HUD has announced that it will distribute nearly $25 million in Housing Mobility-Related Service awards to 7 PHAs. According to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, these awards will “boost access to housing vouchers for families who need them most.” With these funds, more PHA’s will be able to administer housing mobility programs – increasing access to opportunity neighborhoods for families with children in the HCV program.

The HCV Mobility Services Program provides mobility-related services and implements administrative policies to help PHAs address common barriers HCV families face obtaining housing in neighborhoods with access to amenities like high-performing schools, access to jobs, low crime rates, parks, and other amenities. Research has demonstrated that growing up in a lower poverty neighborhood is associated with higher academic achievement, better health outcomes, and higher long-term chances of success.

Congratulations to the Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, Texas, Boston Housing Authority, Houston Housing Authority, Connecticut Department of Housing, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, Seattle Housing Authority, and Milwaukee County DHHS – Housing Division on receiving these awards!

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will launch a new nationwide cybersecurity program on Tuesday, September 26 at 3:00 pm EST. The program focuses on educating Americans on how to stay secure online and will also include the launch of the agency’s first-ever Public Service Announcement (PSA) that will air nationwide. The launch will include remarks by CISA Director Jen Easterly. Cybersecurity is only becoming more and more important as we move systems online and into the cloud. Interested individuals can watch the launch online here. The session is today, at 3:00pm EST.

Join NAHRO’s Policy Team and HUD’s MTW Office on September 12 from 3pm – 4pm to learn more about HUD’s request for applications for the 5^th cohort of the MTW Expansion. Hear about the MTW expansion, the MTW flexibilities available for the new cohort, eligibility for the cohort, the application process, and the requirements of the application. There will be time to ask NAHRO staff questions. Recommended for PHAs with 1,000 or less combined units. Register here. 

HUD has released a list of policies related to Sections 102 and 104 of HOTMA that PHAs must update and include in their Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plans (ACOPs) and/or Administrative Plans (Admin Plans) by January 1, 2024. The list identifies specific regulations in HOTMA, the related HOTMA policy background, and the policies that have some discretion – policy choices that PHAs need to make and include in their ACOPs or Admin Plans. The list can be found here, though it may be subject to further revision based on additional guidance or other factors.  

Although Sections 102 and 104 of HOTMA will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, PHAs will have additional time to comply. PHAs should be in compliance as quickly as possible with Sections 102 and 104 once they go into effect, but no later than Jan. 1, 2025. This date will be established by HUD via a forthcoming notice, and the Department still needs to release additional guidance to help PHAs and software vendors implement these new policies.

From the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):

Held every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaboration between government and private industry to raise awareness about digital security and empower everyone to protect their personal data from digital forms of crime and malicious cyber actors. The month is dedicated to creating resources and communications for organizations to talk to their employees and customers about staying safe online.

This year marks the 20^th Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Like technology, Cybersecurity Awareness Month has grown rapidly. People now celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month all over the world! As we become more dependent on technology every day, though, we all know we have a long way to go to help us all stay safe online.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) needs your help to amplify messaging and get the Nation to take action throughout the month and year-round. This year, the organizations will will focus on four key behaviors everyone can take to reduce cyber risk:

• Turning on MFA
• Using strong passwords and a password manager
• Updating software regularly
• Recognizing and reporting phishing

Join CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance for a webinar on August 9th from 2-3pm ET to learn how you and your organization can get involved. To register, click here.

For more information, and to partner with CISA for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, contact us at AwarenessCampaigns@cisa.dhs.gov.

