TOP STORIES

USDA budget requests growth in rural housing funding

The Biden administration’s budget for fiscal year 2024 would increase resources for almost all of USDA’s rural housing programs. It asks Congress to continue funding the 27,000 Section 521 Rental Assistance units added by pandemic relief legislation and renews proposals made in last year’s budget to improve rental housing preservation by increasing funding and decoupling Rental Assistance from USDA mortgages. It proposes ending subsidy recapture for Section 502 direct borrowers. The Rural Community Development Initiative for capacity building would grow to $22.8 million from $6 million in FY23. HAC’s analysis, as well as a recording and slide deck from HAC’s March 15 budget webinar, are posted online.

HUD budget proposes increased aid to tenants and downpayment assistance

While requesting significant new resources, the administration’s HUD budget would also make small cuts in the SHOP, Section 184 guarantee, and Rural Capacity Building programs. It would increase HOME from $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, add $565 million for 50,000 new incremental vouchers, and provide $300 million for capital investments in public housing. A new mandatory spending program would provide downpayment assistance. Other proposed mandatory spending – which must be approved by legislation in addition to the annual appropriations bill, and therefore is very unlikely to pass in the current Congress – would add rent aid for specific populations as well as modernizing public housing and financing eviction reduction efforts. HAC’s analysis, as well as a recording and slide deck from HAC’s March 15 budget webinar, are posted online.

Eligible areas under review for rural housing programs

In early March, USDA RD State Offices sent email notices telling stakeholders that the agency is conducting its periodic review of area eligibility designations for its rural housing programs. Based on data from the 2020 census, this review could result in loss of eligibility for some locations. For examples, see these notices from Illinois and Minnesota. Public comments are due in early June, 90 days after the date of each notice. For more information, contact housing staff in an RD State Office.

HAC invites workshop proposals for October 2023 National Rural Housing Conference

HAC requests workshop proposals for its 2023 conference, to be held October 24-27 (with workshops on October 25 and 26) in Washington, DC. The biennial conference brings together rural affordable housing and community development leaders, practitioners, policy makers, funders, industry experts, and partners for learning and networking. Workshops should seek to align themselves with the conference theme – Build Rural – or one of the following threads: Housing Affordability, Development, Preservation, Community Facilities, Rural Prosperity, Placemaking, Capacity Building, Housing Justice, or other adjacent threads. Proposals are due June 2. For more information, contact Kelly Cooney or Diane Hunter, HAC.

RuralSTAT

During the pandemic, domestic migration (moving within the U.S.) to rural areas caused population increases in far more places than before the pandemic: 63% of counties outside metro areas had net population inflows in 2021, compared to only 39% in 2019. Source: Joint Center for Housing Studies.

OPPORTUNITIES

Rural community design support available

The National Endowment for the Arts and HAC, with To Be Done Studio, invite rural communities to apply to the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) for design support and technical assistance to host an on-site Local Design Workshop or participate in the Design Learning Cohort. Municipal, Tribal, or county governments, local rural nonprofits, rural regional planning organizations, university community design centers or agricultural/extension offices, and partnerships of these entities are eligible. An informational webinar will be offered March 22. Apply by April 21. For more information, contact CIRD, cird@ruralhome.org.

USDA offers Section 515 subsequent loans, info session on March 23

Borrowers with existing Section 515 loans or loan commitments can apply by April 30 for Section 515 subsequent loans to complete, improve, repair, or modify these properties. A second round of funding will be announced later this year. For more information, contact a USDA RD Processing and Report Review Branch (scroll down to the second map to see which branch to contact). USDA will hold a stakeholder information webinar on March 23.

Department of Justice to fund supportive housing and clinical services

The first segment of the Pay for Success grant application process closes on March 21. This grant program will provide six awards in the amount of $1 million each to local, Tribal, or state governments or PHAs for projects providing permanent supportive housing or clinical services for people with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders who are or were involved in the criminal justice system. For more information, contact DOJ’s OJP Response Center, 800-851-3420.

