NCSHA Blogs
JCHS Report Sheds Light on Lack of Affordable Housing Production
Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies on Tuesday released its annual report, “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2019.” The report examines the state of the housing market in 2018, finding that, while it improved in many respects over the previous year, including household growth and formations, the continued — and worsening — production shortfall has led to an increasing number of low- and moderate-income families who lack access to affordable housing options.
House Financial Services Committee Advances Flood Insurance Reauthorization and Other Housing-Related Bills
On May 12, the House Financial Services Committee advanced a series of housing-related measures – including bills to reauthorize and reform the National Flood Insurance Program, make FHA single-family loans more affordable and sustainable, and block HUD from implementing proposed rules that would bar families with mixed immigration status from housing assistance and alter HUD’s Equal Access Rule.
FHFA Report Requests New Authorities; Urges Congress to Pass GSE Reform
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) earlier today requested that Congress grant it the authority to charter new government-sponsored mortgage guarantors to compete with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The proposal was included in FHFA’s 2018 Report to Congress, which summarizes FHFA’s 2018 examinations of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.
$29 Billion in Anticipated Opportunity Zone Investment Identified by NCSHA
NCSHA released an updated edition of its Opportunity Zone Fund Directory today, with details on 143 Qualified Opportunity Funds established to invest in high-poverty neighborhoods designated as Opportunity Zones. The directory includes 13 new funds and details on each fund’s size, investment focus, and geographic focus.
HUD Releases Housing Counseling NOFA for FY 2019
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May 24 issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for its Housing Counseling Grant program for fiscal year (FY) 2019. All HUD-approved counseling entities, including state HFAs, are eligible to apply.
House Subcommittee Convenes to Mark Up FY 2020 USDA Appropriations Bill
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies met Thursday to mark up a proposed Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.
HUD Secretary Carson Defends Administration Agenda at House Committee Hearing
On May 21, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on “Housing in America: Oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,” in which HUD Secretary Ben Carson testified and answered questions regarding HUD policies and program oversight.
More Than $28 Billion of New Investment Expected in Opportunity Zones
The number of funds created to invest in the nearly 9,000 economically distressed communities designated as Opportunity Zones continues to grow, according to analysis of NCSHA’s latest Opportunity Zone Fund Directory. The 130 funds listed in the current directory expect to raise more than $28 billion for Opportunity Zone investment. The directory includes 13 new funds and details on each fund’s size, geographic focus, and investment focus.
NCSHA Urges IRS to Rescind Housing Credit Compliance Monitoring Rule Changes, Work with States to Develop Alternative
On May 6, NCSHA sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service detailing the profound negative impact recent amendments to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit compliance monitoring regulations will have on the program and urging IRS to work with NCSHA and its members to find a better alternative.
