NCSHA Blogs
Senate Appropriations Committee Releases Details of its FY 2015 Rural Housing Funding Bill
On May 23, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the bill text and accompanying report for the FY 2015 Agriculture-Rural Development funding bill, which provides funding for the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing programs. The Committee approved the bill on May 22.
Harvard University Housing Scholar Eric Belsky to Speak at Housing Credit Connect
Join affordable housing leaders from across the country at NCSHA's Housing Credit Connect, the industry event of the year. Decision-makers from the Housing Credit allocating agencies and their industry partners will gather to discuss the latest strategies in Housing Credit development, finance, management, and compliance.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2015 Rural Housing Funding Bill, Subcommittee Spending Allocations
Earlier today, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved by a vote of 30 to zero the FY 2015 Agriculture-Rural Development funding bill, which provides funding for the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing programs. The Committee also adopted on a party-line vote of 16 to 14 the FY 2015 spending allocations, or 302(b) allocations, for its 12 subcommittees.
Tiberi, Neal to Introduce Housing Credit Bill
Earlier today, Representative Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Representative Richard Neal (D-MA), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, announced the introduction of legislation to establish on a permanent basis the 9 percent and 4 percent acquisition Housing Credit rate floors.
HUD Awards Housing Counseling Grants to 22 State HFAs
Earlier today, HUD released the list of housing counseling agencies that will be awarded grants through HUD’s Housing Counseling program for fiscal year (FY) 2014. HUD will award more than $38 million in such grants this year to 283 organizations, including 22 state HFAs. HUD also released a list of counseling agencies that were awarded funding and a comprehensive summary of each grant awarded.
House Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2015 HUD Funding Bill
On May 21, the House Appropriations Committee reported by a vote of 28 to 21 the FY 2015 Transportation-HUD (T-HUD) appropriations bill. The House bill has a funding level of $52.03 billion, $1.2 billion more than the FY 2014 enacted funding level and $7.8 billion less than the President’s FY 2015 Budget request. However, as noted during the markup by the Committee and Subcommittee leaders, the bill’s funding level is effectively $1.8 billion less than the FY 2014 enacted level due to a decrease in receipts available from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to offset spending in the bill.
FHA Announces Housing Counseling Pilot Program
On May 15, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published a notice in the Federal Register detailing the Homeowners Armed with Knowledge (HAWK) for New Homebuyers pilot program. This program is part of FHA's larger "Blueprint for Access" program, aimed at increasing underserved borrowers’ access to mortgage credit.
House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees Report FY 2015 Rural Housing Funding Bills
On May 20, both the House and Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations Subcommittees approved their respective FY 2015 appropriations bills, which provide funding for the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing programs.
Shaun Donovan to Leave HUD, According to Reports
According to several news reports, the Obama Administration will announce later this week that President Obama will nominate HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan to become the new Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to replace Donovan as HUD Secretary. OMB's current Director, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services soon.
Moody’s Finds Decrease in HFA Delinquency Rates
On May 12, Moody's Investors Service released a special comment on state HFA delinquency rates. According to the report, delinquency rates for HFA loans 60-89 and 90+ days past-due decreased on a year-over-year basis for the first time since 2009.