Community Connect broadband grants offered

Nonprofits, for-profits, and state, local, or Tribal governments can apply by June 20 for the Community Connect Grant program to construct broadband networks in rural areas that do not currently have broadband service. For more information, contact Randall Millhiser, USDA, 202-578-6926.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Revisions proposed for rule on using federal property to assist homeless

HUD, the General Services Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services are proposing to update the regulations for the Title V program, which allows states or local governments and nonprofits to use some unused federal properties to assist people experiencing homelessness. Comments are due May 19. For more information, contact Juanita Perry, HUD, 202-402-3970.

HUD revises some Fair Market Rents

New FMRs for Hawaii County, HI; Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI; Hood River County, OR; Wasco County, OR; and Seattle-Bellevue, WA take effect on April 19.

Limited English proficiency requirements repeated for rental housing providers and USDA staff

New USDA guidance reminds agency staff and owners and managers of USDA-financed multifamily housing that they must follow policies and procedures for ensuring that persons with limited English proficiency have meaningful access to USDA’s programs and activities.

EVENTS

HAC plans April workshops

Register for one, two, or all three days of Spring Training (peer networking and practical knowledge), to be held in person in San Diego. There is no registration fee, but space is limited and registration is required. HAC’s annual symposium on “Housing and Services for Rural Veterans” will be on April 11. On April 12 and 13 HAC will present two concurrent trainings, “Leading an Organization in Changing Times” and “Creating Sustainable and Affordable Housing: A Workshop on Green Building Principles.” For more information, contact HAC, 202-842-8600.

National Community Development Week set for April 10-14

This annual observance celebrates improvements achieved with support from the HOME and CDBG programs. Access the National Community Development Week toolkit and other resources online from the CDBG Coalition, which includes HAC.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

U.S. needs 7.3 million affordable rentals

The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual publication, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, reports a shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes for the lowest-income renters in the country. The shortfall increased by 500,000 between 2019 and 2021. Nationwide, there are only 33 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households; among states, the supply ranges from 17 per 100 in Nevada to 58 in South Dakota. The report calls for greater federal investment in the preservation and expansion of the affordable housing stock, more Housing Choice Vouchers, a national housing stabilization fund for renters who experience an unexpected short-term financial shock, and federal tenant protections.

Community organizations address rural homelessness and housing insecurity

Tackling Rural America’s ‘Hidden’ Housing Crisis, an article from the Daily Yonder, describes the work of local groups in rural Oregon and Kentucky to address homelessness and housing insecurity in their areas.

Study compares access to housing voucher waiting lists in and outside of metro areas

Offline: Limited Access to Section 8 Vouchers reports on an Affordable Housing Online analysis of waiting list openings for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers from 2016 to 2020. Researchers found that counties outside metropolitan areas were more likely to have lists that remain open indefinitely, while metro counties tended to have waiting lists open for scheduled time periods. Renters were more likely to face barriers accessing Section 8 waiting lists in rural places than in urban areas; for example, their applications were less likely to be online, although overall use of online applications rose by 21% from 2019 to 2020.

Native American credit shortage documented

Native Americans Struggle to Obtain Credit: A Close Analysis of Native American Mortgage Lending From 2018-2021, a National Community Reinvestment Coalition blog post, reports that from 2018 through 2021, just 0.9% of all mortgages in the U.S. went to Native Americans, who make up 3% of the US population. Those who do purchase a home are more likely to choose a manufactured home. Also, mortgage lenders impose higher costs on Native Americans than other groups, even when they are buying less expensive homes. Factors contributing to this state of affairs, the post notes, include a lack of access to credit, discrimination, inadequate affordable housing stock, and a shortage of infrastructure to support development of new homes.

