TOP STORIES

Researchers predict consequences of debt limit stand-off

While congressional leaders and President Biden work to agree on provisions for raising the U.S. debt limit before the country’s borrowing reaches it in early June, economists and others are attempting to predict possible consequences of various scenarios.

• If the House-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act becomes law, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates, it would require a 33% cut in “the two-fifths of the discretionary budget outside of defense and veterans’ medical care.” As a result, over 2 million people would lose rental assistance and 119,000 people experiencing homelessness would not receive aid. Because the spending reductions would increase over time, the cut would grow to 59% in 2033. CBPP provides an interactive graphic showing how protecting some programs changes the level of cuts to others.
• If there is no agreement before the debt limit is reached, a short-term default of less than a week would lead to a “mild” recession in the second half of 2023, according to Moody’s Analytics. Real GDP would decline by 0.7 percentage point, employment would fall by 1.5 million jobs, and the unemployment rate would rise from 3.4% to a peak of almost 5%. There would be little long-term fallout on the economy, although global investors would demand higher interest on Treasury debt to compensate for the risk of future debt limit breaches, creating a significant cost to taxpayers in the long run.
• If the debt limit breach lasts for a month or longer, Moody’s predicts a “cataclysmic” blow to the economy. The federal government would have to slash its spending, leading to an economic downturn comparable to that in 2007-2008. More than 7.8 million jobs would be lost, and unemployment would rise to 8%. The effects would still be felt a decade in the future. In both the short and long term, healthcare providers would likely become more hesitant to see Medicare and Medicaid patients. Confidence in other government supports would weaken spending and confidence, especially in areas with more lower-income or elderly households.

House subcommittee approves FY24 USDA spending bill

The House has begun working on appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024, which begins on October 1, 2023. The Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee passed a bill on May 18 that would fund many rural housing programs at levels lower than those requested in the administration’s budget, and in some cases lower than the amounts appropriated for FY23 or FY22. HAC has posted details on its website. The bill will move next to the full House Appropriations Committee, which has postponed a markup originally set for May 24.

RuralSTAT

According to the 2020 Census, there are approximately 697,000 rural Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Source: Housing Assistance Council Tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census of Population and Housing. For more information on race and ethnicity in rural America visit HAC’s website.

OPPORTUNITIES

USDA offers Native CDFIs funds to relend

Certified Native CDFIs can apply to USDA for loans from the Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program. Awardees will relend money to low- and very low-income households to acquire, build, rehabilitate, improve, or relocate dwellings on Tribal land in rural areas. The deadline is July 17. For more information, contact Brian Hudson, USDA, 608-697-7725.

Powering Affordable Clean Energy Program to finance renewable energy

The Rural Utilities Service is launching the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program, appropriated $1 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act to serve places with populations of 20,000 or less, or service areas of current RUS Borrowers or former RUS and Rural Electrification Act borrowers. The program will provide loans for projects that generate and/or store electricity from renewable energy resource systems. Nonprofits, for-profits, state and local governments, Tribes, institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, distribution electric cooperatives, and generation and transmission electric cooperatives are eligible and may submit letters of interest between June 30 and September 29. Loans are potentially partially forgivable, with the forgivable portion varying depending on the geography served. For more information, contact Christopher A. McLean, USDA, 202-690-4492.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

USDA proposes to waive Buy America requirements for some community facilities and water and environmental projects

USDA has requested a one-year exemption from Build America, Buy America procurement requirements for infrastructure projects funded by USDA’s water and environmental or community facilities programs that were planned prior to May 14, 2022. The waiver would apply to projects that were awarded funds before that date, submitted an application to USDA, or held “substantial public engagement” such as having public meetings or publishing a notice related to project selection. Comments on the waiver request are due June 2. For more information or to submit comments, email ffac@usda.gov with the subject “RD Waivers: Public Interest Waiver for Projects Planned Prior to BABAA Implementation.”

FEMA seeks comments on risk assessment data

FEMA requests public input as it implements new statutory requirements that include designating “community disaster resilience zones” for targeting disaster mitigation efforts. Its questions address methodology and data, the designation process, and the types of assistance to be provided to resilience zones. Comments are due July 25. For more information, contact Pamela Williams, FEMA, 202-212-8007.

