Federal / Agency News

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell signed two bills last week that establish a statewide energy policy (S.B. 220) to stimulate the state’s economy by attracting renewable energy investment.

The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have announced that they will join forces to award up to $75 million in funding ““ $35 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants for localized planning activities that ultimately lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development.

Louisiana Housing Finance Agency has issued an RFP Special Tax Counsel for the Agency’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) recently introduced legislation (S. 3326, bill text not available at press time) that would extend for one-year the Section 1602 low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) cash grant exchange program and expand the program to include 4 percent LITHCs. The “Job Creation and Affordable Housing Act” would also allow a 5-year carryback of the LIHTC.

Today (Friday, May 28) the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (Tax Extenders Legislation). The legislation contains several provisions of note for affordable housing and tax credit developers…

The IRS has issued two new significant revenue rulings impact New Markets Tax Credits impacting passive activity losses.

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee last week released additional documents related to the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), better known as the tax extenders bill.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published a guide for the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program.

Last week, the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association welcomed over 120 industry professionals to Washington, DC for its 2010 Spring Affordable Housing Policy Forum. The highly praised program explored the critical nexus between today’s changing public policy environment and affordable housing development, as well as combined NH&RA’s traditional transaction-oriented sessions with valuable social networking opportunities.

The legislative text the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213) was released last week by the U.S. House of Representatives as an amended version of an earlier version of the bill, in response to the companion legislation, passed by the Senate on March 10.

Over the past several days NH&RA has met with several key House and Senate staffers on the tax writing, banking/financial services and appropriations committees to discuss critical legislation impacting affordable housing, historic rehabilitation and New Markets Tax Credit development.

U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Robert Casey (D-PA) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) recently introduced a bill (S.3324) to expand and improve the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (48C) program.