Federal / Agency News

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently authorized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to disburse payments to HUD for the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and to the Treasury Department for the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF). According to FHFA, HTF will receive $326.4 million for the year, while CMF will receive $175.8 million. Last year, HTF […]

The House Financial Services Committee approved several housing-related bills, including Chairwoman Maxine Waters’ Housing Is Infrastructure Act (H.R. 5187). This bill would authorize more than $100 billion for public housing, Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs), the HOME Investment Partnerships program and other programs.

The Government Accountability Office released a Preliminary Recommendations to Strengthen DOD’s Oversight and Monitoring of Privatized Housing report, which outlines the range of assessments and data collection used by the Office of the Secretary of the Defense.

The Department of the Treasury invites the general public to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections. Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is soliciting comments concerning the Community Development Financial Institutions CDFI Program (CDFI Program), Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program) and New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program) Annual Report, including the Awards Management and Information System (AMIS) Compliance and Performance Report (ACPR).

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 25, 2020) – On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance shared updated Internal Revenue Service data showing the continuing cost of abusive conservation easement tax shelters. The following statement can be attributed to Andrew Bowman, president and CEO of the Land Trust Alliance:

HUD is seeking 4,500 participants for its National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) demonstration, which updates the Real Estate Assessment Center’s (REAC) physical housing inspection process. HUD is also seeking comments to ensure clarity, accuracy and overall usability on early versions of NSPIRE standards for HUD-assisted housing.

HUD published Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 average income minimum set asides for LIHTC properties, in ten percent increments from 20 to 80 percent of the area median income in each state and metropolitan fair market rent/income limits area, based on the fiscal year 2019 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project income limits.

On February 7, the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, chaired by HUD Secretary Ben Carson, released its one-year report on Opportunity Zones to President Trump. The report makes 43 legislative and regulatory recommendations relating to Opportunity Zones, including a call for the collection of data to assess the incentive’s value to distressed communities.

HUD is accepting entries for the 2020 Secretary’s Awards for Healthy Homes through March 10. The competition highlights affordable housing projects that have improved the quality of life for their low- and moderate-income tenants.

President Trump’s Administration released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget request, “A Budget for America’s Future.” HUD is allocated $47.9 billion in funding, a 15.2 percent decrease over FY 2020 enacted levels with notable zeroing out of the HOME program, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Public Housing Capital Fund, Choice Neighborhoods and HOPE VI.

HUD published Housing Notice 20-02 for Delegated Processing for Certain Capital Advance Projects, which aligns with HUD’s most recent Section 202 and 811 Capital Advance Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA). The notice updates Housing Notice 2013-12 by streamlining the firm commitment process by mandating a timely issuance within 12 months

HUD awarded more than $51 million in Section 202 grants to nonprofit organizations across the country to finance more affordable housing construction, provide rental assistance and facilitate supportive services delivery for very low-income seniors.