Day: November 15, 2016

HUD Releases Guidance on Full Flexibility for Eligible Small PHAs

~ Eric Oberdorfer ~ Leave a comment

On November 14, HUD Issued Notice PIH 2016-18 titled Guidance on Full Flexibility for Eligible Small PHAs. The notice provides guidance on the full flexibility of capital funds and operating funds for public housing agencies (PHAs) which own or operate less than 250 public housing units small PHAs and are not designated as a troubled PHA (eligible small PHAs).

Eligible small PHAs are allowed to use up to 100% of a Capital Fund Program (CFP) grant for Operating Fund Program (OFP) activities if the PHA does not have debt service payments, significant capital needs or emergency needs. Regulations require eligible small PHAs to plan and budget for significant CFP needs prior to using capital funds for operating fund expenditures. Eligible small PHAs seeking to exercise full flexibility must have an approved CFP 5-Year Action Plan that indicates the amount of each grant they intend to use for operating fund expenditures. In addition, eligible small PHAs seeking to exercise full flexibility must submit a capital fund budget for each year. Eligible small PHAs must complete a thorough assessment of their capital needs prior to completing the 5-Year Action Plan and accurately reflect those needs in the capital fund submission.

Eligible small PHAs may exercise full flexibility to use operating funds for eligible CFP activities included in an approved CFP 5-Year Action Plan and budget submitted to HUD. HUD anticipates shifting from paper submission of CFP 5-Year Action Plans and budgets to an automated submission through the upcoming Energy Performance and Information Center (EPIC). In order to account for capital expenditures funded with operating funds and operating reserves (including excess cash), PHAs must enter the project’s annual financial report into the Financial Assessment Subsystem (FASS).

Eligible small PHAs that elect to fully use their operating funds for capital fund expenditures must continue to follow statutory and regulatory requirements, including those related to the conduct of public hearings, Resident Advisory Board consultation, consideration of comments, board approval, and environmental reviews.

HUD Releases Small Area FMR Final Rule

~ Eric Oberdorfer ~ Leave a comment

HUD will release the Small Area Fair Market Rents in Housing Choice Voucher Program Values for Selection Criteria and Metropolitan Areas Subject to Small Area Fair Market Rents Final Rule in the Federal Register tomorrow (November 16). HUD will also release a Notice in the Federal Register that would set the selection values for Small Area FMRs (SAFMRs). Subsequent SAFRMs will be specified through the Federal Register notice providing the public the opportunity to comment as new SAFMR designations are made. More information on HUD’s proposed rule (released June 2), can be found here (members only), and NAHRO’s comments can be found here (members only). NAHRO will hold a webinar on the final rule on Monday, December 19. Save the date and stay tuned for additional information.

In additional to other changes, the final rule includes additional criteria by which SAFMRs will be set. The final rule adds the vacancy rate of an area as a criterion and excludes metropolitan areas with a certain ACS vacancy rate from being designated a SAFMR area. The final rule also adds a threshold for the voucher concentration ratio to better target communities where voucher concentration is most severe.

As a result of the additional criteria, 7 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) have been exempted from complying with the SAFMR final rule that were included in the proposed rule. These MSAs are:

  • Nassau County-Suffolk County
  • New York, NY
  • Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA
  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
  • Tacoma-Lakewood, WA
  • Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA

NAHRO will provide a detailed analysis of the final rule in the coming days. The final rule will go into effect 60 days after its publication date. 

Senior Housing Focus: Aging in Place Webinar

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

 

NAHRO would like to share information on an upcoming webinar conducted by Community Catalyst on aging in place for low-income and chronically ill seniors. Below is the invitation from Community Catalyst for their webinar on Thursday, December 1, 2016, at 1pm to 2:30pm eastern time.

Aging in Place: Integrating Health and Housing for Low-Income and Chronically Ill Seniors

Thursday, December 1, 2016 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EDT

RSVP Here

This is the third webinar in a series Community Catalyst is hosting to engage with national, regional, state and local partners who are working or want to start working in the health and housing space.

This call will provide an overview of the issue from what is being discussed and worked on from the federal, state and local levels, featuring leaders in these areas.

Speakers will discuss the growing research and recognition that the aging population requires more effective integration of housing and health care systems and highlight impact that affordable housing has on older adults’ ability to live at home and in the community. There will be ample time for questions and answers between participants and speakers, allowing for dialogue and learning for those working in both the health and housing areas.

This webinar will feature:

In response to the growing national and local discourse about the connections between housing and health outcomes, we at Community Catalyst see a clear interest in identifying the role health policy advocates can play in protecting and expanding access to quality, affordable and appropriate housing for vulnerable populations. In addition to the demonstrable connections between housing and health outcomes, housing is a fundamental human right that is under threat in many communities.

Please RSVP here to participate on December 1st.

We hope you will join us in this opportunity to connect stakeholders working on initiatives related to aging in place for low-income and chronically ill seniors with those from other sectors to address housing issues.

Carol Regan, Senior Advisor

Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation

This Community Catalyst Learning Community webinar is part of an ongoing effort to help advocates from across the country share best practices, explore new ideas and learn from each other’s experiences. The Learning Community connects advocates, giving them a needed forum to effectively collaborate with and learn from their peers.