HUD

For the past few weeks, the United States Senate has been considering an appropriations minibus, H.R. 2112, which includes the annual spending bills for Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and multiple amendments therein. The Senate approved the legislation by a vote of 69 to 30 on Tuesday, November 1.

The Center for Housing Policy has released a new brief titled “More than a Roof: Case Studies of Public Housing Agency Initiatives to Increase Residents’ Economic Security. The paper highlights PHA efforts to help residents make progress toward economic security.

HUD recently launched its Sustainable Construction in Indian Country initiative, which is charged with exploring impediments to sustainable construction practices in Native communities, and suggesting solutions to these impediments.

More than six years after HUD assumed control in 2005, Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez announced that the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) would be returned to local control.

HUD is offering Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grants to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), local governments, nonprofits, tribal entities, and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity.

Last week, the Hawaii State Legislature introduced two bills that would expand methods for delivering funding to a community development entity (CDE) by allowing guarantees and credit enhancements.

HUD’s Office of Policy Development & Research has released the latest Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released the 2012 HOME rent and income limits, effective February 9, 2012.

The call for entries for the 2012 HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation is now available. The HUD Secretary’s Awards are presented annually to honor projects that exemplify excellence in four categories: community planning, historic preservation, affordable housing design, and cooperative public/private efforts.

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicates that the number of homeless women veterans has more than doubled, from 1,380 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in fiscal year 2010.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released a report entitled “Better Buildings Through Executive Action” which is the second phase of a major effort by the organization and partners to encourage the Obama Administration to make full use of all available legal tools to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of multifamily and commercial buildings.

HUD’s Office of Policy Research & Development has published the newest report in its series of ‘Best Practices’ examples, based on federal, state and local strategies that increase affordable housing opportunities, apply sustainable features and practices, and increase access to public transportation.