System to protect farmworkers falls short, investigation finds

As part of an ongoing series on farmworker housing, Investigate Midwest published Government System for Protecting Farmworkers Plagued by Staff Turnover and Lack of Outreach. The Monitor Advocate System, a federal-state joint effort, is intended to ensure that states protect farmworkers from unsafe housing, wage theft, and other abuses. Journalists found, however, that some states failed to conduct adequate outreach to farmworkers, employee turnover was high, and during the coronavirus pandemic some states stopped doing outreach at a time when farmworkers likely needed it most.

GAO summarizes ways to improve federal disaster spending

Disaster Assistance: Action Needed to Improve Resilience, Response, and Recovery is a two-page summary of GAO’s recent research and recommendations, released with a blog post and a video, all exploring ways to improve federal disaster recovery, disaster resilience, and the processes for assisting survivors.

HAC

HAC releases 2022 Loan Fund Impact Report

In fiscal year 2022, HAC’s Loan Fund provided $16.6 million of financing so that 36 organizations – including 14 minority-led borrowers – could build, rehabilitate, or preserve 689 affordable homes. More details are available in HAC’s Loan Fund Impact Report.

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

USDA RD produces Buy America guide

USDA Rural Development published a Build America, Buy America Customer Guide to help organizations receiving RD financial assistance comply with requirements that took effect on February 4. RD also revised its BABA webpage, which now makes clear that for-profit entities receiving federal funds are not subject to BABA. There are no changes to the list of affected rural housing and community facilities programs USDA provided in September: “Rural Housing Site Loans and Self-Help Housing Land Development Loans, Rural Rental Housing Loans, Section 538 Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed Loans, The RD Multi-Family Housing Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR), and Community Facilities Loans and Grants (Includes Guarantees, Emergency Rural Health Care Grants and Tribal College Initiatives Grants).” For more information, contact an RD State Office or email sm.rd.babaa.inquiry@usda.gov.

Equity Commission issues interim report

USDA’s Equity Commission released an interim report on February 28, offering 32 recommendations to the department based on the work of the commission’s Agriculture Subcommittee. Topics include heirs’ property and fractionated land, equity within USDA, and improvements to farmworkers’ living and working conditions. Shonterria Charleston, HAC’s Director of Training and Technical Assistance, is a member of the commission’s Rural Community Economic Development Subcommittee. That group’s recommendations will be provided in the commission’s final report. For more information, email EquityCommission@usda.gov.

Executive Order calls for economic opportunity, including in rural America

An Executive Order issued by President Biden on February 16 asserts that the federal government will “invest in communities where Federal policies have historically impeded equal opportunity – both rural and urban – in ways that mitigate economic displacement, expand access to capital, preserve housing and neighborhood affordability, root out discrimination in the housing market, and build community wealth.” The directive also covers health, environmental justice, education, and other topics.

Contributions to Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund halved this year

In 2022 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provided a record high $1.138 billion for the Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund. This year, because the housing market has slowed considerably, the total is $545 million. The HTF will drop from $740 million last year to $354 million this year. The CMF will fall from $398 million last year to $191 million in 2023. The amounts are based on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s new business purchases.

March is Women’s History Month

RuralSTAT

More than half of all banks in the United States (56%) are headquartered in rural areas. But these rural financial institutions hold only 6% of all bank assets nationally. Source: Housing Assistance Council tabulations of FDIC Deposit Market Share Reports – Summary of Deposits.

OPPORTUNITIES

Justice Department funding available for housing

• The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation for federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia closes on March 21. These grants can support renovation, expansion, replacement, or completion of facilities including transitional housing, shelters, and staff housing.
• The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program for local governments closes on March 21. It includes provisions for transitional or recovery housing and recovery support services.
• Improving Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Outcomes for Adults in Reentry is for state, local, and Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations. The program includes funding for transitional and recovery housing and closes March 28.
• Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program Training and Technical Assistance will fund nonprofits, for-profits, and private and public institutions of higher education to provide technical and training assistance for response efforts including transitional housing and recovery services. It closes April 25.

