TOP STORIES

USDA funding bills approved by House and Senate committees

On June 14, the full House Appropriations Committee passed a FY24 funding bill for USDA. The committee did not change any of the dollar amounts for rural housing or community facilities programs that were adopted by the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, but its report does show details that were not previously available. For example, Section 514/516 farmworker housing loans and grants, Section 504 repair grants, and Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants would all be reduced. Funding for the community facilities grants competition would fall from $25.3 million in FY23 to just under $3.6 million in FY24. Like the subcommittee, the full committee states that $1.607 billion will fully fund Section 521 Rental Assistance, without explaining why the amount is lower than the administration’s budget request. More information is posted on HAC’s website.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the USDA bill on June 22. It would cut Section 502 direct loans from $1.25 billion this year to $850 million and would raise the program’s minimum interest rate to 2% instead of the current 1%. It would provide $1.6 billion for Rental Assistance and would decouple RA from Section 515 mortgages. HAC is reviewing the bill and will post more information online on June 23.

The House’s overall FY24 spending limits for non-defense discretionary programs, adopted by the House Appropriations Committee on June 15, are lower than the amounts provided in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the debt limit compromise. Roll Call calculates that these limits (called 302(b) allocations), would decrease total funding for USDA by 30% below FY23 levels and for Transportation/HUD by 25%. The House versions of the FY24 appropriations bills may propose larger or smaller cuts in specific programs.

The House and the Senate committees have not yet released proposals for FY24 HUD funding and have not announced when they will begin to consider HUD bills.

Housing markets cool but costs remain high, says State of the Nation’s Housing report

The sharp interest rate hikes over the past year continue to impact housing markets and affordability for both homeowners and renters across the U.S., according to the State of the Nation’s Housing 2023 report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. First-time homebuying dropped sharply as housing costs remain well above pre-pandemic levels. Black and Hispanic homeownership rates were 28.6 and 25.8 percentage points below white homeownership rates in 2022. The number of cost-burdened renters hit a record high of 21.6 million households – about half of all renters – with 11.6 million of them spending over half of their income on housing. People continued to move into lower-cost, lower-density areas in 2022. The aging housing stock and climate change require attention as well, the authors write.

Apply for conference poster sessions by July 1

The deadline is July 1 for researchers and policymakers at all levels to apply to share their research and innovative ideas through a series of poster sessions at the 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, October 24-27 in Washington, DC. The research must be related to rural America and can be on housing or another field such as public health, community development, race and ethnicity, or creative placemaking. Posters will be reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of rural experts. For more information, contact Manda LaPorte and Natasha Moodie, HAC.

Correction to June 8 HAC News

The last issue of the HAC News stated incorrectly that the debt ceiling compromise rescinded $2 million appropriated for preservation technical assistance for FY21. The Fiscal Responsibility Act did not rescind rental preservation TA funds. HAC apologizes for any confusion.

RuralSTAT

Homes in rural Appalachian counties are less likely to be single-unit buildings than homes in the rest of the rural U.S. (70.4% compared to 75.2%), and more likely to be mobile homes (19.5% compared to 11.4%). Vacancy rates are about the same (22.2% and 22.6%). Source: Appalachian Regional Commission tabulations of 2017-2021 American Community Survey. (Rural counties are defined as those outside of and not adjacent to a metro area.)

OPPORTUNITIES

Main Street Grants available for small cities

HUD’s HOPE VI Main Street Program provides grants to communities with populations under 50,000 to assist in the renovation of historic, traditional central business districts or “Main Street” areas by replacing unused, obsolete, commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units. The only eligible applicants are local governments whose jurisdiction includes the Main Street area. Nonprofit or for-profit entities and others can be subcontractors. The deadline is October 12. For more information, contact Susan Wilson, HUD, 202-402-4500.

CAPITOL HILL

House committee votes to cancel aid for disadvantaged farmers

At its June 14 markup of its FY24 USDA funding bill, the House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment eliminating an Inflation Reduction Act program created to make payments to anyone who could show they experienced past discrimination in USDA farm lending programs. The program also includes funds to address land access (including heirs’ property) and funds outreach, education, and other aid. That IRA program replaced one created in the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act to aid socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers because lawsuits had determined that USDA loan programs had discriminated against them. White farmers and ranchers sued, charging that the ARPA program itself was discriminatory.

