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HAC News: December 14, 2017

December 14, 2017/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

December 14, 2017
Vol. 46, No. 25

Tax bill differences reportedly resolved • Continuing resolution takes funding to December 22 • USDA announces RHS Chief of Staff • Rental housing study emphasizes cost-burden issues • Homeless rate increases in high-cost areas, rural data remains unclear • VA cancels diversion of HUD-VASH funding • HUD to launch EnVision Centers to test collaboration for economic mobility • Significant affordability gap remains for people with disabilities and SSI income • Deadlines compiled for hurricane survivors • HAC issues disaster guide supplement for southern California wildfires • HUD seeks comments on suspension of Small Area FMRs • Input requested on FSS performance measurement system • HUD streamlines administration and income verifications

HAC News Formats. pdf

December 14, 2017
Vol. 46, No. 25

Tax bill differences reportedly resolved. On December 13 congressional leaders announced they had developed a compromise between the House and Senate tax bills. Both houses are expected to vote on the measure the week of December 18. The agreed-upon text was not available at press time, but media reports indicate that the final bill caps the mortgage interest deduction at $750,000 and preserves private activity bonds and the 4% LIHTC. The House and Senate versions of H.R. 1 differed on the New Markets Tax Credit. The Senate version also would have treated rural areas as LIHTC Difficult Development Areas, which receive a basis boost. To offset the cost of that boost, the maximum basis boost for other developments would be reduced. Both bills, by significantly lowering the corporate tax rate, seemed likely to reduce corporate interest in LIHTC investments.

Continuing resolution takes funding to December 22. This CR does not include disaster funding, but the next one may. The House and Senate have postponed their holiday adjournment to December 22. They are expected to adopt a third CR then to fund the government into January, while continuing to seek a deal to lift the spending caps in the Budget Control Act of 2011.

USDA announces RHS Chief of Staff. Curtis Anderson has been named Chief of Staff for the Rural Housing Service. It is unclear how this appointment relates to the position of RHS Administrator, since past Administrators have sometimes had Chiefs of Staff. Anderson has worked at USDA’s Rural Utilities Service and, most recently, as an advisor on telecommunications issues.

Rental housing study emphasizes cost-burden issues. America’s Rental Housing 2017, by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, points out that almost half of all U.S. renters pay more than 30% of their income for their housing. In rural areas, both housing costs and incomes are lower, leaving 40% of rural renters cost-burdened. The need for housing assistance is growing, the report says, and much of the existing subsidized rental stock is at risk due to either under-maintenance or expiring affordability periods. The report suggests a number of steps to improve the situation, including both preservation and new construction.

Homeless rate increases in high-cost areas, rural data remains unclear. HUD’s 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress shows the first rise in seven years, a 0.7% increase in homelessness nationwide from 2016 to 2017. The homelessness rate for veterans increased by 1.5% although, if Los Angeles and New York City were excluded, it fell by 3.1%. Chronic homelessness increased by 12% from 2016. A HAC analysis reports that homelessness in balance of state continuums of care fell by 1.4%, but points out this is an imperfect estimate for rural places.

VA cancels diversion of HUD-VASH funding. VA planned to allow its medical centers to use funding from the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program as they wished, according to an initial report by Politico. After objections from Senators and others, the Department announced there would be no change, and that it would seek input on improving geographic targeting of VA homeless program funding.

HUD to launch EnVision Centers to test collaboration for economic mobility. A new demonstration program plans to help HUD-assisted households in approximately ten communities become self-sufficient through partnerships among federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, corporations, PHAs, TDHEs, and HFAs. Comments are due February 12. For more information, contact Ariel Pereira, HUD, 202-402-5132.

Significant affordability gap remains for people with disabilities and SSI income. Research shows the nationwide average rent for a studio apartment is 99% of income for the average adult with disabilities living on Supplemental Security Income. An interactive database offers details for metro areas, some counties and cities, and the nonmetro portion of each state. Priced Out: The Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities is published by the Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force.

Deadlines compiled for hurricane survivors. The National Low Income Housing Coalition summarizes deadlines for survivors of Hurricanes Irma, Maria, and Harvey for programs administered by FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Labor, and HUD, as well as SNAP.

HAC issues disaster guide supplement for southern California wildfires. The supplement provides resources for residents affected by the ongoing fires in southern California. HAC’s disaster guide offers more detailed information for residents and communities on short- and long-term resources. FEMA also provides a summary and links.

HUD seeks comments on suspension of Small Area FMRs. HUD requests comments by January 11 regarding its two-year suspension of mandatory Small Area Fair Market Rents in 23 metro areas, announced in August (see HAC News, 8/17/17). For more information, contact Todd M. Richardson, HUD, 202-708-1537, ext. 5706.

Input requested on FSS performance measurement system. HUD proposes a performance measurement system for PHAs that receive HUD Family Self-Sufficiency program coordinator grants. It also asks whether and how to develop a performance measurement system for FSS programs that do not receive HUD FSS coordinator funding. Comments are due January 26. For more information, contact HUD staff, FSS@hud.gov.

HUD streamlines administration and income verifications. Changes regarding utility reimbursements and asset declarations, made in 2016 for the Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs, are now expanding to Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, Section 202 properties, and Section 811 properties. HUD is also modifying some provisions, applicable to all these programs, related to determining income changes for tenants with fixed incomes. Comments on this interim final rule are due January 11. Contact persons vary by program and are listed in the notice.

HAC’s board and staff wish peace, prosperity, and affordable housing to all!

NEED CAPITAL FOR YOUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT?
HAC’s loan funds provide 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, farmworker, senior, and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, and construction/rehabilitation. 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).

