HUD

HUD’s Economic and Market Analysis Division has published two new Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis Reports for the Houston, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi market areas.

HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) has posted three sets of working papers “” Economic Development and Public Finance, Housing Finance, and Program Monitoring and Research “” on HUD USER’s website. These scientific and technical papers were written by PD&R staff as a means of sharing information, eliciting feedback, and sparking further discussion.

National Council of Affordable Housing Market Analysts (NCAHMA) is please to offer FIVE digital audio recordings of select panel sessions held during its 2010 Spring Underwriting Forum, April 7-8 in New Orleans.

HUD USER recently updated the State of the Cities Data System to include labor statistics for February 2010, using Local Area Unemployment Statistics data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

On March 16 HUD issued a new mortgagee letter that effectively raises the maximum FHA mortgage amount for multifamily FHA-insured loans by excluding land value from the calculation of the statutory mortgage limits. It is expected that this new determination by the FHA will expand the use of FHA insurance for multifamily housing in major high-cost cities such as New York City, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia. NH&RA’s General Counsel Bingham McCutchen provided the following summary:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is seeking greater participation on the part of constituents and stakeholders in helping to shape its future research agenda. PD&R is inviting suggestions and ideas from the public for new research projects to be funded in FY 2011 and beyond.

The House Financial Services Committee has released an update draft of comprehensive preservation legislation. The legislation addresses a wide-range of issues creating financing sources and mechanisms to preserve the affordability of HUD-assisted properties. The legislation is expected to be considered by the Ways & Means Committee some time shortly after the Spring recess (currently scheduled for March 29-April 9). Additionally, the legislation is expected to be a vehicle for other HUD oriented legislation including HR 4099, legislation endorsed by NH&RA’s Council For Energy Friendly Affordable Housing.

The Hawaii State Legislature is considering a proposed measure that would establish a program to provide loans in lieu of low-income housing tax credits by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

The research symposium in PD&R’s newest issue of Cityscape A Journal of Policy Development and Research: (Volume 12, Number 1) examines the effects of the HOPE VI (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) public housing revitalization program.

HUD has released a new discussion draft of Major Features of the 2011 Budget Proposal on Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA). TRA is a proposed multi-year initiative to preserve public and assisted housing by converting properties to a new project-based subsidy structure that includes a tenant mobility component.

Major decisions are being made in Washington that affect the future of tax credit development. But these decisions aren’t made in a vacuum – they are made after consultation with industry experts, constituents and consumers. You should be part of the conversation! Join NH&RA in Washington, DC for its 2010 Spring Policy Forum.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Policy Development and Research has released a comprehensive housing market analysis report for the Oklahoma City market region.