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HAC News: February 11, 2019

February 11, 2019/in HAC News

News Formats. pdf

February 11, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 3

February is Black History Month • Government funded to February 15, another shutdown possible • Rural Rental Assistance payments obligated through April • USDA explains status of homeownership programs • HAC offers grants for housing aid to rural veterans • Puerto Rico disaster funds available • FY2020 budget process begins in March • Senator releases housing finance reform outline, White House developing a proposal • HAC symposium on rural veterans’ housing and services scheduled for April in Arkansas • Hazlett leaving USDA, Baxley to move to Secretary’s office • Rural broadband application deadlines to be extended • USDA raises loan-to-cost ratio for guaranteed rental housing loans

HAC News Formats. pdf

February 11, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 3

February is Black History Month.

House subcommittee to hold hearing on rural housing.
HAC will be one of several organizations testifying in a hearing titled “The Affordable Housing Crisis in Rural America: Assessing the Federal Response,” convened by the Housing, Community Development, and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. The hearing will be broadcast live online, February 14 at 10 a.m. eastern.

Government funded to February 15, another shutdown possible.
The partial government shutdown that began December 22 ended on January 25 with a short-term continuing resolution lasting through February 15. It is possible the same government agencies will close again if Congress and the President do not reach agreement on appropriations and border security.

Rural Rental Assistance payments obligated through April.
USDA RD shared with HAC a notice sent to owners and managers of USDA-financed properties with Section 521 Rental Assistance: “We are pleased to inform you that Rental Assistance for Section 514/515 properties has been obligated through April. The Management Interactive Network Connection (MINC) has been updated to reflect these obligations. We understand that the most recent lapse in appropriations created anxiety and uncertainty regarding the status of your contract obligations. We are hopeful that this communique and the fact that all contracts are obligated through April will provide you reassurance and operational predictability in your management of these critical low-income resources throughout rural America. Thank you for your partnership in delivering the Rural Housing Service affordable housing mission.”

USDA explains status of homeownership programs.
USDA’s single-family programs office says it will issue new Certificates of Eligibility to all Section 502 direct applicants who had valid COEs on December 21 before the government shut down. The agency does not have enough funding to obligate more Section 502 direct loans until it receives funding beyond February 15, however. Section 504 repair loans and grants are available; applicants with immediate health and safety hazards will receive priority. A funding plan for Section 523 self-help grantee organizations is being developed.

HAC offers grants for housing aid to rural veterans.
HAC’s Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans initiative supports local nonprofit housing development organizations that meet or help meet the affordable housing needs of veterans in rural areas. Grants may be up to $30,000 and must support bricks-and-mortar projects that assist low-income, elderly and/or disabled veterans with home repair and rehab needs, support homeless veterans, help veterans become homeowners, and/or secure affordable rental housing. This initiative is funded through the generous support of the Home Depot Foundation. Applications are due March 11. For more information, contact HAC staff, ahrv@ruralhome.org.

Puerto Rico disaster funds available.
HUD has released the initial $1.5 billion of CDBG-DR funds for Puerto Rico that were approved before the shutdown and then delayed.

FY2020 budget process begins in March.
Preparation of the Administration’s budget for the year that begins October 1, 2019 was delayed by the shutdown. Reportedly, summary budget information will be released the week of March 11 and details the week of March 18. Unless Congress and the President agree to raise the Budget Control Act caps on federal spending, as they have in recent years, the caps will come back into effect for FY20 and force significant cuts in appropriations.

Senator releases housing finance reform outline, White House developing a proposal.
Senate Banking Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) on February 1 released an outline for housing finance reform. The proposal would privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and would allow other mortgage guarantors as well. The current affordable housing goals and Duty to Serve requirements would be replaced by a new Market Access Fund. Funding for the Housing Trust Fund, Capital Magnet Fund, and Market Access Fund would be funded through an assessment on total annual loan volume. Joseph Otting, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie and Freddie, has reportedly told FHFA staff the Administration also plans to move forward on housing finance reform; a White House statement said their framework is still in development.

