Access a pdf version of this HAC News. • HUD funding bill for FY 2010 still uncertain • Deadlines extended for Section 202 and 811 applications • HOPE VI Main Street grants offered • Green retrofit funds no longer available • Inspection requirements restated for purchases with Section 502 guaranteed loans • RD clarifies State Environmental Coordinator role • HUD seeks ideas for reform • FHA proposes changes related to lenders • Transition period for new H-2A farmworker rules extended • HUD releases some 2010 operating cost adjustment factors • Analyses show poverty increased more in rural places, poverty of rural children varied • High-poverty places described in new report • Housing shortage growing for extremely low-income renters

December 2, 2009
Vol. 38, No. 24

HUD FUNDING BILL FOR FY 2010 STILL UNCERTAIN. A conference committee has not yet met to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill. HUD may be included in another continuing resolution when the current CR expires December 18, or may be combined with other agencies in an omnibus funding bill for the remainder of FY 2010. USDA’s FY 2010 bill became law on October 21. Funding levels are at https://ruralhome.org; the law’s text is at https://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html.

DEADLINES EXTENDED FOR SECTION 202 AND 811 APPLICATIONS. HUD has made corrections in these programs’ NOFAs. Apply for Section 202 by December 14 and for Section 811 by December 17. Visit https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm or https://www.grants.gov. For 202, contact Alicia Anderson, 202-402-5787, alicia.anderson@hud.gov; for 811, Marvis Hayward, 202-402-2255, marvis.s.hayward@hud.gov.

HOPE VI MAIN STREET GRANTS OFFERED. Local governments in cities under 50,000 population can apply by January 20 to replace unused commercial space with affordable housing. Visit https://www.grants.gov or https://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm. Contact Lawrence Gnessin, lawrence.gnessin@hud.gov.

GREEN RETROFIT FUNDS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Based on the amount of funds remaining, HUD is not accepting further applications for the Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. See Federal Register, 11/16/09 or https://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/RECOVERY/programs/GREEN. Contact HUD’s Office of Affordable Housing Preservation, 202-708-0001.

INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS RESTATED FOR PURCHASES WITH SECTION 502 GUARANTEED LOANS. Appraisals may be prepared by FHA roster appraisers using HUD standards. AN 4476 (Oct. 23, 2009) is available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/an_list.html or from RD offices.

RD CLARIFIES STATE ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR ROLE. AN 4475 (Sept. 18, 2009) is available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/an_list.html or from RD offices.

HUD SEEKS IDEAS FOR REFORM. Submit comments, ideas, and votes on HUD’s FY 2010-2015 strategic plan at https://hudideasinaction.uservoice.com. Currently, posted ideas include moving USDA housing programs to HUD, making better use of nonprofits, and many more.

FHA PROPOSES CHANGES RELATED TO LENDERS. To implement 2008 and 2009 laws, FHA proposes to make lenders responsible for approval and oversight of loan correspondents, prohibit some lending entities from originating FHA-insured loans, and increase the net worth requirement for FHA-approved lenders. Comments are due December 30. See Federal Register, 11/30/09 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact HUD’s Office of Lender Activities and Program Compliance, 202-708-1515.

TRANSITION PERIOD FOR NEW H-2A FARMWORKER RULES EXTENDED. As the Department of Labor continues to develop a new regulation for H-2A workers, the period of transition from the old regulation to the new one will now cover employers with dates of need before June 1, 2010. See Federal Register, 11/17/2009 or https://www.regulations.gov. Contact William L. Carlson, DOL, 202-693-3010.

HUD RELEASES SOME 2010 OPERATING COST ADJUSTMENT FACTORS. See Federal Register, 11/12/09, or https://www.nls.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/fr/. Contact Charles Capone, HUD, 202-402-3237.

ANALYSES SHOW POVERTY INCREASED MORE IN RURAL PLACES, POVERTY OF RURAL CHILDREN VARIED. Two separate reports consider new Census Bureau data (see HAC News, 9/16/09). The online rural news source Daily Yonder concluded that the gap between urban and rural poverty rates doubled from 2003 to 2008. Visit https://www.dailyyonder.com/poverty-rate-jumps-rural-america/2009/11/23/2466. The Carsey Institute found that poverty for rural children in the Midwest increased from 2007 to 2008. Visit https://carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Mattingly-childpoverty09.pdf

HIGH-POVERTY PLACES DESCRIBED IN NEW REPORT. Poor rural and urban places around the country are profiled in The Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America, published by the Brookings Institution and the Federal Reserve Board. Visit https://www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/1024_concentrated_poverty.aspx.

HOUSING SHORTAGE GROWING FOR EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME RENTERS. A National Low Income Housing Coalition analysis of American Community Survey data shows the shortage of units affordable for renters with incomes under 30% of area median grew from 2.7 million units in 2007 to 3.1 million in 2008. There were 37 rental housing units affordable and available for every 100 ELI renter households in 2008. Visit https://www.nlihc.org/detail/article.cfm?article_id=6604&id=48 or contact NLIHC, 202-662-1530.

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