Native American housing covered in Senate hearing

Witnesses and Senators discussed Indian Country’s housing needs and opportunities at a June 13 hearing on the State of Native American Housing convened by the Senate Banking Committee’s Housing Subcommittee.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD releases new inspection standards

The inspection standards notice for the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) is the first of three subordinate publications that accompany the final NSPIRE rule published in May. NSPIRE provides for consistent property condition evaluations across multiple HUD programs. Notices on scoring and administrative matters are expected later this summer. HUD is developing training that will be posted on the NSPIRE website. For more information, email NSPIRE@hud.gov.

USDA systematizes appraisal assignment guidance for multifamily programs

Applicants to the Section 515 rental housing, Section 514/516 farmworker housing, and MPR preservation programs now do not need to request specific appraisal assignment guidance for each individual transaction. Instead, an owner can download (scroll down to “Quick Links”) the applicable appraisal assignment guidance, based on their specific situation, and provide the guidance to their appraiser prior to obtaining an appraisal. For more information, contact Jonathan Bell, USDA, jonathan.bell@usda.gov.

Comment deadline set for appraisal technology rule

Comments are due August 21 on a proposed rule by five federal regulatory agencies to  establish standards for computer models that may incorporate discrimination in property appraisals.

Fair Market Rent calculation changes under consideration

Comments are due July 24 on a HUD proposal to redefine “recent movers” and to use private rent data in calculating FY24 FMRs. For more information, contact Adam Bibler, HUD, 202-402-6057.

USDA RD creates Tribal relations webpage

RD’s Tribal Relations Page offers information about funding opportunities, events, and publications. For more information, email aian@usda.gov.

HUD will establish working group on LGBTQI+ issues

A June 15 presidential Executive Order instructs several federal agencies to take specific actions to advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people. HUD is tasked with creating a new Working Group on LGBTQI+ Homelessness and Housing Equity, which “shall lead an initiative that aims to prevent and address homelessness and housing instability among LGBTQI+ individuals, including youth, and households.”

Resources posted on homelessness and climate change disasters

Noting that people experiencing homelessness can face greater risks from natural disasters and have less ability to prepare for and recover from them, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness has posted Homelessness and Climate Change: A Roundup of Resources for Communities Before, During, and After Disasters.

EVENTS

Rural energy funding webinar set for June 27

Rural Clean Energy Funding Opportunities Across Federal Agencies will be offered on June 27 by USDA, EPA, the Department of Energy, and other federal agencies. The webinar will introduce over a dozen clean energy funding opportunities for rural stakeholders.

Equitable Greenhouse Gas Reduction webinar series began June 22

In a set of webinars offered on Thursdays from June 22 through August 3, the Center for Impact Finance at the Carsey School of Public Policy and the Natural Resources Defense Council will make the case for how the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund can deliver equitable greenhouse gas reduction in low-income and disadvantaged communities through traditional lending lines of business in key market sectors. Recordings will be available online.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Housing costs still out of reach nationwide

Out of Reach 2023: The High Cost of Housing, the new edition of the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s yearly report, documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing for every state, metropolitan area, and county, as well as the portion of each state that is outside metropolitan areas. There is no state, metro area, or county where a full-time minimum-wage worker can afford a modest two-bedroom rental home within 30% of their income. The gap between wages and housing costs is largest for people of color, particularly women of color.

Chartbook shows changes and challenges in Appalachia

The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey, published by the Appalachian Regional Commission, provides data and maps on a variety of topics including population, age, race/ethnicity, housing, education, internet access, employment, and more. Figures are listed for each of the region’s 13 states, for subregions, for county types, and for the Appalachian and non-Appalachian parts of each state (West Virginia is the only state entirely within the region).

