TOP STORIES

Election results show urban-rural gap narrowed, Lipsetz says

In the recent election, HAC President and CEO David Lipsetz points out, millions of suburban and urban Americans joined rural voters to send a message that the current economy is failing them. He suggests there may now be 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. HAC stands 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.

White House asks for disaster aid

The administration has asked Congress to provide almost $100 billion to help with recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other disasters. President Biden requests $2 billion for the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program – which supports housing repair and other needs as well as small businesses – because it has used all its funding. He seeks $40 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund and $12 billion for HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on November 20 reviewed current disaster funding needs in more detail.

Government funding likely to be extended beyond December 20

When FY24 began October 1, federal government appropriations were extended at FY23 levels through December 20. It seems likely that the lame duck 118^th Congress will adopt another continuing resolution to renew current funding levels until sometime in March, allowing the incoming 119^th Congress to set final funding for FY24. A CR lasting to the end of FY24 is another possibility.

Senate Farm Bill introduced

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has released the full text of her Farm Bill proposal in an effort to prompt movement on the bill in the last few weeks of the 118^th Congress. She had released a framework for the bill in May, but the newly released text includes several concessions to encourage compromise with Senate Republicans. Introduced as S. 5335, the new proposal continues to include the provisions of the Rural Partnerships and Prosperity Act, a rural capacity building initiative that HAC has supported. It is still unlikely that Congress will pass a Farm Bill before the December 31 deadline when key commodity programs start to expire, making another extension highly likely and pushing development of a full Farm Bill into the next Congress when Republicans will control both the House and Senate.

Project 2025’s housing positions summarized

During his campaign, President-elect Trump said that Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 2025, published by Project 2025, did not represent his platform. After the election, Axios collected comments by some of his allies stating that this document is their agenda for Trump’s second term. HAC has posted a summary of the document’s positions on topics relevant to rural housing.

RuralSTAT

In 2010, there were 439 counties outside metro areas with high elderly populations (20% or more of residents at age 65 or older). Between 2010 and 2023, the number nearly tripled to 1,294 counties. Only two counties moved from older age to younger age status. Source: Economic Research Service, Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition.

OPPORTUNITIES

New Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants available

Adding to the opportunities summarized in the October 24 HAC News, Climate United is offering pre-development grants to support clean energy projects in Native communities. Nonprofits, Tribes, state and local government entities, and institutions of higher education are eligible. Projects should be in the pre-construction stages and can address clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, affordable and sustainable housing, workforce development, remediation of water infrastructure, or pollution mitigation. The deadline is January 10. A webinar about this application round is scheduled for December 6. Additional rounds in 2025 will focus on other underserved markets.

The Coalition for Green Capital is now accepting proposals from clean energy developers, commercial partners, community lenders, and financial investors including private credit and equity firms. Housing is not one of CGC’s primary focuses. CGC will provide loans, loan guarantees, credit enhancements, equity investments, and other financing types directly to projects and also to financial intermediaries. It aims to make at least 2% of its investments on Tribal lands and 20% in rural communities. It has not set a deadline and will accept proposals indefinitely.

Energy funding can serve off-grid homes

Nonprofits, for-profits, state and local governments, Tribes, and others can submit concept papers by February 27 for the Department of Energy’s Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program, which serves communities with populations under 10,000. Funds cannot be used for weatherization-only projects, but eligible clean energy projects do include provision of isolated microgrids in remote areas or service to unelectrified homes or community buildings.

USDA posts information about rental preservation funding

Presentation slides and a Q&A document are now available online from USDA’s October 17 webinar on its open funding opportunity for Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization funds and Section 515 loans. The agency will continue to update the Q&A post as additional questions are received.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

EPA sets new lead-based paint dust levels

EPA does not require property owners or occupants to evaluate their property for lead-based paint hazards or to take control actions, but if an activity such as an abatement is performed, then EPA’s regulations provide requirements for doing so. A new final rule, effective January 13, establishes lead-based paint dust levels for reporting and action. It makes other changes as well, including in terminology and the definition of target housing.

Regulations updated on using federal property to assist homeless

Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act makes suitable unused or surplus federal real properties available to states, local government agencies, and nonprofits for use to assist people experiencing homelessness. A new rule updates the program for the first time since 1991.

FHA revises flood risk management for new construction

Updated flood risk management standards for newly constructed homes with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration are provided in FHA Mortgagee Letter 2024-20. The changes implement a final rule published in April. Manufactured homes are not covered by this standard.

HUD updates public housing Faircloth-to-RAD program

HUD describes Restore-Rebuild, formerly called Faircloth-to-RAD, as a streamlined process to combine public housing mixed finance development and a Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion in an integrated transaction. Updated guidance and tools are posted on a new program website.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Literature review examines possible impact of large-scale deportations on agriculture and economy

The Economic Impact on Citizens and Authorized Immigrants of Mass Deportation, published by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire, summarizes studies considering the possible effects on agriculture, other industries, and the U.S. economy at large if large numbers of undocumented residents were deported. (Carsey notes there is little research about the impact on deported people themselves.) Because most unauthorized people in the U.S. work, researchers found that the U.S. economy would “noticeably contract” without their contributions. As a result, work opportunities and wages for native-born workers would fall and tax revenues would decline. As domestic production of goods and services dropped, inflation would increase.

Veteran homelessness drops

Veteran homelessness has dropped to its lowest level on record since the annual Point-in-Time count started gathering this data in 2009, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, HUD, and VA announced. Between January 2023 and January 2024, the number of veterans experiencing any form of homelessness dropped by 7.5% from 35,574 to 32,882. For unsheltered veterans, the number dropped by 10.7% from 15,507 to 13,851. HUD expects to publish the 2024 PIT data later this year.

Guide covers access to behavioral health services for people experiencing homelessness

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s guide, Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness, highlights trauma-informed strategies for housing providers and behavioral health practitioners to conduct outreach with persons experiencing homelessness and seeking stable housing and sustained recovery.

Improved oversight and enforcement of H-2A farmworker visas recommended

A Government Accountability Office report, H-2A Visa Program: Agencies Should Take Additional Steps to Improve Oversight and Enforcement, examines trends in the H-2A farmworker visa program, federal agencies’ processing of employer applications, and investigation of employer violations of program requirements. The study notes that from FY18 through FY23, 84% of the Labor Department’s employer investigations found one or more violations. The most common violations (42%) related to pay, while 30% involved transportation, and other subjects including housing accounted for 28%.

HAC

CIRD workshop plans park revitalization

Over the last year and a half, the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design has helped 25 rural communities tackle their place-based design challenges in arenas from farmworker housing to educational trail developments. The final design workshop of the 2023-2024 CIRD cohort took place in September in Dublin, Texas. CIRD worked with the Dublin Public Library, park staff, city officials, and others on design concepts to revitalize an existing park pavilion and parkland to create a functional, accessible park for all.

HAC is hiring

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

• Research Associate
• Financial Controller
• External Affairs Specialist
• Training Implementation Specialist

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including Tribes).

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