Technical assistance offered

• HUD’s Thriving Communities Technical Assistance program is intended to help units of general local government ensure housing needs are considered as part of their larger infrastructure investment plans. Requests will be reviewed as they are received, beginning March 15. HUD will give priority to jurisdictions with populations of less than 250,000 people. For more information, email ThrivingCommunitiesTA@HUD.gov.
• Smart Growth America will provide TA to help community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, Tribal Nations, and groups of residents or businesses advocate for just climate and land use development. Apply by March 15. For more information, email Jamie Zouras, Smart Growth America.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Medicaid and CHIP “unwinding” reviews could mean lost health coverage

During the coronavirus pandemic, a “continuous coverage” requirement has prevented states from reviewing eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), so almost everyone who was enrolled has remained covered. Now the requirement is expiring and its “unwinding” means that states will begin reviewing eligibility of all enrollees. States must begin the process by April 1. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 6.8 million people – disproportionately children and BIPOC residents – could remain eligible but lose their Medicaid coverage because, for example, they moved and do not receive state notices. HHS provides links and toll-free phone numbers for state Medicaid offices so people can update their contact details. Information to help service providers assist their clients is available from many sources, including HHS, the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, the National Indian Health Board, and the Rural Health Information Hub. On March 1, NIHB will host Medicaid Unwinding Webinar: Updates and Best Practices for Tribal Enrollment Assisters. On March 14, a webinar titled Medicaid Unwinding: Helping Service Recipients Keep Their Health Care Coverage will be offered by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Area loan limits for USDA single-family direct programs updated

USDA Rural Development has announced the area loan limits that will apply, effective March 1, to loans under the Section 502 direct and Section 504 programs. For more information, contact an RD office.

USDA seeks input on notices to tenants when owners apply for prepayment

USDA requests feedback from stakeholders as it revises the communications it sends to tenants when owners of Section 515 and Section 514 properties apply to prepay their loans. The agency will hold a listening session for stakeholders on March 9 to present its proposed draft letters and communication strategy and receive input on potential enhancements.

HAC comments on CDBG-DR

Responding to two requests for information from HUD, HAC recently submitted comments on some of the specifically rural concerns involved in using the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. HAC also signed a comment letter prepared by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition.

HOTMA rule corrected

HUD has published corrections to its recent rule on rental housing under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act.

USDA RD financial data posted on new gateway

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Data Gateway is intended to make information more easily accessible. Rural Investments Dashboards show data from more than 65 RD programs by program area (for example, single-family or multifamily housing), for Socially Vulnerable counties as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, or by county or congressional district. The data can also be downloaded. Figures from fiscal years 2012 to 2022 are currently posted. For more information, email USDA.RD.DATA@usda.gov.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Guide for housing advocates gets annual update

Advocates’ Guide 2023: A Primer on Federal Affordable Housing & Community Development Programs & Policies, published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, is intended to be a comprehensive resource for those involved in affordable housing and community development advocacy. This year’s new content includes sections on COVID-19-era housing programs and tenant protections.

Research identifies ways to improve state support for creative placemaking

A Report on State Enabling Environments for Creative Placemaking, published by the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, draws from analyses conducted in Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas to characterize the enabling environment for creative placemaking at the state level. NACEDA concludes that state policy mechanisms to enable creative placemaking exist, but they are not all rooted in equity and not sufficient to fully support the field; significant outside pressure can induce financial institutions to support placemaking; and leadership to enhance state support would accelerate local work, but is under-resourced.

Wind risk study adds to research on flood, fire, and heat risks

First Street Foundation estimates that in 30 years over 13.4 million U.S. properties will be exposed to hurricanes that are not currently, because a larger proportion of tropical storms will reach major hurricane status and storms will track further northward along the East Coast. The foundation also calculated the dollar values of expected damage and associated downtime. First Street’s RiskFactor.com site now includes wind factors along with flood, fire, and heat factors for many properties in the U.S.

