Federal / Agency News

HUD has proposed using Small Area Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for the Housing Choice Voucher program, including project-based vouchers, in metropolitan areas where voucher use tends to be concentrated to specific neighborhoods or areas. Comments on the proposed rule are due by August 15.

The plan makes brief mention of “harnessing the abilities of non-profits and other cost-effective service providers,” but largely focuses on public housing, rental assistance, and work requirements for residents.

The Obama Administration named the final nine Promise Zones across the country. The initiative names increasing access to affordable housing as one of its key goals.

The report provides a comprehensive accounting of the number and amounts received by each state from 2008 to 2013, but does not make any recommendations.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced legislation calling for a 50 percent increase in Housing Credit authority and other changes to strengthen the Credit program. She has also released an accompanying report on the Housing Credit’s impact.

While it is far from perfect in the eyes of affordable housing advocates, it would expand several key programs and is seen as a tepid victory in the current spending climate.

NTCIC seeks participants for June 8th lobby day in favor of the Federal Historic Tax Credit and additional efforts to expand support for the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act.

Nixon Peabody’s Forrest Milder explains new guidance for wind, geothermal, biomass, solid waste, and hydro projects, including new safe harbor and disaggregation rules.

MORs property inspections will be conducted by the 42 existing Project-Based Contract Administrators as part of their amended interim contracts with HUD, mostly likely starting on a limited number of properties.

For the first time ever, HUD allocated nearly $174 million through the nation’s Housing Trust Fund. By law, each state is allocated a minimum of $3 million.

In an attempt to strengthen the LIHTC program through federal legislation, Senator Cantwell is seeking personal stories of individuals and families who have struggled to find affordable housing and/or have experienced homelessness. NH&RA encourages our members who own and manage affordable housing properties to share this opportunity with their tenants.

By combining the CY 2015 and CY 2016 allocation rounds, the CDFI Fund will be able to announce the allocation of New Markets Tax Credits in the year for which they are authorized, and will be able to help more communities access the benefits of the tax credits sooner.