phone: 334-279-3400

https://www.rd.usda.gov/al

Georgia

355 East Hancock Avenue, Room 300

Athens, Ga 30601

Phone: 404- 635-7200

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ga/georgia-contacts

Florida

4500 NW 27th Avenue

Suite D-2

Gainesville, FL 32606

Phone: 352-338-3400

https://www.rd.usda.gov/fl-vi

North Carolina

4405 Bland Road, Suite 260

Raleigh, NC 27609

Phone: 919-873-2000

https://www.rd.usda.gov/nc

Tennessee

441 Donelson Pike, Suite 310
Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: 615-783-1300

https://www.rd.usda.gov/tn/tennessee-contacts

South Carolina

Strom Thurmond Federal Building

1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803-765-5163

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sc

Virginia

1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238
Richmond, VA  23229
Phone: 804-287-1500

https://www.rd.usda.gov/va/virginia-contacts

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Alabama

Birmingham Field Office

417 20th Street North, Suite 700
Birmingham, AL 35203

Phone: (205) 731-2630

Field Office Director: Kenneth E. Free

https://www.hud.gov/states/alabama/offices

Georgia

Atlanta Regional Office

Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Building (MLK FOB)
77 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 331-5136

Georgia Field Office Director: Shea Johnson

https://www.hud.gov/states/georgia/offices

Florida

Miami Field Office
Brickell Plaza Federal Building
909 SE First Avenue, Room 500
Miami, FL 33131-3028

Phone: (305) 536-4456

Acting Field Office Director: Tiffany Cobb

Jacksonville Field Office

Charles East Bennett Federal Building

400 West Bay Street, Suite 1015

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904) 232-2627

Field Office Director: Alesia Scott-Ford

https://www.hud.gov/states/florida/offices

North Carolina

Greensboro Field Office

Asheville Building
1500 Pinecroft Road, Suite 401
Greensboro, NC 27407-3838

Phone: (336) 547-4000

Field Office Director: Lorenzo Claxton

https://www.hud.gov/states/north_carolina/offices

 

Tennessee

Knoxville Field Office

US Department of Housing and Urban Development
John J. Duncan Federal Building
710 Locust Street, Suite 300
Knoxville, TN 37902-2526

Phone: (865) 545-4370

Field Office Director: Walter N. Perry

https://www.hud.gov/states/tennessee/offices

 

South Carolina

Columbia Field Office
Strom Thurmond Federal Building
1835 Assembly Street, 13th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201-2480

Phone: (803) 765-5592

Field Office Director: Kristine G. Foye

https://www.hud.gov/states/south_carolina/offices

Virginia

Richmond Field Office

600 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Richmond, VA 23219-4920

Phone: (800) 842-2610

Field Office Director: Carrie S. Schmidt

https://www.hud.gov/states/virginia/offices

Policy News field

HAC Applauds New Farm Bill Framework

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The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) celebrates the inclusion of key priorities for rural community development in the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, released by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow earlier this week. Strong rural communities are a vital part of building a stronger, better future for the whole country. This bill recognizes that reality. Including robust new resources for rural community development in the Farm Bill would be a historic victory for small towns and rural places nationwide.

The framework released by Chairwoman Stabenow creates, for the first time, baseline funding for Rural Development, with $50 million per year for the Rural Partnership Program, a new capacity building program that HAC has long been supportive of. This sustained investment in rural communities would help them build the capacity to access complex federal funding streams and overcome their greatest challenges, from housing to childcare to broadband.

HAC also continues to be glad to see the bipartisan interest in Senator Tina Smith’s and Senator Mike Rounds’ Rural Housing Service Reform Act. This bill makes tested, commonsense reforms to USDA housing programs so that they can better serve rural America. Modernizing the Rural Housing Service is an important step in solving the growing crisis in rural multifamily preservation. While not under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Committee, we hope that this bill can move through the Banking Committee and join with the Farm Bill as a floor amendment.

“Rural Development is an often-overlooked title within the Farm Bill,” notes HAC Director of Public Policy Jonathan Harwitz. “Chairwoman Stabenow’s new framework changes that narrative for Rural Development. Improving those programs and providing baseline funding would give rural communities nationwide the tools they need to build a better, stronger future. We look forward to hopefully seeing the Farm Bill move forward this year and thank Chairwoman Stabenow for her leadership.”

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Over 50 years HAC has worked in every U.S. state and the territories. Learn more about what our work means for rural communities.

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