Tag Archive for: Rural Housing

HAC News: April 17, 2013

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HAC News Formats. pdf

April 17, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 8

• USDA rural housing budget emphasizes loan guarantees • HUD budget proposes cuts for some, increases for others • Senate committee holds hearing on Native American housing • USDA offers IRP funds • HUD sets policy on tenant protection vouchers • Homelessness has decreased in U.S. but increased in some states • Fair Housing Act should be modernized, NFHA says


April 17, 2013
Vol. 42, No. 8

USDA RURAL HOUSING BUDGET EMPHASIZES LOAN GUARANTEES. In the Obama Administration’s budget request for FY14, released on April 10, the Section 502 and 538 guarantee programs remain the focus of rural housing provision. Section 502 direct would fall from $900 million this year to only $360 million in FY14, and Section 515 from $31.3 million to $28.4 million. Increased funding is requested for Section 521 Rental Assistance, but data are not available for those outside USDA to calculate whether the higher amount is enough to renew all expiring contracts. The MPR rental preservation demonstration program would receive a slight increase to $20 million. Section 523 self-help housing would be cut by two-thirds. Section 514/516 farm labor housing and Section 504 home repair loans and grants would be cut by lesser amounts. Congressional appropriations subcommittees are holding hearings on the budget requests. [tdborder][/tdborder]

USDA Rural Devel. Prog.
(dollars in millions)

FY11
Approp.a

FY12
Approp.

FY13
Admin. Budget

FY13
Approp.
(H.R. 933)b

FY14 Admin. Budget

502 Single Fam. Direct
(Self-Help Setaside)
(Teacher Setaside)

$1,121
—
—

$900
—
—

$652.8
(141)
(67)

$900
(5)
0

$360
0
0

502 Single Family Guar.

24,000

24,000

24,000

24,000

24,000

504 VLI Repair Loans

23.4

10

28

28

26.3

504 VLI Repair Grants

34

29.5

28.2

c

25

515 Rental Hsg. Direct

69.5

64.5

0

31.3

28.4

514 Farm Labor Hsg.

25.7

20.8

26

d

23.5

516 Farm Labor Hsg.

9.8

7.1

8.9

d

14

521 Rental Assistance
(Preservation RA)
(New Cnstr. 515 RA)
(New Cnstr. 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)

1,015
0
0
(3)

523 Self-Help TA

37

30

10

30

10

533 Hsg. Prsrv. Grants

10

3.6

0

c

0

538 Rental Hsg. Guar.

30.9

130

150

150

150

Rental Prsrv. Demo. (MPR)

15

2

34.4

17.8

20

Rental Prsrv. Revlg. Lns.

1

0

0

0

0

542 Rural Hsg. Vouchers

14

11

12.6

10

12.6

Rural Cmnty. Dev’t Init.

5

3.6

8

6.1

0

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 in FY13, compared to $14.2 million in FY12.

HUD BUDGET PROPOSES CUTS FOR SOME, INCREASES FOR OTHERS. Funds would be reduced for CDBG, HOME, SHOP, and Section 811. The Housing Trust Fund would be funded at id=”mce_marker” billion. Increases are proposed for homelessness programs, rental assistance, the Public Housing Operating and Capital Funds, Section 202, Choice Neighborhoods, and housing counseling. VASH vouchers would be continued at $75 million. The budget requests $5 million to fund the new Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program. No funding is requested for the Rural Innovation Fund or its predecessor, the Rural Housing and Economic Development Program.


HUD Program
(dollars in millions)

FY11 Final
Approp.a

FY 12 Final Approp.

FY13 Final Approp.b

FY14 Admin.’s Proposed Budget

Cmty. Devel. Fund (incl. CDBG)
Sustainable Commun. Init.
Rural Innovation Fund

3,508
(100)
0

3,308.1
0
0

3,328
0
0

3,143
0
0

HOME
Self-Help Homeownshp. (SHOP)

1,610
d

1,000
d

1,000
d

950
(10) d

Tenant-Based Rental Asstnce.
Vets. Affairs Spptve Hsg. Vchrs

18,408
(50)

18,914.4
(75)

18,939.4
(75)

19,989.2
(75)

Project-Based Rental Asstnce.

