https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/proclamations or in the Federal Register, 9/15/10.

FISCAL YEAR 2011 BEGINS WITH CONTINUING RESOLUTION. At press time, Congress is expected to pass a continuing resolution funding the federal government through December 3. Most programs will remain at FY10 levels. Check here for an update.

USDA COMMITTING SECTION 502 DIRECT LOANS WITHOUT APPRAISALS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30. Appraisals must be performed before loan closing. USDA RD’s Unnumbered Letter dated September 13 is available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/SupportDocuments/ulseptember10.pdf or from RD offices.

RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FUNDS AVAILABLE. RCDI funds intermediary organizations to provide financial and technical capacity building assistance to local groups. This year’s program includes a “Great Regions” initiative encouraging substantive economic growth, including job creation, in regions with fewer prospects and the greatest need for improved economic opportunity. Deadline is December 22. Visit https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/rcdi/index.htm or https://www.grants.gov. Contact an RD State Office.

HUD OFFERS FUNDS FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE, HOUSING COUNSELING TRAINING. Both NOFAs are posted at https://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail and www.grants.gov. The Continuum of Care deadline is November 18; contact a HUD field office. The counseling training deadline is October 29; contact Gerard P. Donahoe, Jr., Gerard.P.Donahoe@hud.gov, 202-402-3951.

LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION DEMO GRANT NOFA CORRECTED, DEADLINE EXTENDED. The new deadline is November 4 for some and October 22 for others. The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program deadline remains October 15. See https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa10/grpleadcombo.cfm or https://www.grants.gov. Contact Michelle Miller, HUD, Michelle.M.Miller@hud.gov, 202-402-5769.

HUD ASKS CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT APPLICANTS FOR ADVANCE NOTICE. Entities expecting to request either planning or implementation grants are asked – but not required – to notify HUD by October 7. See Federal Register, 9/24/10, or https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa10/grpchoice.cfm. Contact Caroline Clayton, HUD, Caroline.C.Clayton@hud.gov, 202-402-5461.

FINAL FAIR MARKET RENTS SET FOR FY11. On October 4 the final FMRs for Section 8 and other programs will be published in the Federal Register and at https://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/fmr.html. Until then, the notice is posted at https://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx.

REVISED DDA NOTICE PUBLISHED. HUD’s September 9, 2010 notice omitted the tables listing Difficult Development Areas for 2011. A corrected notice is available at https://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/qct.html or in the Federal Register, 9/21/10.

RURAL POVERTY INCREASED IN 2009. The Census Bureau reports in Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009 that the 2009 nonmetro poverty rate of 16.6% was higher than the national level and increased from 15.1% in 2008. Visit https://ruralhome.org for a HAC research note and a link to the Census report. • Separately, the Census Bureau released 2009 American Community Survey data, including poverty and housing figures, for places over 65,000 population. Data for smaller places will be released in December and January. Visit https://www.census.gov/acs/www/. A Census Bureau online tutorial that describes the ACS and how to find ACS data is available at https://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/e_tutorial/. • The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Center has been updated to include the 2009 ACS poverty data, and for the first time breaks down child poverty rates by congressional district. Visit https://datacenter.kidscount.org.

DATA ON NONMETRO JOB LOSS AND MIGRATION ANALYZED. USDA Economic Research Service’s Rural America at a Glance 2010, focusing on these topics, is at https://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/eib68/. The rural news website The Daily Yonder reports on ERS’s data and more at https://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-america-2010-%E2%80%94-jobs-and-migration/2010/09/18/2942 and https://www.dailyyonder.com/job-loss/2010/09/13/2935.

REGISTER BY NOVEMBER 1 FOR HAC’S 2010 NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE! “A Place to Live: Rural Housing in a Changing Landscape” will be held December 1-3 in Washington, DC. Limited scholarships are available for nonprofits. Visit https://ruralhome.org or contact staff at HACconference2010@ruralhome.org or 202-842-8600 ext. 137.