HUD releases income limits

Income limits that determine eligibility for programs including public housing, Section 8 project-based, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Section 202, and Section 811 have been posted online and took effect May 15. Income limits for Community Planning and Development programs including CDBG and HOME are available here and will be effective June 15.

Tribal input invited on environmental review

A Tribal/Interagency Environmental Streamlining Toolkit developed by the HUD-led Tribal Housing and Related Infrastructure Interagency Task Force is available for Tribal consultation. The toolkit is intended to provide Tribes with information and tools to create one environmental review when multiple agencies are involved in a Tribal housing project. The website can also serve as a hub providing environmental requirements for Tribal housing and related infrastructure from eight different federal agencies, and it offers guidance and best practices for coordination, including coordinating endangered species and historic preservation reviews. The task force requests feedback by June 9.

ReConnect regulatory changes confirmed

USDA has adopted the changes it proposed in January for the Rural eConnectivity Program, effective May 1. For more information, contact Laurel Leverrier, USDA, 202-720-3416.

HUD and USDA move towards revising energy standards

Taking the first step in adopting revisions to their energy standards, HUD and USDA announced a preliminary determination that the changes do not negatively affect the availability or affordability of new construction of single- and multifamily housing covered by the relevant law. They relied on studies showing the incremental costs of the additional efficiency measures pay for themselves with energy cost savings on a life-cycle basis. Comments are due July 17. For more information, contact Michael Freedberg, HUD, 202-402-4366 or Meghan Walsh, USDA, 202-573-3692.

Feedback sought on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s single-family pricing

After canceling fees it had previously announced, the Federal Housing Finance Agency is requesting input on the goals and policy priorities it should pursue in overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s single-family pricing framework, as well as the process for setting their single-family upfront guarantee fees. Comments are due August 14.

HAC comments on Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund framework

Responding to an implementation framework released by the Environmental Protection Agency for the new $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, HAC asked EPA to address the unique needs of rural and persistent poverty communities; ensure that nonprofit CDFIs and their nonprofit housing development partners are explicitly eligible for GGRF resources; increase clarity and reduce administrative burden on recipients; and exempt housing from Build America, Buy America requirements. EPA expects to announce funding availability as early as June.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Digital technology can help elders age in place but has limitations

Centering the Home in Conversation about Digital Technology to Support Older Adults Aging in Place, published by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, explores how digital technology can enable older adults to age in place by supporting activities of daily living as well as monitoring health and communicating information to healthcare providers. Barriers like housing problems and the digital divide, however, may limit effectiveness for rural elderly households.

Study examines U.S. trends for people experiencing homelessness

The State of Homelessness: 2023 Edition, published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, uses HUD and Census Bureau data to provide information about homelessness in the U.S. on a given night in 2022 and to illustrate emerging trends by race/ethnicity, age, sheltered or unsheltered status, and other characteristics. Data is presented at the national, state, and Continuum of Care levels through an interactive dashboard.

Energy efficiency programs can become more equitable, research finds

Some customers and communities are underserved by energy efficiency efforts, according to Toward More Equitable Energy Efficiency Programs for Underserved Households, a new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Utilities and other program administrators can use a variety of approaches to better serve low- and moderate-income consumers, renters, Black, Latino/a, rural, tribal, and non-English speakers, the study explains, with examples from both rural and urban areas. ACEEE also provides a variety of other energy equity resources, including Advancing Equity through Energy Efficiency Resource Standards, a report recommending state policies that could target energy savings for underserved households; an Energy Equity for Renters Toolkit; and a factsheet that summarizes the toolkit.

Rental incentive program makes workforce housing possible

Vermont Digger reports that the town of Woodstock will provide financial incentives to landlords in nearby towns to build or renovate units to house renters working at least 25 hours per week in Woodstock. Funding ranges from $2,500 for a qualified tenant with a one-year lease to $10,000 for four or more tenants with two-year leases.

