General News
New National Opportunity Zones Ranking Report
A new National Opportunity Zones Ranking report ranks each of the designated Opportunity Zones based on its Smart Growth Potential as well as its Social Equity and Vulnerability Index score to create a “Smart Growth Potential” filter for investors to identify which Opportunity Zones should be prioritized for investment from a triple-bottom-line perspective that can deliver positive economic, environmental and social returns.
San Francisco Mayor Calls for As-of-Right Development for Affordable & Teacher Housing
In London Breed’s first State of the City address as San Francisco’s mayor she announced plans for a charter amendment to make affordable and teacher housing development as-of-right in San Francisco. The charter amendment proposed for the November 2019 election, would allow 100 percent affordable and teacher housing proposals that comply with existing zoning laws to bypass the usual bureaucratic and appeals process that can result in long and costly delays.
NLIHC Memo to Congress on Ending Homelessness and Housing Poverty
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released Opportunities to End Homelessness and Housing Poverty in the 116th Congress, a memo to incoming members of Congress on steps to address the lack of decent, accessible and affordable housing. The report calls on members of Congress to:
Forum on Transformative Development to Focus on HDIP in Opportunity Zones – Feb. 27
MassINC, the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance, and LOCUS are hosting a forum on Feb. 27, 2019 focused on stimulating transformative investment in Gateway Cities with the state’s Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) and federal Opportunity Zone Funds. The free event will run from 1-2:30 pm ET in the Massachusetts State House – Room 428 (24 […]
OHCS Housing Stability Council Meeting – Feb. 1
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will hold a Housing Stability Council meeting will be on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 from 9 am – 1 pm PT. Attendees can participate in person at OHCS (725 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR) in conference room 124 A/B or via phone: 1-877-273-4202; Participant Code: 4978330. The meeting materials […]
HCD Releases Housing for a Healthy California Program Final Guidelines
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released the Final Housing for a Healthy California (HHC) Program Guidelines. The Guidelines incorporate feedback from participants through public comment letters, and additional conversations and research during the public outreach period.
Enterprise Launches Health Begins with Home
Enterprise Community Partners will put $250 million to work over five years to promote health as a top priority in the development and preservation of affordable homes and to elevate homes as an essential tool for improving resident and community health through its new Health Begins with Home initiative.
Governor Newson Sues Huntington Beach for Willfully Violating State Housing Law
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced that the state is taking first-of-its-kind legal action the City of Huntington Beach for willfully refusing to comply with state housing law, even after extensive attempts to offer partnership and support from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Opportunity Starts at Home Unveils National Policy Agenda and Urges Congress to Act
The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign released a national policy agenda, “Within Reach.” The campaign makes the case that stronger federal action to ensure the most vulnerable low-income households have safe, decent, affordable homes is long-overdue. Over the past year, national organizations from the housing, education, health, civil rights, anti-hunger, anti-poverty and faith-based sectors have joined […]
Join the NMTC Extension Letter
The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Coalition is gathering signatures from organizations for a sign-on letter urging Congress to pass a permanent extension and expansion of the NMTC, which is set to expire at the end of 2019. NH&RA signed the letter and urges our members to do so as well. The deadline to sign-on is Feb. 8.
CalHFA MIP NOFA opens Feb. 5
The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) Mixed-Income Program (MIP) is funded by the Building Homes and Jobs Act signed into law in 2017. Beginning in 2019, and continuing on an annual basis, CalHFA will receive 15 percent of the Building Homes and Jobs Act Fund, expected to be $30 – $45 million, to provide residential […]
California AHSC Program Round 4 NOFA Applications due Feb. 11
Applications for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) are due on Feb. 11. The AHSC program seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through projects that implement land-use, housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation practices to support infill and compact development. For the fourth round, $395 million in funding is available.