Thom Amdur Author Archives

House Appropriations Transportation-HUD subcommittee approved a fiscal 2016 appropriations bill that would provide $55.27 in discretionary spending for infrastructure and housing programs. The measure would put FY-2016 funding above 2015 enacted levels, but still fall short of the Obama Administration’s budget request.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program is launching Water Wednesdays. The project intends to help HUD project officers and HUD grantees incorporate water efficiency into their programs and projects.

Beacon Communities and its development partner successfully completed the redevelopment of William Moorhead Tower, a 15-story, 141-apartment affordable housing development in Pittsburgh’s North Oakland neighborhood, using a $1.25 million award of federal low income housing tax credits

Enterprise Community Investment, an NH&RA member, celebrated its 2000th investment in a low income housing tax credit deal.

A property that was under development in Baltimore by the Woda Group was destroyed in a massive fire. The development, which was 45% complete, plans to replace a blighted block with 61 units of affordable senior housing and service, counseling, and job training space.

Congress passed a bill that will implement new measures to encourage building owners and tenants to use more cost-effective energy efficiency and water efficiency measures. The bill is a more modest version of a larger efficiency bill sponsored by Senators Portman and Shaheen.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the 2009-2011 National Rental Dynamics Report, which uses the longitudinal features of the American Housing Survey to track changes in rental housing affordability. The report examines how recent changes in affordability fit into the trajectory of the rental housing stock over the course of the recession and recovery.

The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing on private sector involvement in affordable housing. The hearing focused on opportunities to leverage large private sector investments, including the HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration program and the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC).

The Multifamily Housing Office at the Department of Housing and Urban Development offered clarifications of the policy surrounding its interest rate reductions (IRR), particularly for the Section 202 and 223(f) programs.

MJ Gravel has been named development director for the state of California for Volunteers of America. She will focus on property acquisitions, renovation of existing housing portfolio and new construction for Volunteers of America’s three California offices.

Freddie Mac announced that David Leopold, a long-time leader of affordable rental housing lending and investments, is joining the company on April 20, 2015, as vice president of affordable housing production for the Multifamily business.

Boston Capital announced the closing of Boston Capital Corporate Tax Credit Fund XL, a nationally diversified portfolio of 21 affordable apartment properties in 13 states with a fund size of $120 million.