Federal Regulations & Notices

Homeowner Assistance Fund: Interim Reports Webinar

State and Territory Participants that received Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) awards are required to submit a one-time Interim Report. In this Mar 1, 2022, webinar, a representative from the U.S. Department of the Treasury provides an overview of the steps needed to submit the report. Please refer to the Treasury's website for details, including the guidance in full, as well as the Award Terms and Conditions, the authorizing statute, the Final Rule, and other regulatory and statutory requirements.

Emergency Rental Assistance 2021 Quarterly Data

Data released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury illustrates the uses of funding under the Emergency Rental Assistance programs in Quarters 1 – 4 of 2021.

GAO Report on Monitoring in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program

This report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office examines U.S. Department of the Treasury’s policies related to Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program flexibilities intended to enable grantees to spend funds more quickly and the nexus between such policies and fraud prevention policies procedures. GAO highlights the need for Treasury to balance speed in spending with accountability and oversight.

FHFA Proposed Strategic Plan for 2022-26

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released its proposed Strategic Plan for 2022–2026 for public comment on February 9, 2022. Comments are due on March 11, 2022. This draft document reflects the FHFA’s priorities as the regulator of the Federal Home Loan Bank System and as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

NCSHA Letter to Treasury on ERA Reporting Process

This letter outlines NCSHA’s concerns with the process for reporting to Treasury on the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. It urges Treasury to fix technology problems with its reporting portal, streamline reporting requirements, and provide technical assistance to ERA grantees.

FHA FAQs on the Homeowner Assistance Fund Released February 3, 2022

Attached is a list of 16 questions the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published in HUD's online resource center on February 3, 2022, pertaining to the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) and how HAF funds should be used in conjunction with FHA's loss mitigation procedures.

GAO Report on Oversight Needs for COVID-19 Relief Programs

This report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office finds that government agencies must significantly improve overseeing of emergency relief funds, including the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. The report makes recommendations to the Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget related to ERA oversight. It also provides recommendations to other government agencies related to Nutrition Assistance, tax relief for businesses, and healthcare emergency programs.

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Report: Oversight of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program Can Be Improved

This report assesses the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) processes and procedures to ensure Housing Credit Agency, building owner, and taxpayer compliance with the Housing Credit and includes recommendations to IRS related to additional system validity checks, establishing an examination selection process for questionable claims, and allocating additional resources for increased compliance monitoring of Housing Credit Agencies.

IRS Notice 2022-05: Housing Credit Coronavirus Relief Guidance Extension and Expansion

This Notice, which extends and expands on previously IRS-issued relief for the Housing Credit program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the third such Notice IRS has issued since the start of the pandemic.