HUD

Doug Criscitello was sworn in on Tuesday as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new Chief Financial Officer.

HUD has issued a notice announcing its intention to offer funding through a competition made available as a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) under its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program (Program). HUD is also seeking comments on the Program through this Advance Notice.

HUD has issued a notice announcing its intention to offer funding through a competition made available as a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) under its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program (Program). HUD is also seeking comments on the Program through this Advance Notice. The goal of the Program is to support multi-jurisdictional regional planning efforts that integrate housing, economic development, and transportation decision-making in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of economic growth, social equity and environmental impact simultaneously.

HUD has announced its annual adjustments to contract rents for Section 8 owners. The factors are based on a formula using residential rent and utility cost changes from the most current annual Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) survey. These factors are applied at Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract anniversaries for those calendar months commencing after the effective date of this notice (2/10/2010). In a separate notice, HUD also published Renewal Funding AAFs to be used exclusively for renewal funding of tenant-based rental assistance, reflecting the more recent CPI data.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has adjusted its statutory mortgage limits for its multifamily housing loan programs for calendar 2010, effective January 1, 2010. The limits are adjusted annually based on changes in an index.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has announced the launch of HUD’s new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC). The office will be overseen by HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims. OSHC is designed to help build stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy. Funded by Congress for the first time in HUD’s 2010 Budget, OSHC is a key component of the Obama Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) announced today the committee will hold a hearing on March 2 to begin the process of considering the future of housing finance. The hearing will focus on all the private and public entities that support the mortgage market, which include the Federal Housing Administration, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Banks, and private lenders and securitizers.

HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research has updated its comprehensive profile of subsidized housing in the United States. The Picture of Subsidized Households 2008 data set describes the nearly 5 million households living in HUD-subsidized housing in the United States in 2008.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau recently announced that they will be redesigning the American Housing Survey. Planned changes will be incorporated in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Following approval by the U.S. Senate on December 13, Congress completed final action on a consolidated $446.8 billion omnibus appropriations bill (HR 3288) for Fiscal Year 2010. The measure was sent to President Obama on December 15 for his expected signature.

NH&RA’s HOPE VI Council will convene to discuss pertinent issues and activities during the 2010 Affordable Housing Conference & Annual Meeting, March 11-13 at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in Miami, Florida.

On February 1, the White House unveiled a proposed federal budget for Fiscal Year 2011 that calls for overall funding cuts at numerous federal agencies, including at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Fiscal Year 2011 begins October 1st.