News
A Perfect Storm: Extreme Weather as an Affordable Housing Crisis Multiplier
A new report from the Center for American Progress urges lawmakers to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis when tackling climate change in order to build more resilient and prepared communities. These actions include supporting equitable evacuation and disaster recovery for all survivors; expanding investments in federal rental and homeless assistance programs; prioritizing equitable housing policies and just community development; building resilient infrastructure; and increasing funding for disaster mitigation and climate change adaptation.
How Hospitals & Health Systems Can Support Affordable Housing
The Urban Institute has released a report titled “Affordable Housing Investment: A Guide for Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems.”. The report presents key concepts and strategies for designing and implementing housing development projects, complemented by examples and supplemental resources.
Portland, OR Levies $60 per Unit Fee to Fund Rental Services Office
Last week, the Portland City Council and Mayor approved an annual $60 per unit fee for landlords to fund the city’s Rental Services Office, which maintains a registry of rental units, enforces fair-housing laws and mediates landlord-tenant disputes. The fee is expected to generate $3.9 million annually and will facilitate the collection of data that can better inform the city’s housing policy. Housing
California Cities, Counties Charge Developers High Fees, Exacerbating Affordable Housing Crisis
This Los Angeles Times article explores the role that California cities and counties play in perpetuating the state’s affordable housing crisis. The Residential Impact Fees in California Study from the Terner Center found that overly burdensome fee programs can limit growth by impeding or disincentivizing new residential development, facilitate exclusion and increase housing costs across the state.
New, Leaked Disparate Impact Standard from HUD
HUD’s forthcoming Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Discriminatory Effects Standard was recently leaked to Politico. HUD claims that the proposed rule will bring its disparate impact standard in line with the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Community Project, Inc. The leaked notice of proposed rulemaking builds upon the Supreme Court’s ruling and proposes five steps for plaintiffs to bring a disparate impact claim.
3 More Presidential Candidates Release Housing Plans
Three more 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, Governor Jay Inslee, Former Governor John Hickenlooper and Senator Bernie Sanders, have released housing plans. The three new candidates join the ranks of former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who have already released housing plans.
Harvard JCHS Paper on GSE Reform
The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University released a new paper GSE Reform: None or Mostly Done? Author Don Layton argue that while Congress has yet to pass comprehensive reform of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), almost all of the major flaws of the pre-conservatorship GSEs have been successfully addressed while the companies have been in conservatorship.
HUD Posts FY 2019 Choice Neighborhoods NOFA – Applications Due Nov. 4
HUD released a notice of funding availability (NOFA) for its Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants. Approximately $164 million is available for implementation grants that support the implementation of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans. Applications are due on November 4, 2019.
HUD Publishes Updates to FY 2019 HOME Match Reductions
On July 30, HUD published the FY 2019 HOME Match Reductions list, which includes match reductions granted for FY 2019 due to fiscal distress, severe fiscal distress and Presidential disaster declarations.
HFSC Announces September Hearings
The House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) released its schedule of September hearings. Unless otherwise noted, hearings and markups will take place in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building and will be broadcast live.
California Advances Source of Income Protection Legislation
The California State Senate passed SB 329, which would expand the California Fair Employment and Housing Act’s protections to add federal, state and local public assistance and housing subsidies—including Housing Vouchers—to the Act’s source of income protections
Urban Institute Examines How Fresno, Cleveland and Washington, DC Use Opportunity Zones
In a new feature, the Urban Institute examines three cities’ plans to use Opportunity Zones to revitalize neighborhoods. The authors conclude that while Fresno, CA; Cleveland, OH and Washington, DC have each taken a different approach to regulating land use, they share a common strategy to leverage Opportunity Zones to accelerate their existing community and […]