Federal / Agency News

The National Park Service (NPS) released its Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2014 and a supplementary Statistical Report and Analysis for Fiscal Year 2014.

U.S. Representatives Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Richard Neal (D-MA) introduced legislation to make permanent the temporary minimum credit rate for the low-income housing tax credit program (LIHTC). The bill proposes to set the minimum LITHC rate for new construction at 9% and set it at 4% for existing properties.

HUD announced a series of clarifications that are effective immediately and will be reflected in a revised Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Guide. They focus on equal pay-in, bridge loans, identity of interest, subordinate debt, vacancy rates, and developer fees.

Representatives from more than 100 of the nation’s top affordable housing organizations gathered at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL, last week for the 2015 NH&RA Annual Meeting. The event’s panel sessions created dialogues on what’s challenging – and exciting – affordable housing developers, illuminated the products and people who will shape the tax credit transactions in upcoming year, offered options to properties approaching year 15, and surveyed key changes to tax credit programs and legislation.

NH&RA’s first-ever Public Housing Joint Venture Symposium offered attendees a unique opportunity to gain insight into the progress and updates to key HUD programs. More than 100 developers, syndicators, lenders, and other members of the affordable housing community gathered to voice their concerns and questions to HUD representatives, as well as connect with peer organizations who are working on similar issues.

On February 2, President Barack Obama introduced his fiscal year (FY) 2016 budget, requesting a total of $49.3 billion for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs and proposing significant policy changes aimed at improving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program and a proposal to modify and permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a notice in the Federal Register announcing its plan to implement changes made to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program in the 2015 HUD Appropriations Act.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently announced the launch of five separate bipartisan Finance Committee Tax Working Groups to spur congressional comprehensive tax reform efforts in the 114th Congress.

The United States Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments related to Texas Department of Housing and Community Development (TDHCA) vs. Inclusive Communities Project (ICP), a case that is examining whether or not disparate impact is “cognizable” under the Fair Housing Act.

In a recent report Understanding Whom the LIHTC Program Serves, HUD examines several years of demographic and economic data on LIHTC tenants provided by state housing finance agencies through an annual data collection process mandated by HERA.

HUD recently issued a Notice in Federal Register seeking to streamline requirements across the public housing and Section 8 (tenant- and project-based) portfolios.

NH&RA signed-on to support the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s campaign to urge lawmakers to to act quickly to stop budget caps and sequestration from taking effect in the upcoming fiscal year.