9,257.4

9,339.7

9,339.7

9,872

Public Hsg. Capital Fund

2,044

1,875

1,886

2,000

Public Hsg. Operating Fund

4,626

3,961.9

4,262

4,600

Choice Neighbrhd. Initiative

0

120

120

400

Housing Trust Fund

0

0

0

1,000

Native Amer. Hsg. Block Grant

650

650

650

650

Homeless Assistance Grants

1,905

1,901.2

2,033

2,381

Rural Hsg. Stability Prog.

—

c

c

5

Hsg. Opps. for Persons w/ AIDS

335

332

334

332

202 Hsg. for Elderly

400

374.6

377

400

811 Hsg. for Disabled

150

165

165

126

Fair Housing

72

70.8

70.8

71

Healthy Homes & Ld. Haz. Cntl.

120

120

120

120

Self-Help Homeownshp. (SHOP)

27

13.5

13.5

10 e

Housing Counseling

0

45

45

55

a. Figures shown do not include 0.2% across the board reduction. b. Figures shown do not include 5% sequester. c. Funded under Homeless Assistance Grants. d. Funded separately before FY14 budget. e. Proposed for specific funding under HOME.

SENATE COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING. “Identifying Barriers to Indian Housing Development and Finding Solutions” was convened on April 10 by the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs. A webcast and copies of witnesses’ written testimony are available online.

USDA OFFERS IRP FUNDS. Nonprofit and public intermediaries can apply for Intermediary Relending Program funds to provide loans to support rural businesses and community development groups. Deadlines are March 29 and June 28. Contact a USDA RD state office for application forms.

HUD SETS POLICY ON TENANT PROTECTION VOUCHERS. HUD Notice PIH 2013-08 tells owners of HUD-assisted properties to notify tenants by May 15 if they intend to apply for vouchers and to apply by June 14. Properties must be in low vacancy areas and their mortgages must have matured or use restrictions expired during FY12. Contact a HUD field office or the Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, 202-708-0477.

HOMELESSNESS HAS DECREASED IN U.S. BUT INCREASED IN SOME STATES. The National Alliance to End Homelessness’s State of Homelessness in America 2013 report also says the number of people experiencing homelessness as part of a family increased slightly, while the numbers of chronically homelessness individuals and veterans decreased significantly. The report includes data at the state level. Contact NAEH, 202-638-1526.

FAIR HOUSING ACT SHOULD BE MODERNIZED, NFHA SAYS. In its annual fair housing trends report, the National Fair Housing Alliance calls for adding sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, and marital status to the Act’s protected classes. The data in Modernizing the Fair Housing Act for the 21st Century show that complaints of discrimination on these bases, as well as harassment complaints, have increased.

The Color of Elsewhere: Identity and Wealth in Rural America

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Stefani Cox, former HAC Research Associate, posted an article about rural planning and development in the Berkely Planning Journal.

Most of us have heard of the growing racial wealth gap and the statistics that show how white America continues to diverge from households of color when it comes to building assets, particularly in the form of quality homeownership. While we may tend to think about this disparity in the context of urban and suburban environments, it is crucial to also relate the issue to the households that live on the other 90% of the U.S. landmass, known as rural and small town America.

Read the full post…

The Trail of Hope for Indian Housing

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The Housing Assistance Council has received the following information from the Trail of Hope for Indian Housing and would like to offer its support for decent, safe affordable housing and increased housing development resources on Native American Lands.

When: April 17, 2013
Where: Union Square, Washington, DC
Details: The Reservation house facade will be erected and displayed for the public from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The event will include a rally which is tentatively scheduled for midday.

The Trail of Hope House (actually two facades) will be placed at Union Square (3rd St. NW) near the Capitol and the site is open to the public from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. We need everyone to come out to help us show Congress the extreme housing conditions on Northern Plains reservations. Let’s show Congress what “overcrowded Indian housing” looks like on their front doorstep!

