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HUD Final Rule Prohibiting Smoking in Public Housing – December 5, 2016

December 11, 2016

On December 5, 2016, HUD published a Final Rule in the Federal Register, “Instituting Smoke-Free Public Housing.” This rule requires each public housing agency (PHA) administering public housing to implement a smoke-free policy no later than 18-months from the effective…

HUD Revises Rent Comparability Studies – December 1, 2016

December 9, 2016

On December 1, 2016, HUD issued an update to Chapter 9 of the Section 8 Renewal Policy guidebook. The guidance applies to any Rent Comparability Study (RCS) signed by an appraiser on or after March 1, 2017. Chapter 9 has…

Definitions and Terminology Relating to VAWA 2013

December 3, 2016

On November 16, 2017, I sent a memo to clients informing them of the publication of the HUD Final Rule implementing the changes to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Over the next few weeks, I will send a series…

Applicability of Final VAWA Rule

November 27, 2016

On November 16, 2017, I sent a memo to clients informing them of the publication of the HUD Final Rule implementing the changes to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Over the next few weeks, I will post a series…

Occupancy Standards – Recommendations and Best Practices

November 25, 2016

All communities should have occupancy standards to prevent overcrowding of units. In the case of federally assisted properties, the standards should also prevent underutilization of space. A primary goal of any occupancy standard should be to ensure that it…

Memo on HUD Notice H 2016-7, RAD Notice Regarding Fair Housing and Civil Rights and Relocation Requirements

November 23, 2016

HUD published Notice H 2016-7 on November 10, 2016. The Notice replaces and supersedes Notice H 2014-09/PIH 2014-17 (issued July 14, 2014). The Notice provides PHAs, Owners and RAD development partners with guidance regarding fair housing, civil rights, and…

HUD Final Rule on VAWA – November 16, 2016

November 21, 2016

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) final rule regarding the implementation of housing protections authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2016. In…

Add-on and Special Fees Available for Properties Implementing a Homeless Preference

November 13, 2016

On October 26, 2016, HUD published a memorandum allowing special and add-on management fees for properties implementing a homeless preference. HUD has been working to increase the number of assisted properties with homeless preferences. Recognizing that establishing and operating…

HUD Policy for Amending Use Agreements for LIHPRHA Deals – October 28, 2016 (Notice H 2016-16)

November 2, 2016

HUD Policy for Amending Use Agreements for LIHPRHA Deals – October 28, 2016 (Notice H 2016-16) HUD published Notice H 2016-16 on October 28, 2016. This Notice provides guidance on the circumstances under which HUD may consider amended and…

HUD Implementation Guidance for Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016

October 22, 2016

In the October 24, 2016 Federal Register, HUD published initial implementation guidance for the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). President Obama signed HOTMA into law on July 29, 2016, but only certain parts of the law are…

2017 Social Security COLA Announced – October 18, 2016

October 18, 2016

The federal government announced today that the Social Security Cost of Live Adjustment (COLA) for 2017 will be 0.3%. This means that there will be a very slight change in the Social Security income of SS recipients for the upcoming…

HUD Revises Previous Participation Certification Requirements, Final Rule – October 14, 2016

October 16, 2016

On October 14, 2016, HUD published in the Federal Register a Final Rule, “Improving the Previous Participation Reviews of Prospective Multifamily Housing Program Participants.” This rule revises HUD regulations for review of Previous Participation Certifications (PPC) for certain participants…

Streamlining Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing Programs, Notice H-2016-09

October 16, 2016

On October 3, 2016, HUD published Notice H-2016-09, relating to the streamlining of Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing (and some medically related) Programs. This memo relates only to the portions of the Notice relating to multifamily housing. The full streamlining…

Participation of Faith-Based Organizations in HUD Programs

October 15, 2016

I received a call recently regarding the rights of a faith-based organization operating an apartment community when HUD funding is present at the community. The issue is important enough that I believe other clients may benefit from a general review…

HUD Notice H 2016-10; Reminder of Lead-Based Paint Requirements

October 13, 2016

On October 3, 2016, HUD published Notice H 2016-10, Reminder of Requirements Pertaining to Lead-Based Paint Inspection and Disclosure Forms, and Notification of Upcoming Inspections. As stated in the Notice, exposure to lead remains a major environmental health problem…