HAC symposium on rural veterans’ housing and services scheduled for April in Arkansas.
HAC’s 5th Annual National Symposium on Veterans Housing Issues will be held April 18-19 at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation. This year’s theme centers on addressing the critical needs around housing, homelessness and aging solutions for rural veterans, within the context of the Delta Regional Authority’s eight-state service area. There is no fee to attend, but space is limited and advance registration is required. For more information, contact Cheryl Cobbler, HAC.

Hazlett leaving USDA, Baxley to move to Secretary’s office.
Anne Hazlett is leaving her position as Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development at USDA to go to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Joel Baxley, currently RHS Administrator, will become the Acting Assistant to the Secretary for RD. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and the White House are working to find a nominee for the position of Under Secretary for Rural Development. That job was eliminated by Perdue but the recent Farm Bill required it to be filled. USDA’s announcement does not name an Acting RHS Administrator but Rich Davis, RHS Deputy Administrator for Community Facilities, is expected to serve in that role.

Rural broadband application deadlines to be extended.
The first application deadline for USDA RD’s new ReConnect Program was initially set for April, but the agency has announced it will shift that to May 31 or later. Specific deadlines will be posted in the Federal Register in late February.

USDA raises loan-to-cost ratio for guaranteed rental housing loans.
Effective February 7, 2019, the low loan-to-cost ratio required for a continuous guarantee (a single guarantee for construction and permanent loans) through the Section 538 rental guarantee program will be 70% rather than the previous 50%. For more information, contact Tammy Daniels, USDA, 202-720-0021.

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).

Disconnect in Rural America

August 6, 2018/in Rural Research Notes Broadband, Economic Development

Despite mass adoption, greater functionality, and more access points, the internet remains out of reach for many Americans, especially those in rural communities. One of the primary reasons for this disconnect is geography, where long distances between homes raise the cost of installing the infrastructure for broadband in rural areas, leaving rural homes with less access to fast, reliable internet.

As broadband becomes less a luxury and more a daily necessity, this technology gap can leave segments of the rural population technologically behind, causing slow economic growth, and limited access to advancements in areas, such as telemedicine.

More Than One-Quarter of Rural Homes Do Not Have Internet Subscriptions

Overall, 27 percent of all rural households lack any type of broadband subscription, compared to 17.1 percent of metropolitan households. This amounts to more than 4.7 million rural households without a broadband internet subscription – cellular data plan, cable/DSL/fiber optic, or satellite.

In addition, 129,963 rural households with an internet subscription are still using dial-up. This is 1 percent of all rural households with internet subscriptions, while only .04 percent of subscribers in metro areas have dial-up subscriptions.

The digital gap applies to most types of internet access, as measured by subscription data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Broadband subscription rates, at least in part, reflect access to the internet based on existing infrastructure and affordability. For example, rural households are less likely to have a cellular data plan than metropolitan area households, 57 percent to 70 percent. The one exception to this gap is satellite-based service. Nine percent of rural households, compared to 6 percent of metropolitan area households use satellite internet services. Greater isolation and more sparse populations in rural areas likely explain the more common use of satellite technology, where cable or fiber optic services are not available.

The broadband gap between rural and metropolitan area households exists at all income levels. For households with incomes less than $20,000 a year, rural broadband subscriptions are 10 percentage points lower than in metropolitan areas. For households with incomes from $20,000 to $75,000 the gap persists albeit slightly smaller at 7 percentage points. Even at higher income levels – $75,000 and above – rural households have lower broadband subscription rates, 91 percent to 95 percent.

The same disparity in connectivity exists at all age ranges as well. Rural residents under 18 years old are less likely to have a broadband subscription compared to their metropolitan counterparts, 84 percent to 89 percent. The trend follows for residents between 18 and 64 years old, 81 percent to 88 percent, and for those 65 years and older, 62 percent to 73 percent.