HAC News: December 8, 2016

December 8, 2016/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

December 8, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 23

Next continuing resolution may last through April 28 • 21st Century Cures Act and CR provide opioid funding • President-elect Trump selects Dr. Ben Carson as HUD Secretary • Materials from HAC 2016 Rural Housing Conference posted online • Household Water Well System Grants available • RUS to make water/wastewater grants for loan funds • Final public housing smoke-free rule published • Change proposed for HOME commitment requirement • IHBG program allocation formula revised • HUD explains implementation of income limit for public housing • USDA RD marketing flyers available • Rural economies improved in 2015 • 45 Years. 45 Stories. celebrates HAC anniversary

HAC News Formats. pdf

December 8, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 23

Next continuing resolution may last through April 28. House leaders released the text of a new CR (H.R. 2028) on December 7, but at press time on December 8 it was not clear whether the bill would overcome objections related to coal miners’ pensions. A shorter interim CR might be required to keep the government operating past midnight on December 9. To keep spending within the required caps, H.R. 2028 imposes a 0.19% across-the-board cut. It includes “anomalies” – specific deviations from FY16 funding – allowing flexibility in when funds are spent on USDA Section 538 loan guarantees and Tribal HUD-VASH vouchers, but does not increase funding for these programs or others. If final FY17 appropriations enacted by the new Congress do not increase funds for USDA and HUD vouchers, renewal funds for over 130,000 contracts will not be available. The CR also provides new CDBG disaster funds.

21st Century Cures Act and CR provide opioid funding. The 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the House on November 28 and the Senate on December 7, is expected to be signed into law by President Obama. It includes medical research and mental health provisions, and also authorizes $1 billion for opioid abuse prevention efforts. The first half of that spending is appropriated in the CR that will fund the government through April 28. HAC’s recent conference included USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and National Rural Health Association CEO Alan Morgan speaking on the opioid addiction crisis in rural areas, and discussion papers they wrote are available online.

President-elect Trump selects Dr. Ben Carson as HUD Secretary. Nominees for other HUD posts and for USDA have not yet been announced.

Materials from HAC 2016 Rural Housing Conference posted online. Workshop presentations, discussion papers, and more are available at https://event.crowdcompass.com/buildingrural. To access workshop materials, click the Schedule icon.

Household Water Well System Grants available. The Rural Utilities Service will make grants to nonprofits to establish lending programs for homeowners to borrow up to $11,000 to construct or repair household water wells for existing homes. Grantees are encouraged to focus on high-poverty areas; areas with inadequate systems, particularly colonias or underserved trust areas; and places impacted by severe drought. Apply by February 6, 2017. For more information contact Derek Jones, RUS, 202-720-9640.

RUS to make water/wastewater grants for loan funds. Nonprofits that will lend the funds to entities eligible for RUS’s water, waste disposal, and wastewater loan and grant programs may apply by February 6, 2017. Grantees are encouraged to direct loans to the smallest communities with the lowest incomes and to areas needing plumbing and modern sewage disposal systems (such as colonias and underserved trust lands), and to emphasize energy- and water-efficient components. Obtain application guides and materials online or from Lisa Chesnel, RUS, 202-720-0499.

Final public housing smoke-free rule published. PHAs administering public housing must implement a smoke-free policy by August 2018. PHAs must ban the use of prohibited tobacco products and waterpipes in all public housing living units, public housing indoor common areas, PHA administrative office buildings, and outdoor areas up to 25 feet from the buildings. For more information, contact Leroy Ferguson, HUD, 202-402-2411.

Change proposed for HOME commitment requirement. An interim final rule would allow participating jurisdictions to identify the grant year of funds they are using, rather than HUD’s system automatically assuming they are using their oldest funds, in order to reduce loss of funds considered not to have been committed within 24 months. Comments are due January 3, 2017. For information contact Virginia Sardone, HUD, 202-708-2684.

IHBG program allocation formula revised. HUD’s final rule on Indian Housing Block Grant allocations reflects consensus decisions reached by HUD and tribal representatives. For information contact Heidi J. Frechette, HUD, 202-401-7914.

HUD explains implementation of income limit for public housing. The 2016 Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act added an income limit to the public housing program. Comments are due December 29 on HUD’s proposal to implement the change. Contact HUD staff, HOTMAquestions@hud.gov.

USDA RD marketing flyers available. Rural housing groups are welcome to print and use the brochures about housing programs and other assistance.

Rural economies improved in 2015. The 2016 edition of Rural America at a Glance, published by USDA’s Economic Research Service, reports that rural unemployment continued to decline in 2015, falling close to levels last seen before the Great Recession, as employment continued to grow. After declining for several years, rural population stabilized. Median annual earnings rose in rural areas and poverty fell markedly in 2015, as in urban areas; the rise in earnings occurred across most major industry sectors.

45 Years. 45 Stories. celebrates HAC anniversary. A collection of 45 brief stories celebrates HAC’s 45th anniversary, illustrating decades of efforts and accomplishments. The report is available on HAC’s website (it is a large document and takes time to open).

HAC News: October 06, 2016

October 6, 2016/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

October 06, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 19

• Federal government funded through December 9 • Temporary preference given to certified packaged 502 loans • USDA suggests above-code standards for single-family housing • Administration housing toolkit addresses local barriers • GAO recommends improvements for services in HUD Section 202 properties • RAD may not be reaching rural places well • Black-white wage gaps are larger today than in 1979 • Register by October 21 for the 2016 HAC Rural Housing Conference!

HAC News Formats. pdf

October 06, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 19

Federal government funded through December 9. A continuing resolution, passed along with the full Military Construction/VA appropriations bill and emergency funding for the Zika virus, provides FY16 funding levels for federal programs and an 0.5% across-the-board cut. As expected (see HAC News, 9/8/16), it allows USDA to spend a disproportionate amount of Section 521 Rental Assistance funds early in the fiscal year in order to renew contracts when they expire. Congress is now in recess until November 14, after the election.

Temporary preference given to certified packaged 502 loans. USDA is temporarily classifying Section 502 direct applications submitted through the certified loan application packaging process as its fourth funding priority because funds are insufficient to serve all program-eligible applicants. This reclassification will remain in effect until further notice. The priority does not apply to certified packaging bodies working without an intermediary. Contact Tammy Repine, USDA, 360-753-7677.

