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HAC News: May 14, 2014

HAC News Formats. pdf

May 14, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 10

• House subcommittee approves cuts for FY15 HUD spending • Lisa Mensah nominated as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development • CDFI Fund offers bond guarantees • CFPB proposes mortgage rule amendments • Manufactured housing label fee increase proposed • FHFA Director addresses Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s future • VA proposes changes, including homeless definitions, for two programs

May, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 10

House subcommittee approves cuts for FY15 HUD spending. On May 7 the House Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee passed a spending bill that reduces HOME by 30% from 2014 and cuts fair housing, HOPWA, lead-hazard control, public housing capital, and project-based rental assistance. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the bill’s funding probably would not be enough to renew all Housing Choice Vouchers. The bill includes HUD’s SHOP program as part of HOME, following a recommendation in the President’s budget. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to act during the week of May 19. [tdborder][/tdborder]

HUD Program
(dollars in millions)

FY13
Approp.a

FY14
Approp.

FY15
Admin. Budget

FY15
House Bill

Cmty. Devel. Fund
CDBG
Sustainable Commun. Init.
Rural Innovation Fund

3,308
2,948
0
0

3,100
3,030
0
0

2,870
2,800
0
0

3,060
3,000
0
0

HOME
SHOP setaside

1,000
b

1,000
b

950
10

700
10

Self-Help Homeownshp. (SHOP)

13.5

10

c

c

Tenant-Based Rental Asstnce.
VASH setaside

18,939.4
75

19,177.2
75

20,100
75

19,356
75

Project-Based Rental Asstnce.

9,339.7

9,516.6

9,346

9,346

Public Hsg. Capital Fund

1,886

1,875

1,925

1,775

Public Hsg. Operating Fund

4,262

4,400

4,600

4,400

Choice Neighbrhd. Initiative

120

90

120

0

Housing Trust Fund

d

d

1,000

0

Native Amer. Hsg. Block Grant

650

650

650

650

Homeless Assistance Grants

2,033

2,105

2,406.4

2,105

Rural Hsg. Stability Prog.

e

e

e

e

Hsg. Opps. for Persons w/ AIDS

334

330

332

303

202 Hsg. for Elderly

377

385.3

440

420

811 Hsg. for Disabled

165

126

160

135

Fair Housing

70.8

66

71

46

Healthy Homes & Lead Haz. Cntl.

120

110

120

70

Housing Counseling

45

45

60

45


a.
Figures shown do not include 5% sequester. b. Funded under separate Self-Help & Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program. c. Funded as a setaside in HOME. d. National Housing Trust Fund is “mandatory” funding, not discretionary, so does not need to be funded through appropriations legislation, although the Administration did include it in the budget request. e. Funded under Homeless Assistance Grants.

Lisa Mensah nominated as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. Mensah, currently executive director of the Aspen Institute Initiative on Financial Security, needs to be confirmed by the Senate. Deputy Under Secretary Doug O’Brien is currently Acting Under Secretary.

CDFI Fund offers bond guarantees. Certified CDFIs can apply by June 23 to become Qualified Issuers in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program and by June 30 to receive bond guarantees. Email bgp@cdfi.treas.gov.

CFPB proposes mortgage rule amendments. Comments are due June 5 on suggested changes including some new nonprofit exemptions and July 7 on other specified topics. Contact Pedro De Oliveira, CFPB, 202-435-7700.

Manufactured housing label fee increase proposed. Comment by June 2 on HUD’s request to raise the fee for each new section from $39 to $95-$105. Contact Pamela B. Danner, HUD, 202-708-6423.

FHFA Director addresses Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s future. In a May 13 speech, Mel Watt presented a strategic plan for ongoing conservatorship. He mentioned increasing activity in small multifamily properties and manufactured home communities, and did not address the not-yet-implemented duty to serve underserved markets including rural areas, or the National Housing Trust Fund.

VA proposes changes, including homeless definitions, for two programs. Comments are due June 23 on Supportive Services for Veteran Families (contact John Kuhn, 877-737-0111) and in July on Health Care for Homeless Veterans (to be published in the May 15 Federal Register; contact Robert Hallett, 781-687-3187).