News

Harvard Research Center report, The State of the Nation’s Housing 2016, reveals that 11.4 million households paid more than half their incomes for housing in 2014. This is the first time the United States has seen so many residents paying such a large portion of their income on rent.

HUD has proposed using Small Area Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for the Housing Choice Voucher program, including project-based vouchers, in metropolitan areas where voucher use tends to be concentrated to specific neighborhoods or areas. Comments on the proposed rule are due by August 15.

The Government Accountability Office’s second report on LIHTC finds that the agencies that allocate state credits generally follow program requirements. However, approaches to QAP and LIHTC award criteria vary, which opens the door to problems for some agency practices.

The plan makes brief mention of “harnessing the abilities of non-profits and other cost-effective service providers,” but largely focuses on public housing, rental assistance, and work requirements for residents.

The Obama Administration named the final nine Promise Zones across the country. The initiative names increasing access to affordable housing as one of its key goals.

A nationwide public opinion poll found that more than three quarters of people (77%) support affordable housing development in their communities. 8 in 10 say their elected officials should increase efforts to support the creation of homes that are affordable to lower-wage workers.

Terner Center for Housing Innovation created the Housing Development Dashboard, an interactive set of tools that aims to create a way to easily understand the interaction of land use measures and market conditions on housing production. The tools are currently in βeta testing.

The report provides a comprehensive accounting of the number and amounts received by each state from 2008 to 2013, but does not make any recommendations.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced legislation calling for a 50 percent increase in Housing Credit authority and other changes to strengthen the Credit program. She has also released an accompanying report on the Housing Credit’s impact.

The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has opened its 2016 round for the Competitive Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The AHP can provide up to $500,000 in funding towards affordable housing projects.

While it is far from perfect in the eyes of affordable housing advocates, it would expand several key programs and is seen as a tepid victory in the current spending climate.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is holding public hearings regarding the Allocation Plan for the National Housing Trust Fund.