So, while income and age may exacerbate the disparity in broadband subscriptions, subscription rates in rural areas continue to trail metropolitan areas across the board.

Rural Homes Lack Device Diversity

Rural households also have fewer computing devices than their metropolitan area counterparts. About 83 percent of rural households have at least one computing devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.), while 90 percent of metropolitan area households do. Furthermore, less than 67 percent of rural households have at least two devices, compared to almost 75 percent of metropolitan households.

Rural households with access to some type of computing device are more often limited, with access to either a smartphone or a desktop computer, rather than having the capability and benefits of both forms of technology. While seemingly a small issue, fewer devices directly impacts rural households’ ability to take advantage of ever increasing technologies. This means that a rural home buyer with only a smartphone may not be able to obtain detailed information on mortgage products, and a veteran without a smartphone cannot get on the road directions to a VA healthcare facility for an appointment.

What the Disconnect Means

While it may not be surprising that rural households have less broadband access and fewer devices, it can be consequential. Less dense areas where there are large physical gaps in infrastructure is where the internet can be the best utilized. Households without broadband subscriptions are unable to access services effectively, such as online banking and shopping, telemedicine, and more reliable communication.

Investing in broadband infrastructure in rural areas can help diminish the disparities in access between rural and metropolitan households. While initial infrastructure investments may not be deemed profitable by traditional providers currently, small and local municipalities may need to consider creative methods of bringing broadband to their rural communities.

“Rural” in this Note refers to population and territory outside of a Metropolitan Area, as designated by the Office of Management and Budget.

HAC News: July 19, 2018

July 19, 2018/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

July 19, 2018
Vol. 47, No. 15

Rural residents spend disproportionate amounts on household energy, study finds • Persons with temporary farmworker visas now eligible for USDA-financed housing • USDA to institute guarantee fee for information technology enhancements • House bill would authorize new housing mobility funds • GAO releases new auditing standards • Guide aims to help tribes increase homeownership • House committee hears testimony on rural broadband • Child poverty remains higher than before recession

HAC News Formats. pdf

July 19, 2018
Vol. 47, No. 15

Rural residents spend disproportionate amounts on household energy, study finds.
Rural U.S. households spend a disproportionately high share of their incomes on energy bills, according to a new report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and Energy Efficiency for All. Low-income rural households spend a median 9% of their incomes on home energy, almost three times larger than the proportion for their higher-income counterparts. Other rural residents hit particularly hard include elderly, nonwhite, and renting households, as well as those living in multifamily and manufactured homes. The High Cost of Energy in Rural America: Household Energy Burdens and Opportunities for Energy Efficiency includes suggestions to improve energy efficiency incentives and affordability.

Persons with temporary farmworker visas now eligible for USDA-financed housing.
USDA’s FY18 funding bill makes workers admitted to the U.S. on H-2A visas eligible to live in Section 514/516 farmworker housing. This month USDA issued guidance on implementing this change. Employers, who must sponsor H-2A workers and are responsible for providing housing, may be required to sign leases as guarantors. For more information, contact a USDA RD state office.

USDA to institute guarantee fee for information technology enhancements.
USDA intends to begin on January 2, 2019 collecting a guarantee underwriting user fee from lenders using the Section 502 guarantee program. Authorized in the 2016 Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, the funds will be used for future information technology enhancements. USDA expects to levy a $25 fee; the authorized amount can be up to $50. Comments are due September 11. For more information, contact Kate Jensen, USDA, 503-894-2382.

House bill would authorize new housing mobility funds.
The Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act (H.R. 5793), which passed the House on July 10, would authorize funding for a new housing mobility demonstration program to encourage families with Housing Choice Vouchers to move to lower-poverty areas. The Senate has not yet begun considering the bill.

GAO releases new auditing standards.
Government Auditing Standards 2018 Revision, known as the Yellow Book, provides standards and guidance for audits of federal, state, and local government programs. It was last updated in 2011. For more information, contact GAO, 202-512-9535.