Rural rental preservation draws attention in Maine

WMTV in Portland reports that Maine Could Lose Thousands of Units of Affordable Housing, describing the potential loss of many of the state’s 7,700 Section 515 rental units due to maturing mortgages. One Section 515 property (28 units in the town of Thomaston) was preserved because a new state affordable housing tax credit enabled a nonprofit to purchase the property and keep the units affordable. In First-of-its-kind Model for Protecting Affordable Rental Housing in Rural Maine Hailed as Success, Maine Public Radio reports on the same preservation deal, noting that the $1 million per year program also pays for renovations and that other funding sources were involved as well.

Heart disease research findings: housing instability contributes, rural residents have higher rates

Research from the University of Georgia concludes that cardiovascular disease decreased in the U.S. from 2009 to 2018, but rural counties and those with a higher percentage of Black residents consistently experienced higher rates of heart disease than urban and more predominantly white counties. Housing instability, food insecurity, and lower rates of Medicare coverage were also connected to higher rates of cardiovascular disease and death, researchers explained.

HAC

HAC is hiring a Loan Processor Associate

The Loan Processor Associate is an entry-level position and will assist in loan portfolio management functions including loan department reports, loan payments, loan closing, disbursement, monitoring, and servicing  loans. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

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

Pandemic emergency declarations ending May 11

President Biden plans to end the coronavirus pandemic national emergency and public health emergency on May 11. Agencies are now preparing to wind down pandemic-related assistance programs, regulatory waivers, and other measures that were based on the existence of the emergency declarations. (Others may be scheduled to end on specific dates.) FEMA announced its Public Assistance funding related to the pandemic will end May 11. HAC will report other notifications as they are made.

Torres Small nominated as USDA Deputy Secretary

On February 15 President Biden announced he is nominating Xochitl Torres Small, who has been serving as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, to become Deputy Secretary. Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement describing her as “a dedicated advocate for rural communities.” Torres Small’s nomination will have to be confirmed by the Senate.

HAC testifies before Senate Banking Committee

HAC was invited to testify at the first hearing held in the new 118th Congress before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Titled The State of Housing 2023, the session featured Lance George, HAC’s Director of Research and Information, as one of three witnesses. His testimony covered key factors contributing to the state of rural housing including the pandemic, housing costs, manufactured housing, and race and ethnicity. His policy recommendations addressed homeownership, rental housing, and capacity building.

HAC launches USDA-backed placemaking program

HAC has selected ten communities to participate in our Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC) cohort. RPIC is a USDA program that funds planning support, technical assistance, and training to encourage placemaking activities in rural communities. HAC’s cohort communities will receive 15 months of capacity building support, connection to a peer cohort, and seed grant funding.

RuralSTAT

In fiscal year 2022, the average loan amount for a USDA guaranteed home mortgage was $185,241 – up 31% from 2019. Source: HAC tabulations of USDA Data (increase represented in nominal dollars).

Buildings Upgrade Prize offered by Department of Energy

The Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) will award cash and technical assistance for ideas to accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades. In Phase 1, teams will submit innovative concepts to increase building energy upgrades. Winning teams will receive $200,000 or $400,000 in cash as well as expert technical assistance and coaching to help bring their ideas to life. The Phase 1 application period is open from February 18 to July 18. New and under-resourced teams can also apply, until funds are expended, for Application Support Prizes of $5,000 and 10 hours of technical assistance to help complete their Phase 1 applications. For more information, email buildingsup@nrel.gov.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