USDA suggests above-code standards for single-family housing. In an Unnumbered Letter dated October 4, 2016, RD recommends – but does not require – that Section 502 and 504 homeowners, lenders, and others use building standards that exceed building codes. It provides information about standards that could be used for wind hazard resistance and water efficiency, and also discusses “location efficiency.” That refers to a home’s nearness to jobs, schools, and essential goods and services, impacting the greenhouse gas emissions generated by transportation. Contact a USDA RD state office.

Administration housing toolkit addresses local barriers. A Housing Development Toolkit issued by the White House focuses on ways states and localities can “promote healthy, responsive, affordable, high-opportunity housing markets.” It provides examples of “modern housing strategies” such as taxing vacant land or donating it to nonprofit developers, streamlining permitting processes and timelines, eliminating off-street parking requirements, allowing accessory dwelling units, employing inclusionary zoning, and using property tax abatements.

GAO recommends improvements for services in HUD Section 202 properties. To review how Section 202 properties connect residents to services and HUD’s related monitoring efforts, the Government Accountability Office researched the presence of service coordinators, how properties without coordinators connect residents with services, and HUD’s monitoring of Section 202 properties’ efforts to connect residents with supportive services. Elderly Housing: HUD Should Do More to Oversee Efforts to Link Residents to Services(GAO-16-758) recommends that HUD improve the accuracy of relevant data, develop written guidance on assessing compliance with supportive services requirements, and develop procedures for verifying and analyzing performance data.

RAD may not be reaching rural places well. HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program, which began in 2012, allows PHAs to convert public housing units to project-based Section 8 contracts in order to attract additional financing. An interim report on RAD by HUD consultant Econometrica presents early results on subjects such as PHAs’ choices whether to participate and what external capital sources they used. Small PHAs had a low participation rate. Among the reasons given for not taking part were lower area rents and a perceived lack of investor interest in small towns and rural areas. Econometrica recommended HUD offer examples of successful use of RAD in rural places. A final report will be issued in three years, after RAD has been in effect long enough for its impacts to be studied.

Black-white wage gaps are larger today than in 1979. Research by the Economic Policy Institute found that the gaps grew during the early 1980s, shrank in the late 1990s – due in part to tighter labor markets and minimum wage increases – and have grown again since 2000. As of 2015, relative to the average hourly wages of white men with the same education, experience, metro status, and region of residence, black men make 22.0% less, and black women make 34.2% less. Black-White Wage Gaps Expand with Rising Wage Inequality notes the gaps have expanded most for college graduates, so education alone is not a solution. EPI attributes the increase to discrimination and the growth in income gaps in general, and suggests policy solutions. Another study on this topic was covered in the HAC News, 8/10/16.

Register by October 21 for the 2016 HAC Rural Housing Conference! Registration fees rise after October 21. The national conference will be held November 30-December 2 in Washington, DC with pre-conference activities on November 29. Information about registration, scholarships, exhibiting, and more is now online.

HAC News: September 22, 2016

September 22, 2016/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 22, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 18

• Continuing resolution likely to run to December 9 • Census Bureau surveys yield differing conclusions about nonmetro economic growth • USDA releases database of rural multifamily loans and projected “exit” dates • Final rule addresses harassment in housing • HUD mandates program access based on gender identity • House and Senate hearings consider HUD changes • Tenant services are not allowable RD project expenses • Nonprofits and public bodies can buy some Section 502 homes • Report addresses rural affordable housing credit • Research finds disconnect between experts’ and public’s understandings of healthy housing • Guidance set for independent students’ access to Section 8 • REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE 2016 HAC RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE!

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 22, 2016
Vol. 45, No. 18

Continuing resolution likely to run to December 9. Congressional leaders are still working to resolve differences regarding the contents of a CR to keep the government operating when the fiscal year ends on September 30. The measure will also fund other items such as Zika virus control and Louisiana flood relief; a letter from OMB Director Shaun Donovan to key members of Congress requests $2.6 billion in emergency CDBG funding for Louisiana.

Census Bureau surveys yield differing conclusions about nonmetro economic growth. On September 13 the Census Bureau released Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015, showing improvements in poverty rates and median incomes from 2014 to 2015 both nationwide and in metro areas, but no statistically significant change in nonmetro areas. The data came from the Current Population Survey, which used different boundaries for metro and nonmetro areas in 2014 than in 2015, making the year-to-year comparison unreliable. On September 16, a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis of data from the American Community Survey, a larger sample that used consistent boundaries, showed incomes grew 3.4% in nonmetro areas and 3.6% in metro. CBPP found poverty rates dropped by almost 1% in both, to 17.2% in nonmetro places and 14.3% in metro areas.

USDA releases database of rural multifamily loans and projected “exit” dates. HAC recently published an analysis of data on maturity dates of mortgages in USDA’s multifamily portfolio and an interactive map of the properties (see HAC News, 9/8/16). Now USDA has released the loan level data to the public in spreadsheet form.

Final rule addresses harassment in housing. HUD has set formal standards in its fair housing regulations to be used when someone complains of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. The rule specifies how HUD will evaluate complaints of quid pro quo harassment and hostile environment harassment under the Fair Housing Act, defines the terms, and clarifies direct and vicarious liability in the Fair Housing Act context. Contact Lynn Grosso, HUD, 202-402-5361.

HUD mandates program access based on gender identity. A final rule, effective on October 21, requires providers that operate single-sex projects using funds from HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development to provide all individuals with access to programs, benefits, services, and accommodations in accordance with their gender identity without being subjected to intrusive questioning or being asked to provide documentation. Contact Norm Suchar, HUD, 202-708-4300.

House and Senate hearings consider HUD changes. On September 21 the House Financial Services Committee’s Housing Subcommittee held a session called “The Future of Housing in America: A Better Way to Increase Efficiencies for Housing Vouchers and Create Upward Economic Mobility,” and a Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee hearing was entitled “Housing Vulnerable Families and Individuals: Is There a Better Way?” Both focused largely on ways to reduce administrative costs and facilitate tenant self-sufficiency. Some members pointed out that small rural PHAs may face particular challenges to consolidating or forming consortia.

Tenant services are not allowable RD project expenses. In an August 8, 2016 Unnumbered Letter USDA RD reminds stakeholders that tenant services cannot be charged against project income in the operating budgets of Section 514 and 515 properties. It encourages service provision using other funding sources. Contact an RD State Office.

