NCSHA Blogs
Finance Committee Chairman Wyden Introduces Sweeping Affordable Housing Legislation
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) today released the Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All Act (DASH Act), which would make substantial investments in affordable housing, addressing both supply and demand needs, with the goal of ending homelessness. This comprehensive bill — which includes both tax and spending measures — seeks to ensure all families with children experiencing homelessness are able to receive a voucher within the next five years; expands health, child care, financial, and nutrition services for families and individuals; increases the production of affordable housing; and invests in homeownership in underserved communities. The production provisions in the bill would result in more than three million additional homes.
NCSHA Urges IRS and Treasury to Extend Housing Credit COVID-19 Relief
On August 13, NCSHA sent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) a letter urging them to extend certain temporary Housing Credit relief provisions in IRS Notice 2021-12 in light of the continuing disruption the COVID-19 pandemic is having on development and construction activities and the ongoing operation of Housing Credit properties.
Senate Democrats’ Budget Resolution Calls for Historic New Investments in Affordable Housing
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Monday morning released the text of an agreement Senate Democrats reached on a proposed Budget Resolution for fiscal year (FY) 2022. This legislation would authorize $3.5 trillion in new federal spending for a variety of purposes, including affordable housing. Schumer also released a memorandum sent to Senate Democrats which calls for increased spending on some federal housing programs, including HOME, the Housing Trust Fund, and housing tax incentives, to be included among the investments.
CDC Issues New Eviction Moratorium Through October 3
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new order temporarily halting evictions for nonpayment of rent in communities with substantial or high levels of community transmission of COVID-19. The CDC defines substantiation and high transmission based on the number of positive cases in the county and the percentage of positive tests (see footnote 9 in the order for more specific information). The order cites the increase in COVID-19 cases and the public health impact evictions would have due to increased movement and shared and congregate housing situations into which evicted tenants may be forced to enter. The order is in effect until October 3, 2021.
IRS Publishes Population Figures for Calculating Disaster Housing Credit Authority
This morning the Internal Revenue Service published Notice 2021-45 advising Housing Credit allocating agencies that qualified for additional Housing Credit authority under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 of the population residing in qualified disaster zones, which is necessary for determining the amount of disaster Housing Credit authority for which each qualified state is eligible.
House Approves FY 2022 Omnibus Bill with Funding for HUD and Rural Housing Programs
The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed an omnibus appropriations bill, H.R. 4502, that combines seven fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations bills and includes funding for HUD and U.S. Department of Agriculture rural housing programs. The bill passed on a party-line vote of 219-208, with all Democrats present voting aye and all Republicans present voting against.
New NLIHC Report Highlights Persistent Housing Affordability Challenges for Low-Wage Renters
On July 14, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released "Out of Reach 2021: The High Cost of Housing," its annual report documenting the gap between renters' wages and the cost of rental housing across the nation. NLIHC's 2021 report concludes that the profound economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on the lowest-wage households, exacerbating the disconnect between wage growth and rental cost increases.
House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY 2022 Bill Increasing HUD Program Funding Levels
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies last night passed its fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill, which would provide substantial increases for regular annual appropriations for HUD programs in FY 2022. Key program funding levels are listed below.
HUD Proposes to Reinstate 2013 Disparate Impact Rule
On June 25, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a proposed rule to recodify the Discriminatory Effects Standard regulations (2013 Rule) — commonly referred to as the disparate impact rule or burden-shifting framework — that has been in place since 2013. Under the Trump Administration, in September 2020 HUD issued the final rule, titled “HUD’s Implementation of the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact Standard” (2020 Rule), intended to replace the 2013 Rule. However, due to a preliminary injunction issued in a court case challenging the 2020 Rule prior to its effective date, the 2020 Rule never took effect; thus, the 2013 Rule remains in effect.
Treasury’s Revised Emergency Rental Assistance Guidance Addresses NCSHA Recommendations on Bundling Assistance, Housing Stability Services
On June 24, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released updated Frequently Asked Questions for the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program addressing a number of issues, including recommendations NCSHA has made to more efficiently use ERA resources to help eligible low-income renters maintain stable housing and pay utilities. The guidance addresses both ERA 1, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and ERA 2, authorized by the American Rescue Plan, and explains differences between those two components of the program.
