Access a pdf version of this HAC News. • April is Fair Housing Month • Funds for Section 515 new construction and Section 521 Rental Assistance offered • Section 542 vouchers available for prepaid Section 515 properties • New Markets Tax Credits available • HUD requests notice from potential Sustainable Communities Grant applicants • HUD Section 8 vouchers offered for non-elderly persons with disabilities • RD addresses environmental justice • RD confirms treatment of Tax Credit Exchange • Online homeowner education approved for RD buyers • NSP definitions changed • New details available on Transforming Rental Assistance initiative • Website lists state and local protections for tenants in foreclosure • SAVE THE DATE FOR HAC’S NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE 2010

April 14, 2010
Vol. 39, No. 8

APRIL IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH. Visit https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing or call HUD’s Housing Discrimination Hotline, 800-669-9777.

FUNDS FOR SECTION 515 NEW CONSTRUCTION AND SECTION 521 RENTAL ASSISTANCE OFFERED. Section 515 has $18.9 million available, and RA has $2.03 million. Deadline is June 14. See Federal Register, 4/14/10 or https://www.grants.gov. Contact an RD State Office, listed at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.

SECTION 542 VOUCHERS AVAILABLE FOR PREPAID SECTION 515 PROPERTIES. USDA administers these vouchers for low-income tenants in properties where a Section 515 loan was prepaid or foreclosed after September 30, 2005. See Federal Register, 4/14/10. Contact an RD office or Stephanie White, RD, 202-720-1615.

NEW MARKETS TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE. Nonmetro areas will receive at least 20% of the total investments. Apply by April 23 for certification as a Community Development Entity and by June 2 for NMTCs. See Federal Register, 4/8/10 or https://www.cdfifund.gov. Contact CDFI Fund staff, cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov or 202-622-6355.

HUD REQUESTS NOTICE FROM POTENTIAL SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT APPLICANTS. HUD suggests beginning the grants.gov registration process before the NOFA is released, and notifying HUD by May 14 if planning to apply, although notice is not required. (See HAC News, 2/17/10.) Visit https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm. Contact HUD’s NOFA Information Center, 800-HUD-8929.

HUD SECTION 8 VOUCHERS OFFERED FOR NON-ELDERLY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. PHAs currently administering Section 8 vouchers can apply by July 7. Vouchers are designated for non-elderly disabled households on PHA waiting lists or those transitioning from nursing homes and other health care institutions into communities. Visit https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm or https://www.grants.gov. Contact HUD’s NOFA Information Center, 800-HUD-8929. Information from the Technical Assistance Collaborative is at https://www.tacinc.org.

RD ADDRESSES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. Administrative Notice 4501, replacing an expired AN, explains how RD programs will address disproportionately high and adverse health or environmental impacts of its programs on minority and low-income populations and is available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/an_list.html or from RD offices. Contact an RD State Civil Rights Manager/Coordinator or State Environmental Coordinator.

RD CONFIRMS TREATMENT OF TAX CREDIT EXCHANGE. An Unnumbered Letter dated March 11, 2010 rescinds the UL dated November 20, 2009 and states that Tax Credit Exchange Program funds are equivalent to Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity. (See HAC News, 3/5/10.) The UL is available from RD offices or at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/ul/ulmarch10.pdf.

ONLINE HOMEOWNER EDUCATION APPROVED FOR RD BUYERS. An Unnumbered Letter dated March 24, 2010 says buyers working with local nonprofit counseling organizations may take eHome America’s online course. The cost varies slightly depending on the nonprofit involved. Contact a counseling organization identified at https://www.ehomeamerica.org or Shantelle Gordon, RD, 202-205-9567, shantelle.gordon@wdc.usda.gov.

NSP DEFINITIONS CHANGED. HUD has revised the definitions of “abandoned” and “foreclosed” property to broaden eligibility for both Neighborhood Stabilization Programs. It has also given some states more flexibility in allocating NSP1 funds. The changes do not reopen the application process. See HUD’s new NSP Resource Exchange at https://www.hudnsphelp.info/. Contact Stanley Gimont, HUD, 202-708-3587.

NEW DETAILS AVAILABLE ON TRANSFORMING RENTAL ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE. On March 31 HUD released a discussion draft of its proposed initiative to combine and change its rental assistance programs. Posted at https://www.nlihc.org/doc/TRA-Major-Features.pdf, the draft requests comments. No deadline is provided but the National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that in a March 29 webcast HUD officials said HUD hopes to submit a full, more detailed proposal for legislation to Congress by the end of April.

WEBSITE LISTS STATE AND LOCAL PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS IN FORECLOSURE. Summaries and links to laws in 22 states, as well as several cities and counties, are posted on the National Housing Law Project’s website, at https://nhlp.org/resourcecenter?tid=130. Information about the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act is available at https://nhlp.org/resourcecenter?tid=68.

SAVE THE DATE FOR HAC’S NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE 2010! Plan to join rural housers from around the country in Washington, DC, December 1-3, 2010 for “A Place to Live: Rural Housing in a Changing Landscape.” Details will be posted at https://ruralhome.org as available.