Modular construction and local financing make homes affordable and expandable

Housing Innovation in Rural America, the last in a Nonprofit Quarterly set of articles titled Eradicating Rural Poverty: The Power of Cooperation Series, highlights the housing affordability challenges faced in rural America. Modular housing with community-based financing is an innovative approach to addressing these issues, as demonstrated with MiCASiTA. This model was pioneered by come dream. come build (cdcb) in the Rio Grande Valley, Tex. and is now being expanded to Pine Bluff, Ark. The modules are constructed off-site but locally, allowing for low-cost home construction that is affordable to lower-income families, who can add sections as they can afford them.

Connecticut begins baby bonds program

A National Community Reinvestment Coalition post discusses the potential implications of Connecticut’s new baby bond program in addressing wealth inequities. Starting on July 1, every baby born into a Medicaid eligible household in the state – disproportionately Black and Latino – will receive a $3,200 deposit into a trust. Those who are still Connecticut residents can redeem the funds between ages 18 and 30 for specific uses including purchasing a home.

HAC

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

2HAC’s loan fund provides 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, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. 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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

TOP STORIES

Debt ceiling compromise limits spending, rescinds some HUD and USDA housing funds

The Fiscal Responsibility Act – the recently enacted compromise that suspends the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025 – makes fewer cuts than the Limit, Save, Grow Act passed by the House in April, but it almost certainly will limit federal spending on housing aid for the next two fiscal years. In addition to the well-publicized work requirements for SNAP and TANF recipients, reallocation of IRS funding, and revised environmental reviews, the measure includes a variety of other provisions, several of which impact rural housing.

It rescinds USDA rural housing funds in two accounts: any unspent funds from the $39 million for Section 502 direct loans and 504 loans that was provided in the American Rescue Plan Act.  and $2 million appropriated for preservation technical assistance for FY21. That $2 million was included in a currently open notice of funding availability from USDA offering $6.9 million from several appropriations years. Correction: The deleted language was included erroneously in the HAC News as distributed on June 8. The Fiscal Responsibility Act did not rescind rental preservation technical assistance funds. HAC apologizes for any confusion.

Further information is available on HAC’s website about HUD funding rescissions, caps on future spending, and provisions intended to give Congress incentives to enact regular appropriations bills for FY24 and FY25.

Rural veterans and local nonprofits receive critical housing support in partnership with The Home Depot Foundation

Veterans and their families in 14 rural communities will have better lives, thanks to The Home Depot Foundation and HAC. The Foundation is awarding grants totaling $366,907 to 14 local nonprofit housing agencies around the country to preserve housing for veterans in rural America. The grants are part of The Home Depot Foundation’s mission to provide affordable and accessible housing solutions to U.S. veterans and invest $500 million in veteran causes by 2025. As part of its Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans Initiative, HAC works with The Home Depot Foundation to administer grants that bolster and support the work of rural nonprofit housing agencies to deliver critical housing support to veterans.

HAC extends poster session deadline

Researchers and policymakers at all levels can apply by July 1 to share their research and innovative ideas through a series of poster sessions at the 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, October 24-27 in Washington, DC. The research must be related to rural America and can be on housing or another field such as public health, community development, race and ethnicity, or creative placemaking. Posters will be reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of rural experts. For more information, contact Manda LaPorte and Natasha Moodie, HAC.

June is National Homeownership Month, National Healthy Homes Month, and Pride Month

• For National Homeownership Month, USDA is featuring its homeownership programs in its Twitter and YouTube feeds. HUD is launching “Let’s Make Home the Goal,” a campaign to generate awareness among communities of color about the availability and benefits of pre-purchase counseling provided by HUD-certified housing counselors.
• HUD’s  Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes declared June as National Healthy Homes Month. The 2023 campaign theme is “Connecting Home, Health, and You.” Events and resources are available online.
• President Biden proclaimed June 2023 to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month and the White House announced actions to protect LGBTQI+ communities. HUD launched an LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness Initiative that will provide technical assistance, training, and information.

RuralSTAT

According to the 2021 American Community Survey, there are 33.3 million homeowners in rural America. The rural homeownership rate is 72.5% compared to 64.6% for all households nationally. Source: HAC Tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey. For more information on rural homeownership visit Rural Research Brief: Homeownership in Rural America.

