News
HUD Schedules FSS Listening Session on Oct. 9
The Family Self-Sufficiency program was re-authorized on May 24, 2018 as part of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.
USDA RD Issues New Guidance on Reallocating Rental Assistance Units for Properties No Longer in the Program; Allowable Expenses and Reserve Accounts
On September 19, 2018 USDA Rural Development Administrator Joel Baxley issued an Unnumbered Letter to provide guidance to State Rural Development Directors on reallocating Rental Assistance (RA) units currently held in the Administrator’s reserve back to the State in which the units originated and allow States to use RA when properties are paid in full henceforth.
EEFA Publishes Guide on Making Affordable Housing More Energy Efficient
On September 24, Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA), published “Making Affordable Multifamily Housing More Energy Efficient: A Guide to Healthier Upgrade Materials.”
California Enacts Law to Fast Track Housing for the Homeless
On September 26 California Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA), signed into law Assembly Bill 2162, a measure that would fast-track housing for the homeless by bypassing some of the local approval hurdles.
Fannie Mae Calls for Ideas on Healthy Affordable Housing; Issues $10 million Innovation Challenge
Fannie Mae announced today a new Call for Ideas on Healthy Affordable Housing. The application period is open from September 26, 2018 through November 1, 2018.
Harvard JCHS Working Paper Explores Measuring Housing Affordability Measures
The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies has published the new working paper “Measuring Housing Affordability: Assessing the 30 Percent of Income Standard.”
Rep. Mark Meadows Introduce Bill to Renew Opportunity Zone Incentive
Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) has introduced H.R. 6890, the Creating Advancement and Personal Improvement in Targeted American Localities (CAPITAL) Act of 2018.
HUD Temporarily Extends FFB Risk Share FFB Initiative
HUD has announced it will be extending its Multifamily risk-sharing initiative with the Federal Financing Bank (FFB) for eligible Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) through December 31, 2018. The initiative was originally scheduled to cease accepting new applications for commitments from HFAs on September 30, 2018, but will now accept new applications for commitments under this […]
Senator Warren Introduces Expansive Affordable Housing Legislation
On September 25, 2018 Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), introduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2018 which would dramatically expand funding for the for affordable housing. The measure aims to use federal funding as leverage to build up to 3.2 million new housing units for lower-income and middle-class families – bringing down rents […]
Harvard JHCS Blog Post Highlights Affordability Issues for Older Americans
Harvard Joint Center for Housing researchers Jennifer Molinsky and Whitney Airgood-Obrycki recently published a blogpost highlighting the rising in housing affordability challenges for older Americans. “Due to both population growth and soaring housing costs, the number of adults age 65 and over struggling to afford housing is growing. The number of cost-burdened older households – […]
House Financial Services Committee Schedules GSE Reform Hearing on Sept. 27
The Committee on Financial Services will hold a hearing entitled “Oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s role as conservator and regulator of the Government Sponsored Enterprises” on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. in room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building. This will be a two-panel hearing with the following witnesses: Panel […]
Policy Minute: New York City Property Tax Reform
This week, the New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform will begin holding a series of public hearings on the current property tax system in New York City. Convened by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson in May, the commission is charged with developing proposals to make the system simpler, clearer, […]