Guide aims to help tribes increase homeownership.
Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership, published by the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, describes mortgage programs and lenders, and offers case studies.

House committee hears testimony on rural broadband.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing July 17 titled Realizing the Benefits of Rural Broadband: Challenges and Solutions. Witnesses agreed that rural places need reliable broadband access and described how different types of technologies could help.

Child poverty remains higher than before recession.
USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that almost 20% of U.S. children lived in poverty in 2016, compared to 18% in 2007. Child poverty rates are highest in the South and Southwest, particularly in counties with concentrations of Native Americans and along the Mississippi Delta. Children in poverty tend to live in nonmetro counties – many with persistently high poverty – that were hard hit by the recession.

HAC OFFERS SECTION 502 PACKAGING TRAINING IN SEPTEMBER.
This three-day advanced course trains experienced participants to assist potential borrowers and work with RD staff, other nonprofits, and regional intermediaries to deliver successful Section 502 loan packages. The registration fee is $750. The training will be held September 24-26 in Liverpool, NY. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO NOMINATE LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS FOR HAC AWARDS.
HAC is still accepting nominations for its 2018 Cochran/Collings National Service and Skip Jason Community Service Leadership Awards. The awards will be presented at the 2018 HAC Rural Housing Conference in December. Past awardees are listed on HAC’s site. Complete theonline nomination form. For more information, contact Lilla Sutton, HAC, 202-842-8600.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2018 HAC RURAL HOUSING CONFERENCE!
The conference will be held December 4-7 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. The HAC News will announce when conference registration opens and when the hotel room block is available for reservations.

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: January 19, 2017

January 19, 2017/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

January 19, 2017
Vol. 46, No. 2

Perdue nominated for USDA Secretary, RD staff acting in administrative positions • Carson pledges to enforce laws, supports rental assistance • USDA offers rural broadband loans, loan guarantees, and grants • RD updates handbooks on multifamily ownership transfers and single-family housing • 2016 data show continuing trends for USDA tenants • Administration for Children and Families requests input from Native Americans • HUD revises Rental Assistance Demonstration • Register for notice of calls on Section 538 program • RD updates multifamily loan payoff guidance • FHFA proposes evaluation guidance for Duty to Serve • Duty to Serve Listening Sessions scheduled • OMB approves two fair housing assessment tools • Changes to blood lead level rule adopted • Final rule issued for HECM reverse mortgage program • HOTMA changes to project- and tenant-based vouchers implemented • Rural Voices magazine covers rural housing innovations • HAC seeks proposals for housing projects serving rural veterans

HAC News Formats. pdf

January 19, 2017
Vol. 46, No. 2

Perdue nominated for USDA Secretary, RD staff acting in administrative positions. On January 19, President-elect Trump named former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue, who has a background in agriculture, to become Secretary of Agriculture. Career employees will run RD and its agencies until appointments for those posts are made. Roger Glendenning will serve as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, Rich Davis as Acting Administrator for RHS, Chad Parker as Acting Administrator for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Chris McLean as Acting Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service.

Carson pledges to enforce laws, supports rental assistance. At his January 12 confirmation hearing, HUD Secretary nominee Ben Carson advocated for a holistic approach connecting housing with economic development, health, and more. He hopes to enhance HUD’s lead exposure programs to prevent chronic illnesses. He spoke positively about VASH and other rental assistance. When asked about his commitment to fair housing requirements, Carson stated he would “enforce all the laws of the land.” Responding to questions from Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Jon Tester (D-MT), he expressed concern about Native American housing conditions. His written testimony mentions rural areas once, saying lead is a problem in urban, suburban, and rural places. None of the hearing questions focused on rural housing specifically. The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee is scheduled to vote on January 24 whether to send his nomination to the full Senate for approval.

