On May 21, HUD announced that the Department will rescind the selection notice seeking applications for the Work Requirements Cohort of the MTW Expansion (PIH Notice 2021-02). NAHRO remains supportive of the MTW Expansion and still encourages PHAs interest in the Expansion to apply to other cohorts. HUD notes that PHAs that were interested in applying to the Work Requirement Cohort can apply to either the Landlord Requirements Cohort (PIH Notice 2021-03) and/or future cohorts of the MTW Expansion. The application for the Landlord Incentives Cohort will be extended until at least September 2021.

HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg testified this morning in a joint hearing on the American Jobs Plan for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Titled “21^st Century Communities: Expanding Opportunity Through Infrastructure Investments,” the joint hearing focused on how housing and transit work together to support communities and jobs, and the importance of housing as infrastructure.

In her testimony, Sec. Fudge focused on the ways that “yesterday’s lack of investment” is driving the affordable housing crisis through lack of supply of housing units and state of disrepair of existing housing units. She emphasized the different ways the American Jobs Plan (AJP) addresses these two issues, which includes $213 million to build 2 million new homes and $40 billion to repair existing public housing infrastructure.

In his testimony, Sec. Buttigieg highlighted how the relationship between housing and transit infrastructure impacts families who must choose between “living impossibly far from work to afford housing,” relying on aging transit systems in need of repair, or “paying more for housing than they can afford in order to have a reasonable commute.”  

Both Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) separately asked about manufactured housing, and the potential for HUD to issue guidance on manufactured housing. Sen. Scott emphasized the importance of manufactured housing in disaster recovery his state, and Sen. Sinema focused on the importance of manufactured housing considering increased construction materials costs. Sec. Fudge said HUD had been preoccupied by COVID, but supports manufactured housing as resilient, energy efficient, and affordable, and should have guidance out by the end of the year.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) asked about the lack of available senior housing, and how that might be a growing problem as the number of aging Americans significantly increases in the next decade. Sec. Fudge responded that many people forget a large percentage of public housing residents are seniors and need to be able to age in place, and that requires investing in Section 202.

Several senators also asked about landlord and community incentives to lease to voucher holders or to build new housing. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) took the hearing as an opportunity to talk about his new bill with Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE).  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) asked about how the AJP currently addresses zoning, and how more targeted incentives could motivate local communities to address exclusionary zoning, bans on multifamily construction, and other barriers to more affordable housing.

You can watch the hearing here.

You can find the testimony of the witnesses here.

On May 18, HUD published Notice PIH 2021-16 titled “Guidance on the use of Tenant Participation Funds.” The notice applies to all Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) operating public housing programs. HUD provides tenant participation (TP) funds to PHAs through the Operating Fund Grant specifically for resident participation activities. The activities allow resident councils to create strong partnerships between the duly-elected residents on the council, the PHA, and HUD.

The Notice covers the role of the PHA and the Resident Council as it relates to using and disbursing funds, financial management for TP funds, allowable and unallowable uses for TP funds, and includes a guide for evaluating TP fund expenses.

The Notice can be found here.   

As of May 12, recipients of Federal Public Housing Assistance and other qualifying households can apply for the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) to receive a monthly discount on internet access, as well as a one-time discount on equipment. The Federal Communication Program (FCC) program offers $50/month off of broadband service, $75/month off of broadband service on Tribal land, and a one-time discount of $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop, as long as consumers pay between $10-$50. The program pays internet service providers directly, sending discounted bills to participants.

Recipients of Federal Public Housing Assistance are eligible, as are families with income at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines. Households also qualify if any member of the household:

• Qualifies for Lifeline. Recipients of Lifeline qualify automatically, and can receive both benefits simultaneously.
• Participates in Supplemental Nutrition Insurance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Pension and Survivor Benefits.
• Participates in Tribal programs (Tribal Head Start, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations).
• Receives Free or Reduced-Price Lunch in 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year, or received a Pell Grant in the current year.
• Experienced a substantial loss of income after February 29,2020. Total household income must be no more than $99,000 for single tax filers, and $198,000 for joint tax filers.
• Already participates in a low-income or COVID-19 program with their internet service provider.

The EBBP limits families to one monthly broadband discount and one device discount per household, defined as people living together who also share money. This is a temporary program, which will end either when funding is exhausted or six months after the Department of Health of Human Services (HHS) announces the end of the COVID-19 emergency.

To apply, see more here.

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The U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have partnered to create a new program to make COVID-19 vaccines and testing more accessible for HUD-assisted households and people experiencing homelessness. Under the program, funded by the American Rescue Plan, HUD and HHS are directing all community health centers to build on or create new partnerships with HUD participants (including PHAs, Continuums of Care, and homeless providers) to facilitate on-site testing and vaccine clinics at HUD-assisted sites and to create mobile facilities to reach those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. HUD and HHS will support these partnerships by tracking the number of people being vaccinated and the number of vaccine clinics, as well as leveraging a new mapping tool to identify high-need areas for vaccination. Vaccines will come from the Health Center COVID-19 Program, which sends vaccines directly to 800 health centers across the country.

In addition to the vaccine sites themselves, these programs will also help with registering and scheduling testing and vaccine appointments, conduct outreach on vaccine safety and efficacy, and provide transportation to vaccination for those with limited mobility. Beyond COVID-19, the program should also provide information on access for more comprehensive primary health care services for participants. HUD and HHS estimate this will reach approximately 6,000 multifamily housing properties, 6,700 homeless shelters, and 7,500 public housing properties.   

More information can be found here.

On May 12, HUD posted the FY 2021 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on grants.gov. HUD is making available up to $5 million for planning grants. Planning grants are two-year grants of up to $450,000 that assist communities with severely distressed public or HUD-assisted housing in developing a neighborhood transformation plan and carrying out early action activities to help successfully implement the plan.

Applications are due to grants.gov on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

On May 11, HUD awarded nearly $51.4 million to 25 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) in 19 states to help clean up lead hazards in public housing. NAHRO has long advocated for increased funding for PHAs to help remediate and eradicate lead-paint in public housing properties. Provided through HUD’s Public Housing Capital Fund, these grants are targeted to public housing units occupied by families with young children. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge noted in HUD’s press release that “protecting families with young children from lead and other health hazards is an important part of HUD’s mission, and we don’t take it lightly… HUD is committed to President Biden’s directive to prioritize environmental justice and equity for disadvantaged communities.” HUD’s press release can be found here.