HUD

On July 31, HUD issued its first update of its Q&A for Multifamily Housing programs since May 21. HUD’s Q&A document relays HUD’s guidance on operational and procedural questions related to the safe administration of HUD-assisted programs during COVID-19. 

Last week the House passed H.R. 7617, which provides fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding for six appropriations subcommittees, including HUD. The House bill is expected to provide adequate appropriations to renew existing Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance, and provides increases for most programs, including the Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Section 202 and Section 811, which would also receive additional funding through emergency infrastructure investments. The bill also contains two amendments that would block the Trump Administration’s recent regulatory action on the Disparate Impact Rule and the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

HUD released a fully updated set of NSPIRE Inspection Standards, version 1.3, which improves technical accuracy, relevance, clarity and better defines the applicability to HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program. HUD welcomes public comments on all aspects of the standards. Feedback on the revised list of standards can be submitted here.

HUD has posted to the RAD Resource Desk a new “Post-Conversion Approval Processing Guide,” which provides information to Owners and PHAs on how to process post-closing issues that may arise after RAD conversion, some of which require HUD approval.

HUD Office of Environment and Energy will hold a webinar on its Environmental Review Online System at 1:00 pm ET on August 6. The webinar will quiz participants on frequently asked questions regarding the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) that users have submitted through the HUD Exchange Ask A Question portal, field offices, and other various outlets.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) updated its Bond Gap Financing (BGF) Frequently Asked Questions document. OHFA also released is draft program year 2020 Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan for comment. Comments should be submitted to [email protected] by August 9.

HUD is making available $224 million of CARES Act funds available to offset property expenditures to combat the effects of COVID-19. The supplemental payments may cover additional cleaning and disinfecting, additional staff, face coverings and other expenses to help keep properties safe for residents. Requests are due to HUD or the Contract Administrator by August 5, 2020.

HUD released a new final rule, Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice, which would replace the Obama Administration’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule. Under the new rule, a federal grantee would be required to certify that it has affirmatively furthered fair housing. The final rule has yet to be officially published in the Federal Register. Comments are due 30 days after publication.

The Senate voted 57-40 to confirm Dana Wade to be the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) commissioner and assistant secretary at HUD. Wade is succeeding acting FHA Commissioner Len Wolfson, who took over when former Commissioner Brian Montgomery was confirmed as deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HUD released a proposed rule on rent adjustments in its Mark-to-Market Program, which would revise the Mark-to-Market program regulations to clarify that all annual rent adjustments for projects subject to a restructuring plan are by application of an operating cost adjustment factor established by HUD. Comments are due by September 14.

The Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) is seeking qualified and experienced developers to apply for affordable housing subsidies for new construction, substantial rehabilitation or existing housing through the Baltimore Regional Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Program.

Governor Larry Hogan (R) announced a $30 million rental assistance program to prevent evictions and help Marylanders affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The State’s allocation of $20 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID funding will be deployed across local jurisdictions in Maryland to provide further support for local eviction prevention programs.