National homeownership month Archives

HAC News Formats. pdf

June 11, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 12

• June is National Homeownership Month • HUD funding bills move forward, differences remain • House considers FY15 USDA bill, White House veto looms • House and Senate differ on requiring ACS responses • Section 533 HPG funds offered • USDA amends IRP regulations • Upcoming Trainings from HAC

June 11, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 12

June is National Homeownership Month. HUD and USDA press releases are online.

HUD funding bills move forward, differences remain. The full House on June 10 and the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 5 approved FY15 funding for HUD. The Senate, with many programs at 2014 levels or at the Obama budget’s level, provides higher amounts than the House for most HUD programs. Amendments adopted on the House floor prohibit funding from this bill being used for the Housing Trust Fund, forbid HUD implementation of a new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule (see HAC News, 7/17/13), shift $10 million within the Homeless Assist-ance Grants account to the Rural Housing Stability Program, and move $10 million from HUD’s information technology account to the Fair Housing Initiatives Program.[tdborder][/tdborder]

HUD Program (dollars in millions)	FY13 Approp.^a	FY14 Approp.	FY15 Admin. Budget	FY15 House Bill H.R. 4745	FY15 Senate Bill S. 2438
Cmty. Devel. Fund CDBG	3,308 2,948	3,100 3,030	2,870 2,800	3,060 3,000	3,090 3,020
HOME SHOP setaside	1,000 b	1,000 b	950 10	700 10	950 0
Self-Help Homeownshp. (SHOP)	13.5	10	c	c	10
Tenant-Based Rental Asstnce. VASH setaside	18,939.4 75	19,177.2 75	20,100 75	19,356 75	19,562 75
Project-Based Rental Asstnce.	9,339.7	9,516.6	9,346	9,346	9,346
Public Hsg. Capital Fund	1,886	1,875	1,925	1,775	1,900
Public Hsg. Operating Fund	4,262	4,400	4,600	4,400	4,475
Choice Neighbrhd. Initiative	120	90	120	0	90
Housing Trust Fund	d	d	1,000	0	0
Native Amer. Hsg. Block Grant	650	650	650	650	650
Homeless Assistance Grantse	2,033	2,105	2,406.4	2,105	2,145
Hsg. Opps. for Persons w/ AIDS	334	330	332	303	330
202 Hsg. for Elderly	377	385.3	440	420	420
811 Hsg. for Disabled	165	126	160	135	135
Fair Housing	70.8	66	71	56	66
Healthy Homes & Lead Haz. Cntl.	120	110	120	70	110
Housing Counseling	45	45	60	45	49
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. Includes Rural Housing Stability Program.

House considers FY15 USDA bill, White House veto looms. The House begins floor debate June 11 on H.R. 4800, its USDA appropriations bill. The White House issued a veto threat, based primarily on the bill’s food and nutrition provisions, and encouraged adoption of all requested changes to the Section 521 Rental Assistance program.

House and Senate differ on requiring ACS responses. The FY15 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill passed by the House on May 30 would make responses to the American Community Survey voluntary. On June 5 the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its companion spending bill, retaining the current requirement that those who receive the survey must respond. The ACS provides data on many subjects including housing conditions and costs, and research shows that making responses voluntary would seriously reduce the reliability of data for small areas and Indian reservations.

Section 533 HPG funds offered. Nonprofits, state or local governments, and tribes can submit preapplications by July 28 for Housing Preservation Grants. Contact a USDA RD state office for details and a preapplication package.

USDA amends IRP regulations. Changes to the Rural Business-Cooperative Service’s Intermediary Relending Program are intended to address items based on an Office of Inspector General audit and the 2014 Farm Bill. They will become final unless adverse comments are filed by August 4. Contact Lori A. Washington, RBS, 202-720-9815.

