News

The USDA announced the appointment of Bruce Lammers as the new Rural Housing Service (RHS) Administrator, effective May 28, 2019. Mr. Lammers will report directly to Joel Baxley, who formerly held the position and is now the Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development.

Two HUD proposed rules seek to create flexibilities in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships programs to incentivize their use in Opportunity Zones.

HUD published a Notice of Emergency Approval of an Information Collection: National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Demonstration. The document outlines a few important details for the new 2-year Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) demonstration which HUD hopes will identify potential adjustments to standards, protocols, and processes.

The National Council of Housing Market Analysts (NCHMA) sent comments and recommendations to HUD as it updates Chapter 7 of the Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Guide Market Study Guidelines.

The California Housing Partnership released new reports in collaboration with local and regional housing organizations that document the deteriorating conditions facing low-income renters in five Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego. The reports offers policy recommendations for state, local and regional leaders…

On May 17, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) signed HB19-1228 into law. The bill increases the amount of state Affordable Housing Tax Credits available for annual allocation by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority from $5 million to $10 million for 2020-2024.

A new report released from the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) showcases the work of five public housing authorities (PHAs) that are successfully collaborating with postsecondary institutions and local nonprofit organizations to increase college access, retention and graduation rates for current public housing residents and college students who are experiencing homelessness.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) published its annual Advocates’ Guide: A Primer on Federal Resources Related to Affordable Housing Programs and Community Development. T

Chairman David Perdue (R-GA) and Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ) of the Senate Banking subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee introduced S.1463, a bill to establish a scorekeeping rule to ensure that increases in guarantee fees of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shall not be used to offset provisions that increase the deficit.

HUD announced $5 million will be made available this summer for the purchase and installation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in public housing units where they are necessary. HUD also announced it has been working with Congressional leaders on the Senate Banking Committee on legislation that will require CO detectors in HUD-assisted housing units that need them.

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee will markup the FY 2020 T-HUD appropriations bill at 8:30 am EDT on May 23.

Last week Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), along with Reps. Darrin LaHood (R-IL), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Michael Turner (R-OH) and Brian Higgins (D-NY), introduced the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity (HTC-GO) Act, H.R. 2825.