USDA offers rural broadband loans, loan guarantees, and grants. Loans and loan guarantees from the Rural Broadband Access program can be used for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide broadband service for rural areas. There are two application windows this year: March 1-31 and September 1-30. The Community Connect Grant Program offers grants to provide broadband service to all premises in currently unserved, lower-income, and extremely rural areas, with priority for places that demonstrate the greatest need for broadband. Its application deadline is March 13. For more information, contact Shawn Arner, Rural Utilities Service, 202-720-0800.

RD updates handbooks on multifamily ownership transfers and single-family housing. In HB-3-3560, the Project Servicing Handbook for Sections 515 and 514/516, Chapter 7 on ownership transfers has been completely revised, including (among other changes) updated underwriting requirements, incorporation of the Preliminary Assessment Tool, and use of industry-based underwriting standards where possible. There are a number of changes throughout HB-1-3550, which covers the Section 502 direct and Section 504 programs. For more information, contact an RD office.

2016 data show continuing trends for USDA tenants. In its annual release of data on tenant characteristics, RD reports slight changes: a drop in the number of rental units in the portfolio, a decline in the proportion of tenants who are white, an increase in low-income households (and a corresponding decrease in very low-income), and an increase in disabled tenants within the elderly/disabled category. There were 4,220 fewer units in the portfolio in September 2016 than in September 2015, a drop of almost 1%, and more than half the lost units had two bedrooms. The same proportion of Section 515 tenants receive Section 521 Rental Assistance (67%) as in 2015, and the same proportion are cost-burdened (13%).

Administration for Children and Families requests input from Native Americans. ACF, part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, hopes to identify issues and challenges facing American Indian and Alaska Native populations and to gather recommendations for addressing the needs. Comments are due March 10. For more information, contact Camille Loya, ACF, 202-401-5964.

HUD revises Rental Assistance Demonstration. RAD allows the conversion of public housing and other HUD-assisted properties to project-based Section 8. Send comments to rad@hud.gov by February 21. For more information, contact HUD staff at rad@hud.gov.

Register for notice of calls on Section 538 program. RD will continue holding periodic calls or web meetings with stakeholders about the Section 538 guaranteed rental housing program. To receive notices when calls are scheduled – even if you registered for these calls in the past – contact Monica Cole, USDA, 202-720-1251.

RD updates multifamily loan payoff guidance. An Unnumbered Letter dated December 28, 2016 discusses the options available for handling properties where a Section 515 or 514 mortgage has reached its maturity date. For more information, contact an RD state office.

FHFA proposes evaluation guidance for Duty to Serve. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s draft guidance indicates FHFA’s expectations for developing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s Duty to Serve Underserved Markets Plans, and the process for evaluating their performance. Comments on the evaluation guidance are due May 12. For more information, email DutyToServeStakeholders@fhfa.gov.

Duty to Serve Listening Sessions scheduled. FHFA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac will co-host a series of public listening sessions in early 2017 on Duty to Serve. The dates and locations are: January 25, Chicago; February 1, San Francisco; February 8, Washington, DC; February 9, Webinar. For more information and to register visit https://www.fhfa.gov/PolicyProgramsResearch/PROGRAMS/Pages/Duty-to-Serve.aspx.

OMB approves two fair housing assessment tools. The tools will be used by public housing agencies and by local governments that receive CDBG, HOME, ESG, or HOPWA funding when conducting and submitting their Assessments of Fair Housing. PHAs with 1,250 or fewer combined public housing and voucher units will provide less information than those with larger programs. For more information, contact Krista Mills, HUD, 866-234-2689.

Changes to blood lead level rule adopted. A final rule adopts a revised definition of “elevated blood lead level” in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. (See HAC News, 9/8/16.) It also establishes more comprehensive testing and evaluation procedures for housing where children under age six reside and makes some other changes. For more information, contact Warren Friedman, HUD, 202-402-7698.

Final rule issued for HECM reverse mortgage program. The Federal Housing Administration’s changes are intended to strengthen the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program and increase its sustainability. For more information, contact Karin Hill, HUD, 202-402-3084.

