HAC News Formats. pdf

November 16, 2011
Vol. 40, No. 223

• November is National Native American Heritage Month •Conference committee sets FY12 funding levels for USDA and HUD • CDFI Fund accepting applications • Changes proposed to NAHASDA regulations • HUD offers fair housing rule on discriminatory effect • HUD clarifies duplication of benefits for CDBG disaster grants • Deadline extended for HUD’s environmental justice strategy • Changes to Federal Home Loan Banks’ responsibilities suggested • Comments on New Markets Tax Credit sought • Materials posted from rural senior housing training

November 16, 2011
Vol. 40, No. 23

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. President Obama’s proclamation is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/ presidential-actions.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SETS FY12 FUNDING LEVELS FOR USDA AND HUD. By November 18 the House and Senate are expected to pass, and President Obama to sign, a “minibus” that will fund USDA, HUD, and several other federal departments and agencies for the current fiscal year. It also includes a Continuing Resolution to carry the rest of the government through December 16. The funding levels in the bill could still be affected by deficit reduction actions of the Super Committee and Congress (see HAC News, 8/18/11). The conference report is posted at https://www.rules.house.gov/.

For USDA’s housing programs, the bill adopts most of the Senate’s amounts, higher than the House’s.

a. Figures shown do not include 0.2% across the board reduction.
b. Figures shown for Section 514 and 516 farm labor housing are the amounts offered in the FY11 NOFA.
c. Figures shown do not include 0.78% across the board reduction.

HUD programs underwent cuts in most areas, compared to 2011 levels, and some smaller programs were eliminated, including the Sustainable Communities Initiative and the Rural Innovation Fund. HOME, public housing, and SHOP suffered steep reductions.The bill provides funding for renewals of current Section 202 contracts, but eliminates funding for development of new Section 202 senior housing.

a. New program proposed by the Administration.
c. Figures shown do not include 0.2% across the board reduction.

CDFI FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. Flexible Financial Assistance awards and capacity building Technical Assistance awards are available to certified and certifiable CDFIs (apply by January 11) and to Native American certified and certifiable CDFIs (apply by January 18). Visit https://www.cdfifund.gov or https://www.grants.gov. Contact CDFI Fund staff, 202-622-6355, cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov.

CHANGES PROPOSED TO NAHASDA REGULATIONS. The amendments would implement provisions of the 2008 NAHASDA reauthorization law for the Indian Housing Block Grant and Title VI Loan Guarantee programs. The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register and at https://www.regulations.gov on November 18. Contact Rodger Boyd, HUD, 202-401-7914.

HUD OFFERS FAIR HOUSING RULE ON DISCRIMINATORY EFFECT. A proposed rule would establish uniform standards for determining when a housing practice with a discriminatory effect violates the Fair Housing Act, even without discriminatory intent. Comments are due January 17. See Federal Register, 11/16/11 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Jeanine Worden, HUD, 202-402-5188.

HUD CLARIFIES DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS FOR CDBG DISASTER GRANTS. See Federal Register, 11/16/11. Contact Scott Davis, HUD, 202-708-3587.

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR HUD’S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRATEGY. Comments are now due November 23. See HAC News, 10/12/11 and https://tinyurl.com/77rcxpz.

CHANGES TO FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANKS’ RESPONSIBILITIES SUGGESTED The Federal Housing Finance Agency proposes to require FHLBs to monitor their members’ compliance with CRA and first-time homebuyer requirements. Comments are due February 8. See Federal Register, 11/10/11 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Charles E. McLean, FHFA, 202-408-2537.

COMMENTS ON NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT SOUGHT. The CDFI Fund invites comments and suggestions by February 6 about the mission, purpose and implementation of the NMTC program, including how low-income census tracts are identified and whether points should be awarded for serving rural markets. Visit https://www.cdfifund.gov. Contact CDFI Fund staff, cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov.

MATERIALS POSTED FROM RURAL SENIOR HOUSING TRAINING. Presentation materials from HAC’s November training, Housing Seniors in Rural America: Aging in Place in a Shifting Landscape, are available on HAC’s website, https://ruralhome.org.