OPPORTUNITIES

EPA to help Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund applicants find partners

Potential applicants, coalition members, and partners wanting to find others interested in the three GGRF funds can fill out brief forms by June 19. EPA will compile a list and share it among those who provide their information. Consultants and other for-profit vendors will not be included. The agency expects to publish notices of funding opportunities this summer. For more information, email ggrf@epa.gov.

PHAs can request funding for Housing Mobility or Jobs Plus

PHAs that administer Housing Choice Vouchers can apply for Housing Mobility-Related Services funds to increase access to opportunity neighborhoods for families with children. The deadline is August 30. For more information, contact Alison Bell, housingmobility@hud.gov.

Jobs Plus program funds help PHAs assist public housing residents to find and continue jobs. The deadline is August 21. For more information, contact the program office, jobsplus@hud.gov.

Fannie Mae offers first look at REO properties to community organizations

Community First by Fannie Mae™ manages the sale of REO properties to public entities, nonprofits, public funds users, and community-minded investors across the country. Approved partners receive access to Fannie Mae REO properties before the homes are traditionally listed for sale. The properties are made available with price concessions to facilitate affordable and sustainable housing. All interested organizations are required to register for approval to participate in the program. For more information or a demonstration of the platform, contact Fannie Mae’s Community First Sales Team, support_communityfirst@fanniemae.com.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Axne and Hsu join USDA

Cindy Axne, formerly a member of the House of Representatives from Iowa, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Rural Engagement, Delivery and Prosperity at USDA. Yvonne Hsu has been appointed Chief of Staff for the Rural Housing Service. She previously worked at the National Asian-Pacific American Women’s Forum, the National Council of State Housing Agencies, and HUD, and on Capitol Hill.

Temporary Buy America waivers for Tribes proposed by USDA, finalized by HUD

USDA is proposing a one-year department-wide waiver for Tribes of the Buy America domestic content procurement preference in order to conduct more Tribal consultation. An earlier Tribal consultation waiver for USDA RD has now expired. Comments on the new request are due June 16. For more information or to submit comments, email ffac@usda.gov with the subject “Tribal Consultation Waiver in the Public Interest for Indian Tribes.”

HUD’s request for a similar one-year waiver for Tribes has been approved. For more information, contact Faith Rogers, HUD, 202-402-7082.

USDA sets schedule for feedback on decoupling as a rental preservation tool

USDA RD seeks stakeholder input as it compiles a required report to Congress on how it could implement decoupling of Section 521 Rental Assistance from Section 515 mortgages so that some tenants can continue to receive RA after their properties’ mortgages end. Send comments to decoupling@usda.gov by July 31; attend an in-person session on June 15 at a National Council of State Housing Agencies conference or on June 27 at a Council for Affordable and Rural Housing conference; or join a virtual session on July 19 or July 25.

Comments sought on tenant protections

The Federal Housing Finance Agency requests input on tenant protections at multifamily properties with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA asks for information that highlights tenants’ experiences and stakeholders’ perspectives, as well as ideas for improved data collection. Comments are due July 31. Several tenant-supporting organizations have also set up a joint website to help tenants to comment.

Agencies propose rule on appraisal technology

A rule proposed by the Federal Reserve Board, CFPB, FDIC, FHFA, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency would establish standards for computer models used in property appraisals. These “automated valuation models” help appraise real estate that will be used as collateral for mortgage loans. A CFPB blog post explains that automated valuations rely on mathematical formulas and large amounts of data to estimate a property’s value but can embed bias and discrimination, depending on the information they are given and how they are programmed. Comments on the proposal will be due 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. For more information, contact Julie Giesbrecht, FHFA, 202-557-9866.

Freddie Mac launches mortgage product for Native American homebuyers

HeritageOne mortgages will provide conventional financing without income limitations for enrolled members of federally recognized Tribes. They will be available beginning in October for single-family homes on the lands of Tribes that are on HUD’s Section 184 Participating Tribes List or have memoranda of understanding with Freddie Mac. Lenders interested in originating these mortgages should contact their Freddie Mac account executive or the Customer Support Contact Center (800-FREDDIE). HeritageOne was developed under Freddie Mac’s Duty to Serve plan.