Nonprofits and public bodies can buy some Section 502 homes. An Unnumbered Letter dated August 26, 2016 explains when these organizations can purchase in voluntary short sales by homeowners or RD REO sales. Community Facilities financing may be an option for properties in communities with populations up to 20,000. Contact Barry Ramsey, RD, 202-720-5378.

Report addresses rural affordable housing credit. “Opportunities for Promoting Credit for Affordable Housing in Rural America” follows a May roundtable convened by the White House Rural Council and USDA’s Rural Housing Service and facilitated by the Center for American Progress. HAC was among the participants. Identified opportunities fell into categories such as addressing issues of scale, providing capital, preserving and producing affordable rental housing, providing rental assistance, promoting manufactured housing, supporting CDFIs, and distributing more information to affect outcomes.

Research finds disconnect between experts’ and public’s understandings of healthy housing. The complex set of cultural models the public uses to make sense of housing does not always match experts’ views, according to the FrameWorks Institute’s “A House, a Tent, a Box”: Mapping the Gaps Between Expert and Public Understandings of Healthy Housing. Experts in the field explain housing problems based on structural or systemic factors, FrameWorks reports, while members of the public focus on individual responsibility. The researchers suggest that a change in how the media portrays and frames the issue of housing could foster better understanding of housing issues, raise the salience of these issues in public thinking, and generate support for needed policies.

Guidance set for independent students’ access to Section 8. HUD’s revisions to guidance issued in 2006 expand the definition of “independent student” consistent with the Department of Education’s definition. Contact Rebecca L. Primeaux, HUD, 202-402-6050.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE 2016 HAC RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE! This year’s national conference will be held November 30-December 2 in Washington, DC with pre-conference activities on November 29. Information about registration, scholarships, exhibiting, award nominations, and more is now online.

HAC News: September 30, 2015

September 30, 2015/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 30, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 20

• Continuing Resolution keeps federal government open • USDA uses all 502 direct funds • House Financial Services Committee chair invites suggestions to improve housing assistance • AmeriCorps opens FY16 application period • Whole house inspections instituted for 502 direct loans • CFPB amends rule on rural credit access • EPA rule adds pesticide protections for farmworkers • HUD publishes General Section for FY16 NOFAs • Continuum of Care NOFA released • Administration selects Rural IMPACT poverty reduction locations • Rural mortgage lending declined in 2014 • Increase in cost-burdened renters projected

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 30, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 20

Continuing Resolution keeps federal government open. Funding will continue, mostly at FY15 levels, through December 11. The CR includes language providing a short-term fix for Section 521 Rental Assistance contracts that run out of funds before their one-year term ends and could not be renewed (see HAC News, 9/2/15): it gives USDA authority to waive the prohibition on early renewals. It also includes the “anomaly” the Administration requested (see HAC News, 9/2/15), enabling USDA to spend a disproportionate amount of RA dollars early in the fiscal year.

USDA uses all 502 direct funds. By September 22, USDA RD obligated 7,043 Section 502 direct loans, using all of its Section 502 direct funds for FY15. This is the first time since FY12 all available money for that program was used. Very low-income borrowers received 31.8% of the total. Another 6,104 applications were submitted by September 22. RD also used all its FY15 Section 504 grant funds, but not all of the Section 504 loan money.

House Financial Services Committee chair invites suggestions to improve housing assistance. Committee chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) requests specific proposals and recommendations on HUD restructuring, innovative approaches to address housing affordability that respect individual rights and promote individual responsibility, targeting housing assistance to address generational cycles of poverty, and examples of successful implementation of such proposals. Send ideas to transformhousing@mail.house.gov.

AmeriCorps opens FY16 application period. The Corporation for National and Community Service covers part or all of the cost of a community service position. Funding priorities include disaster services, veterans and military families, and more. Organizations that propose to operate in only one state must apply through State or Territory Commissions. Deadlines vary among states.A separate funding notice for Tribes will be released later this fall. Contact americorpsgrants@cns.gov.

Whole house inspections instituted for 502 direct loans. Beginning October 1, a Section 502 direct borrower purchasing an existing home must have a whole house inspection rather than separate inspections on the home’s major systems. Contact a USDA RD local office.

CFPB amends rule on rural credit access. A new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau final rule on mortgage lending by small creditors makes changes including expanding the definitions of small creditors and rural places. Contact Jeffrey Haywood, CFPB, 202-435-7700.

EPA rule adds pesticide protections for farmworkers. A new final rule enhances requirements for training, recordkeeping, protective equipment, and more. The rule requires workers applying pesticides to be 18 or over. On family-owned farms, immediate family members are exempt from many provisions. Most changes will take effect in about 14 months. Contact Kathy Davis, EPA, 703-308-7002.

HUD publishes General Section for FY16 NOFAs. The General Section’s provisions apply to funding notices issued during the fiscal year.

Continuum of Care NOFA released. CoCs can apply by November 20 for FY15 homelessness program funds. Contact a local HUD CPD Field Office or ask questions at https://www.hudexchange.info/get-assistance/.

Administration selects Rural IMPACT poverty reduction locations. Ten sites will participate in the “Rural Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive” (Rural IMPACT) technical assistance demonstration. HHS will run the effort in collaboration with USDA and others, providing technical assistance to the selected sites to plan and implement changes to alleviate child poverty.

Rural mortgage lending declined in 2014. A HAC analysis of recently released Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data shows that home mortgage lending in rural areas dropped by about 25% from 2013 levels. Almost the entire change was due to decreases in refinances. The rate of high cost mortgage lending increased from 2013 to 2014. The level of high cost rural loans for manufactured homes was six times higher than the national rate for single-family homes. Additional analysis will be posted at www.ruralhome.org. Contact Keith Wiley, HAC, 202-842-8600.

Increase in cost-burdened renters projected. The number of households spending 50% or more of their income on rent is expected to rise at least 11% by 2025, according to Projecting Trends in Severely Cost-Burdened Renters: 2015-2025 by Enterprise Community Partners and the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The numbers of severely burdened households ages 65 to 74 will rise by 42% and those ages 75 and older by 39%. Hispanic households will have the largest increase among racial and ethnic groups, with the number of severely burdened Hispanic households increasing by 27%.