New requests for comments issued

• Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: HUD’s proposed AFFH rule has been officially published, with a comment deadline of April 10. For more information, contact Tiffany Johnson, HUD, 202-402-2881.
• Build America, Buy America: OMB proposes to revise its guidance for federal agencies on grants and agreements to include Build America, Buy America Act requirements. Comments are due March 13. For more information, contact Dede Rutberg, OMB, 202-881-7359.
• Radon in HUD environmental reviews: HUD has drafted a Departmental Policy for Addressing Radon in the Environmental Review Process. Comments are due April 14. For more information, contact Kristin Fontenot, HUD, 202-402-7671.
• Broadening public engagement in the regulatory process: OMB suggests tactics for increasing public participation in developing federal regulations. Comments are due March 10 and a virtual listening session will be offered on March 7.
• FHA 203(k) rehab mortgages: The Federal Housing Administration requests input by April 17 on barriers to the use of the FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program by lenders and consumers. For more information, contact Elissa Saunders, HUD, 202-402-2378.
• Rural broadband technical assistance and planning: The Rural Utilities Service will host two online listening sessions to collect feedback on how best to use new funding for TA and planning to provide broadband in the most rural communities. A session for rural communities interested in receiving TA will be held February 23 and one for TA providers will be February 28. For more information, use the online broadband program contact form.

Resources offered to help protect domestic violence survivors in HUD properties

HUD launched a new website as a clearinghouse for its resources on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and changes made when the law was reauthorized in 2022. Also, a new notice explains that HUD will implement and enforce VAWA in the same way it enforces the Fair Housing Act. Finally, HUD’s Community Compass funding notice includes VAWA among priorities for provision of technical assistance.

HAC welcomes rural homelessness funding awards

HUD has announced its selection of Continuums of Care in 27 states that will receive a total of over $54 million to address rural homelessness. Another $260 million will be used to assist people experiencing unsheltered homelessness around the country. HUD plans to make additional awards in the coming weeks and to allocate new incremental Stability Vouchers as well. HAC issued a statement hailing the attention to rural needs.

USDA RD updates guidelines on COVID-related loan refinances

Guidance for using Section 502 and 504 direct loan funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act has been revised. The monies can be used through September 30 to refinance outstanding loans to existing direct loan borrowers who received payment moratoriums under pandemic guidelines.

Supportive services use at Section 202 properties explained

HUD has issued updated guidance for Section 202 elderly housing properties explaining the purpose and allowable uses of supportive services funds and how to include them in a property’s annual operating budget. Owners are required to have Supportive Services Plans and to update them every three years. HUD’s announcement also reminds staff at Section 202 properties they can order COVID tests free online.

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Drop in rural mortgage guarantees reported in HAC research note

Home Mortgage Demand Declined in Rural America Too: Signs and Trends from a USDA Housing Finance Product reports that USDA’s Section 502 loan guarantees plummeted by more than 40% from FY21 to FY22 level, from 120,000 to 72,000. Increases in interest rates and home prices likely contributed to this decline.

Continuum of Care information for Tribes published

HUD has published the first set of resources from the Continuum of Care Program Series for Tribal Communities and Organizations New to the CoC Program. Tribes and Tribal housing entities became eligible for CoC funding in HUD’s FY21 appropriations act, and the series is intended to inform them about the program, its purpose, eligible activities, and funding opportunities. For more information, contact a HUD Native American Programs area office or submit a question through the online Ask-a-Question portal (select “CoC Program” at step 2).

Case studies cover “what’s working in rural”

Brief rural-focused case studies from the Aspen Institute’s Community Strategies Group cover developing leaders in historically excluded communities, competing for federal funds despite limited resources, and empowering leaders from all backgrounds. Other topics will be added.

Major media report on homeless counts in rural places

Recently published stories describe the point-in-time count conducted nationwide in late January. In the Washington Post, Rural America has Homeless People Too. But They’re Hard to Find describes the difficulty in finding people in rural Cumberland County, PA, where volunteers must cross miles of territory. The New York Times piece, 582,462 and Counting, describes the count in four places, including rural Mississippi. It points out that people experiencing homelessness in rural areas are often locals who are now “homeless in their hometown.”

