September 2 , 2009 (Corrected September 4, 2009)
Vol. 38, No. 18

FAMILY HOMELESSNESS INCREASING, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN AREAS. HUD’s 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, released in July, includes data through September 2008 when the economic recession began and found a 9% increase from 2007 to 2008 in homeless families using shelters. The report is free at https://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr09-108.cfm.

HUD OFFERS FUNDS FOR SECTIONS 202 AND 811, AND OTHERS. Apply by November 5 for the Assisted Living Conversion Program or for Service Coordinators in Multifamily Housing, by November 13 for the Section 202 elderly housing program, and by November 16 for Section 811 housing for people with disabilities. Visit https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm or https://www.grants.gov.

E-SNAPS REGISTRATION INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR CONTINUUMS OF CARE. Before seeking 2009 funding from HUD, Continuums of Care must register at https://www.hud.gov/esnaps. See Federal Register, 9/2/09 or https://www.hudhre.info. Contact a HUD Field Office or send questions via https://www.hudhre.info/helpdesk.

USDA RD ISSUES ANNUAL CNA ADVICE. “Guidance on the Capital Needs Assessment Process,” an Unnumbered Letter dated August 20, 2009, explains the CNA process for RD-funded multifamily housing and is available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/ul/ulaugust09.pdf or from RD offices.

HUD DELAYS INCOME VERIFICATION RULE. HUD’s “Refinement of Income and Rent Determination Requirements in Public and Assisted Housing Programs” published on January 27, 2009 (see HAC News, 2/4/09) will be effective January 31, 2010. See Federal Register, 8/28/09 or https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/fr/. Contact Nicole Faison, HUD, 202-402-4267.

FINAL HECM COUNSELING RULE ISSUED. HUD is establishing testing standards to qualify Home Equity Conversion Mortgage counselors to work with prospective borrowers and setting up a HECM counselor roster. See Federal Register, 9/2/09 or https://www.hud.gov/localoffices. Contact Margaret Burns, HUD, 202-708-2121.

TCEP SPENDING REQUIREMENT EASED. An interim final rule from the Treasury Department requires state housing credit agencies to use Tax Credit Exchange Program funds to make subawards before January 1, 2011 rather than disburse the funds by that date. Comments are due September 30, 2009. See Federal Register, 8/31/09, or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Ellen Neubauer, Treasury, 202-622-0560, ellen.neubauer@do.treas.gov.

WEBSITE COMPILES STATE LAWS THAT IMPACT HEALTHY HOMES. The National Center for Healthy Housing and the National Conference of State Legislatures prepared https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhtc, providing links to state landlord-tenant laws, housing/maintenance codes, health/sanitation codes, and others. Contact Tom Neltner, tneltner@nchh.org, 410-992-0712.

MANUAL PUBLISHED FOR ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSING ON RAPID REHOUSING. Organizational Change: Adopting a Housing First Approach and other resources are available from the National Alliance to End Homelessness at https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/.

LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PRIMARY CAUSE OF FAMILY HOMELESSNESS, RESEARCH REVIEW CONCLUDES. A review of existing research has affirmed that the primary cause for most homelessness among families is the inability to find housing they can afford. Enterprise Community Partners and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, which commissioned the study, conclude that for the vast majority of unsheltered American families, homelessness can be alleviated through rental subsidies. Ending Homelessness for Families: The Evidence for Affordable Housing is free at https://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2466/.

ANNUAL KIDS COUNT DATA RELEASED. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual publication provides a national and state-by-state picture of child well-being including overall state rankings. The online KIDS COUNT Data Center has been expanded to include data for communities, including counties. Visit https://www.kidscount.org.