Congress

Reznick Group’s Tax Credit Investment Services (TCIS) team has released the first in a series of periodic reports addressing the performance of properties financed with low-income housing tax credits. Given the scrutiny of all federal income tax expenditures and the recent market fluctuations, this is an appropriate time to examine whether these properties are meeting their financial obligations and the needs of the markets they serve.

The House of Representatives Appropriations Transportation – Housing & Urban Development Subcommittee has released a draft funding bill for FY-2012. It is scheduled to be marked up by the committee today, Thursday September 8. The measure calls for $55.15 billion in discretionary spending across the two agencies, $19.8 billion less than President Obama’s request and $217 million below current spending. The bill would provide $16.7 billion to the Transportation Department, a $3 billion increase over current spending, and $38.1 billion for the Housing and Urban Development Department, a $3 billion cut.

In a primetime speech before the US Congress on September 8, President Obama announced proposal called the “American Jobs Act”. The proposal includes a major new $15 billion initiative called “Project Rebuild” that is targeted towards Rehabilitating Homes, Businesses and Communities. The proposal builds on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), chairman of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, called for President Barack Obama to expand the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) as part of his jobs initiative.

A coalition of 45 national organizations sent a letter to President Obama’s domestic policy and economic teams this week, asking that the Administration provide at least $10 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund in the President’s jobs-creation plan, which includes infrastructure investments, patent reform, free trade deals and an extension of payroll tax cuts.

The National Housing & Rehabilitation Association has signed a letter, joined by numerous organizations, rebutting a proposal by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to eliminate the federal low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program.

The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) has released a detailed summary of the recent legislation signed by President Obama to increase the debt limit from $2.1 to $2.4 trillion and create a bipartisan “super committee” tasked with developing a strategy to lower the national debt by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has announced a Request For Information (RFI), seeking input on new options for selling single-family real estate owned (REO) properties held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises), and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

On July 18, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) unveiled a massive deficit reduction plan that calls for slashing federal spending, including for housing programs, and eliminating tax credit programs that promote affordable housing and community development, historic preservation, and renewable energy production.

In response to a recent White House discussion meeting which called for bold action to tackle the nation’s ongoing housing troubles, Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) has sent a letter to President Obama proposing a number of recommendations that would significantly impact the development of affordable rental housing.

Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), and Jeff Denham (R-CA) recently introduced a bill that would treat certain population census tracts for which information is not available as low-income communities for purposes of the new markets tax credit (NMTC).

The House Financial Services Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee approved five bills designed to constrain Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and hasten their departure from the mortgage market.