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HAC News Formats. pdf

June 5, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 11

• June is National Homeownership Month • House subcommittee approves FY14 USDA funding bill • OMB tells agencies to reduce budgets by 10% for FY15 • Kunesh named Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development • RD offers rental preservation loan funds to intermediaries • Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants available • HUD proposes updates to FOIA regulations • HAC blogs about Metropollyanna • Oklahoma tornado disaster guide available from HAC • Rural Voices magazine examines 7 issues facing Rural America

June 5, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 11

JUNE IS NATIONAL HOMEOWNERSHIP MONTH. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack marked the occasion, as did housing administrator Tammye Treviño in South and North Dakota.

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES FY14 USDA FUNDING BILL. The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee approved a bill on June 6. The full committee may consider it as early as next week. [tdborder][/tdborder]

USDA Rural Devel. Prog. (dollars in millions)	FY13 Approp. (H.R. 933)a	FY14 Admin. Budget	FY14 House Bill
502 Single Fam. Direct (Self-Help Setaside) (Teacher Setaside)	$900 (5) 0	$360 0 0	$820.2 0 0
502 Single Family Guar.	24,000	24,000	24,000
504 VLI Repair Loans	28	26.3	25.4
504 VLI Repair Grants	29.5	25	18.6
515 Rental Hsg. Direct	31.3	28.4	28.4
514 Farm Labor Hsg.	20.8	23.5	23.9
516 Farm Labor Hsg.	7.1	14	8.2
521 Rental Assistance (Preservation RA) (New Cnstr. 515 RA) (New Cnstr. 514/516 RA)	907.1 0 0 (3)	1,015 0 0 (3)	1,012 0 0 0
523 Self-Help TA	30	10	17.1
533 Hsg. Prsrv. Grants	3.6	0	0
538 Rental Hsg. Guar.	150	150	150
Rental Prsrv. Demo. (MPR)	17.8	20	17.3
Rental Prsrv. Revlg. Lns.	0	0	0
542 Rural Hsg. Vouchers	10	12.6	9.7
Rural Cmnty. Dev’t Init.	6.1	0	6
a. Figures do not include 5% sequester or 2.5% across the board cut.

OMB TELLS AGENCIES TO REDUCE BUDGETS BY 10% FOR FY15. A May 29 memo instructs federal departments and agencies to develop FY15 budget requests at levels 10% below the amounts projected for FY15 in their FY14 budget requests, without using across-the-board cuts. These submissions are the first step in developing the Administration’s FY15 budget.

KUNESH NAMED DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT. The appointment of Patrice Kunesh, of Standing Rock Lakota descent, was announced in a May 31 letter from Secretary Vilsack to tribal leaders.

RD OFFERS RENTAL PRESERVATION LOAN FUNDS TO INTERMEDIARIES. Apply by August 5 to administer and reloan Preservation Revolving Loan Fund monies. Contact Sherry Engel, USDA, 715-345-7677.

CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS AVAILABLE. PHAs, local governments, nonprofits, tribal entities, and for-profits applying jointly with a public entity can apply by September 10. Contact HUD staff.

ONE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT ELIMINATED FOR SECTION 515/8 PROPERTIES. HUD’s Notice H 2013-16 says annual statements must be provided to USDA only. Contact HUD, 202-402-2629.

HUD proposes updates to FOIA regulations. Comments are due July 30 on proposed changes to HUD’s regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act. Contact Dolores W. Cole, HUD, 202-402-2671.

HAC BLOGS ABOUT METROPOLLYANNA. HAC’s latest post on Rooflines blog debunks the idea that everyone will move to the city eventually and live happily ever after.

OKLAHOMA TORNADO DISASTER GUIDE AVAILABLE FROM HAC. A supplement provides Oklahoma specifics and general information is available in Picking Up the Pieces: Restoring Rural Housing and Communities After a Disaster. Print copies are free to people and organizations in the disaster area from Dan Stern, HAC, 202-842-8600.

RURAL VOICES MAGAZINE EXAMINES 7 ISSUES FACING RURAL AMERICA. The spring issue of HAC’s quarterly magazine reprints issue papers from the 2012 National Rural Housing Conference and summarizes participant discussions. One print subscription per organization is free from Dan Stern, HAC, 202-842-8600.

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