General News

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) recently announced the formation of eleven Tax Reform Working Groups. Each of the groups will review current law in its designated issue area and then identify, research and compile feedback related to the topic of the working group.

The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission recently released its report recommending improvements to America’s federal housing programs. The recommendations propose scaling back the government role in the housing finance system and reforming housing assistance programs to better meet the needs of the most vulnerable households.

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) recently released a report entitled “Estimated Cuts In Federal Housing Assistance and Community Development Programs Due to Sequestration”, which details the effects the potential across-the-board funding cuts for most federal programs (sequestration) could have on state housing programs.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released the 2013 HOME income limits, effective February 20, 2013. HOME income limits are calculated using the same methodology that HUD uses for calculating Section 8 program limits.

The Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services (OHCS) recently released its draft 2013 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), and proposed Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) recently released its proposed CY 2013 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide drafts for public comment and review. The CY 2013 funding round will award 2014 federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) and FY 2014 Rental Housing Funds (RHF).

The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee has posted its 2013 applications for its 2013 9% Competitive Tax Credit Application, 2013 4% Competitive Tax-Exempt Bond Application Combining Federal and State Tax Credits and 2013 4% Tax-Exempt Bond Application. The committee has also posted numerous attachments including…

The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) recently released the Sustainable Building Method and Minimum Construction Standards for Energy Efficiency.

HUD has issued a final rule (Docket No. FR”“5508″“F”“02) regarding disparate impact liability under the Fair Housing Act. The final rule formalize HUD’s recognition of disparate impact liability and, for purposes of providing consistency nationwide, formalizes a burden-shifting test for determining whether a given practice has an unjustified discriminatory effect, leading to liability under the Fair Housing Act.

Indiana State Senators Randall Head (R-District 18) and John Broden (D-District 10) recently introduced and co-sponsored the Indiana New Markets Job Act, (SB 521), which would create a state New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program similar to the federal NMTC.

HUD recently issued Housing Notice 2013-05 to detail recent changes regarding processing of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily mortgage insurance applications for transactions in New York and New Jersey, the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.

The Washington State Housing Finance Commission will hold a public hearing on February 28th in order to discuss the allocation of federal low-income housing tax credits to sponsor multifamily residential projects.