HOTMA changes to project- and tenant-based vouchers implemented. A HUD notice implements several provisions of the 2016 Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act. (See HAC News, 11/3/16.) Comments are due March 20. For more information, contact HOTMAquestionsPIH@hud.gov.

Rural Voices magazine covers rural housing innovations. Tiny houses, super energy efficiency, intensive planning, and more are included in the winter issue of HAC’s magazine. Sign up online to receive email notices when new issues are published.

HAC seeks proposals for housing projects serving rural veterans. Supported by The Home Depot Foundation, grants will go to nonprofits, tribally designated housing entities, and housing authorities serving veterans at or below 80% of area median income in rural areas. Projects may be new construction or rehab, temporary or permanent housing, in progress or beginning within 12 months. Grants will not normally exceed $30,000. Several smaller requests may be granted rather than a few larger ones. Letters of Interest are due February 3. For more information contact Shonterria Charleston, HAC, 404-892-4824.

HAC News: August 5, 2015

August 5, 2015/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

August 5, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 16

• Americans with Disabilities Act turns 25 • FY16 appropriations stall • USDA offers debt deferral for maturing mortgages as well as MPR preservation funds • HUD has funding for fair housing, Jobs Plus, and Main Street • Rural broadband loans and loan guarantees available, new rule published • Tenants displaced by maturing mortgages eligible for LOPEs • USDA proposes changes to multifamily owners’ financial reporting • Promise Zone comments requested • HUD suggests changes to faith-based organizations regulations • Inspector General recommends reducing number of overincome families in public housing • HAC explains federal funding and sequestration • Two HAC trainings offered September 15-16

HAC News Formats. pdf

August 5, 2015
Vol. 44, No. 16

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT TURNS 25. A presidential proclamation recognizes July 26, 2015 as the 25th anniversary of the ADA. Additional information is online from HUD and the Justice Department.

FY16 APPROPRIATIONS STALL. All 12 spending bills have passed the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, but further progress seems unlikely. Legislators do not agree whether to continue sequestration, and the Administration has written a series of letters asking Congress to reverse sequestration and make “commonsense” cuts for FY16, focusing most recently on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s USDA appropriations bill. The House is in recess and the Senate goes out of session after this week, with both houses returning on September 8. A Continuing Resolution is likely for at least the early part of FY16.

USDA OFFERS DEBT DEFERRAL FOR MATURING MORTGAGES AS WELL AS MPR PRESERVATION FUNDS. The Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization demonstration can be used for existing Section 515 and Section 514/516 properties. No additional Section 521 Rental Assistance is available. Properties with USDA multifamily mortgages maturing on or before December 31, 2018 are eligible for debt deferral to extend the affordable use of the housing and continue its RA eligibility. Applications that request debt deferrals and also other MPR funding tools are due December 1. Applications requesting only debt deferral are due December 31. Contact a Housing Programs Specialist at a USDA RD State Office.

HUD HAS FUNDING FOR FAIR HOUSING, JOBS PLUS, AND MAIN STREET. Fair housing organizations and other nonprofits can apply by August 26 for Fair Housing Initiative Program funds; contact Myron P. Newry, HUD, 202-402-7095. Applications from PHAs are due September 28 for the Jobs Plus Pilot; contact HUD staff, jobsplus@hud.gov. Small communities’ governments are eligible for the HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program with an August 27 deadline; contact Lawrence Gnessin, HUD.

RURAL BROADBAND LOANS AND LOAN GUARANTEES AVAILABLE, NEW RULE PUBLISHED. Get an application guide online or request one from Shawn Arner, RUS, 202-720-0800. Deadline is September 30. Comments are due September 28 on an interim rule that implements changes made by the 2014 Farm Bill. Contact Kenneth Kuchno, RUS, 202-720-9554.

