Congress

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) recently released a report entitled “Estimated Cuts In Federal Housing Assistance and Community Development Programs Due to Sequestration”, which details the effects the potential across-the-board funding cuts for most federal programs (sequestration) could have on state housing programs.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan recently sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations Chari Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) about the effects sequestration could have on the families, individuals and communities that rely on HUD programs.

President Obama singed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (H.R. 152) on January 29. H.R. 152, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a measure of 241-180 and the Senate by a margin of 62-36, was originally sponsored by House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and will provide an additional $50.5 billion for recovery and rebuilding activities for regions impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling today announced subcommittee assignments for the panel’s Republican members. Chairman Hensarling will serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees, as will former Chairman Spencer Bachus, who is serving as chairman emeritus in the 113th Congress.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report to Congress entitled “Tax Expenditures: Background and Evaluation Criteria and Questions.” The report examines the costs and benefits of tax expenditures and the effectiveness of specific tax expenditures in meeting their intended goals.

On Monday December 31, 2012, the Senate approved the appointment of Carol J. Galante as the Commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Assistant Secretary of Housing for HUD by a measure of 69-24, with 18 of the approving votes coming from Senate Republicans.

NH&RA was pleased to welcome over 200 industry professionals to our 2012 Fall Developers Forum. All conference materials including Power Point presentations, reports, memos and articles from the conference are available for download.

The New Markets Tax Credit Coalition recently released the New Markets Tax Credit Economic Report for 2003 to 2012 entitled “Measuring the Direct and Catalytic Impact of New Markets Tax Credit Investments in Low Income Communities”.

We invite you to take a short break from your year end closings and join more than 150 of the leading developers and affordable housing professionals from around the country at our 2012 Fall Developers Forum at the Langham Hotel. The Developers Forum is the last NH&RA conference of the year!

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) recently released a report detailing the implications that impending budget deficit reduction measures could have on housing and community development programs

A new Senate bill introduced September 2012, S. 3538, would reduce administrative burdens and complexities for certain local public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer federal low-income housing programs. The purpose of the legislative measure is for PHAs to realize administrative savings, but the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) says the measure could present other, more harmful challenges.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) will meet Thursday, November 15, 2012. The meeting will be held in the Room SR325 at the Russell Senate Office Building at Constitution and Delaware Avenues NE., Washington, DC at 8:30 a.m. The ACHP was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) to advise the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy and to comment upon federal, federally assisted, and federally licensed undertakings having an effect upon properties listed in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.