Author: Tushar Gurjal

HUD Broadcasts Webinar on MTW Cohort #1

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Earlier today, HUD broadcast a webinar on the Moving to Work (MTW) Expansion Cohort #1. The webinar explained what MTW was, explained the benefits of an MTW designation, provided presentations from current MTW agencies, and discussed the process by which agencies could apply for Cohort #1. Additionally, questions from webinar participants were answered.

The webinar also gave the following timeline for MTW Expansion activities:

  • Spring 2019 – Revise MTW Operations Notice based on public comment and publish final MTW Operations Notice;
  • Summer / Fall 2019 – Designate the initial cohort of MTW agencies; invite the second cohort of agencies to apply;
  • Winter 2020 – Designate the second cohort of MTW agencies.

The full webinar with audio and the slide presentation will eventually be posted on HUD’s MTW Expansion site, but an unofficial copy of the slides from the webinar can immediately be found here.

HUD Posts RAD Rent Levels for 2019 (Based on 2018 Public Housing Funding Levels)

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Earlier today, the Department of Housing and Urban Development sent an email through its RADBlast! email list announcing RAD rents levels for 2019 (based on 2018 Public Housing Funding Levels). These rents will be used for new awards used in 2019. They may also be used for current awardees to update rents in existing Commitments to enter into Housing Assistance Payment contracts (CHAPs). Closed transactions are ineligible to receive these new rents. Remember, these new rents–after being updated with 2019 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs)–may not necessarily be higher than your current CHAP rents depending on how the transaction is structured. NAHRO strongly recommends carefully reading HUD’s Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ) document on updating RAD rents before requesting updated rents.

Additionally, HUD has created a streamlined, online RAD application for public housing conversions that can be accessed here.

The 2019 RAD Rents can be accessed here.

The FAQ can be found here.

HCV Two-Year Tool Updates!

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A HUD official emailed me to announce certain updates to the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) two-year tool. The updates include the following:

  • The two-year tool is now publicly available and accessible by anyone;
  • A series of training videos has been created and is publicly available; and
  • The two-year tool now shows draft inflation factors for the next year to help program managers plan for the next year (depending on the housing market the PHA is located in, this may be a large number).

The two year tool and the training videos can be accessed here.

Have a little spare time this holiday season? Check out HUD’s two-year tool training videos! The table listing the links to the videos is reproduced below. Click below to access it.

Continue reading →

Secretary Carson to Lead Opportunity and Revitalization Council

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In a press release published earlier today, HUD announced that the President established the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and named Secretary Carson its chairperson. The White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council’s activities include the following:

  • Engage all levels of government on methods to effectively use taxpayer dollars to revitalize low-income communities;
  • Streamline, coordinate, and target existing Federal programs to Opportunity Zones and distressed communities;
  • Consider legislative proposals and undertake regulatory reform to remove barriers to revitalization; and
  • Present the President with options to encourage capital investment in economically distressed communities.

Secretary Carson has said that “[t]hese are still early days for the work of the Council and Opportunity Zones, but the groundwork has been laid . . . [t]he seeds the President has planted are growing and the promise they hold will improve places long forgotten, and the lives of those who call those places home.”

The full press release can be found here.

HUD Updates RAD Notice on Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Requirements

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that it has published guidance clarifying the use of Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Requirements. With the conversion of Rent Supp., RAP, Mod. Rehab., or Mod. Rehab. SRO contracts to PBRA contracts, Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements are not triggered.

The full Federal Register notice can be found here.

The guidance document (H-2018-11; PIH-2018-22) can be found here.

HUD Awards $4.6 Million in HUD-VASH Funding

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In a press release published earlier today, HUD announced a second round of HUD-VASH vouchers being funded. The Department will be providing $4.6 million, in the form of 424 vouchers, to housing authorities around the country to help homeless veterans find permanent homes. Secretary Carson said that “[t]he additional HUD-VASH vouchers awarded today will continue to support the important work of communities across the country that ensures our veterans have a safe and stable place to call home.”

The list of agencies receiving this latest round of funding can be found here.

HUD Publishes Notice on Verifying SSNs

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Last week, HUD published a notice titled “Verification of Social Security Numbers (SSNs), Social Security (SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits; and Effective Use of the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System’s Identity Verification Report” (PIH 2018-24). This notice supersedes the previous notice PIH 2012-10.

The notice includes the following updates from the previous notice:

  • Updated website links and other references;
  • Removal of the provision requiring a PHA to notify HUD Headquarters when the PHA determines the tenant name or surname reported on the HUD 50058 is correct;
  • Revisions to the “Authorized Workaround” section for overdue examinations not completed due to pending litigation;
  • Clarification of the penalties for noncompliance with EIV’s Identity Verification Report and elimination of the right to appeal the imposition of penalties; and
  • Elimination of attachments.

The full notice can be found here.

HUD Awards $30 million in FUP Vouchers

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Last week, HUD announced an award of $30 million to PHAs nationwide for Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers. Family Unification Program vouchers are for youth at risk of homelessness and families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary reason for their children being in foster care.

This funding will provide for 3,000 vouchers. Secretary Carson stated that “HUD is committed to helping parents and caregivers obtain safe and affordable housing for their families . . . [t]his investment will allow thousands of children to leave the foster care system and live with their families so they have the opportunity to thrive together.”

A list of the FUP voucher allocations can be found here.

Special Admin Fees Available for Small Area FMR Implementation

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Earlier today, the Housing Voucher Financial Management Division sent a notice via email reiterating that additional administrative fees are available for PHAs that are implementing Small Area Fair Market Rents (FMRs). Eligible activities include but are not limited to the following:

  • Outreach to families and landlords;
  • Development of additional briefing materials;
  • Hiring of additional staff;
  • Staff training;
  • Changing rent reasonableness methodology; and
  • Software modification.

Both PHAs that must mandatorily implement Small Area FMRs and PHAs that choose to voluntarily implement Small Area FMRs are eligible to apply. To apply, PHAs must submit the following:

  1. Letter addressed to Steven Durham, the Director of the Office of Housing Voucher Programs, requesting reimbursement of costs for adoption of Small Area FMRs;
  2. A board resolution confirming the adoption of Small Area FMRs;
  3. Supporting documentation showing expenses incurred or estimated;
  4. Narrative describing how the above expenses tie to Small Area FMR implementation; and
  5. Certification Signature of the Executive Director.

Electronic applications should be submitted no later than 3 pm ET on Friday, Dec. 31, 2018. Applications should be emailed to PIH.Financial.Management.Division@hud.gov. The subject line must include the PHA Code and the text “SAFMR – Special Fee Request.”

The full notice sent in the email can be found here.

[11/13/2018 3:20 pm ET edit – The link above has been revised to reflect that HUD sent another letter correcting a date in the attachment.]

HUD Updates Guidance on EIV System

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In late October, HUD published a notice titled “Administrative Guidance for Effective and Mandated Use of the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System” (PIH 2018-18). The EIV system is a web-based application that allows PHAs to check employment, wage, unemployment compensation and social security benefit information for Section 8 and Public Housing program participants. The notice updates the previous guidance on EIV by discussing  the Income Validation Tool (IVT) Report. The IVT Report replaces the Income Discrepancy Report under the verification reports link. The IVT will be updated monthly. It will provide information on tenant reported income, previous reported income from form HUD-50058, and discrepancies between tenant reported income and information gleaned from HUD data sharing agreements with Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration.

The notice can be found here.