On July 27, HUD published a supplement to the RAD Notice (Notice H-2023-08/PIH 2023-19, Rev 4-b) which implements certain changes to the Rental Assistance Demonstration program. The notice will go into effect immediately following publication in the Federal Register. Major revisions in the notice include:

• RAD for PRAC initial contract rent setting to help implement funding provisions included in FY 22 and FY 23 Consolidated Appropriations Acts. The Notice allows additional rent-setting flexibility to promote and incentivize projects where the conversion supports long-term preservation of PRAC Section 202 units.
• Enhanced descriptions of resident engagement that must be submitted with the RAD application and modified resident meeting requirements.
• Raised minimum energy efficiency requirements and additional climate resilience planning.
• Harmonizing radon policies in RAD conversions by requiring all projects converting through RAD to be evaluated for radon.
• Additional information on the treatment of zero-HAP families in RAD conversions.
• Simplified Faircloth-to-RAD requirements where PHAs can secure conditional pre-completion approvals to convert newly developed public housing units to long-term Section 8 contracts through RAD.
• Additional clarification on the applicability of Housing Quality Standards (HQS) during the work period for occupied units and adds a certification requirement regarding the condition of the unit prior to the unit entering the HAP contract.  
• Additional waivers to RAD/Section 18 blends to facilitate uniform treatment of residents and units.

The Notice can be found here. HUD will also be hosting a live webinar to provide an overview of the RAD Supplemental Notice on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. Register here.  

Join NAHRO today from 1:30 – 2:30pm ET for a members-only, extended repeat of our Washington Report from the 2023 NAHRO Summer Symposium and learn more about our new NAHRO 360 Report. Whether you were unable to join us at our symposium in DC or are interested in hearing more about appropriations and upcoming HUD regulations, this free for members session will let you hear directly from NAHRO staff. There is much to discuss including what’s happening with FY24 appropriations, new regulations and guidance, including AFFH, NSPIRE, HOTMA, BABA, and other topics. Come and learn about everything happening at HUD and in Congress! Register here.

On June 28, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) welcomed applications to the $7 billion grant competition Solar for All, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to expand existing and implement new residential solar investments in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The program will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofits.

NAHRO’s Summer Symposium includes a session titled Green Energy Funding in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act which will include a panelist from the EPA to discuss the NOFO. Register here.

The application deadline for submission is September 26, 2023. In addition, applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent by the following dates:

• July 31, 2023, for all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
• August 14, 2023, for U.S. territories, municipalities and eligible nonprofits
• August 28, 2023, for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia

PHAs can apply for grant funding individually or as subrecipients in applications. PHAs can also apply through coalition applications with other organizations. The minimum amount to apply for the program is $25 million and recipients must serve a minimum of 10,000 low-income households.  

While PHAs can still participate in awarded programs in which they are not formal partners or subbidders, they must contact the state or regional sponsor applying for the award before September 26.

Seventy-five percent of the grant award must be in the form of “financial assistance” which means grants, loans, subsidies and other direct financial support to offtakers (tenant recipients). There is also a requirement that each offtaker or participant demonstrate a 20% or better reduction in their electricity bill. The other 25% can pay for technical assistance, outreach, marketing support, contractor training, tenant education, interconnection support, and program management.

The application can be found on grants.gov.  

Last week, HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) published proposed changes to the methodology used for calculating fair market rents. There are two material changes included to the calculation of FMRs. First, the proposal would include a change in the definition of “recent mover” as used in the recent movement adjustment. HUD is proposing to consider the rents of households who moved into their unit only in the current American Community Survey (ACS) year. Currently, HUD looks at movers in the past 23 months. HUD intends for this change to be more reflective of current market conditions.

The second change would be to retain and expand the use of rent inflation factors calculated by private sector sources. HUD first used this expanded inflation factor while calculating 2023 FMRs. NAHRO encourages HUD to continue using the most robust and up-to-date inflation factors to ensure FMRs are matching the current market.

The notice can be found here. Comments are due July 24.

On June 8, HUD issued Notice PIH 2023-13 titled “Guidance on housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness through the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs.” The Notice identifies strategies that PHAs can pursue to expand housing opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness through the Public Housing and HCV programs. The notice revises the definition of homelessness for the purposes of reporting in IMS/PIC and outlines new guidance on how PHAs and CoCs can share data derived from IMS/PIC and the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). The notice also updates guidance on waitlist management and preferences, screening policies regarding criminal activity, substance use, and rental history, program termination and eviction policies, and information regarding pairing project-based vouchers with CoC Supportive Services to create Permanent Supportive Housing. The notice can be found here.