Newsroom
Federal Housing Tax Credit Changes, WHEDA Adaptations Expected to Create More Affordable Housing for Wisconsin
Improvements to the federal 4% housing tax credit program will allow WHEDA to recalculate and extend the value of state housing tax credits to fund some 500 additional affordable rental units when the awards are announced this spring. “Wisconsin communities face a critical shortage of affordable rental housing and every additional apartment helps,” said WHEDA CEO Joaquín Altoro. “WHEDA’s skilled staff identified the opportunity to use changes in the federal program to increase the impact of state housing tax credits and make more housing projects possible.”
15,000 Pre-Register for Alaska Housing Relief
The application period opens for renters to apply for rent and/or utility relief through Alaska Housing Relief, a federally funded COVID-19 response program, administered by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb., 16, 2021. Alaska Housing Relief provides up to 12 months of financial assistance to qualifying renters who have directly or indirectly lost income or experienced increased expenses due to the pandemic and for those who live in certain unhealthy housing conditions, including overcrowding or at risk of domestic violence or sexual assault.
LHC, LA BOSCOC Provide Assistance to Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) has partnered with Louisiana's regional Continuums of Care (CoCs) and local service providers to protect individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout the current cold weather event. Each region of Louisiana has a network of agencies that provide services, including day shelters, overnight shelters, warm clothes, and hot meals. In addition to regular services, LHC is providing resources to many agencies that greatly expand shelter capacity for the duration of the cold weather event.
Training, Research Partnership to Boost Supportive Housing Statewide
Wisconsin’s most vulnerable residents will be the focus of a new partnership by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and Corporation for Supportive Housing that includes training opportunities, research and prioritized investment. As part of the initiative, the first of its kind in Wisconsin, WHEDA and CSH will kick off a four-part webinar series starting Feb. 23 at 9:30 a.m. The free 90-minute interactive sessions are open to all; participants may choose a single event or all four sessions.
Florida Housing to Conduct Statewide Housing Needs Assessment for Homeless and Special Needs Households
Florida Housing is conducting a state-level assessment to identify permanent rental and supportive housing needs of special needs and homeless individuals and families. Additionally, this study will include the financial modeling required to fully address the rental housing stock needs of each sub-population being assessed. It will focus on the affordable rental housing needs of persons with disabling conditions, including persons with physical impairments, mental illness or developmental disabilities; survivors of domestic violence; youth aging out of foster care; as well as homeless individuals and families.
CHFA First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Interest Rate at Record Low 2.50%
The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority’s (CHFA) interest rate on first-time homebuyer mortgages dropped to 2.50. “Interest rates have been decreasing over the last several years, and right now CHFA is offering 2.50%, the lowest rate in CHFA’s over 50-year history. The rate has not been this low since 2012,” said Nandini Natarajan, CHFA’s Chief Executive Officer – Executive Director. “CHFA’s mission is to help low- and moderate-income borrowers buy their first homes, and lower rates also contribute to overall affordability, in some cases allowing people to purchase a slightly larger home,” she added.
CHFA’s Natarajan to Join the Federal Home Loan Bank Boston Advisory Council
The Federal Home Loan Bank Boston has appointed Nandini Natarajan, Chief Executive Officer-Executive Director of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, to its Advisory Council. The 14-member FHLBank Boston Advisory Council is comprises housing and community development leaders from throughout New England who meet quarterly with staff and representatives of the board of directors to advise on the administration of the Federal Home Bank Boston’s special programs for housing and community development and collaborate to develop the Affordable Housing Program Implementation Plan and Community Lending Plan.
RIHousing Launches New Program to Bridge the Digital Divide
RIHousing today announced the availability of funding to support innovative and long-term sustainable projects to increase internet access for low- and moderate-income households across the state. The new program provides financial resources to eligible organizations and municipalities in support of initiatives to bridge the digital divide. “High-speed internet is increasingly considered a basic necessity for employment, education, and day-to-day tasks, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work and school,” said Carol Ventura, Executive Director of RIHousing.
CalHFA Launches Building Black Wealth Initiative to Address Homeownership Gap
In alignment with Fair Housing priorities set by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Administration and the California State Legislature, and in recognition of the fact that historical housing discrimination is still having negative effects on the ability of Black Californians to achieve the dream of homeownership, CalHFA is honoring Black History Month by launching its Building Black Wealth initiative. The purpose of the campaign -- which includes elements of education, outreach and connection to housing resources -- is to address the significant gap in homeownership between Black families and other races.
Governor Hogan Announces Drop in Homelessness Rate in Maryland
Governor Larry Hogan today announced that overall homelessness in Maryland dropped by 24% from January of 2015 through January 2020, based on data from the annual Point-in-Time Counts. The number of chronically homeless individuals dropped by 25% and veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 35%. The state's 16 designated Continuums of Care, supported by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, conduct the Point-in-Time Count which is a survey of homeless persons on a single night in January of each year.
House Financial Services Committee Portion of COVID-19 Relief Bill Includes Assistance for Homeowners and Renters
House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) has released the text of legislation providing COVID-19 relief that her committee will mark up on Wednesday, February 10, and an accompanying memorandum about the bill. The legislation the Financial Services Committee marks up will be combined with the work of other committees into the larger package Congress will consider soon, pursuant to the recently passed FY 2021 Budget Resolution’s reconciliation instructions, allowing the bill to pass with a simple majority vote in the Senate.
NCSHA Washington Report | February 5, 2021
Some of the housing heroes of this pandemic who are closest to it — the counselors, resident advocates, community organizers, and more than a few landlords — have been saying since the outset...
