May 26, 2011
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Since The Washington Post printed articles critical of HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships program two weeks ago, NCSHA has been working to tell HOME’s whole story.  NCSHA drafted and gathered signatures for a sign-on letter that puts the Post articles into context and outlines HOME’s record of success.  Forty-one national organizations signed the letter.  This week, NCSHA is disseminating copies of the letter to key congressional committees.

The letter tells the story of HOME left out by the Post.  It points out that the Post article, “A Trail of Stalled or Abandoned HUD Projects,” distorts HOME’s record by focusing on a very small percentage of HOME developments.  It explains that a number of the developments identified by the Post as delayed are not in fact delayed, that administrators of the HOME program must comply with federal regulations, and that the economic recession and housing market crisis had a negative impact on all development, including HOME.

The letter highlights the many uses of HOME, including assisting the homeless, renters, and homeowners; serving people with special needs; and assisting in disaster recovery efforts.  The letter also touts HOME’s success in producing 381,883 rental units, assisting 428,373 homebuyers, rehabilitating 197,780 owner-occupied units, and helping 242,768 tenants—creating 1 million housing units since 1992.

Further, the letter points out that HOME funding is a vital piece in financing numerous affordable housing developments, stating, “HOME complements and supports many critical federal housing programs, including Section 202 housing for the elderly, rural housing programs, and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, making development financing feasible and achieving deeper income targeting.”

HUD’s most recent blog on the HOME program can be found here.  The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled a hearing entitled “Oversight of HUD’s HOME Program” for Friday, June 3 at 9:30 a.m.  The House Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee cancelled a May 24 hearing on HOME and other programs in HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development.  It is likely to reschedule the hearing for some time in the next few weeks.

NCSHA continues to work with HUD and other program stakeholders to coordinate our HOME advocacy in light of the Post article and the reaction to it.  Many HFAs have contacted their congressional representatives to tell their HOME story and to show support for the HOME program.  Several other program stakeholders are taking similar action.

Since we wrote our last blog on this issue, the Post has published a set of letters to the editor responding to its article.  NCSHA also sent a letter to the editor.