News

Representatives of the National Council of Affordable Housing Market Analysts (NCAHMA) and the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association met with key officials of the U.S. Department of Housing Department (HUD) on February 5 to discuss planned changes to its Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily mortgage insurance programs and ways to enhance them from a market study perspective.

NH&RA’s New Markets Tax Credit Council has welcomed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s introduction last week of Extenders legislation, which includes a provision that would renew the federal new markets tax credit program through 2010.

Members of NH&RA’s New Markets Tax Credit Council recently convened to discuss and prioritize topics to address with key representatives of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund and U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The law firm Nixon Peabody LLP reported on February 22 that all HUD Multifamily HUB and Program Centers will be allowed to recommend waivers of certain portions of the Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide and regulations to headquarters.

Joe Hagan, president and CEO of the National Equity Fund, Inc., is the new president of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC).

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) recently submitted to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) its Weatherization Assistance Program plan, which provides details on the administration and finance of the program.

On Wednesday, Ted Tozer was sworn in as the President of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae).

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) announced this week that it will offer approximately $2.5 million in federal housing tax credits to affordable rental developers. Applications will be accepted until April 9, 2010.

The Hawaii Housing Finance & Development Authority recently released revised administrative rules for both the low-income housing tax credit and rental housing trust fund programs.

Representative Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation (HR 4687) to extend the 1602 exchange program to 4 percent credits. Representative Sanchez noted in a floor statement that “I am introducing this bill because our country cannot afford to let this valuable 4 percent tax credit program fall into disuse due to the economy’s downturn at a time when our country is in desperate need of more jobs and more affordable places for low-income families to live.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced that he will push jobs legislation that will not include several tax credit extenders included in a draft bill previously circulated by Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles Grassley (R-Neb.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee have released a draft Jobs Bill.

Join NH&RA for a round of golf at the Miami Beach Golf Club, Friday, March 12 during the 2010 Affordable Housing Conference & Annual Meeting.