Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)

HUD released an updated Policy Quick Reference Guide outlining significant multifamily operational requirements to assist owners following Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) assistance conversions to Section 8 Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA). Information provided in this guide does not apply to conversions of assistance pursuant to RAD Section 8 Project Based Vouchers.

HUD has posted to the RAD Resource Desk a new “Post-Conversion Approval Processing Guide,” which provides information to Owners and PHAs on how to process post-closing issues that may arise after RAD conversion, some of which require HUD approval.

In a recent issue of Health Affairs focusing on investments in social determinants of health, a new study examined how renovations of a property in Queens, NY that converted through RAD may improve the health of public housing residents.

HUD released the full report, “Examining the Effects of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) on Children Living in Public Housing in Fresno, California,” which assessed outcomes and the well-being of children living in developments that have undergone rehab and conversion under RAD.

HUD’s office of Policy Development and Research published a NOFA to study the “Impact of RAD on Children in HUD Assisted Households.” The NOFA makes $750,000 in funding available to be split among one or two potential awardees. The objective is to support research project(s) that will produce policy-relevant evidence on the implementation of the RAD program and its effect on children’s well-being

HUD published a 60-day notice of proposed information collection on the evaluation of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program’s choice mobility option and long-term affordability. Congress requested and HUD provided two previous evaluations of RAD and the 2018 budget legislation that extended and expanded RAD provided funds to conduct a follow-up evaluation. This notice provides an opportunity to comment on the information collection. Those

HUD has posted new training videos on Asset Repositioning that outline the HUD tools available to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to transition their inventories to the Section 8 platform and illustrates through a fully developed case study how those tools can be used in combination.

The Office of Multifamily Housing at HUD released new procedures related to budget-based rent adjustments, which increase replacement reserve deposits for properties assisted under Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs).

On February 7, the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, chaired by HUD Secretary Ben Carson, released its one-year report on Opportunity Zones to President Trump. The report makes 43 legislative and regulatory recommendations relating to Opportunity Zones, including a call for the collection of data to assess the incentive’s value to distressed communities.

President Trump’s Administration released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget request, “A Budget for America’s Future.” HUD is allocated $47.9 billion in funding, a 15.2 percent decrease over FY 2020 enacted levels with notable zeroing out of the HOME program, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Public Housing Capital Fund, Choice Neighborhoods and HOPE VI.

As RAD conversions continue to drive Project Based Voucher (PBV) growth, HUD proposes to fill an information gap to enable monitoring, tracking and analysis of PHAs’ PBV performance. Comments are due February 24, 2020.

The Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) identified public housing transformation as one of the its highest priorities and is considering the following options:

HUD released an evaluation of its Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), which finds significant evidence that RAD is stimulating billions of dollars in capital investment, improving living conditions for low-income residents and enhancing the financial health of these critical affordable housing resources. The report says that the 956 RAD conversions studied leveraged $9.66 for every dollar provided through HUD’s public housing programs, that all rehabilitation projects covered their rehabilitation needs, that there is an 87 percent post-conversion decrease in unscheduled capital needs for completed RAD properties and that tenants were pleased with the improvement.