HAC

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

HAC invites poster session proposals for national conference

Researchers and policymakers at all levels can apply by June 2 to share their research and innovative ideas through a series of poster sessions at the 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, October 24-27 in Washington, DC. The research must be related to rural America and can be on housing or another field such as public health, community development, race and ethnicity, or creative placemaking. Posters will be reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of rural experts. For more information, contact Manda LaPorte and Natasha Moodie, HAC.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

TOP STORIES

House narrowly passes debt ceiling bill

By a 217-215 vote on April 26, the House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act (H.R. 2811), which would raise the debt ceiling, cut federal spending, and rescind or repeal previously authorized spending. The bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, however, and the White House has said President Biden would veto it. USDA issued a press release quantifying possible impacts of the bill’s proposed cuts, including loss of rental assistance for up to 63,000 households and reduced support from the Rural Partners Network.

Senate committee considers rural housing

HAC CEO David Lipsetz is scheduled to testify on May 2 at a Rural Housing Legislation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee’s Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee. The event will focus on a bill intended to improve several USDA rural housing programs, expected to be introduced by Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). Testimony at Building Consensus to Address Housing Challenges, a hearing before the full Senate Banking Committee on April 26, also recognized the distinct housing issues facing rural America.

HAC invites poster session proposals for national conference

Researchers and policymakers at all levels can apply by June 2 to share their research and innovative ideas through a series of poster sessions at the 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, October 24-27 in Washington, DC. The research must be related to rural America and can be on housing or another field such as public health, community development, race and ethnicity, or creative placemaking. Posters will be reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of rural experts. For more information, contact Manda LaPorte and Natasha Moodie, HAC.

RuralSTAT

Nationally, shipments of new manufactured homes have eclipsed 100,000 for the past two years. In 2022 113,000 new manufactured homes were shipped. Source: Housing Assistance Council tabulations of HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufactured Home Survey.

OPPORTUNITIES

Youth homelessness funding offered with rural priority

State, local, and Tribal governments, TDHEs, and nonprofits may apply by June 27 for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, which supports communities in developing and implementing coordinated community approaches to preventing and ending homelessness among youth aged 24 and under. HUD will support projects in up to 25 communities, with a priority for up to eight with substantial rural populations. For more information, contact Caroline Crouse, HUD, 612-843-6451.

USDA opens Housing Preservation Grants competition

The Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants program funds state and local governments, Tribes, and nonprofits for repair or rehabilitation of housing owned or rented by low- and very low-income rural residents. Part of this year’s funding is set aside for repairs to units damaged in presidentially declared disasters in calendar year 2022. Applications are due June 5. For more information, contact a USDA RD State Office.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD requests input on disability-based discrimination

HUD is considering changes to its regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. HUD wants to update its federal accessibility standard and clarify recipients’ obligations, including accounting for advances in accessible design, information and communication technology, and assistive technologies. Comments are due July 24. For more information, contact Amy Gioletti, HUD, 405-609-8561.

Fair housing, fair lending, and equitable finance rule proposed by FHFA

A proposed Federal Housing Finance Agency regulation would cover Equitable Housing Finance Plans for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as fair housing and fair lending for those entities and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Comments are due June 26. For more information, contact James Wylie, FHFA, 202-649-3209.

EPA releases framework for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

EPA’s implementation framework divides the new $27 billion GGRF, created by the Inflation Reduction Act, into three competitions. The $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund will fund two or three national nonprofits to partner with private capital providers to deliver financing at scale to businesses, communities, community lenders, and others. The $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator competition will fund two to seven hub nonprofits to build the capacity of lenders such as CDFIs and housing finance agencies to finance clean technology projects. The $7 billion Solar for All competition will make grants to states, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to prepare low-income and disadvantaged communities for residential and community solar. The agency will hold public listening sessions on this framework during the week of May 1. Comments can also be emailed to ggrf@epa.gov by May 12. EPA expects to issue Notices of Funding Opportunity as early as June.

USDA updates lender submission process for Section 538 guarantees

Changes for lenders submitting requests for rental housing guarantees under the Section 538 program will take effect on April 28, when USDA’s notice is published in the Federal Register. They include revisions to the priority criteria and the fee structure. For more information, contact Jonathan Bell, USDA, MFHprocessing1@usda.gov, 254-742-9764.

