HAC’s Research Director Testifies to Senate Banking Committee on the State of Housing 2023

February 9, 2023/in Events, HAC in the News, News, Policy Homeowner Housing, Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy, Housing Problems, Housing Structure Type, Persistent Poverty, Rental Housing, Rental Housing Development and Preservation, Rural Policy, Self-Help Housing

HAC was deeply honored by an invitation to testify at the first hearing held in the new 118^th Congress by 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.

A wide range of topics was covered by the witnesses’ testimony and the Senators’ questions. Among the key areas of concern were the gap between housing supply and need, the high cost of both homeownership and rental housing, and what congressional actions could address these challenges. Committee Chair Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) asked specifically about the loss of rentals financed by USDA’s Section 515 program, a serious concern addressed by HAC research in 2016 and 2022.

Key Takeaways

Lance’s statement made five key points about the state of rural housing in 2023:

The pandemic left its mark on rural America and housing markets remain uncertain.
Rural mortgage markets are being impacted by interest rates and prices too.
Affordability is the greatest housing challenge in rural America, by far.
Manufactured housing is an often overlooked but important source of housing – especially in rural America.
Race matters across the rural spectrum – especially in housing.

Key policy recommendations, based on HAC’s full set of policy priorities for 2023, included:

Increase rural communities’ access to credit and capital and strengthen USDA and HUD homeownership supports.
Improve opportunities and financing for preserving aging rental properties and protecting tenants.
Authorize the powerful Rural Community Development Initiative and a significant cross-sectoral, flexible capacity building rural investment initiative.

Read Lance’s Statement

Lance George

HAC’s Director of Research & Information

Watch the Hearing

Introduction to USDA's Mutual Self-Help Housing

Self-Help Housing Trainings from HAC’s Conference

July 6, 2022/in National Rural Housing Conference Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy, Housing Problems, Housing Rehab, Self-Help Housing

Self-Help Housing

There are many potential homeowners who fall short financially but are able to contribute time and labor toward the construction or rehabilitation of their homes.

The self-help housing model helps bridge the gap in housing affordability by having participant families work together to build their homes. Instead of requiring a down payment, the prospective homeowners contribute their own labor to the project. When these families work together, they learn valuable construction skills and build a sense of community with their neighbors.

These five workshops, first recorded at HAC’s Virtual National Rural Housing Conference, provide an overview of the self-help housing process, how it works, and information on how local organizations can incorporate it into their efforts.

Introduction to USDA’s Mutual Self-Help Housing Program

This session provides an overview of USDA’s Mutual Self-Help Housing program. It covers funding possibilities, regulation requirements, and the grant application process, as well as eligible grant uses, program development, staffing needs, and feasibility.

USDA Self-Help Repair and Rehab Program

USDA-supported self-help housing rehab activities (acquisition/rehab and owner-occupied rehab) can be viable additions to affordable housing work. This session is designed for organizations currently active in the program as well, as those considering it. Workshop leaders share the latest instructions and guidance governing rehab activities and show before-and-after pictures of self-help projects. The discussion focuses on challenges, successes, and best practices in delivering the program. The audience was able to ask questions about the impacts of COVID. One of the presenters shares the key to the self-help method with a quote.

“Helping people help themselves benefits the participants and the community while making better use of scarce resources.”

Tips and Updates for Self-Help Housing Group Coordinators

In this session, experts present information on recent improvements to SHARES for group coordinators. Workshop leaders also provide an overview of how to use e-Forms for submitting Section 502 and 504 applications. A nonprofit marketing specialist provides strategies for how to use social media, email marketing, and design to share about your work with self-help programs. Self-help grantees are encouraged to share their updates on https://www.selfhelphousingspotlight.org/.

502 Loan Packaging: What’s New and What’s Challenging

Learn what’s new in Section 502 loan packaging and how to avoid common errors and omissions that cause delays in processing 502 loan applications. This session will help packagers improve the quality and completeness of applications to get faster loan closings for families.

5 challenges in 502 Packaging

Significant Delinquencies, how credit worthiness impacts application processing and what can be done to streamline this step.
How to account for full-time student income and student loan debt.
COVID’s impact on calculating income and how to account for variations.
What forms of verification are acceptable and what can a packager use to verify application details?
What has COVID’s impact been on budgets and materials and how to best incorporate them into the loan process?

