General News Category Archives

HCD Launches Efforts to Update California Statewide Housing Plan

April 7, 2021 | General News

The California Department of Housing and Community is updating its California Statewide Housing Plan and seeking public input via this Housing Plan survey by April 23.

Virginia Governor Signs State LIHTC Bill

April 7, 2021 | General News

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed into law legislation creating a state LIHTC. S.B. 1197 creates the Virginia housing opportunity tax credit, which will have a $15 million annual allocation for five years, applying to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The state credit will match federal four and nine percent LIHTC allocations.

NHT Report Update Shows More States Incentivized Energy, Water Efficiency in Nine Percent LIHTC Properties in 2020

March 31, 2021 | General News

The National Housing Trust (NHT) released a 2020 update to its 2017 State Strategies to Increase Energy and Water Efficiency in Low Income Housing Tax Credit Properties, which reviewed hundreds of state Housing Finance Agency (HFA) documents, including QAPs, LIHTC applications, Design and Construction Guidelines and other documents, to identify the ten most prominent strategies in use by HFAs to advance water and energy efficiency.

Urban Institute Analysis of Proposed Federal Housing Policy, Program Reforms

March 31, 2021 | General News

In a new brief, Federal Reforms to Strengthen Housing Stability, Affordability and Choice, the authors highlight the following eight frequently proposed federal reforms to existing housing programs and policies, identify their support among relevant housing stakeholders, and discuss evidence of their impact on housing stability, affordability and choice.

HUD Updates FMRs for Areas in Maine and Texas

March 24, 2021 | General News

HUD updated the fair market rents (FMRs) for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy Program and other programs for Fiscal Year 2021 for four areas based on new survey data: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area (HMFA), Knox County, ME, Lincoln County, ME and Waldo County, ME. Further, HUD responds to comments received on the FY 2021 FMRs.

Evanston, IL First in Country to Offer Reparations Program for Black Residents

March 24, 2021 | General News

The 8-to-1 vote will initially make $400,000 available in $25,000 homeownership and improvement grants, as well as in mortgage assistance for Black residents, primarily those can show they are direct descendants of individuals who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969 and suffered from such discrimination.

Arkansas Legislation Would More than Double State HTC Cap, Extend Sunset Date

March 10, 2021 | General News

A bill in the Arkansas House of Representatives (H.B. 1555) would increase the State Historic Tax Credit (HTC) from $4 million to $10 million and extend the sunset date from December 31, 2027, to December 31, 2037.

HAND Launches Capital Region Housing Indicator Tool

March 10, 2021 | General News

Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) released an online Housing Indicator Tool (HIT), a platform that will provide the most up-to-date information on housing production across the region, with a comparison to established local housing targets from the Capital Region’s housing affordability challenge.

Illinois Legislation Would Create State LIHTC

March 10, 2021 | General News

Legislation introduced in the Illinois Legislature would create a state LIHTC. S.B. 2445 and H.B. 3213 would create the Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit as of January 1, 2021, with a $35 million annual allocation, with 24.5 percent of the credits allocated to the City of Chicago Department of Housing.

Massachusetts Doubles Annual State LIHTC Allocation

March 10, 2021 | General News

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed an Act Enabling Partnerships for Growth (H. 5250), which includes doubling the annual allocation of state LIHTCs from $20 million to $40 million through January 1, 2025. The bill also makes more than $625 million in capital authorizations, as well as policy provisions to boost economic growth.