FHFA plans online listening sessions on Duty to Serve

The Federal Housing Finance Agency will hold virtual Duty to Serve Markets Public Listening Sessions on July 17 (rural housing), July 18 (manufactured housing), and July 19 (affordable housing preservation). Register to attend or to speak. FHFA will provide more information soon about how to submit written comments. For more information, email DutytoServeStakeholders@fhfa.gov.

FHA considers new approach to help struggling homeowners

The Federal Housing Administration requests comments on a new Payment Supplement Partial Claim to help struggling homeowners with FHA loans to reduce their mortgage payments temporarily. Mortgage servicers would use the FHA Partial Claim, which is an interest-free loan secured by a subordinate mortgage, both to bring a borrower’s mortgage current and to provide temporary reductions to their monthly mortgage payments for up to five years. The homeowner would repay FHA when they sell their home or refinance. Comments are due June 30.

HUD announces third round of unsheltered and rural homelessness funding

HUD has awarded $45 million for 3,379 Stability Vouchers to 135 PHAs and partnering Continuum of Care communities across the country to address homelessness among people in unsheltered settings and in rural communities. The effort to address homelessness in these places began in June 2022 with a notice of funding opportunity, and earlier funding rounds were announced in February and April 2023.

EVENTS

HAC continues webinar series on construction

Overcoming Cost Barriers: Innovative Approaches to Construction with Smart Building Techniques, Volunteers, and Sweat Equity is a series of five webinars. Two will be held later this month:

• Emerging Construction Techniques, June 14, and
• Modular and Manufactured Homes, June 28.

Three sessions have already been held, and the materials and recordings are posted online:

• Fostering Skilled Labor in Your Community;
• Benefits of Using Pre-Assembled Building Components; and
• Implementing Change in Your Organization/Adopting Alternative Construction Techniques.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Local nonprofit partners develop energy efficient affordable housing on the Pine Ridge reservation

The Western Organization of Resource Councils reports how Red Cloud Renewable and InOurHands are working together to build naturally insulated cellular concrete tiny homes that can be heated with a small solar panel. In the next phase, Lakota businesses will build the homes and the Lakota Federal Credit Union will underwrite the mortgages.

Housing supply limits growth for small Illinois towns, article says

Rural Illinois Towns Defend their Quiet Communities, originally published in the Chicago Tribune, reports that the lack of growth in rural Illinois towns may indicate limited housing supply rather than economic decline – businesses and school enrollment may be stable. The town of Dieterich used tax increment financing to prepare 130 new lots where developers have built new homes, and also created a local community development corporation. Both efforts have contributed to substantial population growth and a stronger local economy.

New resources available for smaller distressed communities

HUD recently updated its Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program library with new resources including upcoming funding opportunities, webinars, and toolkits. For more information, contact distressedcities@hud.gov.

HAC

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides 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, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. 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).

Want to reprint a HAC News item?

Please credit the HAC News and provide a link to HAC’s website. Thank you!

TOP STORIES

HAC’s CEO testifies to Senate Banking Subcommittee on rural housing reforms, two bills are introduced

• On May 2 HAC’s President & CEO, David Lipsetz, spoke before the Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on bipartisan reforms to USDA’s rural housing programs.
• The hearing covered the Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023, S. 1389, introduced by Subcommittee Chair Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). The bill includes a slate of provisions, many of which were recommended by HAC, to improve the multifamily, single-family, and capacity building programs at USDA.
• The Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act was re-introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who have introduced it in past Congresses as well, and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine). Its provisions would enhance USDA’s ability to preserve Section 515 rental properties.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Resources available online include President Biden’s proclamation and a compilation of federal events.

RuralSTAT

Researchers estimate that, while the 2020 census overcounted both Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) at the national level, it undercounted Asian Americans in 68% of counties and undercounted NHPIs in 55% of counties, with the estimated undercounts tending to cluster in more rural areas in the Midwest, South, and Mountain West. Source: The Quality of the Decennial Census for Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Communities: An Expanded Approach by Advancing Justice | AAJC and Demographic Analytics Advisors.