New comment deadline set for extending HUD’s Buy America waiver for Tribes

Comments are now due May 8 on HUD’s proposal to extend its waiver of Buy America requirements for Tribes and Tribal entities. For more information, contact Faith Rogers, HUD, 202-402-7082.

HUD announces rural-targeted funding awards

Following an earlier round of awards announced in February, the second set of communities receiving resources to address unsheltered and rural homelessness will get $171.2 million in grants for 115 new projects in 29 Continuums of Care, and approximately 3,300 Stability Vouchers will go to 139 PHAs that partnered with CoCs. Separately, HUD’s Older Adults Home Modification Program will provide $14.5 million to modify over 1,900 housing units, 1,100 of which are in “substantially rural” places, so that low-income elderly residents can remain in their homes.

HAC comments on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

HAC submitted comments this month on a proposed HUD regulation that is intended to ensure that HUD and entities receiving funding from HUD will “Affirmatively Further Fair Housing.” In addition to supporting many aspects of HUD’s proposal and supporting suggestions made by other organizations, HAC wrote its own comment letter to address some specifically rural issues. HAC suggested that community engagement must be offered in many different ways, analyses must be conducted in smaller geographic areas, and data on USDA-supported housing must be specifically included.

EVENTS

Online placemaking conference set for May 23

USDA and the University of Kentucky will host an online conference May 23 on expanding access to placemaking resources for people in rural America. Rural leaders and placemaking experts will discuss ways to help advance placemaking strategies to create successful, thriving communities, as well as the importance of preserving and sustaining rural culture. Register here.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Farm Bill may be opportunity to address rural rental preservation

Advocates Eye Farm Bill to Avert Drop in Affordable Rural Housing, a CQ Roll Call article, covers the anticipated loss of Section 515 rental units. HAC’s Director of Public Policy, Jonathan Harwitz, is quoted explaining legislative changes that could assist with preservation and could be adopted in the Farm Bill.

Report covers links between reentry and housing

The Council of State Governments Justice Center published Building Connections to Housing During Reentry, a report on a national survey of state Departments of Corrections highlighting connections between reentry after incarceration and housing.

HBO reports on farmworkers

A recent 25-minute segment on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver covers the working and living conditions of farmworkers in the U.S.

Rural placemaking article features CIRD

A Daily Yonder piece, Rural Renewal: Placemaking in Small Towns Through Good Design, describes the role of design and creative placemaking in building rural communities. It features the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD), a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with HAC, and quotes Shonterria Charleston, HAC’s Director of Training and Technical Assistance.

Feedback sought on substance use recovery mapping tool

The Fletcher Group, Inc., NORC at the University of Chicago, and East Tennessee State University seek participants for virtual focus groups to provide feedback on the Recovery Ecosystem Index Mapping Tool. The system maps county-level factors that are in place to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorder.

Diversifying child population described

The Changing Child Population of the United States: First Data from the 2020 Census, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, reports that the U.S. child population is decreasing in size, increasing in diversity, and changing substantially. The nation’s child population fell from 74.2 million in 2010 to 73.1 million in 2020. Children of color, who represented just 26% of all kids in 1980, were a majority – 53% – in 2020. Data is presented at the state and city levels.

HAC

HAC is hiring a Chief Financial Officer

The Chief Financial Officer is a newly created position responsible for overseeing the accounting, finance, capital markets, and administrative functions of HAC, while also providing overall leadership and strategy to the organization. This executive must have a background in accounting or finance, managing staff, and serving as a senior leader at a sophisticated and multidimensional organization, such as another CDFI, community lending institution, or housing-related nonprofit. The CFO is expected to work in HAC’s downtown Washington, DC office with a portion of their week eligible for remote work.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

TOP STORIES

USDA and HUD predict impact of proposed funding cuts

House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) asked heads of federal agencies about the impact of cutting FY24 discretionary spending back to FY22 levels. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack responded that between 40,000 and 63,000 of the 288,000 tenant households currently receiving USDA Rental Assistance would lose that aid. The resulting loss of rental income could cause property owners to defer maintenance and fall behind on loan payments, Vilsack noted. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge’s reply predicted mass evictions, increased homelessness, exacerbated dire housing conditions in Indian Country, and more.

