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Washington Report | February 15, 2019
More HFAs are investing in research to refine business strategies, understand emerging trends, and adjust policies to address new realities in their communities. Recent work on urban housing and...
WHEDA Publishes 2018 Annual Report Spotlighting Another Highly Successful Fiscal Year
WHEDA has published its annual report. The report showcases the substantial impact WHEDA’s housing and economic development resources has had in helping to grow Wisconsin’s economy. The annual report success stories are excellent examples of WHEDA’s support and collaboration with its industry partners. Featured stories include a millennial couple on a home ownership mission, the rebirth of the historic Bronzeville district in Milwaukee, a shelter that provides safe harbor to homeless women and children, and new trends impacting the state’s agriculture industry.
NCSHA Recommends Improvements to Opportunity Zone Regulations to Increase Affordable Housing Investment
WASHINGTON, DC — Testifying on behalf of the nation’s state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) during a public hearing on February 14, Stockton Williams, executive director of the National Council...
Florida Housing Relaunches Federal Down Payment Assistance Program for First-Time Homebuyers
On March 4, 2019, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) will relaunch the Florida Hardest-Hit Fund Down Payment Assistance Program (HHF-DPA) in five approved counties. This federal program was implemented to prevent foreclosures by stimulating home purchase activity and stabilizing neighborhoods in certain counties that demonstrated high levels on housing market distress. HHF-DPA provides up to $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers and is forgivable over five years.
RIHousing, RI Office of Innovation Narrow the Digital Divide through Partnership with T-Mobile and Santander Bank
At an event held yesterday, Lieutenant Governor Dan McKee, T-Mobile and Santander Bank joined RIHousing and the Rhode Island Office of Innovation to launch a pilot program to connect residents to affordable, in-home broadband internet access. Known as ConnectRI, the program, aimed at eliminating the digital divide among Rhode Islanders, is a partnership between RIHousing, the state’s Office of Innovation, T-Mobile, Santander Bank, Providence Public Library and local public housing authorities.
REALTORS’ GSE Reform Plan Recasts Fannie and Freddie as Utilities
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) yesterday released a working paper describing its new proposal for housing finance reform. The paper was unveiled during NAR’s Housing Finance Reform Policy Forum, which NCSHA senior staff attended. It was written in collaboration with Susan Wachter of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Richard Cooperstein of Andrew Davidson and Company.
HUD Awards Over $2 Billion to Help End Homelessness
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $202 million in FY18 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program grants to support new homeless programs across the country,...
Washington Report | February 8, 2019
While the demographic shifts that continue to transform America’s suburbs are often assessed for their political implications, their housing market impacts may be even more...
Katie Buckley and Fred Baser Appointed to VHFA Board of Commissioners
Governor Phil Scott has appointed Katie Buckley of Brattleboro and Fred Baser of Bristol to VHFA’s Board of Commissioners. Until recently, Katie Buckley served as Commissioner of the DHCD. In that role she sat on VHFA’s Board as the appointed designee for Michael Schirling, Secretary of Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Buckley now works as Development Director for M&S Development, a community development management firm in Brattleboro. Buckley became the new Chair of the VHFA Board of Commissioners this month.
2019 QAP Innovation Projects Funding Announcement
Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) is pleased to announce the funding awards for the Fiscal Year 2019 application round competing for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (Housing Credits) and other program resources. KHC received 30 applications requesting more than $21 million in Housing Credits and was able to fund 19 projects with $13,747,583 of 2019 Housing Credits in conjunction with $2,140,000 of HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and $1,500,000 of Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF).
MassHousing Provides $25 Million in Financing for Latest Phase of Rental Housing Development at Olmsted Green in Mattapan
MassHousing is providing $25 million in affordable housing financing to Lena New Boston, to support the latest phase of rental housing development at Olmsted Green in Mattapan. With the MassHousing financing, Lena New Boston, a partnership between Lena Park Community Development Corporation and the New Boston Fund, will advance the latest phase of Olmsted Green, and construct 100 new units of mixed-income rental housing, including 40 new workforce housing units.
Crapo Releases Housing Finance Reform Plan Outline
Senate Banking Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID) earlier today released an outline for housing finance reform legislation. In a statement accompanying the release, Crapo calls on Congress and the Administration to “expeditiously fix our flawed housing finance system” and lays out his priorities for reform: protecting taxpayers from risk, preserving the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, increasing competition, and promoting access to affordable housing.