Reuters Rural Housing Article Draws Wrong Conclusions

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Reuters Rural Housing Article Draws Wrong Conclusions

by Leslie Strauss

“Special Report: A rural housing program city slickers just love,” published by Reuters on March 18, 2013, relies on some questionable methodology and draws dubious conclusions.

The article focuses on USDA’s mortgage guarantee program, one of many administered by USDA. The department also makes mortgage loans itself, and assists homeowners who cannot afford to repair serious housing problems, homebuyers who help build their own homes, and tenants who cannot afford to rent decent apartments.

Read complete Blog post at Rooflines.org

Winter 2012 – 13: Taking Stock of Housing in Your Community

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The winter 2012 – 13 issue of Rural Voices, Taking Stock of Housing in Your Community, is now available for download from the Housing Assistance Council. This issue includes information about the data resources available for rural community devlopers and advocates to document housing needs in their communities and make their case to policy makers.

View from Washington

Erika Poethig, Acting Assistant Secretary
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Policy Development and Research

FEATURES

Developing a Statistical Portrait of your Community
by Arthur Cresce, The U.S. Census Bureau
Using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey

What is Rural?
by the Housing Assistance Council
A question that matters

Information on What Banks Are Doing in Your Community
by John Taylor, National Community Reinvesment Corporation
Getting the Most from Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Data

Data Resources for Rural Communities
A Visual Guide to Selected Data and Information Sources

Q&A with John Cromartie
Rural Voices sat down with John Cromartie, Senior Geographer at USDA’s Economic Research Service, to discuss demographic trends and data for rural areas

The National Housing Preservation Database
by Megan Bolton, National Low-Income Housing Coalition
A long awaited national database of federally-assisted housing can make the case for affordable housing preservation

Share your Story

Rural Voices is curious to hear your stories of how you have used data to further your work in your community. Do you have a story from your own community to share on this subject? Please share your story on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter and help demonstrate the importance of accurate data for rural communities across the country.

Bipartisan Policy Center Report Includes Major Recommendations for Rural Housing

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Housing America's Future: New Directions for National Policy

February 25, 2013. The Housing Commission of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) today released its much anticipated report entitled Housing America’s Future: A New Direction for a National Policy. In addition to major recommendations on mortgage finance reform, homeownership, rental housing, and demographic drivers, the BPC’s report devoted substantial attention to rural housing issues and priorities. Championed largely by Commission Co-Chair Kit Bond, former U.S. Senator and Governor from Missouri, the report presents four major recommendations on rural housing:

1. Support and strengthen USDA’s role in rural housing. The report specifically states that Congress should not pursue proposals to shift USDA programs to other government agencies where they will be absorbed by other federal programs, noting that USDA is well-positioned to leverage the existing resources and infrastructure of rural service providers that understand the unique conditions of local markets.

2. Extend the current definition of rural areas through the year 2020. Any area currently classified as rural for the purposes of USDA housing programs should remain so at least until after the receipt of data from the decennial census in 2020, provided the area’s population does not exceed 25,000.

3. Increase budget allocations to serve more households. The report states that additional funding for the Section 502 Direct Loan program would enable more rural households to become homeowners at relatively low cost to the federal government.

4. Dedicate resources for capacity-building and technology to strengthen USDA providers. The BPC recommends that local agencies receiving USDA funds should be incentivized to operate on compatible software to ease data and information sharing. These improvements could help USDA monitor and improve the performance of its rural housing programs.

Read the Rural Housing chapter of the report at:

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/BPC_Housing%20Report_web.pdf#page=110

Download the full BPC report at:

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/BPC_Housing%20Report_web.pdf

Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and George Mitchell, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a non-profit organization that drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation and respectful dialogue. With projects in multiple issue areas, BPC combines politically balanced policymaking with strong, proactive advocacy and outreach.

