Federal Policy Updates

HUD Announces Allocations for Community Development Programs

HUD announced its allocations for the CPD formula programs, including: $3.3 billion for carrying out the CDBG program, a $300 million increase over FY 2017. HOME funded at $1.362 billion for FY 2018, a $412 million increase over FY 2017. $375 million for the HOPWA program, an increase of $19 million over FY 2017 at least $270 million available for the ESG program. HUD CPD Formula Allocation for...

Administration Proposes to Rescind $41 Million from Capital Fund

The Trump Administration proposed to rescind $41 million in prior-year unobligated balances from the Capital Fund. Funding for the Capital Fund already lags dangerously behind accruing modernization needs, and this rescission would only exacerbate an already growing capital needs backlog among public housing properties. Currently, the rescission is only a proposal and requires Congressional...

Lead Abatement Grant

HUD to award $25M in Grants for Public Housing With lead in the news, HUD is offering $25 million in grants to identify and eliminate lead-based paint hazards in public housing. The funds are offered through the Public and Indian Housing lead-based paint capital fund program. The funding is needed for housing developments that were tested and abated more than 20 years ago using methods that may...

Opportunity Zones

DEED Seeking Input On Eligible Census Tracks Opportunity Zones are a new community development program established by Congress to encourage long-term investments in low-income and urban communities nationwide. Gov. Dayton may designate up to 123 census tracts as Opportunity Zones out of a total of 491 in the state. Help the governor decide which areas should be designated! First-class cities,...

US Supreme Court Decision Upholds Use of Disparate Impact in Fair Housing Cases

The Supreme Court ruled today to uphold a key tool used for more than four decades to fight housing discrimination.The justices ruled 5-4 that the Fair Housing Act prohibits seemingly neutral practices that harm minorities, even without proof of intent that policies segregate minorities in poor neighborhoods and even if they do so unintentionally. Writing for the majority, Justice Kennedy stated...

February-March 2015 Housing Wrap-Up

HUD Reports on Results of Admin Fee Study The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the release of its long-awaited study on administrative fees in the housing choice voucher (HCV) program. HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) provides this introduction to the study: PHAs can only help low-income families with housing choice vouchers if they can pay the...

January 2015 Housing Wrap-Up

Provided by Jennifer Keogh, Minnesota NAHRO VP of Housing (Jennifer.keogh@metc.state.mn.us) Beginning January 2015, the Housing Committee provides a monthly Housing Wrap-Up to keep members updated and informed of PIH notices and other relevant issues from HUD and any known implications to its members. Topics this month include: HUD Published Proposed Rule on Streamlining HUD Letter Details HCV...

Take Action! Urge Congress to Fully Fund Housing Programs

The Next Two Weeks Is Critical! Call your Members of Congress today at 202-224-3121. Or, find contact information for their offices by visiting NAHRO's advocacy website - just enter your zipcode. In Minnesota, Betty McCollum is the only member of our delegation who sits on the Appropriations Committee. See Minnesota NAHRO's Impact of Sequestration Survey & the news coverage Scroll down for...

The Shutdown’s Effects on PHAs—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Shutdown’s Effects on PHAs—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) *This article was originally posted by NAHRO and updated October 7, 2013 UPDATED: NAHRO FAQs - The Government Shutdown and PHAs This Direct News item, originally issued on October 3,is intended to address confusion created by media coverage of HUD’s “FY2013 Contingency Plan for Possible Lapse in Appropriations.” We are updating and...

2013 Government Shutdown Tools & Messaging

Tools To Help Message About Housing & The Government Shutdown This member update focuses on providing some tools as you respond to the government shutdown on your programs. The first is a FAQ from NAHRO answering common questions about the impact of the shutdown on agency funding. Read the full article here. The second is a sample letter for use to inform landlords about the possible impact...