HUD

Earlier this week, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan testified before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services on the Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance Act (TRA), an initiative proposed in the FY-2011 budget to streamline HUD’s rental assistance programs and revitalize the existing stock of public and assisted housing.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently issued a report to Congress that found that the severity of “worst case housing needs” in the U.S. grew dramatically between 2001 and 2007.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently issued a federal register notice that announces a Section 8 demonstration program for determining FMRs in smaller metropolitan areas.

NH&RA has also been meeting with HUD officials to discuss forthcoming changes to underwriting standards, lender qualifications, and other areas in the FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs to assure that the reforms encourage rather than deter FHA financing of affordable rental housing projects in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The U.S. Green Building Council recently published a new report that shows that the Obama Administration has the executive authority to use over 30 existing federal programs worth $72 billion to enhance energy efficiency in the nation’s multifamily housing and commercial buildings, without the need for new legislation.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is soliciting comments and suggestions from Section 108 recipients for developing performance measures that focus on outcomes and meaningfully reflect the purpose of the program, collects information on the activities, accomplishments and outcomes of Section 108 grantees, and collects original information needed for the analysis of program’s overlap with other Federal programs.

HUD’s Economic and Market Analysis Division has published a Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis report for the Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa region.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released income limits and accompanying materials for 2010, including median family incomes, state income limits, and a map of state income limits and median incomes.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently issued a notice that invites comments from the public on a proposed study that examines what happens to LIHTC properties after the first 15 years, when the original use restrictions for properties that received tax credit allocat ions before 1990 expired, and when some tax credit properties funded after that date also were able to leave the program.

Sue Wilson, Director of HUD’s HOPE VI office, will meet with NH&RA’s HOPE VI Council on May 20 during the Association’s Spring Policy Forum conference in Washington, D.C. Ben Metcalf, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing, will also attend. The meeting is expected to focus in part on the proposed Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program.

The House Financial Services Committee passed energy efficiency legislation based on proposals developed by NH&RA and its Council for Energy Friendly Affordable Housing.

Over the past several days NH&RA has met with several key House and Senate staffers on the tax writing, banking/financial services and appropriations committees to discuss critical legislation impacting affordable housing, historic rehabilitation and New Markets Tax Credit development.