HAC News: January 7, 2015

January 7, 2015/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

January 7, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 1

• New Congress convenes • Obama announces lower FHA mortgage insurance rate • Rural housing program eligibility changes effective February 2 • HUD proposes regulatory changes for vouchers, public housing, and other programs • Changes to BIA’s Housing Improvement Program proposed • Final credit risk retention rule defines QRM as QM • Family Self-Sufficiency Programs merged • Housing tax credit properties can achieve deep affordability without vouchers, report says • Paper explores connections between rural community and rural poverty • HAC webinar on seniors set for January 13

January 7, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 1

NEW CONGRESS CONVENES. In the new 114th Congress starting this week, some of the committee leadership posts are clear. Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY) continues as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) will lead the Senate appropriations panel. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) continues as head of the House Financial Services Committee, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) will be the new chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. On the Democratic side, Reps. Nita Lowey of NY and Maxine Waters of CA will continue as the ranking minority members on House Appropriations and Financial Services. In the Senate, Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) will be the top Democrat on Appropriations. Other Democratic spots and most subcommittee leaders have not yet been announced. As reported in the HAC News, 12/10/14, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) will continue as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development, and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) will be the new chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation-HUD.

OBAMA ANNOUNCES LOWER FHA MORTGAGE INSURANCE RATE. The rate will drop by 0.5 percentage point from 1.35% to 0.85%. The President’s statement says the change will save an average of $900 annually for new borrowers and also reiterates support for housing finance reform.

RURAL HOUSING PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY CHANGES EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 2. USDA RD will implement a 2014 Farm Bill’s provision making places ineligible that were formerly considered rural, but have populations over 35,000 as of the 2010 Census. See RD’s “future eligible areas” maps. Applications from these places will be processed if completed before February 2. Contact an RD office or Mike Feinberg, HAC, 202-842-8600.

HUD PROPOSES REGULATORY CHANGES FOR VOUCHERS, PUBLIC HOUSING, AND OTHER PROGRAMS. Updates would put recent statutory changes into effect and would align program requirements for Housing Choice Vouchers (tenant- and project-based) and public housing. Section 202, Section 811, and other multifamily housing programs are also affected, as well as HOME, the Continuum of Care program, and HOPWA. Comments are due March 9, 2015. Contacts for each program are listed in the notice.

CHANGES TO BIA’S HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROPOSED. HIP provides grants to tribal members for repair, renovation, or replacement of existing housing. Comments are due March 6 on changes that are intended to align the program with other federal requirements, allow leveraging of housing funds, and expedite processing of waiting lists. BIA will host consultation sessions with tribes in February; for details, visit https://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/ORM/HIP/index.htm. Contact Mr. Les Jensen, BIA, 907-586-7397.

FINAL CREDIT RISK RETENTION RULE DEFINES QRM AS QM. “Qualified residential mortgages” are exempt from the Dodd-Frank Act’s requirement for lenders to retain part of the credit risk of assets that collateralize asset-backed securities. Federal regulators have adopted a definition proposed in 2013 (see HAC News, 9/25/13): a QRM is the same as a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “qualified mortgage” and need not have a 20% downpayment. Also exempt are mortgages made by state HFAs, CDFIs, CHDOs (for HOME-funded projects), small-volume nonprofits, and others. Contact Ronald P. Sugarman, FHFA, 202-649-3208.

FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS MERGED. Implementing a provision in its FY14 appropriations act, HUD has unified the programs, formerly separate for participants with Housing Choice Vouchers and those in public housing. Contact Anice Chenault, HUD, 202-402-2341.

HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES CAN ACHIEVE DEEP AFFORDABILITY WITHOUT VOUCHERS, REPORT SAYS. A new National Low Income Housing Coalition publication, Aligning Federal Low Income Housing Programs with Housing Need, says Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties rarely serve extremely low-income households (at or below 30% of area median income) without vouchers, but presents five case studies of innovative strategies that do not use vouchers.

PAPER EXPLORES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RURAL COMMUNITY AND RURAL POVERTY. “Understanding Connections between Rural Communities and Family Well-Being: A Study of Hampton, Iowa,” published by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire, examines the role of “place” in shaping the futures of rural residents, particularly low-income residents.

HAC WEBINAR ON SENIORS SET FOR JANUARY 13. Register now for “Rural Seniors and Their Homes: Planning for a Rapidly Aging Rural America” to learn more about the demographic, economic, and housing trends of seniors and near-seniors in rural America as well as their housing options.

HAC News: December 22, 2014

December 22, 2014/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

December 22, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 25

• FY15 spending bill signed into law • Tax extenders bill includes LIHTC and NMTC • FHFA activates obligation to National Housing Trust Fund • FHFA interim rule prohibits pass-through of NHTF and CMF costs • Preliminary assessment tool released for USDA multifamily transfers • Regulations issued to replace several OMB circulars • RUS offers rural broadband grants • USDA prohibits age discrimination • Regulations change rural definition for single-family housing programs • Half of Native American mortgage applicants were denied in 2013 • New report suggests housing policy consider changes over time • Rural nonprofits have broad impact, report says • HAC summarizes data on homelessness • Conference photos and other materials now online

December 22, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 25

FY15 SPENDING BILL SIGNED INTO LAW. The “cromnibus” final spending bill for FY15 funds the Department of Homeland Security through February 27 and the rest of the government, including USDA and HUD, have full-year appropriations through September 30. For housing programs’ spending levels, see HAC News, 12/10/14.

TAX EXTENDERS BILL INCLUDES LIHTC AND NMTC. H.R. 5771, passed by the House and Senate, provides a minimum 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit rate and authorizes the New Markets Tax Credit for calendar year 2014. Since 2014 LIHTC allocations have already been distributed, the bill has little impact on that program.