The Power of Leveraged Funds for Self-Help Housing

The coronavirus pandemic’s cost overages, material delays, and numerous other challenges have intensified the need for leveraged funds in self-help housing programs. Learn how leveraged funds can not only increase affordability and resources for applicants, but also build an organization’s capacity and control. Leveraging can also better position an organization for program diversification to address community needs.

Registration for Virtual National Rural Housing Conference Coming Soon

September 17, 2021/in Announcements, National Rural Housing Conference, News Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy

A Message from HAC’s President & CEO

We’ve had a remarkable year here at the Housing Assistance Council and look forward to finishing the year in that same fashion with HAC’s National Rural Housing Conference, scheduled to take place virtually on November 30 – December 3, 2021. This year’s virtual format will allow us all to reconnect and gather safely, regardless of location. With an exciting and full schedule of workshops and new virtual gathering spaces, the Conference will offer attendees a premier opportunity to learn from experts and connect with the entire affordable housing industry.

We will host more than 30 workshops and stakeholder convenings—covering topics including best practices for rural housing and community development, resource development, organizational management, and creative placemaking. This conference offers an excellent opportunity to connect with federal agencies, national housing organizations, and on-the-ground practitioners from across rural America. For many, this conference represents the year’s only opportunity to connect directly with federal policymakers, program experts, friends around the affordable housing industry and others who share their interests in a thriving rural America.

Registration opens soon. Be on the lookout for our announcement so you can reserve your place as we gather for HAC’s 2021 National Rural Housing Conference. We look forward to connecting with you this December!

Warm Regards,

David Lipsetz
President & CEO

Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies

The State of The Nation’s Housing – 2021

June 16, 2021/in Announcements, News, Rural News Coronavirus, Homeowner Housing, Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy, Housing Problems, Rental Housing

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Even as the US economy continues to recover, the inequalities amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic remain front and center. Households that weathered the crisis without financial distress are snapping up the limited supply of homes for sale, pushing up prices and further excluding less affluent buyers from homeownership. At the same time, millions of households that lost income during the shutdowns are behind on their housing payments and on the brink of eviction or foreclosure. A disproportionately large share of these at-risk households are renters with low incomes and people of color. While policymakers have taken bold steps to prop up consumers and the economy, additional government support will be necessary to ensure that all households benefit from the expanding economy.

HAC is a proud sponsor of Harvard’s State of the Nation’s Housing report.

Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Releases State of the Nation’s Housing 2020

November 19, 2020/in News, Rural News Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy, Housing Problems

For most of 2020, the country has been beset by the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest sparked by longstanding racial injustice, and the devastating impacts of climate change. Although low interest rates and continued growth in some sectors have bolstered homebuying and the broader economy, conditions have worsened for many households. Indeed, the nation’s failure to live up to its long-stated goal of a decent home in a suitable environment for all has never been clearer— particularly in the lack of affordable rental housing and unequal access to homeownership. Today’s crisis conditions call for a comprehensive re-envisioning of national housing policy.

Read the Report

Attend the release event on Nov. 19 at 4:00 pm EST

Housing Change and Occupancy in Rural America

September 11, 2020/in Rural Research Briefs Housing Occupancy, Housing Problems

A community’s housing stock is one of its most important resources. The presence of high quality and affordable housing units reflects vibrancy and makes a community attractive for both current and future households and businesses. Housing influences everything from community services to health outcomes. The absence of affordable high-quality housing puts a strain on a community and its residents. A community can also be negatively impacted if too many housing units are vacant and property values are not sufficient to generate revenues for local services and to entice development and growth.

Housing Occupancy and Vacancy in Rural America

May 23, 2012/in Rural Research Briefs Homeowner Housing, Housing Affordability, Housing Occupancy

Seasonal and Recreational Homes Contribute to Higher Housing Vacancy Rates in Rural & Small Town America

According to the 2010 Census, there are just over 30 million housing units in rural and small town communities, making up 23 percent of nation’s housing stock. Of these, approximately 25 million, or 82 percent, of rural homes are occupied. Housing vacancy rates in rural and small town areas are approximately 7 percentage points higher than the national level. Much of the higher vacancy rate in rural areas is due to the number of homes unoccupied for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. In fact, nearly 60 percent of all vacant seasonal, or recreational homes nationwide are located in rural and small town areas. Additionally, the number of housing units in rural and small town communities increased by nearly 3 million (11 percent) between 2000 and 2010.

For more information on this issue, check out HAC’s newest Rural Research Note: Housing Occupancy and Vacancy in Rural America (PDF)