Fiscal Agreement: FY 2014 Appropriations Bill is Enacted
By Glenn Petherick
2 min read
On January 17, President Obama signed into law a FY 2014 appropriations bill (H.R. 3547) that eases the reduced spending levels caused by sequestration.
The compromise omnibus measure, approved a few days earlier by Congress, funds the federal government through September 30, 2014, authorizing $1.012 trillion in total discretionary spending. For the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (FY 2014), the FY 2014 appropriation is $45.5 billion, almost $4 billion higher than the FY 2013 post-sequestration level. Some HUD programs are funded at higher levels than FY 2013 while some programs have cuts.
The legislation provides $2.4 billion for rural housing programs operated by USDA Rural Housing Service.
Other provisions in the legislation:
- Extend through December 31, 2014, the authority to convert current subsidies for Rent Supplement, Rental Assistance, and Mod Rehab units under HUD’s Rental Assistance Program to project-based assistance. The measure, though, doesn’t raise the current 60,000 unit cap on public housing conversions.
- Extend the HOPE VI program through September 30, 2014, without any new funding.
- Direct the USDA Secretary to develop proposals for reforming the Section 521 rural rental assistance program to ensure its long-term stability and sustainability.
| Comparison of Enacted FY 2014 and FY 2013 Appropriations
(in millions) |
|||
| HUD Programs | FY 2013 Enacted1 | FY 2014 Enacted |
Change from FY 2013 (%) |
| Project-Based Rental Assistance | $8,854 | $9,917 | 12.0% |
| Tenant-Based Rental Assistance | $17,955 | $19,177 | 6.8% |
| Public Housing Capital Fund | $1,778 | $1,875 | 5.5% |
| Public Housing Operating Fund | $4,040 | $4,400 | 8.9% |
| HOME Investment Partnerships | $948 | $1,000 | 5.5% |
| Choice Neighborhoods | $114 | $90 | -21.1% |
| CDBG Formula Grants | $3,079 | $3,030 | -1.6% |
| Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) | $355 | $384 | 8.2% |
| Supportive Housing for Persons With Disabilities (Section 811) | $156 | $126 | -19.2% |
| Native America Housing Block Grants | $616 | $650 | 5.5% |
| Homeless Assistance Grants | $1,927 | $2,105 | 9.2% |
| Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS | $315 | $330 | 4.8% |
| USDA Rural Housing Service Programs | |||
| Section 515 Rural Rental Direct Loans | $30 | $28 | -6.7% |
| Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Loans | $142 | $150 | 5.6% |
| Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance | $860 | $1,110 | 29.1% |
| Multi-Family Housing Revitalization | $26 | $33 | 26.9% |
1 Estimated funding level after 5% cut by sequestration