HUD sets schedule for applying Buy America requirements

HUD has established an implementation schedule for applying the new Buy America preference for U.S.-made construction components. As of February 22, 2023, the requirements apply to iron and steel products used in infrastructure projects funded with new Choice Neighborhood, Lead Hazard Reduction, and Healthy Homes Production Grants. For most products in most other programs, the requirements will take effect in 2024. HUD has not yet provided further guidance on what activities under these programs will be considered to be infrastructure projects. This schedule does not apply to Tribes and Tribal entities because the requirements are waived temporarily for them under a separate notice, although the Tribal waiver will expire after May 14, 2023.

USDA explains timing for eligible areas review

USDA RD has posted details about the eligible areas review process, adding to the information previously available. (The new notice came from the Section 502 guarantee office but applies to all housing programs.) The new details include copies of all notices issued by State Offices between March 8 and 10 indicating where RD is reviewing population changes to determine whether area eligibility changes are required. The public now has 90 days to submit comments. Before final decisions are made, the public will have 30 days to review comments received from the 90-day notice, a description of any proposed boundary revisions, and a revised eligibility map. RD tentatively plans to make new boundaries effective on October 2, 2023, at the beginning of fiscal year 2024. For more information or to submit comments, contact the relevant State Office. Sign up here to receive email notices from your state (and other USDA RD notices).

HAC invites workshop proposals for October 2023 National Rural Housing Conference

HAC requests workshop proposals for its 2023 conference, to be held October 24-27 (with workshops on October 25 and 26) in Washington, DC. Workshops should seek to align themselves with the conference theme – Build Rural – or one of the following threads: Housing Affordability, Development, Preservation, Community Facilities, Rural Prosperity, Placemaking, Capacity Building, Housing Justice, or other adjacent threads. Proposals are due June 2. For more information, contact Kelly Cooney or Diane Hunter, HAC.

RuralSTAT

While racial/ethnic diversity has generally increased over the past 10 years among tenants of rental housing financed with USDA loans, the proportion of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tenants has not changed. In 2012, 68% of tenants were white, non-Hispanic; 18.5% were Black, non-Hispanic; 10.7% were Hispanic; and 1.7% were AIAN. In 2022, 64.4% were white, 20.4% were Black, 12% were Hispanic, and 1.7% were AIAN. Source: USDA Multi-Family Housing Annual Fair Housing Occupancy Reports, 2012 and 2022.

OPPORTUNITIES

USDA offers disaster repair grants for homeowners

USDA is now accepting applications for Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants, newly funded in the final FY23 omnibus appropriations bill. Grants of up to $40,675 are available for low- and very low-income homeowners in rural places that experienced presidentially declared disasters in calendar year 2022. Very low-income homeowners may also be eligible for Section 504 loans and grants. For more information, contact a USDA RD office.

Fair housing education and outreach funds offered

HUD has opened a supplemental Fair Housing Initiatives Program Education and Outreach Initiative. Eligible applicants are Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations, Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations, public and private nonprofits, state and local governments, and agencies that participate in the Fair Housing Assistance Program. The deadline is May 11. For more information, contact Stephanie W. Thomas, HUD, 202-402-6938.

Community Connect broadband grants available

Nonprofits, for-profits, and state, local, and Tribal governments may apply by June 20 for Community Connect grants to construct rural broadband networks. For more information, contact Randall Millhiser, USDA RD, 202-578-6926.

Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers nominations open

The committee’s 15 members will include historically underserved farmers and ranchers, as well as representatives of minority serving institutions of higher education and community-based nonprofits, and people with civil rights and equity expertise. Nominations are due April 24. For more information, contact R. Jeanese Cabrera, USDA, 202-720-6350.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD seeks input on NSPIRE scoring and ranking

The most recent step in HUD’s implementation of National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) is a notice requesting comments on proposed NSPIRE physical inspection scoring and ranking methodology. HUD previously published a proposed regulation for NSPIRE and proposed standards. NSPIRE applies to public housing and multifamily housing programs, including Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 8 Project-Based and other assisted housing, the Section 202 and 811 programs, and HUD-insured multifamily housing. Comments are due April 27. For more information, contact Tara J. Radosevich, HUD, NSPIRERegulations@hud.gov.

