July 22, 2009
Vol. 38, No. 15

USDA FUNDING BILLS APPROVED BY FULL HOUSE, SENATE COMMITTEE. The House passed H.R. 2997 on July 9, making no changes in the Appropriations Committee’s funding for rural housing programs (see HAC News, 6/24/09). S. 1406, passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 7, would almost double the Section 502 guaranteed loan program to $12 billion and does not include most of the House’s increases. Like the FY 2009 appropriations act, both the House and Senate would eliminate interest subsidies for Section 538 guaranteed loans. Visit https://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html for bill text and committee reports.

HUD FUNDING BILL MAY REACH FULL HOUSE THIS WEEK. On July 17 the House Appropriations Committee passed its FY 2010 HUD bill, still unnumbered, available at https://appropriations.house.gov. All major programs would receive funding increases. The bill adopts the Administration’s proposal to replace the RHED program with a CDBG setaside for rural innovations. The House is expected to consider the bill this week.

a. Proposed new initiatives under CDBG.
b. $25 million new initiative proposed under CDBG.
c. New initiative to combat mortgage fraud.

RHED AUTHORIZATION BILL REINTRODUCED. The Rural Housing and Economic Development Improvement Act was introduced on July 14 by Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas), cosponsored by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). It would authorize HUD’s RHED program at $30 million in FY 2010 and $40 million each year from 2011 through 2015. Find H.R. 3210 at https://thomas.loc.gov.

CAPITOL HILL HEARINGS COVER USDA AND HUD RENTAL PRESERVATION. On July 15 USDA housing administrator Tammye Treviño and others testified before the House Housing Subcommittee; HAC submitted written testimony. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan was the only witness at a June 25 hearing before the House Financial Services Committee. Statements and webcast archives are at https://financialservices.house.gov/hearings_all.shtml.

HUD OFFERS FUNDS. NOFAs for SHOP, Healthy Homes Technical Studies, HOPE VI, and previously announced programs are at https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm or https://www.grants.gov.

FEMA RELEASES NATIONAL DISASTER HOUSING STRATEGY. The document is intended to describe how the U.S. currently provides housing to those affected by disasters and to chart a new direction for the future. Visit https://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=47305.

ADMINISTRATION CONDUCTS RURAL TOUR. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and other Administration officials are stopping in states throughout the country, focusing on a range of topics including health care, energy, and infrastructure. Visit https://www.ruraltour.gov and the newsroom at https://www.usda.gov.

FAIR HOUSING FEATURED IN RURAL VOICES. The summer issue of HAC’s quarterly magazine, reflecting on the 1968 Fair Housing Act and its rural impact, is free at https://ruralhome.org/infoRural.php. One print subscription per organization is free from Lawrence Adams, HAC, 202-842-8600, lawrence@ruralhome.org. Sign up at https://lists.ruralhome.org/lists/info/rural_voices for email notices announcing new issues.

HAC OFFERS SUMMER CHDO TRAININGS. “Single-Family Housing Development” and “Advanced Financial Management” will be held July 29-30 in Burlington, Vermont and August 5-6 in Boise. “Building HOME for CHDOs and Nonprofits” and “Fitting the Pieces Together” (combining HOME and private financing for homeowner-ship) are set for August 12-13 in Milwaukee. “Single-Family Housing Development” is offered August 12-13 in McAllen, Texas. Limited travel scholarships are available. For details and to register online, visit HAC’s Training page. Contact Dan Stern, registration@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600. Clarification: The August 11-12 workshops in Flatwood, West Virginia listed in the print edition of the 7/22/09 HAC News are open only to organizations working in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

RURAL RENTAL PRESERVATION CONFERENCE SET FOR SEPTEMBER 24. HAC will convene “Preserving Rural Rental Housing: A Conference on Policy and Practice” in Washington, D.C. with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hear from leaders in Section 515 preservation legislation, expert congressional staff, USDA staff, and local practitioners. Watch for details at https://ruralhome.org and in the HAC News.