HUD Extends Section 3 Reporting Deadline until July 31, 2020

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity sent an email to PHAs extending the deadline for submission of all Section 3 annual reports until July 31, 2020 because of the COVID-19 event. This does not impact reporting for agencies with deadlines due after the extension date. In the email, the Department also reminds PHAs that the SPEARS system transmits emails to agencies with reports due or overdue, and these emails should be ignored for those PHAs complying with this extension.

[6/10/2020 edit – typographical correction.]

Mainstream HCV Two-Year Tool Now Available

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

I received word from a HUD official that the Mainstream Two-Year Tool is now available. For PHAs with Mainstream voucher programs, the Mainstream Two-Year Tool is within the regular Two-Year Tool and can be accessed by clicking the “Access Additional Tools” button. Additionally, the tool provides information on cash management to be used to assess the need for additional disbursements. “Reserve reconciliations” will be sent this week for PHAs with Mainstream programs.

The Two-Year Tool may be accessed here.

Chairwoman Maxine Waters joins NAHRO’s Managing During COVID-19: Congressional Response webinar: Tomorrow at 12noon eastern

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 12noon eastern time NAHRO is hosting a webinar: Managing During COVID-19: Congressional Response.

Join us for a very special conversation with Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Cali.), Chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee. Congresswoman Waters has been a dedicated advocate for affordable housing throughout her entire career, a priority that has taken center stage during the COVID-19 crisis. For this reason, NAHRO leadership will honor her with our Legislator of the Year award.

Help NAHRO thank the Congresswoman for the CARES Act and for her commitment to affordable housing and community development programs!

Register for tomorrow’s webinar: Managing During COVID-19: Congressional Response!

HUD PIH Updates COVID-19 FAQ for PHAs (Version 4)

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing published its update to its Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ) document on COVID-19. This updated brings the document to version 4. NAHRO staff is still in the process of reading through the document.

The updated PIH FAQ for COVID-19 (version 4) may be found here.

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.

RAD COVID-19 FAQ Updated

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

In a RADBlast! email earlier today, HUD noted that they have updated one of their COVID-19 FAQs with additional information on RAD conversions during the COVID-19 event. According to the email, this update includes “further guidance on completing environmental reports when professionals may not be able to access the interior or exterior of the site . . . [and] provides an option that would give PHAs more time to execute new Section 8 leases at the point of conversion.”

The updated FAQ may be found here.

[5/21/2020 – edited for clarity.]

Two Additional HCV Guidebook Chapters Published

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) guidebook continues to be updated by HUD. Most recently, chapters on Utility Allowances and Special Housing Types have been added. Currently available chapters include the following:

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials is excited that HUD is continuing to update its HCV guidebook. We enthusiastically await future chapters and the regular and timely updating of the guidebook.

The full guidebook may be accessed here.

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.

Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources Webinar – Wed, May 27 at 2pm ET

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

On Wednesday, May 27. 2020, NAHRO is hosting a complimentary webinar – Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources.

Join Nan Roman, President and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and leaders from NAHRO member agencies for a discussion of available homelessness resources and best practices for their use. Bring your questions and comments and join your fellow PHAs for this interactive webinar!

Register for NAHRO’s Managing During COVID-19: Homelessness Resources Webinar here!

Final CRA Rule Released by OCC

~ Eric Oberdorfer ~ Leave a comment

Earlier today, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) finalized their overhaul of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. Although the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) released a proposed CRA rule together, the FDIC noted that they are not prepared to finalize a CRA proposal at this time, meaning the FDIC’s final rule may differ from the OCC’s. Moreover, the Federal Reserve, also responsible for governing the CRA, was not involved in the proposed rule.

The CRA is a critical tool that encourages banking and lending institutions to lend necessary funding to affordable housing and community development projects by receiving favorable CRA consideration for community development activities. These activities include investment in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects, New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) projects, and historic rehabilitation tax credit projects. Virtually no affordable rental housing development would occur without LIHTC, and the CRA is critical to ensuring banks remain motivated to invest in LIHTC.

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