HAC News

HAC News: November 11, 2009

Access a pdf version of this HAC News. • November is National Native American Heritage Month: Administration promises action • National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week set for November 15-21 • RD targets Section 502 guarantees for refinancing • USDA National Appeals Division amends procedures • Change to lead repair certification proposed • Disaster recovery input sought • Fannie Mae Deed for Lease™ Program to help homeowners become renters • Homeownership subsidies in 2009 almost four times those for rental housing • Strong state anti-predatory lending laws linked with lower default rates • Rural Voices focuses on nonprofit sustainability • SAVE THE DATE FOR HAC’S NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE 2010!

November 11, 2009
Vol. 38, No. 23

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH; ADMINISTRATION PROMISES ACTION. At a White House Tribal Nations Conference on November 5, President Obama signed a memorandum requiring federal agency heads to develop detailed plans describing how they will implement Executive Order 13175 issued by President Clinton in 2000, which requires them “to engage in regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have tribal implications.” Obama also asks for annual progress reports and plan updates. See https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/memorandum-tribal-consultation-signed-president or Federal Register, 11/9/09. In addition, Indian Country Today reports USDA Secretary Vilsack told the conference he is committed to resolving Keepseagle v. Vilsack, an ongoing lawsuit charging USDA with discrimination against Indians on farm and ranch loans and emergency assistance. Visit https://www.reznetnews.org/article/questions-about-apology-next-meeting-must-wait-40820.

NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK SET FOR NOVEMBER 15-21. The National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger & Homelessness encourage schools and communities to use the occasion to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Visit https://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/awareness/index.html.

RD TARGETS SECTION 502 GUARANTEES FOR REFINANCING. USDA is prioritizing $400 million of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Section 502 guaranteed loan funding to refinance Section 502 direct and guaranteed mortgages. Borrowers must be current on their payments to qualify. See Federal Register, 11/2/09. Contact Debra Terrell, RD, 918-534-3254, debra.terrell@wdc.usda.gov.

USDA NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION AMENDS PROCEDURES. NAD has made the Administrative Procedure Act generally applicable to agency adjudications, and the Equal Access to Justice Act applicable to NAD hearings. See Federal Register, 11/6/09 or https://www.nad.usda.gov. Contact Adam J. Hermann, NAD, 202-720-5565.

CHANGE TO LEAD REPAIR CERTIFICATION PROPOSED. EPA is proposing to eliminate an “opt-out” provision that exempts a renovation firm from training and work practice requirements for owner-occupied housing if the property owner certifies that no child under age 6 or pregnant woman resides in the home. Comments are due November 27. See Federal Register, 10/28/09 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact Colby Lintner, EPA, 202-554-1404, TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

DISASTER RECOVERY INPUT SOUGHT. HUD and the Department of Homeland Security have launched https://www.disasterrecoveryworkinggroup.gov to collect ideas and comments for the Administration’s Long-Term Disaster Recovery Working Group. Comments are due in mid-December.

FANNIE MAE DEED FOR LEASE™ PROGRAM TO HELP HOMEOWNERS BECOME RENTERS. A borrower facing foreclosure who does not qualify for or has not been able to sustain a loan modification can transfer the home to the lender and then lease it back at market rate for up to a year. For details visit https://www.fanniemae.com/.

HOMEOWNERSHIP SUBSIDIES IN 2009 ALMOST FOUR TIMES THOSE FOR RENTAL HOUSING. A Congressional Budget Office Overview of Federal Support for Housing calculates that ownership support was $230 billion, while aid for rental property and tenants was $60 billion. Visit https://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=10525.

STRONG STATE ANTI-PREDATORY LENDING LAWS LINKED WITH LOWER DEFAULT RATES. “State Anti-Predatory Lending Laws: Impacts and Federal Preemption,” published by the University of North Carolina’s Center for Community Capital, is available at https://www.ccc.unc.edu/news.php.

RURAL VOICES FOCUSES ON NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY. In the fall issue of HAC’s quarterly magazine, housing professionals share their experiences on overcoming economic downturns and creating sustainable housing programs. Rural Voices is free online at https://ruralhome.org/information-and-publications. For one free print subscription per organization, contact Lawrence Adams, HAC, 202-842-8600, lawrence@ruralhome.org. To sign up for email notices announcing new issues, visit https://ruralhome.org/information-and-publications/169-sign-up.

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! Details will be posted at https://ruralhome.org as available. (The conference is a biennial event; there is no conference in 2009.)

Housing Assistance Council
1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 606, Washington DC 20005
(202) 842-8600 | hac@ruralhome.org | www.ruralhome.org