News

President Joe Biden (D) nominated Julia Gordon to serve as Assistant Secretary for Housing, Federal Housing Commissioner and Dave Uejio for Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at HUD.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its eviction moratorium through July 31 for one final time. The one-month extension is designed to allow state and local governments more time to distribute emergency rental assistance (ERA) payments. The White House will hold a summit on housing affordability and evictions at 1 p.m. ET on June 30 and is increasing coordination with local officials and legal aid organizations to minimize evictions after July 31.

The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University’s 2021 State of the Nation’s Housing report describes the K-shaped economic recovery in which higher-income households used wealth accumulated throughout the pandemic to purchase homes, while others struggled to stay in their homes as incomes dropped precipitously. 

The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, as well as the Ohio Housing Council are leading a sign-on letter opposing a budget amendment that would require auditors to value LIHTC properties and other properties receiving federal subsidies to be valued as market-rate properties without regard to governmental use restrictions. 

Enterprise Community Partners is launching  Equitable Path Forward: Advisory Services (EPF AS), a 24-month program that will support up to eight Black, Indigenous and people of color- (BIPOC) led affordable housing organizations enhance their capabilities and strengthen their operations. 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published an updated frequently asked questions (FAQ) document concerning the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC). The questions addressed what types of entities can claim the HTC, how and when the HTC can be claimed on a tax return key program definitions, qualified rehabilitation expenditures, basis and several other key aspects surrounding HTC.

Last week the Senate held a voice vote to confirm Adrianne Todman as deputy secretary at HUD. NH&RA looks forward to continuing to work with Ms. Todman in her new role! 

HUD published an interim final rule, which partially restores the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rules promulgated under President Barack Obama (D). The rule requires HUD grantees (PHAs, as well as state and local governments) to  regularly certify compliance with the Fair Housing Act’s AFFH requirement and, in doing so, commit to taking steps to remedy their unique fair housing issues. 

The St. Paul Public Housing Authority (PHA) is offering up to 50 Project-based Vouchers through the Consolidated RFP with an additional 20 Project-based Vouchers specifically for HUD – Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH). Applications will be accepted through Minnesota Housing’s Multifamily Customer Portal. Applications are due by noon on July 15. For information on Project-based Vouchers, please visit the St. Paul PHA website or contact Dominic Mitchell, St. Paul PHA Housing Choice Voucher Programs Director at 651-292-6191 or [email protected].

The Illinois state legislate passed the COVID-19 Affordable Housing Grant Program Act (HR 27252), which would require that LIHTC properties in Cook County be assessed using the income-approach, as well as a new property tax incentive policy that would provide reduction in assessed value for both subsidized and market-rate owners that provide affordable units. The omnibus legislation also extends the Illinois State LIHTC through 2026. A full summary of the bill’s provisions is available here from the Illinois Housing Council.  

The California state assembly passed the Housing Accountability Act (AB 989), which would create a state Housing Accountability Committee to adjudicate violations of the Housing Accountability Act and give the committee the authority to overturn denials or conditions of approval that are not consistent with the Act. This provides a quicker, less expensive, less confrontational and more consistent alternative to enforcing state housing laws in court, resulting in more affordable homes built at lower cost.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for eligible entities to provide planning, training and technical assistance to rural communities to foster placemaking activities. 

USDA is making up to $3 million in cooperative agreement grants available under the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC). Eligible entities may use the funds to help rural communities create plans to enhance capacity for broadband access; preserve cultural and historic structures; and support development in transportation, housing and recreational spaces.