FHFA ACTIVATES OBLIGATION TO NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND. On December 11, Federal Housing Finance Agency director Mel Watt instructed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to begin setting aside funds for the National Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund. The NHTF will fund housing, mostly rental and mostly for extremely low-income households. The CMF provides funds to CDFIs and nonprofits to finance affordable housing and related economic development and community service facilities. HUD, which will operate the NHTF program, published proposed regulations in October 2010; Secretary Julián Castro announced final rules will be issued soon. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates the first NHTF funds will be allocated to states in early 2016.

FHFA INTERIM RULE PROHIBITS PASS-THROUGH OF NHTF AND CMF COSTS. A Federal Housing Finance Agency interim final rule provides that the cost of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s NHTF and CMF allocations may not be transferred to mortgage originators. Comments are due January 15. Contact Alfred M. Pollard, FHFA, 202-649-3050.

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT TOOL RELEASED FOR USDA MULTIFAMILY TRANSFERS. Applicants are asked to use this tool before requesting ownership transfers and MPR-related transfers, to gauge if the proposed transactions will conform to USDA RD’s underwriting standards. Accompanying policy clarifications are being drafted for RD’s hand-book HB-3-3560. A separate tool will be provided for stay-in owner transactions. RD will conduct a webinar in January; HAC will report details when they are available. Request the tool from, or send comments to, Beverly Casey or an RD state office.

REGULATIONS ISSUED TO REPLACE SEVERAL OMB CIRCULARS. All federal award-making agencies, including USDA RHS, HUD, and VA, jointly issued an interim final rule that will apply to future federal awards. The rule implements the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, superceding several circulars including A-110, A-122, and A-133. Comments are due February 17. Contact Victoria Collin or Gil Tran, OMB, 202-395-3993. More resources are at https://cfo.gov/COFAR./.

RUS OFFERS RURAL BROADBAND GRANTS. Nonprofits, for-profits, coops, limited liability companies, tribes, states, and local governments can apply by February 17 for Community Connect grants to provide broadband service to currently unserved areas. Contact Shawn Arner, RUS, 202-720-0800.

USDA PROHIBITS AGE DISCRIMINATION. Recipients of USDA funds may not discriminate based on age, except when age distinctions are necessary to achieve a program’s purpose. Comments are due January 9. Contact Anna G. Stroman, 202-205-5953.

REGULATIONS CHANGE RURAL DEFINITION FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING PROGRAMS. The amendments implement revisions adopted in the 2014 Farm Bill (see HAC News, 2/5/14). Contact Shantelle Gordon, RHS, 202-205-9567.

HALF OF NATIVE AMERICAN MORTGAGE APPLICANTS WERE DENIED IN 2013. An Indian Country Today article reports that Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data show 51% of Indians and Native Alaskans applying for mortgages received them, while the rate for Native Hawaiians was 57%.

NEW REPORT SUGGESTS HOUSING POLICY CONSIDER CHANGES OVER TIME. Housing More People More Effectively through a Dynamic Housing Policy, published by the Bipartisan Policy Center, recommends moving from a static, transaction-focused housing policy to one that focuses on a broader time horizon and considers how things change over time at the property, household, and neighborhood levels.

RURAL NONPROFITS HAVE BROAD IMPACT, REPORT SAYS. The National Rural Housing Coalition’s Impact Report: The Economic and Human Impact of Nonprofit Organizations on Rural America estimates that in 2013 alone, nonprofit organizations generated $380 million in economic activity and created over 40,000 jobs in rural communities.

HAC SUMMARIZES DATA ON HOMELESSNESS. “Homelessness Declines but is Still Difficult to Assess in Rural Areas” is based on data released by HUD (see HAC News, 11/12/14).

CONFERENCE PHOTOS AND OTHER MATERIALS NOW ONLINE. Visit https://Ruralhome.org/calendar/nrhconf/1061-materials-from-the-2014-hac-conference for links to workshop materials via the conference app, photos, and videos.

HAC News: October 1, 2014

October 1, 2014/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

October 1, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 20

• Changes in rural housing eligibility definition delayed by CR • USDA RD offers multifamily preservation and revitalization assistance • Preservation Revolving Loan Fund monies available for intermediaries • Funding offered to CDFIs and Native American CDFIs • Promise Zone initiative opens second round • Changes proposed to affordable housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac • CDFI Fund seeks comments on its capacity building initiative • HUD asks for input on Native American data • National Housing Trust Fund lawsuit dismissed • Mortgage data show drop in refinancing from 2012 to 2013 • A majority of manufactured housing borrowers have expensive loans • Webinar to cover protecting seniors and other RD tenants from displacement • REGISTER FOR CONFERENCE BEFORE OCTOBER 31!

October 1, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 20

CHANGES IN RURAL HOUSING ELIGIBILITY DEFINITION DELAYED BY CR. USDA RD says the continuing resolution that extends FY14 funding levels through December 11 also extends the provision in FY14 appropriations law that prohibited declaring any communities ineligible for the rural housing programs if they were eligible on September 30, 2013. In effect, the CR means previously eligible places cannot become ineligible yet, even if their populations now exceed 35,000.

USDA RD OFFERS MULTIFAMILY PRESERVATION AND REVITALIZATION ASSISTANCE. Pre-applications are due November 24 for the MPR program, which helps preserve properties with Section 514 or 515 loans. MPR properties cannot displace tenants because of increased rents. No additional Rental Assistance units are available. Contact Sherry Engel, RD, 715-345-7677.

PRESERVATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND MONIES AVAILABLE FOR INTERMEDIARIES. PRLF recipients establish revolving loan funds for preservation of Section 515 and 514/516 housing. RD has eliminated the $1 million cap on subsequent loans for current intermediaries. Deadline is December 22. Contact Sherry Engel, RD, 715-345-7677.

FUNDING OFFERED TO CDFIS AND NATIVE AMERICAN CDFIS. Lending funds and technical assistance funds are available for Community Development Financial Institutions, potential CDFIs, and Native American CDFIs. Deadline is November 24. Contact CDFI Fund staff, 202-653-0421.