New temporary authorization to help address RD backlogs

Effective immediately, additional staff in USDA RD State Offices may receive temporary authority to make some decisions regarding Section 502 direct and Section 504 applications. The change is intended to help reduce application backlogs. For more information, contact a State Office.

Cost burden increased among USDA tenants, annual occupancy report shows

Characteristics of tenants in Section 515 and 514 properties remained largely the same from October 2021 to October 2022, USDA’s annual data report indicates. There were 3,154 fewer units in 2022 than in 2021, with a decrease of 158 Section 515 properties and 7 Section 514 FLH properties. In 2022, average annual income for all tenants was $15,502, while the average income for those receiving Section 521 Rental Assistance was $12,989. The number of cost-burdened households, which fell dramatically from 41,121 in 2020 to 3,227 in 2021 because the American Rescue Plan Act provided additional RA, rose to 4,975 in 2022. Past occupancy data reports are available on HAC’s website.

HUD suggests changes related to floodplains

A proposed regulation is intended to improve the resilience of HUD-assisted or financed projects to the effects of climate change and natural disasters and provide for greater flexibility in the use of HUD assistance in floodways under certain circumstances. Comments are due May 23. For more information, contact Lauren Hayes Knutson, HUD, 202-402-4270.

Some USDA loan limits revised

Limits for USDA Section 502 direct loans have been revised for some places in Florida, New Jersey, and Virginia. For more information, contact an RD office.

HUD returns to 2013 disparate impact rule

HUD is reversing a change it made in 2020 to its fair housing discriminatory effects regulation and is reinstating a 2013 rule governing fair housing violation claims based on policies or actions with “disparate impacts” on categories of people protected by the Fair Housing Act. HAC supported this step when it was proposed. It requires no changes in practice because the 2013 rule remained in effect while the 2020 version was challenged in court.

EVENTS

Register now for upcoming HAC trainings

HAC Spring Training will be held April 11-13 in San Diego, with three different segments: “Housing and Services for Rural Veterans: A Symposium,” “Leading an Organization in Changing Times,” and “Creating Sustainable and Affordable Housing: A Workshop on Green Building Principles.”

Overcoming Cost Barriers: Innovative Approaches to Construction with Smart Building Techniques, Volunteers, and Sweat Equity is a series of five webinars:

• Fostering Skilled Labor in Your Community was held March 22, and the materials and recording are posted online;
• Benefits of Using Pre-Assembled Building Components, April 26;
• Implementing Change in Your Organization/Adopting Alternative Construction Techniques, June 7;
• Emerging Construction Techniques, June 14; and
• Modular and Manufactured Homes, June 28.

Webinar to review federal funding for rural development

Seizing the Moment: Rural Development Hubs and the Historic Opportunity for Federal Resources, a new Rural Opportunity and Development (ROAD) Session, will be held on April 12. The webinar is hosted by Aspen Institute’s Community Strategies Group in collaboration with HAC, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Rural LISC, the International Economic Development Council, and the Federal Reserve Board.

Equity and resiliency connections to be covered

Rural Affordable Housing: Equity and Resiliency, a webinar offered on April 11 by the Technical Assistance Collaborative, will examine steps to center equity and mitigate effects of future disasters for vulnerable populations through thoughtful building and rebuilding.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Disaster guide online for survivors of southern tornadoes

HAC’s thoughts are with our rural partners and communities affected by the recent tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama. HAC offers an online resource guide with information for individuals and families in the disaster area. Other disaster resources from HAC include Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster and a Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

Blog considers how states and localities can support rural justice

Identifying Policies That Advance Racial & Economic Justice in Rural Places, a ChangeLab Solutions blog post, highlights several policies that “hold high potential to address multiple dimensions of oppression for BIPOC rural communities – for example, funding for Native arts programs; Native tourism alliances; targeted and local hiring; agricultural workers’ rights; funding and support for small water systems; broadband expansion; and reparations.”

