RAD

HUD Publishes Additional Guidance on Implementing HOTMA Voucher Provisions

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, October 30, HUD published notice PIH 2017-21 (HA) titled “Implementation Guidance: Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) – Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Provisions.” The notice provides additional guidance on HUD’s previous Federal Register notice implementing HOTMA’s changes to the definition of PHA-owned housing and changes to the project-based voucher program. It also incorporates HUD’s previous technical corrections notice.

This notice provides guidance on the following topics:

  • PHA-Owned Units;
  • PHA-Owned Units and Independent Entities;
  • Percentage Limitation (Program Cap) and PHA Submission Requirements;
  • PBV Percentage Limitation – 10 Percent Increase for Eligible Units;
  • Income-Mixing Requirement (Project Cap);
  • Units Not Subject to Percentage Limitation (Program Cap) or Income-Mixing Requirement (Project Cap);
  • Priority of PBV HAP Contracts;
  • PBV Biennial Inspections;
  • Adding Units to PBV HAP Contract Without Competition;
  • PBV Contract Termination or Expiration without Extension;
  • Attaching PBVs to Certain PHA-Owned Projects Without Following a Competitive Process;
  • Project-Basing Family Unification Program and HUD-VASH Vouchers;
  • Appendix – PBV Program Cap Calculation Instructions;
  • Appendix – PHA Plan, Administrative Plan, and Other PBV Topics;
  • Appendix – Reporting; and
  • Appendix – HCV, Homeownership, and PBV Inspection Requirements.

NAHRO is still in the process of reading through the notice and will provide additional information to our members.

The notice can be found here.

HUD Releases 2018 QCTs and DDAs for the LIHTC Program

~ Jenny Hsu ~ Leave a comment

On September 11, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a Notice in the Federal Register designating its statutorily mandated list of qualified census tracts (QCTs) and difficult development areas (DDAs) for the purposes of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. Under LIHTC, projects located in QCTs and DDAs are eligible to receive up to a 30 percent basis boost while receiving Housing Credits. The 2018 QCTs and DDAs will be effective for LIHTCs allocated after December 31, 2017, and for bond-financed  properties where the tax-exempt bonds are issued and the building is placed in service after December 31, 2017.

HUD publishes QCT and DDA designations annually. While this Notice provides specific details on the methodology in determining 2018 QCTs and DDAs, the full listings and other historical data can be accessed at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/qct.html.

Tell Your Senators to Support LIHTC!

~ Jenny Hsu ~ Leave a comment

In 2015, supporters of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) achieved a major victory with the permanent authorization of the 9 percent LIHTC rate, but a 4 percent housing credit rate remains unauthorized. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have introduced S.548, The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, to permanently authorize the 4 percent rate and expand the program’s overall allocation authority by 50 percent, allowing more public housing agencies (PHAs) and local redevelopment authorities (LRAs) to access the credit.

Affordable housing stakeholders should take action today and support Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Hatch’s critical legislation by asking your senators to join the bill as co-sponsors and urging them to include this bill in any tax reform agreement that is reached. Help NAHRO achieve its goal of sending 2,500 letters to members of Congress in August.  Continue reading →

Senate Appropriations Approves Transportation, HUD Bill

~ Tess Hembree ~ Leave a comment

In other news from the Senate yesterday, the Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to approve its FY 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill. The bill provides $60.058 billion in funding overall, $2.407 billion higher than current funding levels and $3.5 billion higher than the House. Considering the constraints of the FY 2018 budget cap, the increased THUD allocation is a huge win and allowed appropriators to avoid making the same types of cuts seen in the House THUD bill. The House Appropriations Committee approved its bill on July 17.

NAHRO will provide a detailed analysis of the bill next week.

The future of THUD in both the House and the Senate is unclear, though it is unlikely either chamber moves its THUD bill to the floor. Yesterday, the House approved a four-bill minibus package of spending bills, dubbed the “security-bus” because of its composition of defense and security-related bills. The House will likely adjourn for August recess this afternoon without passing any additional spending bills. The Senate, shifting its focus away from health care this morning, delayed August recess by two weeks to work on nominations and the debt ceiling. It may also choose to move appropriations bills to the floor during that time, assuming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does not adjourn the Senate earlier than expected.

Housing and Community Development Highlights

  • Rental Assistance Demonstration- cap eliminated, sunset date removed
  • Public Housing Capital Fund- $1.945 billion, $4 million higher than FY 2017
    • Jobs Plus- $15 million, level funded
  • Public Housing Operating Fund- $4.5 billion, $100 million higher than FY 2017
  • Choice Neighborhoods Initiative- $50 million, $87 less than FY 2017
  • Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment Renewals- $19.37 billion, $1.015 billion more than FY 2017
  • Administrative Fees- $1.725 billion, $75 million higher than FY 2017
    • Ongoing Administrative Fees- $1.715 billion, $75 million higher than FY 2017
    • Additional Administrative Fees- $10 million, level funded
  • Family Self-Sufficiency- $75 million, level funded
  • Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance- $11.507 billion, $691 million higher than FY 2017
  • Community Development Block Grant- $3 billion, level funded
  • HOME Investment Partnerships- $950 million, level funded
  • Homeless Assistance Grants- $2.456 billion, $73 million higher than FY 2017

 

Past Due Section 3 Reports Due July 31, 2017

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

On July 7, 2017, HUD’s Economic Opportunity Division of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity issued a notice regarding Section 3 reporting due dates for PHAs. Reporting due dates for PHAs are now based on the PHA fiscal year end (FYE), and generally are due 60 days after the PHA FYE. Non-PHAs that are recipients of Section 3 funding will continue to submit annual reports as they have done so in the past.

However the notice did provide specific dues dates for past due reports. Past due Section 3 reports for 2013, 2014, and 2015 must be submitted by July 31, 2017. Also Section 3 reports for 2016 are due 60 days after the PHA FYE, if not already submitted. For 2017 and beyond, Section 3 reports are due 60 days after PHA FYE.

The process of for electronically submitting your Section 3 reports can be found on the HUD website.

Free Smoking Cessation Webinar – July 20 at 1pm ET

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC), in collaboration with the CDC Tips From Former Smokers™ Campaign, the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) are pleased to invite you to this free webinar, “Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation in Public Housing Community Health Centers : Beyond Policy Adoption and Implementation” on Thursday, July 20, 2017, at 1:00pm EDT (90 minutes).

We are honored to have the following speakers presenting on this topic for us:

  • Bill Blatt, MPH, National Director of Tobacco Programs, American Lung Association
  • Elizabeth A. Davis, MD, Chief of Adult Medicine, Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, South End Community Health Center
  • John Kane, Senior Project Coordinator, Boston Housing Authority
  • Jose Leon, MD, Chief Medical Officer, National Center for Health in Public Housing

Webinar Objectives:

  1. Review tobacco use disorders data in public housing primary care
  2. Discuss key components of successful implementation of the non-smoking policy in public housing
  3. Describe the smoking cessation interventions provided by South End Community Health Center
  4. Learn how to talk to multi-unit housing residents about quitting smoking, including why they should quit, and learn about locally available programs and resources to help them

REGISTER HERE:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/7ombg8t9bo76&eom

RAD Seminar in Washington, DC – August 16-18, 2017

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

NAHRO Professional Development with MARC-NAHRO are offering a special training opportunity – Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Seminar with Proficiency Test.

The seminar will be held in conjunction with MARC-NAHRO’s Annual Conference, August 16-18, 2017, in Washington, DC. See details below.

For additional information and to register, go to www.marcnahro.org. RAD Flyer