General News

Joseph Smith, President Obama’s nominee to run the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), has withdrawn his nomination after strong opposition from Republican Senators.

The Urban Institute has issued a new report of annotated literature review that surveys the research on mixed-income housing and the impact on low-income children and adults.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has commissioned a study to assess the LIHTC program after 15 years to determine whether projects that reach the 15-year mark are remaining affordable, what types of properties are or are not remaining affordable, as well as major factors that contribute to these outcomes.

The Arkansas Development Finance Authority has extended its 2011 low-income housing tax credit program application deadline by one month until March 4, 2011.

The Alabama Housing Finance Authority will hold a 2011 LIHTC and HOME application workshop on February 14 in Montgomery, AL.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau have decided to delay the start of data collection for the American Housing Survey for three months, from the beginning of May until the beginning of August.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s report to Congress on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be delivered in mid-February, rather than by January 31, as mandated by the Frank-Dodd law enacted in July of last year.

Missouri State Senator Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau) recently introduced a series of bills related to the state’s tax credit policies & regulation.

The U.S. Senate today passed the $858 billion legislative tax package by a 81 to 19 vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this week introduced the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, a bill to extend the “Bush Tax Cuts,” as well as a number of tax credit programs that were modified by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

NH&RA’s Council for Energy Friendly Affordable Housing recently authored a new white paper suggesting way to improve how utility allowances are calculated for energy efficient LIHTC and HUD-assisted multifamily housing.

The Center for Housing Policy recently published a report entitled “The Role of Affordable Housing in Creating Jobs & Stimulating Local Economic Development: A Review of the Literature” that identifies a number of ways in which affordable housing development drives local economic growth and increases revenues for state and local governments.

HUD has released new versions of the American Housing Survey 2005 and 2007 National datasets through its HUD USER web site.