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HUD Final Rule on Streamlining the Portability of the Voucher Program, August 20, 2015

September 2, 2015

On August 20, 2015, HUD published a Final Rule in the Federal Register titled, “Housing Choice Voucher Program: Streamlining the Portability Process.” This final rule amends HUD’s regulations governing portability in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Portability is a…

HUD Moving Aggressively on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

August 17, 2015

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is moving forward aggressively with the departments new “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” campaign to desegregate the country’s primarily white neighborhoods. Rockford, IL will be an early test for HUD’s ability to impose…

HUD Proposed Rule on Multifamily Program Changes – January 6, 2015

January 9, 2015

HUD published a Proposed rule on 1/6/15, with comments due by March 9, 2015. The proposed rule makes some significant changes to operating procedures for many of HUD’s multifamily housing programs, including Section 8, Public Housing, and the Housing Choice…

2014 Year End Legislative Efforts

December 13, 2014

As always, the end of the year brings intense legislative activity in Washington. Recent actions affecting housing include the following: House Tax Extender Package The House passed the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 on December 3, which will…

Uniform Relocation Act Requirements

August 2, 2014

Overview of the Uniform Relocation Act (URA) The Uniform Act, passed by Congress in 1970, is a federal law that establishes minimum standards for federally funded programs and projects that require the acquisition of real property or displace persons from…

HUD Implements HERA Changes to Tenant Based and Project Based Vouchers

July 6, 2014

On June 25, 2014, HUD published a notice implementing changes made by the Housing & Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008 to the Tenant Based and Project Based Voucher Programs. Two changes will make it easier to use Project-based…

HUD Notice on Implementation of FY 2014 Appropriations Provisions

June 29, 2014

On June 25, 2014, HUD published a Notice establishing the terms and conditions by which HUD will implement changes to the statutory definition of a “public housing agency” (PHA), the frequency of housing inspections, the statutory definition of “extremely low-income,”…

HUD to Ease PHA Income Verification Requirements

April 11, 2014

HUD is in the process of preparing new rules that will allow public housing authorities (PHAs) to drastically alter the income verification requirements for public housing and Section 8 Voucher tenants. These changes could impact owners of Low-Income Housing Tax…

2014 Appropriations Act Makes Changes to Program Rules

February 23, 2014

The President signed the 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Act into law on January 17, 2014. In addition to funding for the Nation’s various housing programs, the Act also made some substantive changes to the law relative to Housing Choice Vouchers and…

HUD Final Smoke Detector Rule for Section 202 and 811 Projects

July 21, 2013

HUD has issued a final rule, effective July 22, 2013, requiring that smoke detectors be installed in all subsidized housing for the elderly and disabled. The final rule, published in the July 20, 2013 Federal Register, requires that smoke detectors…

Rural Area Definition – Legislative Update (June 28, 2013)

June 29, 2013

Approximately 900 communities across the United States that are currently considered “rural” for purposes of United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs are in danger of losing their rural designation. The communities will no longer be considered rural based on…

Effect of Supreme Court Ruling on DOMA on LIHTC Student Rule

June 27, 2013

As you probably know by now, on June 26, 2013 the Supreme Court declared that Section Three of The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. This decision basically holds that persons of the same sex who are legally married…

HUD Proposed Rule on Pet Deposits for Multifamily Housing

June 22, 2013

HUD published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on May 24, 2013 that would change the requirements for owners of HUD-assisted multifamily housing relative to the collection of pet deposits on projects intended for occupancy by elderly or disabled…

Administration Proposals to Improve the LIHTC Program

April 21, 2013

As part of its 2014 budget, the Obama Administration has made five specific proposals relative to the LIHTC Program. Allow states to convert some of their authority relating to the issuance of tax-exempt bonds into additional tax credits. (This…

Bipartisan Policy Center Recommendations

April 16, 2013

The Bipartisan Policy Center was founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell for the purpose of developing and recommending sound solutions to national problems. The Center has recently issued a…

Violence Against Women Act Ready for President’s Signature

March 4, 2013

On February 28, 2013, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passed the House of Representatives after already having been approved by the Senate. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature, which is certain. Title VI, Section…

Section 45L Energy Tax Credit

January 7, 2013

Section 45L Energy Tax Credit When Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, it extended the Section 45L tax credit, which provides eligible contractors of homes -including apartments -, with a tax credit of $2,000 per energy…

Treatment of Basic Housing Allowance for purposes of Income Eligibility Rules

January 2, 2013

Treatment of Basic Housing Allowance for purposes of Income Eligibility Rules The Tax Act Passed last night once again excludes the military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) (37 U.S.C sec. 403) for purposes of tax credit and tax-exempt bond…

Proposed Sandy Relief Legislation Includes Additional Low-Income Housing Tax Credits

December 13, 2012

On December 10, 2012, Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced legislation to give tax relief to victims of Superstorm Sandy. The provisions apply to victims of Sandy, as well as any state that has suffered from a…

House Financial Services Committee Discussion Bodes Well for Multifamily Housing

April 1, 2011

At a March 1, 2011 hearing on HUD’s fiscal 2012 budget, there was bipartisan agreement on the need to preserve affordable rental housing. While discussion centered generally on budget cutting, Committee Chairman Spencer Bacchus (R-AL) noted the bipartisan agreement among…

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