News

The Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding is leading a sign-on letter urging Congress to lift FY 2020 spending caps and fund affordable housing and transportation programs at the highest levels possible. NH&RA signed the letter and encourages our members to consider signing-on as well. The deadline to sign-on is March 1, 2019.

This week House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittees will hold two housing-related hearings. On Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 10 am the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Leveraging Private Capital For Underserved Communities and Individuals: A Look Into Community Development Financial Institutions” in the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2362-A. On […]

Last week Congress and the President averted another shutdown by passing funding for the remainder of FY 2019, which runs through Sept. 30, 2019. Overall, the bill provides HUD programs with more than $12 billion above the President’s request and provides $1.5 billion in new resources in FY 2019.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development, in conjunction with the Missouri Housing Development Commission, the Missouri Department of Social Services, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, will host a webinar on the draft 2019 Action Plan for the State of Missouri. 

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccarddo announced that the city will devote nearly $100 million to 11 projects across the city over the next several years. The 11 projects are expected to provide 1,144 apartments to formerly homeless residents, low-income seniors and other vulnerable groups.

The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) released a $25 million Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to increase and preserve affordable housing opportunities in 37 parishes impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Specifically, $14.7 M has been allocated for recovery in New Orleans, which sustained the largest amount of damage from Katrina. The remaining dollars will be made available in all parishes that were impacted by the storms.

NH&RA member Enterprise Community Partner recently published a blog post on Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Crapo’s (R-ID) housing finance reform outline. Vice President of Policy Development Andrew Jakabovics argues that eliminating the explicit commitment to affordable housing is a step in the wrong direction and that the housing finance system […]

Evelyn Lim joined the HUD Region Eight team, which covers Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and North and South Dakota. Prior to her appointment at HUD, she served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

HUD announced it is reducing the advance notice it provides to public housing authorities (PHAs) and private owners of HUD-subsidized apartment developments before their housing is inspected to ensure it is decent, safe and healthy.  HUD’s new standard provides PHAs and private owners of HUD-assisted housing 14 calendar days’ notice before an inspection, a dramatic reduction from the current notice which can frequently extend up to four months.

NH&RA joined a letter led by the National Housing Conference, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Capital Magnet Fund Coalition, LISC and the Opportunity Finance Network which calls on the Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to continue making allocations to the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) and the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF).

This New York Times article explains the benefits of the Opportunity Zones program for investors, developers and communities. “It’s arguably the most significant tax break in decades,” said Ben Miller, co-founder and chief executive of Fundrise, a real estate crowdfunding site that is sponsoring an opportunity fund. The funds are generally not for small-time investors. […]

Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Housing and Community Services released the statewide 5-year housing plan, Breaking New Ground. The plan focuses on six priorities and includes measurable goals to work towards by 2023: