Regulation

June is National Healthy Homes Month; HUD Releases Digital Resource Toolkit

~ Chris Campbell ~ Leave a comment

June is National Healthy Homes Month, an awareness campaign designed to educate families about creating a healthy home and identify common health hazards such as lead, radon, pests and allergens. Keeping homes hazard-free has taken on a special importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many families are sheltering-in-place.  

The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) has created a 2020 NHHM Campaign Resource Toolkit to provide government agencies and other housing stakeholders with materials to help and encourage local implementation. The toolkit includes tips for public messaging, suggested outreach material and social media posts, and educational resources for the public.  

OLHCHH will also host a series of webinars for stakeholders on how to promote healthy homes. A full schedule and instructions for registration can be found on HUD’s website.  

COVID-19 CDBG Eviction Moratorium Q&A Released

~ Chris Campbell ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD released a Q&A to address questions concerning the eviction moratorium established by the CARES Act. Section 4024 of the Act imposes a 120-day moratorium on evictions, ending July 24, 2020. The moratorium extends to units in projects receiving funding from Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Neighborhood Stabilization Programs (NSP) or Disaster Recovery.  

The Q&A clarifies which units are covered by the eviction moratorium, and which fees landlords may charge tenants for accrued costs after the moratorium ends. The full Q&A can be found here. For additional guidance, please visit the CDBG COVID-19 Resources page.  

NAHRO provides additional COVID-19 resources at www.NAHRO.org/coronavirus.

HUD PIH Posts May 15th Conference Call with PHAs

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) sent an email announcing that it was posting a recording of its conference call with PHAs on May 15th. The call was titled “Navigating PIC and REAC PHAS Reporting and Operational Planning Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

Our overview of the call can be found here.

Slides from the call can be found here.

A recording of the call can be found here or below.

Webinar Tomorrow: Managing During COIVD-19: Community Development: CDBG, HOME, ESG

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

Join NAHRO and Acting HUD Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development (CPD) John Gibbs from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. eastern tomorrow, May 13, 2020, for a discussion on CPD’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. With a focus on CDBG, HOME, and ESG, Acting Assistant Secretary Gibbs will provide an update on CPD’s efforts to provide communities with access to waivers and supplemental funding and provide insights into CPD’s actions to address the COVID-19 crisis. Following the update, Acting Assistant Secretary Gibbs and his staff will join us for a moderated question and answer session.

Register for the complimentary webinar here!

NAHRO Webinar: Managing During COVID-19: Funding, Flexibility, and Fulfilling our Mission; May 5, 2020 at 2pm Est

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

NAHRO would like to invite you to a complimentary webinar on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 2pm eastern time – Managing During COVID-19: Funding, Flexibility, and Fulfilling our Mission.

Housing agencies are responding in real-time to the coronavirus and its impact on day-to-day operations and the residents they serve. Hear from federal officials and NAHRO on available resources and flexibilities provided by Congress and being implemented by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

You will also hear from local housing officials on how they are adapting their programs in the current environment.

We will be joined on the webinar by:

  • R. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • Patricia Wells, CME, NAHRO Senior Vice-President, Executive Director, Oakland Housing Authority, CA
  • David S. Gates, CS-PHM, CSO-PH, CME, CMPO, Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Lonoke, AR

Bring your questions and comments and join your fellow PHAs for this interactive webinar!

Register for Managing During COVID-19: Funding, Flexibility, and Fulfilling our Mission!

HUD Publishes Notice on Accessing HCV Admin. Fee Funding in CARES Act

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD published PIH 2020-08 titled “CARES Act – HCV Program Administrative Fees.” This notice details how additional administrative fees allocated in the CARES Act will be distributed to PHAs. The CARES Act allocated $1.25 billion for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program ($850 million for administrative fees and $400 million for HAP). The Department will obligate administrative fees in several actions. This notice details the first action, while forthcoming notices will provide details on future distributions.

Initially HUD will provide approximately $380 million to all PHAs (including Moving to Work agencies). Each PHA will receive approximately 2 months worth of administrative fee at the beginning of May. The amount of funding will be the average of the PHA’s calendar year (CY) 2018 and CY 2019 monthly administrative fee eligibility (at 100% proration or full eligibility) multiplied by two.

  • Eligible Uses
    • Any currently eligible administrative costs during the period the program is impacted by the coronavirus;
      • includes necessary upgrades to IT or computer systems to enhance telework capacities and overtime pay for PHA staff to carry-out HCV Program responsibilities;
    • New coronavirus related-activities, including activities to support or maintain the health and safety of assisted individuals and families, and costs related to the retention and support of participating owners:
      • procuring cleaning supplies for HCV units and common areas of PHA-owned PBV units;
      • relocation of families to health units or other designated units for testing, hospitalization, or quarantine (may include transportation costs to these locations);
      • additional costs to supportive services vendors incurred due to coronavirus;
      • costs to retain or increase owner participation in the HCV program;
      • costs for providing childcare of PHA staff that would not otherwise be incurred;
      • costs associated with the delivery of goods, including food and medical supplies that comply with CDC requirements, to program participants;
      • public health security-costs to enforce shelter-in-place, stay-at-home, or visitor-restriction policies;
      • administration costs associated with the implementation of coronavirus-related activities that are not eligible HCV administrative costs;
      • other costs determined by HUD on a case-by-case basis.

Period of availability – the period of availability for these funds is the duration of the calendar year 2020, unless this period is extended by HUD.

Reporting – Unlike regular administrative fees, these funds must be tracked and accounted for separately. Funds not spent must be returned to HUD. Recipients of CARES Act funding in excess of $150,000 have quarterly reporting requirements, including a detailed list of project uses and activities (see notice for full details).

Ineligible expenses – funds may not be used to repay debts or amounts owed to HUD (including OIG, QAD or other monitoring review findings) or program participants. The funds used for salaries must comply with executive compensation requirements.

The full notice may be found here.

HUD’s Section 3 Still Required, Very Limited Reporting Extension (Updated)

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

While HUD’s Offices of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and Community Planning and Development (CPD) have provided a number of waivers and flexibilities for the Public Housing program, Housing Choice Voucher program, HOME Investment Partnership program, Community Development Block Grant, and Continuum of Care (CoC) program, HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) has not waived any of the Section 3 statutory and regulatory requirements.

[Updated Text Begins] On April 17, 2020, FHEO released updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) for Section 3 Covered Recipients which addresses 13 questions on how COVID-19 affects Section 3 compliance. Question 2 specifically asks “Are Section 3 Compliance requirements waived during the virus condition?” and FHEO’s answer is “No, the Section 3 statutory and regulatory requirements have not been waived.” Updated questions are also asked about Section 3 SPEARS reporting requirements and deadlines. In response, FHEO states that the Section 3 reporting requirement is not waived and Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and community development agencies have an extension until July 31, 2020. Additional extensions are not addressed in the updated FAQ but generally PHAs and community development agencies may request extensions beyond July 31, 2020 but must provide justification and any extension request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. [Updated Text Ends]

[Removed Text Begins] On April 3, 2020, FHEO released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) for Section 3 Covered Recipients which addresses 13 questions on how COVID-19 affects Section 3 compliance. Question 2 specifically asks “Are Section 3 Compliance requirements waived during the virus condition?” and FHEO’s answer is “No, the Section 3 statutory and regulatory requirements have not been waived.” Questions are also asked about Section 3 SPEARS reporting requirements and deadlines. In response, FHEO states that the Section 3 reporting requirement is not waived and Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and community development agencies have an extension until June 1, 2020 but “must clearly demonstrate how COVID-19 precluded timely reporting.” PHAs and community development agencies may request extensions beyond June 1, 2020 but must provide justification and any extension request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.[Removed Text Ends]

FHEO has not waived or reduced the Section 3 requirements and reporting so PHAs and community development agencies must continue to create employment, training and contracting opportunities to Section 3 residents and Section 3 businesses. The Safe Harbor requirements have not been reduced either. PHAs and community development agencies should continue to hire staff and procure contracts, if possible, and if unable to meet the Safe Harbor requirements, they should document their efforts “to make every possible effort ‘to the greatest extent feasible’ to make employment and contracting opportunities available to” Section 3 residents.

NAHRO is relaying information from our members on the unprecedented operational and economic concerns affordable housing providers are facing to HUD and is requesting maximum flexibility for PHAs and community development agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

NAHRO will continue to provide the latest information from HUD and Congress on the COVID-19 emergency response to our members and the public through our communication tools including the NAHRO coronavirus webpage and the NAHRO blog.

NAHRO Analysis – HUD Issues COVID-19 Related Waivers for Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

On April 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a series of waivers and program updates, 44 in total, for the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs. The waivers were issued by HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) in Notice PIH 2020-05, COVID-19 Statutory and Regulatory Waivers for the Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, Indian Housing Block Grant and Indian Community Development Block Grant programs, Suspension of Public Housing Assessment System and Section Eight Management Assessment Program. The notice also includes 16 waivers related to Native American housing programs, specifically the Native American housing Assistance and Self-Determination Action of 1996 (NAHASDA) Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and the Indian Community Development Block Grant programs. In order to provide relevant information to Public Housing Authorities, this Direct News will focus on the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher program waivers.

This notice only addresses program waivers and does not discuss the allocation or release of the supplemental funding that was appropriated as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public law 116-136). The funding notices are anticipated to be release towards the end of April 2020 with the first round of funding being available to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) at the beginning of May 2020.

The purpose of the statutory and regulatory waivers is for HUD to assist PHAs and Tribal housing providers in continuing to operate and provide critical housing services to their local communities. HUD provides a non-inclusive list of critical PHA functions which includes issuing vouchers so families can find housing, processing Requests for Tenancy Approvals (RFTAs) so families can be approved to move into a unit, processing requests for portability moves, ensuring occupancy of Public Housing units, processing minimum rent hardship exemptions, and completing reexaminations for participants who have experienced a decrease in income.

The notice is broken into a number of sections and this Direct News will follow the same layout by discussing the underlining waiver authority by program, the applicability of the waivers, and the duration the waivers will be available.

Continue reading →

PHAs Make Coronavirus Requests of Congress

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

In partnership with our sister groups CLPHA, PHADA and the Moving to Work (MTW) Collaborative, NAHRO has drafted and sent a letter to the House and the Senate thanking them for the nearly $3 billion in affordable housing assistance in the CARES Act, and asking for substantial resources and flexibilities, including:

  • An additional infusion of $8.5 billion for the Operating Fund and the Section 8 voucher program;
  • An increased supply of Tenant Protection Vouchers;
  • Additional rental assistance for families in need; and
  • A $70 billion investment in public housing infrastructure.

Almost 800 PHAs and organizations joined NAHRO, PHADA, CLPHA, and the MTW Collaborative in signing the letter. You and your partners can also send the letter to your members of Congress through NAHRO’s Advocacy Action Center.

NAHRO continues to provide the latest information on the NAHRO Coronavirus page.

Missed Our Virtual Convening? Recordings Now Available!

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, NAHRO remains committed to connecting members and others with industry leaders and important perspectives. In lieu of our cancelled Washington Conference, we put together a complimentary virtual convening on March 30-31, and are now pleased to provide links to both events. 

Dr. Raphael Bostic, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, discussed the bank’s reaction to the COVID-19 crisis, presented on Inclusive Economic Development: Lessons and Challenges, and took questions from attendees. View this webinar here.  

Dr. Mark Calabria, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, discussed FHFA’s reaction to the COVID-19 crisis, its mission, its role in the housing sector, and his thoughts on critical milestones ahead. View this webinar here. 

Thank you to Yardi for sponsoring both events!   

Watch out for more virtual events as NAHRO continues to provide its members with the news, analysis, and guidance they need.