Remote workers are relocating back to metro areas, but high rural housing costs persist

Remote work during the pandemic led to a migration of residents out of metropolitan areas, which contributed to increases in average rural home prices. The push for employees to return to office has led to workers returning to cities. High housing costs and supply shortages persist in rural communities, however, described by NBC News in The Remote Workers Have Left, But the Housing Havoc They Created Remains.

Prosperity Now Scorecard updated

Prosperity Now has released the 2023 version of its Scorecard, an interactive site providing data on household financial health, housing, and more. Data is available for states, counties, cities, congressional districts, tribal areas, and metro areas. This year the Scorecard increased its focus on racial economic inequality and reviews states’ implementation of policies to expand economic opportunity.

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

HUD announces new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing proposal

HUD released the text of a new AFFH proposed rule on January 19. The proposal requires jurisdictions to develop equity plans every five years, incorporate those into Consolidated Plans and annual plans, and provide annual progress evaluations. It is based on a 2015 AFFH rule (which was only briefly in effect before it was rescinded in 2018 and replaced in 2020), with changes that are intended to simplify the required fair housing analysis, emphasize goal-setting, increase transparency for public review and comment, foster local commitment to addressing fair housing issues, enhance HUD technical assistance to local communities, and provide mechanisms for regular program evaluation and greater accountability, among other changes. Public comments will be due 60 days after the document is published in the Federal Register later this month. For more information, contact Tiffany Johnson, HUD, 202-402-2881.

Agencies propose changing regulations for faith-based organizations

Nine federal agencies, including USDA, HUD, and VA, propose to change their regulations related to faith-based organizations that receive government funding to provide social services. A 2016 rule required service providers to inform potential beneficiaries they could not be required to participate in faith-related activities. It also obligated them to offer information about alternative, non-faith-based providers. In 2020 these notice requirements were removed. The agencies now hope to reinstate a modified rule encouraging service providers to tell potential beneficiaries about alternative providers. They suggest additional changes also. Comments are due March 14. Agency contacts for more information are listed in the proposal.

New HAC guide covers substance use recovery and affordable rural housing

Rural Resource Guide: Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities, Federally Assisted Housing Opportunities for Residents with Substance Use Disorders and Opioid Use Disorders assists housing practitioners seeking to provide homes to those affected by substance use disorders. The publication was released at a webinar on January 18; the recording is available online.

Rural voters say housing costs are a serious problem

Rural and small town voters expressed strong concerns about inflation and the costs of essentials like housing and food in a bipartisan poll conducted in November for Save the Children and Save the Children Action Network. Housing costs are an extremely or very serious problem, 63% of respondents said – more than identified that level of worry about any other issue, including a lack of good-paying jobs, drug and alcohol use, and child care availability. Focusing on solutions to shortages of food and child care, the study found strong bipartisan support for federal policy remedies, including policies that increase government funding.

RuralSTAT

The number of home mortgage loans guaranteed by USDA declined by 44% between fiscal years 2021 and 2022. Source: HAC tabulations of USDA data.

OPPORTUNITIES

HUD opens two lead hazard control competitions

• The Lead Hazard Reduction Program funds efforts to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in privately owned rental or owner-occupied housing. Applicants can also request Healthy Homes Supplemental funding to identify and address other housing hazards that affect occupant health. Local governments, some state governments, and some Tribes are eligible, and consortium applicants may include nonprofits. Funding will be set aside for applicants that have never received an award under the LHR program or whose grant period of performance ended two or more years ago. Apply by March 14. For more information, contact Yolanda Brown, HUD, 202-903-9576.
• The Housing-Related Hazards & Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program is available only for public housing authorities. The deadline is April 13. For more information, contact HUD staff, PIHOCI@hud.gov.

Grants offered for housing innovations

From January 31 through March 3, Enterprise Community Partners and the Wells Fargo Foundation will open the second Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge, a $20 million competition to identify and support scalable housing innovations. The challenge offers grants of up to $3 million and technical assistance in three categories – financing, construction, and access and resident support. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, Tribal organizations and mission-driven for-profits in 37 states and D.C. A webinar for potential applicants is scheduled for February 2.

REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Construction cost relief for single-family homes extended

In 2021, because of cost increases and construction delays, USDA announced some temporary authorizations for new construction financed under its Section 502 and 504 direct loan programs. Those provisions expired December 31 and have now been renewed for another year. The changes increase the permissible construction contingency in these loans and ease some of the requirements for borrowers to obtain subsequent loans at the end of construction to cover cost overruns. For more information, contact a USDA RD State Office.

USDA considers use of multifamily reserve account cash for soft debt

USDA proposes to expand the uses of “surplus cash” in property reserve accounts at projects with Section 515 rental or 514 farmworker housing loans. To increase flexibility in project refinancing for additional capital improvements, borrowers would be allowed to use surplus cash to fund approved soft debt such as “cash flow notes.” Comments are due March 10. For more information, contact Jennifer Larson, USDA, 202-720-1615.

USDA and National Urban League announce partnership

The USDA and National Urban League will work together in areas including homeownership, access to broadband, help for veterans, and youth development. USDA’s press announcement says the civil rights organization will help enhance USDA’s ability to fulfill its missions efficiently and fairly.

EVENTS

Disaster webinars scheduled

• Disaster Resilience: Preparation, Mitigation, and Recovery will be held on January 24 by the National Housing Conference. Panelists will discuss environmentally conscious building and green retrofitting to help prevent catastrophic damage, the policy changes needed to make disaster responses timely and equitable and address systematic failures, and best practices for comprehensive recovery efforts. Two of the panelists are from rural organizations.
• Rural Affordable Housing: Understanding the Steps to Disaster Recovery will be offered January 26 by the Technical Assistance Collaborative. This session will provide an overview of what to expect after a disaster and how organizations can prepare for disaster recovery related to affordable and supportive housing.
• Preparing your Organization for Disaster: A Guide to Rural Resilience, provided by HAC in September, can be viewed online. Panelists covered the value of being prepared and ways to make organizations disaster resilient. The session also showcased HAC’s Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Culturally sensitive design approaches can improve Tribal housing

Participatory Models of Housing: Promising Design Practices for Affordable Housing on Tribal Lands, co-published by the Joint Center for Housing Studies and NeighborWorks America, explores promising, nascent efforts to develop housing that is affordable, higher-quality, and culturally sensitive.

Data can help address racial inequities in housing, report says

Leveraging Data to Improve Racial Equity in Fair Housing asserts that data can shed light on some of the historic drivers of housing inequity and help inform tailored solutions to their ongoing impact. Published by the IBM Center for the Business of Government and the Center for Open Data Enterprise, the report explores ways to apply data to address different types of housing discrimination.

Vermont governor recognizes small towns need capacity building to access funds

Gov. Phil Scott has proposed a $3 million Rural Infrastructure Assistance Program to help underserved rural communities in Vermont access federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Housing development is among the types of projects that would be covered. The proposal must be funded by the state legislature.

National survey on drug use and health results available

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released its report on the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, including estimates by geographic region. In 2021, 46.3 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with substance use disorders, including 6,742,000 in rural areas. The vast majority (94%) of people 12 years or older diagnosed with substance use disorder did not receive treatment.

Videos demonstrate fair housing analysis tool

HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data and Mapping Tool (AFFH-T) Video Series is intended to show how the online AFFH-T and other local data sources can be used to analyze local conditions as part of a fair housing planning process.

HAC

HAC seeks Portfolio Manager, Closing and Disbursements

• The Portfolio Manager, Closing and Disbursements is responsible for all aspects of loan closing and loan disbursements for an assigned portfolio of loans made to entities engaged in affordable housing activities in rural communities throughout the United States. This position is eligible for telecommuting.

National Rural Housing Conference set for October 2023

Mark your calendars and save the date! HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 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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