#RuralFacts – Rural Data from Taking Stock

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Follow HAC for Data from Taking Stock

 [addthis2][/addthis2]

The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) published Taking Stock: Rural People, Poverty and Housing in the 21st Century in December, 2012. This 160 page report features analysis of over of 6,000 data points from the 2010 Census and other sources about rural communities. To highlight the findings from this research as well as issues facing rural communities, HAC will be sharing factoids, images and data from Taking Stock through social media.

This information will be posted on twitter, using the hashtag #ruralfacts (bookmark this link so you can always access this information). If you do not already, follow HAC @RuralHome.

You can also share your comments with HAC on Facebook, LinkedIn or on the Rural Affordable Housing Group.

[twitter link=” https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RuralFacts” id=”304994872023203840″ title=” “Tweets about #RuralFacts””][/twitter]

What Does the Push for Transit Oriented Development Mean For Rural Areas?

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What Does the Push for Transit Oriented Development Mean For Rural Areas?
by Leslie Strauss, HAC

rflns_transit_postThe affordable housing world is paying attention to the connection between housing costs and transportation costs, and that’s a good thing. The federal government and many state and local governments are encouraging transit oriented development (TOD), and that’s a good thing too. But in rural places, public transit is scarce and TOD may be both difficult and unpopular – especially in remote, sparsely populated areas.

HUD defines TOD as “compact, mixed-use development near transit facilities that promotes sustainable communities by providing people of all ages and incomes with improved access to transportation and housing choices, [and] reduced transportation costs that reduce the negative impacts of automobile travel on the environment and the economy.”

A small city might be able to provide transit in the form of an on-demand service, or perhaps even a system with regular routes and a standard timetable. But a town of 500? Not likely.The American Public Transportation Association reports that in small urban and rural places, 41 percent of residents have no access to transit and another 25 percent live in areas with below-average transit services. To provide transit oriented affordable housing development in those places, new transit systems could be created – if funding could be found. Alternatively, residents would have a choice: move to affordable housing created near transit, or live where they prefer to live but without housing assistance.

Fortunately the creators of TOD initiatives are finding ways to avoid disadvantaging rural residents. An applicant for Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency can score three points for a development that is near public transit, is in a designated transit improvement area, is within a specified distance from employment opportunities and has dial-a-ride services available, or is within a specified distance from employment opportunities and is close to public services like a post office, a medical or dental office, a supermarket, or others.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority takes a more restrictive approach in providing a different standard for rural areas. A tax credit applicant can score two points if its development is within six blocks of fixed-route public transportation in the city of Chicago, one mile in the Chicago metropolitan area, 1.5 miles in another metro area, and two miles in a nonmetro area. In some other states, setasides for rural areas allow tax credit allocators to avoid the TOD discrimination issue.

Outside the tax credit arena, advocates in California have developed a proposal to direct a specific pool of state funding toward investments in housing and transportation. California rural housing interests are developing language that could be added to take account of the transit differences in rural places.

The National Housing Trust – which graciously provided the Minnesota and Illinois examples above – is conducting research on the connections between tax credits and transit and will release a report later this year. Has anyone conducted research on the application of TOD requirements in rural places under other programs? Are there other examples of best practices – or worst practices?

What do you think? Has the TOD focus had a positive, negative, or no effect on rural affordable housing development? Please comment on the Rooflines website.

A Step Toward Addressing Native American Homelessness

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A Step Toward Addressing Native American Homelessness

by Eric Oberdorfer and Leslie Strauss

shelterforce_na_blog_postHomes in Indian Country are three times more likely to be crowded than those in the United States as a whole, according to the 2010 Census. Many of the people sleeping on sofas or floors in these crowded dwellings are homeless – not living outdoors or in a car, but not living in permanent homes of their own, either. Strong kinship networks often enable people to find a place to stay and there are few shelters and service providers in places with small, spread-out populations.

Read More…

10 Things That Did Not Happen in Rural Housing in 2012

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10 Things That Did Not Happen in Rural Housing in 2012

10thingRLblogYear-end reviews generally cover events, but in 2012 the things that did not happen may have been more notable. That certainly seems to be the case regarding affordable housing for the lowest income residents of rural America. A couple of the non-events listed below are positive, but unfortunately most are not. Read More…

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