Green/Sustainable Housing

Energy and water consumption represent some of the largest operating costs in multifamily properties, estimated at $22 billion per year in the US. The newly released Energy and Water Savings in Multifamily Retrofits report provides a detailed analysis of 236 multifamily properties that underwent energy and water retrofit projects from 2009 to 2012. The report […]

All conference materials, PowerPoint presentations, relevant articles, reports, memos, etc. from the 2014 Spring NCHMA Meeting are available below under the relevant session titles. Click below to learn more about the topics that were covered at the meeting! Conference Recordings of each session will be available in NH&RA’s Online Store following the conference. NCHMA Resource: […]

Results from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Green Retrofit Program and the Energy Savers Program in Illinois Download

A new report prepared by Bright Power and Stewards for Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) discusses the results of energy- and water-efficiency retrofit projects for multifamily housing developments funded under HUD’s Green Retrofit Program and the Illinois Energy Savers Program.

As innovative energy products and services come to market, so do new mechanisms to fund them. And existing funding options become more popular. This has resulted in a boom of finance jargon, especially regarding energy efficiency and renewable generation. Though many of the finance terms used in clean energy finance are similar to those used […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released Notice 2014-39 clarifying questions related to Section 1603 renewable energy cash grant recipients. The Notice provides that the Section 1603 Payment resulting from sequestration during the affected time period does not affect the amount of the Section 1603 Award or the basis of the specified energy property taken into account for purposes of determining the award.

Through our work in the Green Retrofit Initiative we learned that there are many ways to improve the energy performance of a property, maximize the health of residents, and decrease safety hazards. In creating this guide we actively engaged three CDCs and their third-party property managers to comb through applicable green and healthy goals, the […]

The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved its fiscal year (FY) 2015 Transportation-HUD spending bill by a measure of 29-1. The draft bill would provide $36 billion in discretionary spending for Housing and Urban Development programs, offsetting receipts estimated by CBO at $9.8 billion, which allows for program funding levels totaling $45.8 billion.

Representatives Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Richard Neal (D-MA) recently introduced H.R. 4717, a bill which would establish a permanent floor for both the 9% and 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). The bill would create a fixed nine percent rate for new rental construction property and a fixed four percent rate for existing property.

On May 21, the full House Committee on Appropriations approved the fiscal year (FY) 2015 appropriations bill for the Department of Transportation, Department Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and Related Agencies by a vote of 28-21. There were no material amendments adopted in full committee markup.

ACEEE’s new State and Local Policy Database includes comprehensive information on energy efficiency policies currently implemented at the state and local level. The database tracks policy activity across multiple sectors, including state and local governments, utilities, transportation, buildings, combined heat and power, and appliance standards. Users can click on a state or city on the […]

Topics include: -What is a utility allowance and why they important? -Methods for UA calculation -Complexities and barriers to increased rents -Workaround and potential solutions -On bill repayment Download