PROMISE ZONE INITIATIVE OPENS SECOND ROUND. HUD and USDA will designate at least 8 Promise Zones across urban, rural, and tribal communities to receive technical assistance to apply for existing federal programs; the designation itself does not include funding. Apply by November 21. Contact Brooke Bohnet, HUD, 202–402–6693.

CHANGES PROPOSED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS FOR FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates the GSEs, published a proposed rule and a correction suggesting updates and changes, including establishment of a new housing subgoal for small multifamily properties affordable to low-income families. Comments are due October 28. FHFA. Contact Dr. Nayantara Hensel, FHFA, 202-649-3122

CDFI FUND SEEKS COMMENTS ON ITS CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE. Suggestions for improving the initiative’s effectiveness are due October 24. Contact CDFI Fund staff, 202-653-0421.

HUD ASKS FOR INPUT ON NATIVE AMERICAN DATA. Comment by October 27 about options to the use of Census data in the funding formula for the Indian Housing Block Grant program. Contact Rodger Boyd, HUD, 202-401-7914.

NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND LAWSUIT DISMISSED. On September 29 a court dismissed a suit filed by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition and others against the Federal Housing Finance Agency seeking financing for the National Housing Trust Fund (see HAC News, 7/17/13). The dismissal was based on procedural grounds, not on the merits of the case. The plaintiffs continue to urge FHFA action and are considering an appeal.

MORTGAGE DATA SHOW DROP IN REFINANCING FROM 2012 TO 2013. Newly released Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data show 2013 mortgage lending activity declined from 2012 levels. Home purchase loans actually increased, but refinancing loans dropped substantially. In rural areas and small towns, refi lending declined by 23%. The rates of denials and high cost loans continue to be higher for rural and small town borrowers. Particularly for economically depressed, high needs rural regions, such as Central Appalachia, the rural Southeast and the Lower Mississippi Delta, high cost loans represent a large percentage of all originations. HAC will post a more detailed analysis soon.

A MAJORITY OF MANUFACTURED HOUSING BORROWERS HAVE EXPENSIVE LOANS. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that manufactured home owners typically pay higher interest rates for their loans than borrowers whose homes were built onsite. Manufactured-housing Consumer Finance in the United States also states that manufactured home residents are more likely to be older, live in a rural area, or have lower net worth than residents of other types of homes.

WEBINAR TO COVER PROTECTING SENIORS AND OTHER RD TENANTS FROM DISPLACEMENT. The National Housing Law Project will offer a free webinar on October 21 at 2:00 pm Eastern time/11:00 am Pacific on “Prepayments, Maturing Mortgages, and Foreclosures: Protecting Seniors and Others from Rural Development Rental Housing Displacement.”

REGISTER FOR CONFERENCE BEFORE OCTOBER 31! Register online for the National Rural Housing Conference 2014: Re-tool, Rebuild, Renew, in Washington, DC, December 3-5 with pre-conference activities December 2. Until October 31, the rate is $350 for nonprofits and government, $400 for for-profits. Contact HAC staff, registration@ruralhome.org.

HAC News: September 17, 2014

September 17, 2014/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 17, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 19

• Sept. 15-Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month • Congress to pass continuing resolution for early FY15 • Vilsack responds to congressional letter about 502 spending • Senate committee advances Mensah nomination • Rural poverty decreases, yet remains higher than U.S. poverty • HUD offers economic development funds for Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta • USDA posts amended maps showing future area eligibility • Regulators seek comments on proposed revisions to CRA questions and answers • HUD revises model standards for manufactured home ground anchoring • GAO report says HUD can do more on manufactured housing • Broad access to mortgage financing recommended to help reduce income inequality • Farmworker housing and health conference set for November • Webinar to cover protecting seniors and other RD tenants from displacement • Please nominate national or local rural housing leaders for HAC awards!

September 17, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 19

SEPT. 15-OCT. 15 IS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. President Obama’s proclamation includes a call for comprehensive immigration reform.

CONGRESS TO PASS CONTINUING RESOLUTION FOR EARLY FY15. The House is expected to pass a CR on September 17 and the Senate soon after that. It will fund the federal government at FY14 levels until December 11. In a post-November-elections session Congress will have to complete work on FY 2015 appropriations or pass another CR.

VILSACK RESPONDS TO CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ABOUT 502 SPENDING. Responding to concerns about USDA’s ability to use all available Section 502 direct funds before FY14 ends September 30 (see HAC News, 8/6/14), USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote to House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee leaders explaining steps being taken this year (see HAC News, 7/23/14) and planned for next year.

SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES MENSAH NOMINATION. The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing September 10 on the selection of Lisa Mensah as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development (see HAC News, 5/14/14). A confirmation vote by the full Senate has not yet been scheduled.

RURAL POVERTY DECREASES, YET REMAINS HIGHER THAN U.S. POVERTY. The number of rural Americans living in poverty decreased last year, according to a new Census Bureau report. Overall, the official U.S. poverty rate was 14.5% in 2013, a decline from 15% in 2012. Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013 says there was no statistically significant change in either the number of people living in poverty or real median household income. State and local data will be released September 18. A HAC Rural Research Note provides more details.

HUD OFFERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR APPALACHIA AND THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA. Both programs aim to increase access to capital for business lending and economic development, and applications are due November 3. For Appalachia, the only eligible applicants are state community and economic development agencies. For Delta funds, nonprofits and tribal governments are eligible. Contact Thann Young or Monica Wallace, HUD, 877-787-2526.

USDA POSTS AMENDED MAPS SHOWING FUTURE AREA ELIGIBILITY. Maps now available on RD’s website (under the Future Eligible Areas heading) eliminate “rural in character” changes (see HAC News, 9/3/14). A disclaimer indicates slight alterations may be made before the maps take effect on October 1.

REGULATORS SEEK COMMENTS ON PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CRA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. The Interagency Questions and Answers Regarding Community Reinvestment, revised periodically, supplement the Community Reinvestment Act regulations issued by the Federal Reserve board, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Comments are due November 10. Contact Bobbie Kennedy, OCC, 202-649-5470.