TENANTS DISPLACED BY MATURING MORTGAGES ELIGIBLE FOR LOPEs. Tenants who cannot stay in their Section 515 apartments because of rent increases after the mortgage expires are now entitled to receive Letters of Priority Entitlement giving them priority on the waiting lists of other Section 515 properties. Contact a USDA RD State Office.

USDA PROPOSES CHANGES TO MULTIFAMILY OWNERS’ FINANCIAL REPORTING. To reduce the burden on owners, RD suggests removing engagement requirements and unit-based requirements for annual financial reporting on Section 515 and 514/516 properties and replacing them with risk-based audit requirements based on HUD’s. Comments are due in early October. Contact Stephanie White, USDA, 202-720-1615.

PROMISE ZONE COMMENTS REQUESTED. The third and final round of the Promise Zones Initiative will select five urban communities, one rural, and one tribal. Comments on the proposed selection process, criteria and submissions are due September 28. Contact Bryan Herdliska, PromiseZones@hud.gov, 202-402-6758.

HUD SUGGESTS CHANGES TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS REGULATIONS. The revisions would implement an Executive Order that clarifies religious providers are welcome to compete for federal funding and provides protections for program beneficiaries, including a referral process for those who object to an organization’s religious character. Comments are due in early October. Contact Paula Lincoln, HUD, 202-708-2404.

INSPECTOR GENERAL RECOMMENDS REDUCING NUMBER OF OVERINCOME FAMILIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING. HUD OIG Audit Report Number 2015-PH-0002, Overincome Families Residing in Public Housing Units, says over 25,000 families in public housing have incomes over the eligibility limits because HUD gives public housing authorities discretion to set policies that would require overincome families to move and some PHAs allow them to stay. The study included PHAs of all sizes. OIG recommends that HUD direct housing authorities to establish policies to reduce the number of overincome families in public housing, so more eligible low-income families can receive housing assistance.

HAC EXPLAINS FEDERAL FUNDING AND SEQUESTRATION. The Federal Budget, Appropriations, Sequestration and Rural Communities: Expanding the Conversation, a new HAC policy note, tells how spending caps impact housing programs.

TWO HAC TRAININGS OFFERED SEPTEMBER 15-16. The cost is $75 each for these courses in North Charleston, SC. Register online for Sharpening Your Skills: Financial Management for Rural Nonprofits or Utilizing the LIHTC Program: Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing. Contact Shonterria Charleston, HAC, 404-892-4824.

HAC News: June 25, 2014

June 25, 2014/in HAC News

HAC News Formats. pdf

June 25, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 13

• USDA and HUD funding stalls in Senate • HUD and OMB nominations proceed • Obama visits Standing Rock Reservation, HUD offers ICDBG funds • USDA will make rural broadband grants • ROSS funds and Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants available • Final changes made to project-based and tenant-based voucher programs • HUD implements FY14 appropriations law provisions • USDA RD to monitor Section 502 direct delinquencies more closely • Travel scholarships available for HUD CHDO workshops on new HOME rule • Rural housing obligations lag, NRHC expresses concern about 502 direct • Elders in HUD-subsidized housing have greater health needs than peers • State of the Nation’s Housing report to be released June 26

June 25, 2014
Vol. 43, No. 13

USDA AND HUD FUNDING STALLS IN SENATE. On June 19 the Senate halted progress, at least temporarily, on FY15 spending bills after Republicans and Democrats were unable to agree on a process for offering and voting on amendments to a mini-omnibus package (H.R. 4660) that combined three funding bills, including USDA and Transportation-HUD. Negotiations continue but it now appears more likely that a continuing resolution will be needed to start the new fiscal year on October 1. Both Senate and House had been moving quickly on the 2015 spending bills. The House has passed its T-HUD bill and put discussion of its USDA bill on hold indefinitely (see HAC News, 6/11/14).

