General News

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has released a preview of its U.S. Housing Market Conditions report for the second quarter of 2010.

The International City/County Management Association has issued a new publication, Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities .

HUD has issued a new mortgagee letter (2010-26) and Housing Notice (2010-16) to all FHA-Approved Multifamily Mortgagees issuing further policy guidance to defer submission of final architectural plans and specifications introduced by Mortgagee Letter 2008-19, 19), titled “Streamlined Processing of Multifamily Mortgage Insurance Applications Involving Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).”

The Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority has released its 2011 qualified allocation plan.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has begun the process of revising the 2011 qualified allocation plan (QAP), and has released its draft 2011 Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide. Proposed revisions to the 2011 QAP will be released by the end of August.

Today, the Obama administration is holding its Conference on the Future of Housing Finance at the Treasury Department. The conference will be moderated by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and HUD Secretary Shawn Donovan, and will feature a diverse slate of panelists representing various stakeholder groups who will discuss housing finance reform as it pertains to the broader financial markets and the administration’s broader housing policy goals.

Earlier this month, the New York State Legislature passed the final bill needed to authorize the 2010 state budget. Among other things, the final budget defers New York State Rehabilitation Tax Credits earned between 2010 and 2012 exceeding $2 million.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has issued a notice soliciting public comments regarding the implementation of a proposed rule in the Housing & Economic Recovery Act (HERA) that authorizes FHFA to initiate enforcement over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Home Loan Banks.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is soliciting comments from the public on the data collection process for the 2011 American Housing Survey (AHS).

The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) Board of Directors recently approved the Authority’s Very Low-Income Construction Employment Policy and incorporated the policy into the 2011 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Draft Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP).

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced today the appointment of Ted Wartell as Director of Community Affairs Policy. He will report to Deputy Comptroller for Community Affairs Barry Wides.

The Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) has released its draft version of the state’s 2011 qualified allocation plan (QAP).