Federal / Agency News
Chairwoman Waters Introduces Housing Legislative Package
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, released the following discussion drafts in her legislative housing package:
House Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2022 HUD Funding
On Friday, the full House Appropriations Committee approved FY 2022 funding for HUD with a 33-24 vote. The bill includes $56.5 billion in HUD funding, a $6.8 billion (12 percent) increase over FY 2021. If enacted in its current form, several programs would see substantial increases over FY 2021 levels. This includes $500 million in additional funding for the HOME program, a $545 million for project-based rental assistance contracts (sufficient to renew all PBRA contracts), $3.4 billion in additional tenant-based rental assistance ($1 billion of which would be set aside for new vouchers) and $1.2 billion in additional funding for CDBG.
President Biden Commits to Including Housing in Reconciliation Bill
In a press release, House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) announced she secured a commitment from President Joe Biden (D) to include housing in the partisan, reconciliation bill. In a speech on July 7 in Illinois, the president said the following on the reconciliation package, “We need to deal with the shortage of affordable housing in America. Over 10 million renters in this country […]
NH&RA Signs Letter Supporting Tax Credits to Decarbonize Buildings
NH&RA signed a letter to Congress along with 120 organizations supporting federal legislation that would create tax credits for zero-carbon buildings and retrofits. Buildings are the largest single contributor of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, producing approximately 40 percent of global emissions.
House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY 2022 HUD Funding
On Monday, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee approved FY 2022 funding for HUD. The bill includes $56.5 billion in HUD funding, a $6.8 billion (12 percent) increase over FY 2021. If enacted in its current form, several programs would see substantial increases over FY 2021 levels.
HUD Rescinds Trump-Era Disparate Impact Rule, Restores Obama-Era Rule
A new proposed rule from HUD, Reinstatement of HUD’s Discriminatory Effects Standard, would rescind the Department’s 2020 disparate impact rule and restore the 2013 discriminatory effects rule. Comments are due by August 24.
SCOTUS Stays CDC’s Eviction Moratorium
The Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) issued a temporary stay on a lower court ruling seeking to overturn the federal eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The eviction moratorium will remain in place through July 31, 2021.
NH&RA Sends Senate Banking Committee Letter Supporting Nomination of Julia Gordon as FHA Commissioner
NH&RA sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs supporting the nomination of Julia Gordon as Federal Housing commissioner/assistant secretary for housing at HUD. The committee will consider Gordon’s nomination after they return from the Independence Day recess next week.
HUD Notice Extends Effective Period for 2019, 2020 QCTs, DDAs Not on Subsequent Lists
HUD published a notice in the Federal Register extending the period by 180 days for which certain 2019 and 2020 qualified census tracts (QCTs) and difficult development areas (DDAs) are effective for purposes of the LIHTC. The notice, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and presidentially declared emergency, extends the eligibility period from 730 days to 910 days for properties in QCTs and DDAs that are not on subsequent lists of QCTs and DDAs and that submitted applications while the area was a 2019 or 2020 QCT or DDA.
HUD Publishes List of Granted Wavier Request for Q1 2021
HUD published a list of all the waiver requests it granted in the first quarter of 2021 for the offices of Community Planning and Development, Office of Housing and Office of Public and Indian Affairs. For further information about the regulatory waivers, please see the name of the contact person that immediately follows the description of the waiver granted.
Forty Percent of Public Housing at High-Risk from Natural Hazards
A new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation examines the locations of project-based federally assisted properties in relation to risks for 18 types of natural hazards ranging from flooding and hurricanes to earthquakes and wildfires. One-third of federally assisted homes are in areas at very high or relatively high risk for negative impacts from natural hazards compared to one-quarter of all renter-occupied homes and just 14 percent of owner-occupied homes.
SAHF Members Reduce Energy and Water Use by 29, 24 Percent
In 2013, members of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) adopted the Big Reach with the goal of reducing energy and water use portfolio-wide by 20 percent by 2020. SAHF members surpassed the goals achieving 29 percent energy savings and 24 percent water savings portfolio-wide.