HUD AND OMB NOMINATIONS PROCEED. On June 25, Senate committees voted to support the nominations of Julian Castro for HUD Secretary and Shaun Donovan for OMB director (see HAC News, 5/28/14). On June 19, the Senate confirmed Gustavo Velasquez Aguilar as HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

OBAMA VISITS STANDING ROCK RESERVATION, HUD OFFERS ICDBG FUNDS. On June 13 President and Mrs. Obama spent time in Cannonball, ND, in only the third visit by a sitting president to Indian Country. The trip focused on education and jobs; neither Obama’s announcement of the visit nor his remarks that day mentioned housing. HUD did announce its NOFA for FY14 Indian Community Development Block Grants the same day. Applications are due July 29. The contact person for the NOFA is Roberta Youmans, HUD, 202-402-3316.

USDA WILL MAKE RURAL BROADBAND GRANTS. Nonprofits, for-profits, tribes, and state or local governments are eligible for Community Connect grants to provide broadband service to areas currently without it. Deadline is July 7. Contact Rural Utilities Service, community.connect@wdc.usda.gov, 202-690-4673.

ROSS FUNDS AND CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING GRANTS AVAILABLE. PHAs, tribes, tribal housing entities, resident associations, and nonprofits can apply by August 18 for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency – Service Coordinators Program to coordinate supportive services and activities for public and Indian housing residents. Contact Dina Lehmann-Kim, HUD, 202-402-2430. PHAs, tribal entities, local governments, and nonprofits can apply by August 12 for Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants to develop revitalization plans. Contact ChoiceNeighborhoods@hud.gov.

FINAL CHANGES MADE TO PROJECT-BASED AND TENANT-BASED VOUCHER PROGRAMS. The final regulation follows a proposed rule published in May 2012 (see HAC News, 5/16/12). Contact Michael Dennis, HUD, 202-402-3882.

HUD IMPLEMENTS FY14 APPROPRIATIONS LAW PROVISIONS. Changes include defining “extremely low-income families” as having incomes below the poverty level or 30% of Area Median Income, authorizing housing inspections every two years instead of annually, and capping some utility allowances. Contact Michael Dennis, HUD, 202-402-4059.

USDA RD TO MONITOR SECTION 502 DIRECT DELINQUENCIES MORE CLOSELY. An Unnumbered Letter dated June 12, 2014 requires states (not identified in the UL) with first and second year delinquency rates higher than the national average to use an Underwriting, Pre-Closing and Compliance Tool. RD will provide state offices with reports showing performance at the county level. Contact Migdaliz Bernier or Brooke Baumann, RD, 202-720-1474.

TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR HUD CHDO WORKSHOPS ON NEW HOME RULE. “CHDO Workshop: Understanding the 2013 HOME Final Rule” will be offered in many locations in July and August. Registration is free for CHDO staff. HUD has some travel scholarships available, funded partly by HAC. Contact Rachael Ballard, rballard@tdainc.org, 203-241-2410.

RURAL HOUSING OBLIGATIONS LAG, NRHC EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT 502 DIRECT. HAC’s latest USDA RD Program Obligation Reportshows that, as of the end of May, USDA had obligated nearly $2.9 billion less than at the same time last year. The National Rural Housing Coalition has written to RHS Administrator Tony Hernandez expressing concern about the lag in Section 502 direct commitments and supporting increased attention and improved technology for processing direct loans. Subscribe at HAC’s website to receive email notices when HAC’s obligations reports are released monthly. Contact Michael Feinberg, HAC, 202-842-8600.

ELDERS IN HUD-SUBSIDIZED HOUSING HAVE GREATER HEALTH NEEDS THAN PEERS. Picture of Housing and Health: Medicare and Medicaid Use Among Older Adults in HUD-Assisted Housing, a report financed by HUD and HHS, reviewed data for 11 metro areas and the state of Vermont. HUD-assisted residents in the study areas were more likely to be dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and were also sicker and more costly to both programs than their non-subsidized peers in the community.

STATE OF THE NATION’S HOUSING REPORT TO BE RELEASED JUNE 26. The annual study, supported in part by HAC, will be released by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies on a live webcast.

Tag Archive for: rural broadband

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