HAC

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

TOP STORIES

USDA RD produces Buy America guide

USDA Rural Development published a Build America, Buy America Customer Guide to help organizations receiving RD financial assistance comply with requirements that took effect on February 4. RD also revised its BABA webpage, which now makes clear that for-profit entities receiving federal funds are not subject to BABA. There are no changes to the list of affected rural housing and community facilities programs USDA provided in September: “Rural Housing Site Loans and Self-Help Housing Land Development Loans, Rural Rental Housing Loans, Section 538 Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed Loans, The RD Multi-Family Housing Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR), and Community Facilities Loans and Grants (Includes Guarantees, Emergency Rural Health Care Grants and Tribal College Initiatives Grants).” For more information, contact an RD State Office or email sm.rd.babaa.inquiry@usda.gov.

Equity Commission issues interim report

USDA’s Equity Commission released an interim report on February 28, offering 32 recommendations to the department based on the work of the commission’s Agriculture Subcommittee. Topics include heirs’ property and fractionated land, equity within USDA, and improvements to farmworkers’ living and working conditions. Shonterria Charleston, HAC’s Director of Training and Technical Assistance, is a member of the commission’s Rural Community Economic Development Subcommittee. That group’s recommendations will be provided in the commission’s final report. For more information, email EquityCommission@usda.gov.

Executive Order calls for economic opportunity, including in rural America

An Executive Order issued by President Biden on February 16 asserts that the federal government will “invest in communities where Federal policies have historically impeded equal opportunity – both rural and urban – in ways that mitigate economic displacement, expand access to capital, preserve housing and neighborhood affordability, root out discrimination in the housing market, and build community wealth.” The directive also covers health, environmental justice, education, and other topics.

Contributions to Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund halved this year

In 2022 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provided a record high $1.138 billion for the Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund. This year, because the housing market has slowed considerably, the total is $545 million. The HTF will drop from $740 million last year to $354 million this year. The CMF will fall from $398 million last year to $191 million in 2023. The amounts are based on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s new business purchases.

March is Women’s History Month

RuralSTAT

More than half of all banks in the United States (56%) are headquartered in rural areas. But these rural financial institutions hold only 6% of all bank assets nationally. Source: Housing Assistance Council tabulations of FDIC Deposit Market Share Reports – Summary of Deposits.

OPPORTUNITIES

Justice Department funding available for housing

• The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation for federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia closes on March 21. These grants can support renovation, expansion, replacement, or completion of facilities including transitional housing, shelters, and staff housing.
• The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program for local governments closes on March 21. It includes provisions for transitional or recovery housing and recovery support services.
• Improving Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Outcomes for Adults in Reentry is for state, local, and Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations. The program includes funding for transitional and recovery housing and closes March 28.
• Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program Training and Technical Assistance will fund nonprofits, for-profits, and private and public institutions of higher education to provide technical and training assistance for response efforts including transitional housing and recovery services. It closes April 25.

Technical assistance offered

• HUD’s Thriving Communities Technical Assistance program is intended to help units of general local government ensure housing needs are considered as part of their larger infrastructure investment plans. Requests will be reviewed as they are received, beginning March 15. HUD will give priority to jurisdictions with populations of less than 250,000 people. For more information, email ThrivingCommunitiesTA@HUD.gov.
• Smart Growth America will provide TA to help community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, Tribal Nations, and groups of residents or businesses advocate for just climate and land use development. Apply by March 15. For more information, email Jamie Zouras, Smart Growth America.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Medicaid and CHIP “unwinding” reviews could mean lost health coverage

