HAC News Formats. pdf

January 25, 2012
Vol. 41, No. 2

• Obama budget to be released Feb. 13, HAC plans webinar • USDA to recapture entire subsidy on foreclosures • Section 542 vouchers available • 2012 income limits for Section 502 direct and guarantee programs released • FHFA requests comments on energy upgrade funding • Updates announced for Hispanic and women farmers’ discrimination claims • GAO recommends improvements for homeless women veterans • National homeless population decreased slightly from 2009 to 2011, NAEH reports • Homeless children increased from 2007 to 2011, NCFH calculates • Administration activities to promote green building recommended • HAC research note shows population growing fastest in suburbs and exurbs

January 25. 2012
Vol. 41, No. 2

OBAMA BUDGET TO BE RELEASED FEB. 13, HAC PLANS WEBINAR. The budget release, originally scheduled for February 6, begins the process of setting federal spending levels for FY 2013. Check https://ruralhome.org and follow @ruralhome on Twitter to receive information as soon as it is available. Join HAC on Tuesday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time for a webinar presentation and Q&A about the budget’s possible impact on rural housing programs. Visit https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=s1q5l8dybb38 to register.

USDA TO RECAPTURE ENTIRE SUBSIDY ON FORECLOSURES. A final rule clarifies that RHS will recapture the full subsidy on a Section 502 direct loan in the event of foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure. See Federal Register, 1/24/12 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Brooke Baumann, RD, 202-720-1474.

SECTION 542 VOUCHERS AVAILABLE. These USDA vouchers are available only to low-income tenants of Section 515 multifamily properties where the loan has been prepaid or foreclosed after September 30, 2005. See Federal Register, 1/24/12. Contact an RD office or Stephanie B.M. White, RD, 202-720-1615.

2012 INCOME LIMITS FOR SECTION 502 DIRECT AND GUARANTEE PROGRAMS RELEASED. Visit https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov or contact an RD office.

FHFA REQUESTS COMMENTS ON ENERGY UPGRADE FUNDING. Property Assessed Clean Energy programs in many states and localities finance energy efficient upgrades, and some impose liens that have priority over first mortgages. The Federal Housing Finance Agency requests opinions on steps to protect mortgages owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from these liens. After FHFA’s notice is published in the January 26 Federal Register, visit https://www.fhfa.gov or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Alfred M. Pollard, FHFA, 202-649-3050.

UPDATES ANNOUNCED FOR HISPANIC AND WOMEN FARMERS’ DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS. USDA offers a maximum cash recovery of $250,000 rather than the former $50,000 and says the new process provides a streamlined alternative to litigation for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who can prove USDA discrimination between 1981 and 2000. Visit the newsroom at https://www.usda.gov to read the announcement. To obtain a claims package, visit https://farmerclaims.gov or call 1-888-508-4429.

GAO RECOMMENDS IMPROVEMENTS FOR HOMELESS WOMEN VETERANS. The Government Accountability Office studied existing data on available services and recommended that VA and HUD should collaborate to collect data and plan services, VA should follow policies to refer people to shelters, VA should improve transitional housing services for homeless women veterans with children, and VA should evaluate gender-specific safety and security standards for its Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem programs. Download Homeless Women Veterans: Actions Needed to Ensure Safe and Appropriate Housing (GAO 12-182) at https://www.gao.gov/assets/590/587334.pdf or purchase a hard copy from GAO, 1-866-801-7077.

NATIONAL HOMELESS POPULATION DECREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 2009 TO 2011, NAEH REPORTS. The National Alliance to End Homelessness credits the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program for small declines in homelessness nationwide and in subpopulations such as families and chronically homeless people. It reports an increase in unsheltered people and in the homeless populations in 24 states and DC. The State of Homelessness in America 2012, which includes data for states and large metro areas but does not analyze rural homelessness separately, is free at https://www.endhomelessness.org.

HOMELESS CHILDREN INCREASED FROM 2007 TO 2011, NCFH CALCULATES. Using different data than NAEH, a new National Center on Family Homelessness reportdocuments the numbers and characteristics of homeless children in every state, risks for child homelessness, and state policy activities. America’s Youngest Outcasts 2010 is free at https://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org. Contact campaign@familyhomelessness.org.

ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE GREEN BUILDING RECOMMENDED. A report by the U.S. Green Building Council and partners summarizes executive branch actions taken since 2010 to promote green building and sustainability in housing and commercial buildings. It recommends additional steps that can be taken without the need for new legislation. Better Buildings Through Executive Action: Leveraging Existing Authorities to Promote Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Multifamily, Residential and Commercial Buildings is posted at https://www.usgbc.org.

HAC RESEARCH NOTE SHOWS POPULATION GROWING FASTEST IN SUBURBS AND EXURBS. Analyzing 2010 Census data, HAC found rural population growth was fastest in the West and South, while the Midwest and parts of Central Appalachia, the South, and the Northeast lost residents. “Rural Research Note: Rural Population Change” is free at https://ruralhome.org or from Dan Stern, HAC, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.