HUD REVISES MODEL STANDARDS FOR MANUFACTURED HOME GROUND ANCHORING. A final rule amends the Manufactured Home Model Installation Standards, establishing a uniform test method to determine and rate ground anchor performance in different soil classifications. Contact Pamela Beck Danner, HUD, 202-708-6423.

GAO REPORT SAYS HUD CAN DO MORE ON MANUFACTURED HOUSING. Manufactured Housing: Efforts Needed to Enhance Program Effectiveness and Ensure Funding Stability (GAO-14-410) recommendations related to the HUD Code updates, FHA insurance, and fees. Contact Matthew Scirè, GAO, 202-512-8678.

BROAD ACCESS TO MORTGAGE FINANCING RECOMMENDED TO HELP REDUCE INCOME INEQUALITY. Continued government provision of affordable housing and financing is among the recommendations of Responding to Rising Inequality: Policy Interventions to Ensure Opportunity for All, a brief published by the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at the University of California at Berkeley.

FARMWORKER HOUSING AND HEALTH CONFERENCE SET FOR NOVEMBER. “Farmworker Housing Quality and Health: A Transdisciplinary Conference” will be held November 11 in Arlington, VA. Registration is $50 until October 1.

PLEASE NOMINATE NATIONAL OR LOCAL RURAL HOUSING LEADERS FOR HAC AWARDS! Nominations are due September 30 for the Cochran/Collings Award for national rural housing service and the Skip Jason Community Service Award. The honors will be presented at the National Rural Housing Conference in December. Complete the online nomination form. Questions? Contact Lilla Sutton, HAC, 202-842-8600.

HAC News: March 21, 2013

March 21, 2013/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

March 21, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 6

• Congress sets final FY13 funding, continues rural area eligibility • FY14 funding process underway • Revisions proposed in CRA Interagency Questions and Answers • Reuters criticizes Section 502 guarantee program and grandfathering of area eligibility • Housing costs remain out of reach, NLIHC reports • Data for rural housing highlighted in winter issue of Rural Voices magazine

March 21, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 6

CONGRESS SETS FINAL FY13 FUNDING, CONTINUES RURAL AREA ELIGIBILITY. On March 20 and 21 the Senate and House passed a final appropriations bill for the current fiscal year. Unlike a previous House version (see HAC News, 3/6/13), the final includes full spending bills for USDA and some other agencies, and specific provisions for some HUD programs. It retains the 5% sequester and adds a 2.5% across the board cut. It also retains current area eligibility for USDA rural housing programs through the end of FY13. President Obama is expected to sign the bill. [tdborder][/tdborder]

USDA Rural Devel. Program (dollars in millions)	FY11 Final Approp.^a	FY12 Final Approp.	FY13 Admin. Budget	FY13 Approp. (H.R. 933)^b
502 Single Fam. Direct (Self-Help Setaside) (Teacher Setaside)	$1,121 — —	$900 — —	$652.8 (141) (67)	$900 (5) 0
502 Single Family Guar.	24,000	24,000	24,000	24,000
504 VLI Repair Loans	23.4	10	28	28
504 VLI Repair Grants	34	29.5	28.2	c
515 Rental Hsg. Direct	69.5	64.5	0	31.3
514 Farm Labor Hsg.	25.7	20.8	26	d
516 Farm Labor Hsg.	9.8	7.1	8.9	d
521 Rental Assistance (Preservation RA) (New Constr. 515 RA) (New Constr. 514/516 RA)	955.6 0 (2.03) (3)	904.7 0 (1.5) (2.5)	907.1 0 0 (3)	907.1 0 0 (3)
523 Self-Help TA	37	30	10	30
533 Hsg. Prsrv. Grants	10	3.6	0	c
538 Rental Hsg. Guar.	30.9	130	150	150
Rental Prsrv. Demo. (MPR)	15	2	34.4	17.8
Rental Prsrv. Revlg. Lns.	1	0	0	0
542 Rural Hsg. Vouchers	14	11	12.6	10
Rural Cmnty. Dev’t Init.	5	3.6	8	6.1
a. Figures do not include 0.2% across the board cut. b. Figures do not include 5% sequester or 2.5% across the board cut. c. Total for 504 grants and 533 grants is $33.1 million, the same as in FY12. d. The total budget authority for Sections 514 and 516 is $16.5 million, compared to $14.2 million in FY12. .

FY14 FUNDING PROCESS UNDERWAY. The Administration’s FY14 budget is expected to be released on April 8. The House Budget Committee has passed H.Con.Res. 25 and the Senate Budget Committee approved S.Con.Res. 8, resolutions that would set broad spending guidelines for FY14 appropriations. The two chambers are not expected to agree on a single budget resolution, so their FY14 appropriations bills will be based on different starting points.

REVISIONS PROPOSED IN CRA INTERAGENCY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. The federal banking regulatory agencies propose revisions and additions to the Q&A document intended to help lenders comply with the Community Reinvestment Act. Comments are due May 17. ContactBobbie K. Kennedy, OCC, 202-649–5470.

REUTERS CRITICIZES SECTION 502 GUARANTEE PROGRAM AND GRANDFATHERING OF AREA ELIGIBILITY. In “Special Report: A rural housing program city slickers just love” news agency Reuters claims that guaranteed loans have been made in urban places, to ineligible borrowers, and to purchase expensive homes. USDA’s response disputes some of the article’s claims and asserts that the agency operates the program in accordance with the law. HAC is preparing a response, which will be posted at www.ruralhome.org when available.

HOUSING COSTS REMAIN OUT OF REACH, NLIHC REPORTS. HAC’s summary of the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual Out of Reach report notes that, except for some counties in Oregon and Washington (where state minimum wages are higher than the federal minimum wage), there is no U.S. county where a one-bedroom rental at HUD’s Fair Market Rent is affordable to a minimum wage earner. Contact NLIHC, 202-662-1530.

DATA FOR RURAL HOUSING HIGHLIGHTED IN WINTER ISSUE OF RURAL VOICES MAGAZINE. Articles in Taking Stock of Housing in Your Community provide resources, insights, and tips for ways to access and use data to improve local rural housing conditions. Contact Dan Stern, HAC, 202-842-8600.

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