Month: December 2020

CARES Act Admin Fee Eligible Uses Revised

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On Dec. 10, HUD revised the list of eligible activities for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Administrative Fee Funds for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Congress allocated $1.25 billion in administrative fees to HUD to disburse to PHAs. The administrative fees were transferred by HUD to PHAs in two disbursements. The first disbursement occurred in May, while the second occurred in July.

The new coronavirus-related uses of the CARES Act HCV administrative fee are the following:

  • Relocation of PHA staff and participating families to health units or other designated units for vaccination.
  • Hiring of temporary employees to maintain program operations due to coronavirus.
  • Costs related to office improvements, including improved systems for teleworking and/or rental of additional space, to ensure social distancing and other CDC recommended measures.
  • One-time utility deposits to assist families in securing units.

The uses listed above are in addition to regular administrative fee uses and the older coronavirus-related uses HUD had already authorized.

The updated list of eligible uses of CARES Act HCV administrative fees can be found here.

NAHRO on Instagram Live NOW!

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

Join NAHRO’s Director of Congressional Affairs, Tess Hembree; and NAHRO’s Legislative Network Chair & Minneapolis Housing Authority Deputy Director Jennifer Keogh discuss What Does 2021 Mean for Affordable Housing?

They are on Instagram now at https://www.instagram.com/nahronational/. Join the discussion!

This Instagram Live session ended but you can view the recording at https://www.instagram.com/nahronational/channel/.

HUD Releases Revised COVID-19 Waiver Notice

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On November 30, HUD released a notice extending COVID-19 waivers for PHAs. This notice is titled “COVID-19 Statutory and Regulatory Waivers and Alternative Requirements for the Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher (including Mainstream and Mod Rehab), Indian Housing Block Grant and Indian Community Development Block Grant programs, Suspension of Public Housing Assessment System and Section Eight Management Assessment Program, Revision 2” (PIH 2020-33(HA), Rev-2). This notice restates the waivers from previous notices and incorporates the waivers from the mainstream voucher waiver notice and mod. rehab. waiver notice. It also adds several new waivers and alternative requirements and extends most of the waivers until June 30, 2021 (previously, most waivers were set to expire at the end of this year).

Some aspects of the previous waiver notice remain in place. First, the use of these waivers is discretionary. The PHA may choose which waivers it wishes to use. Additionally, some waivers have alternative requirements which should be read carefully. Finally, PHAs must publicly post or otherwise make available a list of all the waivers and alternative requirements the PHA choose to implement. The PHA must also notify residents and owners or the impact of the waivers and alternative requirements.

Members of NAHRO will receive additional information about this notice.

The full notice can be read here.

A quick reference chart of the waivers and their period of availability can be found here.