OPPORTUNITIES

New Green and Resilient Retrofit Program launches

HUD-assisted rental properties are eligible for funding through three “cohorts” under the new Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, designed to meet the needs of applicants with varying levels of green retrofit expertise. HUD has also provided implementation guidance in Housing Notice H 2023-05. Elements awards target properties that are already advanced in a rehabilitation transaction and need gap financing to fund specific utility-efficient or resilient elements. Leading Edge awards target properties that are in the early stages of recapitalization planning and will achieve a high-level third-party green certification. Comprehensive awards target properties with high needs where HUD-procured contractors will support owners by commissioning third-party reports and assessments to develop a scope of work. HUD has posted information online and will hold a webinar on May 23. For more information, contact grrp@hud.gov.

HUD offers lead hazard funding

• The Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Grant Program will fund states, Tribes, and units of local government to develop the infrastructure necessary to undertake comprehensive programs to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in privately owned rental or owner-occupied housing. Apply by June 27. For more information, contact Victoria Jackson, HUD, 202-402-3167.
• The Lead Risk Assessment Demonstration offers competitive grants to PHAs administering Housing Choice Voucher Programs to evaluate for lead-based paint hazards in HCV units constructed before 1978 and occupied or to be occupied by children under six. Applications are due June 20. For more information, contact Bruce Haber, HUD, 202-402-7699.

Veterans housing rehab pilot funds announced

The Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program will provide competitive grants of up to $1 million each to nonprofits with nationwide or statewide programs that primarily serve veterans and/or low-income individuals. The funds may be used to modify or rehabilitate eligible veterans’ primary residences or to provide grantees’ affiliates with technical, administrative, and training support in connection with those services. Applications are due August 31. HUD’s Rural Gateway will hold a webinar on May 16 offering a program overview. For more information, contact Jovette G. Bryant, HUD, 877-787-2526.

Grant Application Bootcamp registration opens

Local governments with 150,000 or fewer residents can register by May 31 for bootcamps intended to help them submit competitive applications for federal infrastructure opportunities. The National League of Cities will offer five separate bootcamps covering new programs addressing broadband, railroad crossings, drinking water, neighborhood access and equity, and bridges. There is no cost to participate. For more information, contact LocalInfrastructureHub@nlc.org.

Funds available for asphalt art

Cities of all sizes in Canada, Mexico, and the United States are invited to apply for $25,000 grants and technical assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative, which funds visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities. The deadline is June 12. For more information, contact arts@bloomberg.org.

NeighborWorks network invites applications

NeighborWorks America is seeking up to five nonprofit community-based organizations that focus on community revitalization, homeownership, and the production of affordable housing to join the NeighborWorks network. The initial application is open through June 9 and is in two parts. NWA strongly encourages applicants to submit part 1 no later than May 15 to ensure there is enough time to complete and submit part 2 by June 9. For more information, email affiliations@nw.org.

CAPITOL HILL

Tribal representatives support HUD programs

An April 28 oversight hearing of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, titled Tribal Perspectives on Housing and Transportation, included testimony from several witnesses about the dire need for housing in Indian Country. They emphasized the importance of increasing funding for HUD’s Indian housing programs to meet that need.

Torres Small confirmation hearing held

The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing May 10 to consider the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small, who has been serving as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. The committee has not yet voted on recommending her nomination to the full Senate, which will make the final decision.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

HUD issues final rule on new NSPIRE inspection program

HUD’s National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) are intended to strengthen HUD’s physical condition standards and improve HUD oversight. The program’s final rule also incorporates provisions to reduce administrative burden on small rural PHAs. The rule is effective on July 1 for public housing and on October 1 for the Multifamily Housing (including Section 202 and 811), Housing Choice Voucher, Project Based Voucher, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, HOME, Housing Trust Fund, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, Emergency Solutions Grant, and Continuum of Care programs. HUD will issue “Subordinate Notices” covering NSPIRE standards, scoring, and administration, as well as notices for some specific programs and to implement the small rural assessment requirements. For more information, contact Tara J. Radosevich, HUD, 202-708-1112.