HUD Office of General Counsel Guidance on Local Nuisance and Crime-Free Housing Ordinances – September 13, 2016

October 3, 2016

On September 13, 2016, the HUD General Counsel issued guidance on the application of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to the enforcement of Local Nuisance and Crime Free Housing Ordinances against crime victims and others who require police or emergency…

Quid Pro Quo Harassment – HUD Final Rule – September 14, 2016

October 3, 2016

Quid Pro Quo Harassment – HUD Final Rule – September 14, 2016 On September 14, 2016, HUD published a final rule in the Federal Register – Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment Harassment and Liability for Discriminatory Housing Practices…

HUD Notice on Revised Independent Student Rules, September 21, 2016

October 1, 2016

HUD published a Notice in the September 21, 2016 Federal Register, effective immediately, revising the rules regarding eligibility of independent students for Section 8 housing. Background The final rule establishing eligibility of students for Section 8 assistance was…

HUD Proposed Rule – Lead Based Paint Hazards

September 24, 2016

HUD published a proposed rule in the September 1, 2016 Federal Register titled “Requirements for Notification, Evaluation, & Reduction of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Federally Owned Residential Property & Housing Receiving Federal Assistance; Response to Elevated Blood Levels.” The…

HUD Update on HOME Utility Allowance Requirements – August 2016

September 18, 2016

The 2013 HOME Final Rule established revised utility allowance requirements for the HOME Program. HUD Community Planning & Development recently provided updated guidance on the timeframe for implementation of the final rule and acceptable methodologies relative to the determination of…

Family Self Sufficiency Program for Multifamily Housing

September 10, 2016

HUD issued Notice H-2016-08 on August 26, 2016. This Notice relates to the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program in Multifamily Housing. FSS is a HUD program that provides incentives and support to families in MF assisted housing to increase their…

HUD Issues New Guidance on Multifamily Utility Allowance Determination

September 7, 2016

HUD has provided updated information to HUD Notice H-2015-04, Methodology for Completing a Multifamily Housing Utility Allowance. The additional information relates to six areas of the original HUD Notice. Baseline Analysis Owners/Agents (O/A) are required to submit documentation…

Potential Impact on LIHTC Projects from The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016

July 30, 2016

Potential Impact on LIHTC Projects from The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 Congress recently passed the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016. While many of the changes brought about by the Act apply only to Public Housing…

Avoiding Discrimination Based on Sex in Housing

July 25, 2016

Avoiding Discrimination Based on Sex in the Provision of Housing Federal law did not prohibit sex discrimination in housing until 1974, when a non-controversial provision of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 added “sex” as a…

Verification of Cash Payments

July 6, 2016

Verification of income from employment is usually just a matter of obtaining a written verification of income from the employer or the most recent four to six consecutive pay stubs from the applicant. However, in some cases, persons are paid…

Child Support Pass-Through and Disregard Policies for Public Assistance Recipients

June 26, 2016

Child Support Pass-Through and Disregard Policies for Public Assistance Recipients Under federal law, families receiving public assistance, known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), must cooperate with child support establishment and enforcement efforts. In addition, TANF recipients…

HUD Updates Two Forms – 92006 and 9834

June 21, 2016

HUD has recently updated two forms that are required for properties with HUD assistance, the HUD Form 92006 and Form 9834. The Form 92006 – Supplement to Application for Federally Assisted Housing contains an updated expiration date of February…

Preservation and Recapitalization of Section 236 Properties

June 18, 2016

Preservation and Recapitalization of Section 236 Properties The Section 236 Program was created by Congress in 1968 and was designed to involve the private sector in the creation of affordable rental housing. Market rate lenders provide loans that are…

Updated REAC Guidance – May 23, 2016

May 25, 2016

HUD has released a document titled “UPCS Guidance & Protocol Clarification.” This guidance was effective on May 23, 2016, and changes some of the prior guidance inspectors followed during REAC inspections. Primary changes/clarifications are as follows: HUD has clarified that…

HUD Announces Housing Trust Fund Awards – May 5, 2016

May 5, 2016

On May 5, 2016, HUD published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the fiscal year 2016 Funding Awards for the Housing Trust Fund HTF). HUD had originally estimated that $120 million would be allocated in 2016, but this notice…

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