During the coronavirus pandemic, a “continuous coverage” requirement has prevented states from reviewing eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), so almost everyone who was enrolled has remained covered. Now the requirement is expiring and its “unwinding” means that states will begin reviewing eligibility of all enrollees. States must begin the process by April 1. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 6.8 million people – disproportionately children and BIPOC residents – could remain eligible but lose their Medicaid coverage because, for example, they moved and do not receive state notices. HHS provides links and toll-free phone numbers for state Medicaid offices so people can update their contact details. Information to help service providers assist their clients is available from many sources, including HHS, the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, the National Indian Health Board, and the Rural Health Information Hub. On March 1, NIHB will host Medicaid Unwinding Webinar: Updates and Best Practices for Tribal Enrollment Assisters. On March 14, a webinar titled Medicaid Unwinding: Helping Service Recipients Keep Their Health Care Coverage will be offered by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Area loan limits for USDA single-family direct programs updated

USDA Rural Development has announced the area loan limits that will apply, effective March 1, to loans under the Section 502 direct and Section 504 programs. For more information, contact an RD office.

USDA seeks input on notices to tenants when owners apply for prepayment

USDA requests feedback from stakeholders as it revises the communications it sends to tenants when owners of Section 515 and Section 514 properties apply to prepay their loans. The agency will hold a listening session for stakeholders on March 9 to present its proposed draft letters and communication strategy and receive input on potential enhancements.

HAC comments on CDBG-DR

Responding to two requests for information from HUD, HAC recently submitted comments on some of the specifically rural concerns involved in using the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. HAC also signed a comment letter prepared by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition.

HOTMA rule corrected

HUD has published corrections to its recent rule on rental housing under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act.

USDA RD financial data posted on new gateway

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Data Gateway is intended to make information more easily accessible. Rural Investments Dashboards show data from more than 65 RD programs by program area (for example, single-family or multifamily housing), for Socially Vulnerable counties as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, or by county or congressional district. The data can also be downloaded. Figures from fiscal years 2012 to 2022 are currently posted. For more information, email USDA.RD.DATA@usda.gov.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Guide for housing advocates gets annual update

Advocates’ Guide 2023: A Primer on Federal Affordable Housing & Community Development Programs & Policies, published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, is intended to be a comprehensive resource for those involved in affordable housing and community development advocacy. This year’s new content includes sections on COVID-19-era housing programs and tenant protections.

Research identifies ways to improve state support for creative placemaking

A Report on State Enabling Environments for Creative Placemaking, published by the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, draws from analyses conducted in Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas to characterize the enabling environment for creative placemaking at the state level. NACEDA concludes that state policy mechanisms to enable creative placemaking exist, but they are not all rooted in equity and not sufficient to fully support the field; significant outside pressure can induce financial institutions to support placemaking; and leadership to enhance state support would accelerate local work, but is under-resourced.

Wind risk study adds to research on flood, fire, and heat risks

First Street Foundation estimates that in 30 years over 13.4 million U.S. properties will be exposed to hurricanes that are not currently, because a larger proportion of tropical storms will reach major hurricane status and storms will track further northward along the East Coast. The foundation also calculated the dollar values of expected damage and associated downtime. First Street’s RiskFactor.com site now includes wind factors along with flood, fire, and heat factors for many properties in the U.S.

Rural rental preservation draws attention in Maine

WMTV in Portland reports that Maine Could Lose Thousands of Units of Affordable Housing, describing the potential loss of many of the state’s 7,700 Section 515 rental units due to maturing mortgages. One Section 515 property (28 units in the town of Thomaston) was preserved because a new state affordable housing tax credit enabled a nonprofit to purchase the property and keep the units affordable. In First-of-its-kind Model for Protecting Affordable Rental Housing in Rural Maine Hailed as Success, Maine Public Radio reports on the same preservation deal, noting that the $1 million per year program also pays for renovations and that other funding sources were involved as well.

Heart disease research findings: housing instability contributes, rural residents have higher rates

Research from the University of Georgia concludes that cardiovascular disease decreased in the U.S. from 2009 to 2018, but rural counties and those with a higher percentage of Black residents consistently experienced higher rates of heart disease than urban and more predominantly white counties. Housing instability, food insecurity, and lower rates of Medicare coverage were also connected to higher rates of cardiovascular disease and death, researchers explained.

HAC

HAC is hiring a Loan Processor Associate

The Loan Processor Associate is an entry-level position and will assist in loan portfolio management functions including loan department reports, loan payments, loan closing, disbursement, monitoring, and servicing  loans. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

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