NCSHA Blogs
HUD Issues Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Final Rule
On July 8, HUD published its much-anticipated Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) final rule, which replaces the current Analysis of Impediments (AI) requirement with a new Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) requirement for HUD program participants. HUD originally issued the AFFH proposed rule in July, 2013 in response to criticism by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), program participants, and fair housing advocates who felt that the AI process was ineffective.
HUD Issues FAQs and Other Resources for Housing Trust Fund
On June 22, HUD published new background resources for the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) program, including a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document, a summary of the interim rule, and a video on HUD’s YouTube channel providing an overview presentation of HTF.
Senate Appropriations Committee FY 2016 THUD Bill Virtually Eliminates HOME
Earlier today, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 20 to 10 to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill. Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined the Republican members of the Committee to report the bill for consideration by the full Senate. Full Committee consideration of the measure followed the Subcommittee mark-up on June 23.
Supreme Court Upholds Disparate Impact Standard for Violations of the Fair Housing Act
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court today issued its opinion ruling that disparate impact claims may be used to support plaintiffs’ claims of alleged Fair Housing Act (FHA) violations. Justice Kennedy wrote the Court’s opinion, joined by Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan in the case of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. The decision remands the case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion.
Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies Releases Annual Housing Report
Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) releases today its annual report entitled The State of the Nation's Housing 2015. This year's report highlights low homeownership rates and continuing renter housing cost burdens as areas of concern.
CFPB Announces Delay in Integrated Mortgage Disclosure Rule Effective Date
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced yesterday that it will delay the effective date of its Integrated Mortgage Disclosure rule by two months.
House Financial Services Committee Considers How to Measure Success of HUD Programs
On June 11, the House Committee on Financial Services heard from HUD Secretary Julián Castro at a hearing titled “The Future of Housing in America: Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.” The hearing focused on oversight of HUD programs and how Congress might measure their success and efficacy.
HFAs Receive Nearly One Million in Supplemental Counseling Funds for FY 2015
HUD announced earlier today that it will award $6 million in supplemental housing counseling grants for fiscal year (FY) 2015, including over $836,000 combined to 20 state HFAs. The grants are designed to supplement the $36 million in FY 2015 HUD counseling grants HUD provided in April. NCSHA summarized the initial round of grants on its blog.
Senator Boxer Leads Letter in Support of HOME and Housing Trust Fund
On June 5, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and 30 other Senators (28 Democrats and two Independents) sent a letter to Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), to express support for both HOME and the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and urge them to reject any effort to “reduce, divert, or eliminate funding from either program.”
