NAHRO Policy Team Blog

Attention NAHRO members! With less than a week until the House THUD Appropriation Subcommittee’s mark up of the FY 2012 THUD appropriations bill and Congress’ August recess right around the corner, it is time to focus on your legislative advocacy and media outreach efforts. To help prepare you in your endeavors, NAHRO has created an Advocacy and PR Toolkit. This toolkit covers everything you need to know from how to contact your legislator(s) to quick tips on writing a boiler plate or customized letter to the editor of your local media outlet(s). In addition, NAHRO has developed a Best Practices page designed to provide examples of great advocacy and outreach campaigns implemented by your colleagues. Examples can range from op. ed. pieces to transcripts of interviews to letters to members of Congress. If you would like to be share the results of your advocacy and outreach efforts to display on the Best Practices page, contact Emily Pasi with information and materials at epasi@nahro.org.

In other news, the Obama Administration announced adjustments to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) regulations that will require mortgage servicers to extend the minimum forbearance period from three months to 12 months for unemployed homeowners.  Forbearance will also become an option for those homeowners who are delinquent.

Finally, on July 6, HUD announced a settlement agreement worth $62 million with the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, National Fair Housing Alliance, and 1,300 Louisiana homeowners to remedy alleged claims of discrimination against African Americans. The additional funds will aid homeowners in repairs still required from Hurricane Katrina and Rita.    

HUD wants to hear your input on how to improve the Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant NOFA at the Choice Neighborhoods Listening Session in DC from 2:30 – 4:30pm on Friday, July 15. The Listening Session will focus on how to identify needy communities; how to balance need with potential impact; how to balance accountability with flexibility; how to identify and reward communities with partnerships; and how to fund plans with the most impact.  Details of an additional session to be held in Seattle will be announced soon.

In other news, NAHRO submitted formal comments on June 27 in response to HUD’s proposal to require all PHAs to report the salary and compensation packages of their top five paid employees. NAHRO’s letter addresses the April 26, 2011 notice regarding the proposed information collection issued by HUD, in conformance with Office of Management and Budget policy. In addition to its comments, NAHRO has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for information relating to the compensation packages of HUD’s highest paid officials. For more information, read this Direct News article.

Attention NAHRO members! Don’t forget to take advantage of the Early Bird registration rate and discounted hotel rooms available to registered conference attendees through June 30. This year’s Summer Conference provides all attendees the excellent opportunity to network with colleagues, listen to esteemed speakers, and develop management and professional practices. You don’t want to miss out on the action! Register today!

NAHRO's survey is largely quantitative. However, many PHAs around the country have prepared memos for their Executive Directors and Board of Commissioners to explain the financial impacts of ongoing administrative fee cuts on their operations in CY 2011, including potential or planned measures to reduce administrative costs and the qualitative impact that will likely have on their program operations. An example of such a memo is available at:

Have you heard? All across the U.S., housing authorities are gearing up for Father’s Day Weekend. According to HUD, 200 agencies across the nation answered HUD’s call to host Father’s Day 2011 events this Saturday. If you are planning one of these holiday events, share your story with us by e-mailing Emily Pasi, NAHRO’s summer intern at epasi@nahro.org.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced on Wednesday, June 15, that HUD awarded $26.7 million in “sweat equity” grants which will create at least 1,500 affordable homes for low-income individuals and families. The sweat equity grants are funded by the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program. Since 1996, SHOP has created over 23,000 units of affordable housing.

In other news, there are positive indicators coming from the housing market. According to the Wall Street Journal, permits for new construction rose 8.7 percent over the last four weeks, while housing starts rose 3.5 percent, marking a potential upward trend in the economy and the housing market.