Affordable Housing

Thinking About Solar Panels?

~ Lydia Miller ~ 1 Comment

On May 31, 2017 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hosted a webinar on Solar Project Development for Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). The webinar presented approaches for implementation based on various readiness levels. Presenters included Crystal Bergemann, Energy Team Lead, Office of Economic Development; Benjamin Foster, ICF expert; Richard Santangelo, Apollo Engineering Solutions, subcontractor to IFC; and Robert Havlicket, Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara. Each presenter outlined a framework for effective planning for a solar photovoltaic (PV) project. Comprehensive steps such as financing, site locations, incentives, and best practices were shared to encourage PHAs to use solar panels.

The webinar focused on solar panels for PHAs, with a framework for financial planning which affordable housing and multiple family programs can utilize. One approach that was presented was HUD’s Renew300 initiative, which started in 2013 as a mechanism to increase the use of on-site community solar panels at federally assisted housing to save energy and money for the community. Solar development can save money for organizations, contribute to the local economy, and positively impact the community.  

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Suspension of HOME 24-Month Commitment Requirement

~ Jenny Hsu ~ Leave a comment

On June 2, HUD published a message on HUD Exchange addressing the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act’s (Public Law No. 115-31) suspension of the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) 24-month commitment requirement for deadlines occurring in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Due to this suspension, HUD will not be enforcing the program’s 24-month commitment requirement for deadlines occurring this year or in 2018 and 2019. For deadlines that occurred in 2016, HUD intends to return deobligated funds to participating jurisdictions (PJs). HUD further clarifies that this suspension does not apply to a PJ’s Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) set-aside funds and does not apply to the 5-year expenditure deadline for FY 2014 and earlier grants. The recent HOME interim rule implementing grant-specific commitment requirements remains in effect, except HUD will not enforce the 24-month commitment deadlines discussed above. Additional HUD guidance on the effects of this suspension is forthcoming.

NAHRO Comments on Reopened MTW Expansion Operations Notice

~ Eric Oberdorfer ~ Leave a comment

On June 5, NAHRO submitted comments in response to HUD’s “Operations Notice for the Expansion of the Moving To Work Demonstration Program Solicitation of Comment; Waiver Revision and Reopening of Comment Period.” This notice reopened the comment period of the January 23, 2017 Moving to Work (MTW) Operations Notice for 30 days, and also made revisions to one General Waiver in Appendix 1 and two Conditional Waivers in Appendix 2. NAHRO also submitted in-depth comments to HUD on the Operations Notice in late March (members only).

NAHRO’s comment letter makes several suggestions over the course of three main sections. The first section responds to HUD’s specific request for comments on revisions to the Operations Notice included in the revised Notice, while the second section highlights some of NAHRO’s general recommendations to improve the Operations Notice. The third section, “Attachment 1,” contains NAHRO’s previously submitted comments to HUD regarding the MTW Expansion Operations Notice.

NAHRO’s general comments asked HUD to include “safe harbors” that PHAs could use for conditional waivers, to clarify the general purpose of the Operations Notice, to clarify the use of waivers not included in the Operations Notice, and to make specific changes to waivers listed in the Operations Notice.

NAHRO’s comment letter can be found here.

 

HUD Extends Deadline for ’17 Operating Fund Revisions

~ Eric Oberdorfer ~ Leave a comment

On May 31, HUD released Notice PIH-2017-19, amending the Public Housing Operating subsidy eligibility calculations for Calendar Year 2017. The notice extends the Operating Fund revision deadline from August 1 to August 15. This provides PHAs additional time to submit revisions to their original CY 2017 Operating Fund submissions. Revisions should be submitted to local HUD Field Offices.

Happy National Homeownership Month

~ Lydia Miller ~ Leave a comment

On June 1, 2017, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) kicked off National Homeownership Month with the “New Era of Homeownership” panel discussion. Keynote speaker, Secretary Ben Carson, described homeownership as “security, certainty, a path forward, and a place to live with loved ones”. He stated, “after all we’ve been through, homeownership remains an American value and the cornerstone of our economy,” and noted that  63.6 percent of Americans are homeowners. Based on research from Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, homeownership has increased since 2016 and is projected to increase within the next eight years by 13.6 million households.

