Althea Arnold

Senior Vice President for Policy and Chief Operating Officer

Althea Arnold leads the policy efforts at Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF)-- a national collaborative of 12 nonprofit affordable housing developers who own, operate and manage 145,000 affordable rental homes in 49 across the country. SAHF's mission-driven alliance advances resident-centered policy changes and sustainable solutions within the affordable housing sector. As part of this, Althea works with key policymakers in Congress, HUD, and other federal and state agencies to build support and remove barriers to the preservation and production of high-quality affordable rental housing. Althea joined SAHF as Senior Vice President, Policy in 2020. Prior to SAHF, she served as a Senior Legislative & Policy Associate at the National Council of State Housing Agencies, focusing on federal appropriations, HUD multifamily programs, and supportive housing issues. Earlier in her career Althea worked at the National Low Income Housing Coalition researching affordable housing needs to inform housing policy. Althea holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, with a concentration in nonprofit leadership, and a Bachelor of Art’s degree from Connecticut College. HFAi25 Sessions: Maximizing Resident Outcomes and Financial Stability at Properties Industry Outlook AC24 Session: Preserving Existing Permanent Supportive Housing Properties HFAi24 Sessions: Housing Credit Development Forum Industry Outlook AC23 Sessions: Managing Rising Multifamily Operating Costs Preservation of Housing for People with Special Needs HCC23 Sessions: HUD-Assisted Housing Forum, Part 1 HUD-Assisted Housing Forum, Part 2 HFAi23 Session: Industry Outlook AC22 Session: The Future of Senior Housing

HUD Publishes Small Area Fair Market Rent Final Rule

On November 16, HUD published in the Federal Register a final rule regarding the use of small area fair market rents (SAFMR) in certain metropolitan areas, and replacing HUD’s existing 50th percentile fair market rent (FMR) policy for the Housing Choice Voucher (voucher) program.

HUD Announces VAWA Final Rule

On November 16, HUD published in the Federal Register the final rule implementing housing provisions under the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) as it applies to HUD programs. The rule codifies VAWA core protections across covered HUD programs to ensure individuals are not denied assistance, evicted, or have their assistance terminated because of their status as victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, or for being affiliated with a victim.

HUD Issues HOTMA Implementation Guidance

On October 24, HUD published in the Federal Register the initial implementation guidance for the Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act (HOTMA). HUD’s guidance clarifies which statutory provisions went into effect immediately upon the President signing HOTMA into law and which provisions will be phased in as HUD promulgates further regulations.

HUD Proposes Energy Benchmarking Requirement for Multifamily Housing

HUD issued a notice in the Federal Register October 4 requesting public comments on a proposed requirement for owners of HUD-funded multifamily housing to implement energy benchmarking in their properties, consistent with the President’s Climate Action Plan and other Administration and HUD initiatives to improve energy efficiency in HUD-assisted properties.

Congress Passes Continuing Resolution Through December 9

On September 28 — just two days before the government would be forced to shut down for lack of funding — Congress approved a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 9. The CR will fund all federal agencies at Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 levels with a 0.5 percent reduction to stay within the spending limits imposed by the budget agreement Congress reached last year, which applied to FY 2016 and FY 2017 spending.

Senate Banking Committee Examines HUD Monitoring of PBRA Properties

On September 22, the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development held a hearing titled "Oversight of the HUD Inspection Process" to highlight concerns with HUD's monitoring of project-based rental assistance (PBRA) properties in the wake of federal and local investigation of three properties in Florida managed by Global Ministries Foundation.

House Financial Services Committee Considers Efficiency and Upward Mobility in the Voucher Program

On September 21, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing titled “The Future of Housing in America: A Better Way to Increase Efficiencies for Housing Vouchers and Create Upward Economic Mobility” to discuss changes to federal housing assistance that would improve upward mobility and good stewardship of federal funds.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing Explores Efficacy of Place-Based Rental Assistance

Earlier today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) held a hearing titled “Housing Vulnerable Families and Individuals: Is There A Better Way?” to explore the efficacy of place-based rental assistance, including public housing and project-based rental assistance (PBRA), and whether Congress should replace these programs with tenant-based Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (vouchers).

HUD Releases FY 2017 Fair Market Rents

On August 26, HUD published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Fair Market Rents (FMRs). FMRs are used to determine payment standards for a number of housing assistance programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher and the Project-Based Section 8 programs.

Housing Recovery Continuing, According to HUD Housing Scorecard

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Treasury released the July Housing Scorecard earlier this month. The report says higher sales of new and previously owned homes, a lower mortgage rate, and higher home prices show that the housing market recovery is continuing.