Deadline extended for floodplain comments

Comments regarding HUD’s proposed rule on floodplain-related building standards are now due June 6 rather than May 23.

Revisions final for Section 306C water and waste program for colonias and Tribes

The Rural Utilities Service has finalized, without change, the proposed rule published in February.

FHFA cancels upfront fees based on debt-to-income ratio

In January the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced changes to its upfront fee structure for single-family guaranteed loans purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including the addition of a new upfront fee for borrowers with a debt-to-income ratio above 40%, effective May 1. In March, FHFA delayed implementation of those fees until August 1. Now it has announced that it is rescinding the DTI ratio fees and will “shortly” issue a request for more information from stakeholders.

EVENTS

HAC offers USDA 502 packaging training in Albuquerque

The three-day USDA Section 502 Direct Certified Loan Application Packaging Training, designed for those experienced in using Section 502, will provide participants with a strong understanding of Section 502 direct underwriting and packaging standards, which will ensure that submitted loan dockets are complete and accessible for processing. The course will be held in Albuquerque, NM on June 13-15. Registration is $750. For more information, contact HAC staff, registration@ruralhome.org, 202-516-6271.

Rural Assembly Everywhere set for June 28

The Center for Rural Strategies will host its annual virtual convening, Rural Assembly Everywhere, on June 28. The event features stories, keynotes, and performances that are designed to celebrate and protect the dignity of rural people and neighbors. Register online here.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Interim agreement reached in Alabama environmental justice case

On May 4 the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announced an “interim resolution agreement” in their environmental justice investigation into the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Lowndes County Health Department. They determined that the state and county agencies engaged in a consistent pattern of inaction and/or neglect concerning the health risks associated with raw sewage affecting the county’s primarily Black, low-income residents; failed to take meaningful actions to remedy sewage issues; and threatened residents with criminal penalties and even potential property loss for sanitation conditions they could not alleviate. The state now must undertake remediation efforts. Media coverage about the settlement, including from Alabama TV station WSFA, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post, provides additional details.

Housing and environmental justice must be addressed together, issue paper says

Housing Policy is Environmental Policy: The Complementary Aims of Fair Housing and Environmental Justice, an issue brief from the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, examines the links between race, income, exposure to pollution and toxic waste, climate change, and the locations and conditions of housing. It considers federal efforts to address the issues and makes recommendations to improve both housing and environmental justice.

Guide offers ways to connect homelessness and mental health treatment

For Mental Health Awareness Month in May, SAMHSA is highlighting its Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People at Risk for or Experiencing Homelessness guide, which highlights strategies for housers and behavioral health providers to conduct outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness. Case studies include both rural and urban places.

HAC

HAC is hiring an Asset Manager Associate and three interns

• The Asset Manager Associate will assist in a range of lending activities, including loan department reports, loan payments, underwriting, credit analysis and various aspects of monitoring, and servicing single- and multifamily housing development loans. This is an entry-level position and is eligible for telecommuting.
• The Portfolio Management Intern, Loan Asset Management Intern, and Resource Development Intern are part of HAC’s lending team. The interns will have the opportunity to participate in the Fannie Mae Future Housing Leaders program throughout the summer. The positions will be approximately 37.5 hours per week, with stipends of $15-18 per hour commensurate with experience/responsibilities, and will run from the end of May through August 2023. These positions are eligible for telecommuting.

HAC invites poster session proposals for national conference

Researchers and policymakers at all levels can apply by June 2 to share their research and innovative ideas through a series of poster sessions at the 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, October 24-27 in Washington, DC. The research must be related to rural America and can be on housing or another field such as public health, community development, race and ethnicity, or creative placemaking. Posters will be reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of rural experts. For more information, contact Manda LaPorte and Natasha Moodie, HAC.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27 in Washington, DC and online.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan fund provides 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, new development, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development, construction/rehabilitation and permanent financing. 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).

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