AMERICORPS EXPANSION TO INCLUDE HOUSING WORK. H.R. 1388, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, would greatly increase the number of AmeriCorps workers and would make a number of affordable housing activities eligible for the program. It passed the House on March 18 and the Senate on March 26, and a compromise version is expected to be adopted this week. H.R. 1388 is available at https://thomas.loc.gov.

RURAL UTILITIES ADMINISTRATOR NAMED. On March 25, President Obama named Jonathan S. Adelstein to be Administrator of USDA RD’s Rural Utilities Service. Visit https://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

HUD LAUNCHES NEW HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM. The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, created by the recent stimulus bill, will cover rent and some other costs for up to 15 months for very low-income individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. HPRP grants will go to states, territories, metro cities, and urban counties, which must first submit substantial amendments to their 2008 Consolidated Plans. They can make subgrants to local governments and nonprofits by September 30, 2009. Visit https://www.hud.gov/recovery/homeless-prevention.cfm. Contact Ann Marie Oliva, HUD, 1-800-998-9999, or submit a question at the bottom of https://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewHPRP.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM BEGINS. States can apply to the Department of Energy by May 26 and local governments (cities over 35,000 population or the 10 largest cities in a state) and tribes by June 25. Each state must subgrant at least 60% of its funds to places not eligible to apply directly. Eligible activities include improving buildings’ energy efficiency. Visit https://www.eecbg.energy.gov/#le1. Contact Lisa Kuzniar, DOE, lkuzni@netl.doe.gov.

NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT NOFA AMENDED. Deadline is still April 8. See Federal Register, 3/26/09 or https://www.cdfifund.gov. Contact CDFI Fund staff, cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov, 202-622-6355.

ENERGY WEATHERIZATION AMENDMENTS ADOPTED. Among the changes to the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons regulations are: people with incomes up to 200% of poverty (instead of 150%) are now eligible, each state must spend a minimum average of $6,500 per unit (rather than $2,500), and Puerto Rico is now treated as a state. See Federal Register, 3/25/09 or https://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/. Contact Jean Diggs, DOE, 202-586-8506, jean.diggs@ee.doe.gov.

HUD RELEASES INCOME DATA. Estimated median family incomes and income limits for FY 2009 are available at https://www.huduser.org/datasets/il/il09/index.html. For the first time, HUD has also developed a new set of income limits specifically for projects that use Low Income Housing Tax Credits or tax-exempt bonds. Information on limits for these “Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects” is at https://www.huduser.org/datasets/mtsp.html.

FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK CAPITALIZATION COMMENTS DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 15. (See HAC News, 2/4/09.) See Federal Register, 3/26/09 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Julie Paller, Federal Housing Finance Agency, 202-408-2842.

COMMENTS REQUESTED ON HOUSING TAX CREDIT DATA. Comments are due May 29 on standards for collecting data about Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties’ residents. See Federal Register, 3/30/09 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Michael K. Hollar, HUD, 202-402-5878, Michael.K.Hollar@hud.gov.

USDA HOUSING APPEALS RESULTS NOW ONLINE. At the bottom right of https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/ are links to lists of dispositions of National Appeals Division housing cases, identified by NAD case numbers.

HUD DELAYS INCOME VERIFICATION RULE. Changes to income determination requirements (see HAC News, 2/4/09 and 2/18/09) will become effective on September 30 instead of March 30. See Federal Register, 3/27/09 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Nicole Faison, HUD, 202-708-0744.

VILSACK HOUSING REMARKS POSTED ON HAC’S WEBSITE. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was a keynote speaker at a rental housing conference in Washington, D.C. on March 17 sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the National Housing Conference. Visit https://ruralhome.org/infoAnnouncements_2009USDASEC.php.

CONGRESSMAN ASKS VILSACK ABOUT USDA OFFICE CLOSINGS. Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) recently expressed concerns to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack about the closing of local RD offices and asked for details about office closures since 2000. Visit https://ruralhome.org/infoAnnouncements_2009Davis.php.

GREEN CLINICS AND SYMPOSIUM OFFERED BY NEIGHBORWORKS IN PHOENIX, MAY 4-6. Visit https://www.nw.org/network/training/upcoming/PHXNTI09.asp.