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HUD to Investigate Perception of Small Area FMRs

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Tomorrow, HUD will publish a notice in the Federal Register titled “30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collections: Small Area Fair Market Rent Demonstration Evaluation.” The notice announces an information collection to determine perception of the shift from regular Fair Market Rents (FMRs) to Small Area FMRs among voucher holders and landlords.

For voucher holders, HUD will investigate whether new and current voucher holders understood how shifting to Small Area FMRs changed their housing options, whether voucher holders who moved searched in new neighborhoods, and whether voucher holders moved at a different rate.[1]

For landlords, HUD will investigate whether landlords were aware of the shift to Small Area FMRs, whether this affected their willingness to rent to voucher holders, and the level at which they set their rents.[1]

To investigate, HUD will interview 70 tenants and 35 landlords. Both groups will be interviewed in the areas served by the PHAs in the Small Area FMR Demonstration. Incentive payments of $20 for tenants and $40 for landlords will be made.

HUD seeks comments on the following: 1) Is the information collection necessary and does it have practical utility; 2) the accuracy of the information collection burden; 3) ways to enhance the quality of the information collected; and 4) ways to minimize the burden of the information collected. Comments will be due 30 days after the notice is published. The pre-publication notice can be found here.

[6/2/17 Edit – The notice has been published in the Federal Register, and comments are due on July 3, 2017. The notice can be found here.]

[1] – NAHRO notes that this information would have been useful to know before HUD mandatorily directed PHAs to implement Small Area FMRs in certain areas.

The Importance of CDBG and HOME Programs

~ Lydia Miller ~ Leave a comment

On Wednesday, May 24, NAHRO attended the roundtable discussion: The Importance of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) programs. The House Committee on Financial Services Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), as well as Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MOS) led the roundtable to discuss the Administration’s proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget, which currently eliminates both of these essential housing and community development programs. The Ranking Members facilitated conversations with community leaders to stress the significance of the programs in regards to housing, infrastructure, economic development, public health resources, and safety in various communities.

Panelist include:

  • The Honorable Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor of the City of Gary, Indiana
  • The Honorable David P. Helms, Mayor of the Town of Marion, Virginia
  • Robin Hughes, President & CEO, Abode Communities: Los Angeles, CA
  • Bonnie Moore, Director of Community Development, City of Shreveport, Louisiana and President, National Community Development Association
  • The Honorable Ed Pawlowski, Mayor of the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania
  • Renee Price, Commissioner of Orange County, North Carolina
  • Bill Shelton, Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and Council of State Community Development Agencies
  • Schroeder Stribling, Executive Director, N Street Village: Washington, D.C.

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ConnectHome to Expand to Over 100 Communities

~ Jenny Hsu ~ Leave a comment

Last week, EveryoneOn, in partnership with HUD, announced the expansion of the ConnectHome pilot. First unveiled in 2015 by the Obama Administration, ConnectHome was a White House initiative aimed at narrowing the digital divide within 28 pilot communities (which included participation from 23 NAHRO member agencies). ConnectHome tested the impact of cross-sector collaborators using non-government resources in order to accelerate the adoption and utilization of broadband technology by families living in HUD-assisted housing

Beginning this summer, the expansion of ConnectHome – which has been rebranded as “ConnectHOME Nation” – will launch a new cohort of communities with the goal of reaching over 100 communities and connecting 350,000 people living in public housing by 2020.

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HUD Sends Letter Confirming Operating Fund Proration

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD sent a letter explaining Public Housing Operating Fund obligations for June. In June, HUD is increasing the proration for the Operating Fund from 85 percent to a 92.89 percent proration.

The proration represents a cumulative amount for the year. Since PHAs received payments based on a lesser yearly proration for the first few months of the year, June’s payment will be greater to compensate for the initial underfunding. The July payment will more accurately represent the new monthly amount under the new proration. The letter notes that there may be minor proration fluctuations and that “[t]he final proration will be established after final eligibility is determined for all projects.”

A change in proration is only one reason that a PHA’s payment in absolute terms (i.e., actual amount received) may have changed. Another reason for a change in the absolute amount is a decline in formula eligibility for some PHAs. Read more about this formula eligibility decline in our previous post “Operating Fund Proration Increases as Funding Decreases.”

Specific June Operating Fund obligation letters grouped by state can be found here.

HUD’s letter explaining June Operating Fund obligations can be found here.