Blogs

HUD has responded to another Washington Post article criticizing the HOME Investment Partnership program. Click here to read HUD’s response.

In related news, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan recently announced new proposed regulations intended to strengthen oversight in the HOME program.

Summary:  On October 27, 2011 HUD issued a Notice (PIH Notice 2011-58) to extend PIH Notice 2010-7 with several changes.  HUD’s notice provides specific guidance to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) on the use of the Administrative Fee Reserves and reiterates guidance on PHA cash management and approved investment instruments. HUD’s notice also provides guidance on the reporting of Administrative Fee Reserves and use when faced with insufficient funding.

In a recent New York Times editorial, the Obama Administration and Congress were criticized for considering cutting spending for HUD’s budget. The editorial describes governments’ history of cutting public housing programs and the effects cutting community development programs all together could have on the economy.

In other news, the NAHRO 2011 National Conference and Exhibition took place in St. Louis this week.

The latest edition of the MONITOR is available for NAHRO members online. Be sure to read NAHRO’s Survey and Analysis: State-by-State Effects of 62 and 83 Percent Pro-rations in HCV Administrative Fees on Vouchers Households Leased; HUD Begins Implementing Offset; and, Proposed Rule: Provision to the Section 8 Management Assessment Program Lease-Up Indicator.

Recently, NAHRO members discovered errors in a pre-populated data provided in HUD-52723.

On October 4, HUD released its estimated impacts of the proposed Operating Fund offset for PHAs. The latest information can be found on the Allocation Adjustment Website where House and Senate offset estimates can be found.

Summary:  This notice provides instructions to public housing agencies (PHAs) on submitting requests for fiscal year end (FYE) changes. The process ensures that HUD has information for approval or denial and provides sufficient lead time for HUD to update required databases.

Issued: October 6, 2011

View the notice here.

Summary:  This Notice provides guidance to public housing agencies (PHAs) seeking Emergency Capital Needs funding for safety and security measures utilizing FY 2011 funds. This Notice provides instructions regarding the application and funding process for emergency safety and security funding only. This Notice does not apply to funding for unforeseen or unpreventable emergencies or for non-presidentially declared natural disasters.

Issued: October 4, 2011

View the notice here.

Summary:  This notice provides public housing agencies (PHAs) with instructions for operating subsidy calculation submissions in Calendar Year (CY) 2012 as funded from Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2012 appropriations. It also informs PHAs that in an effort to reduce their reporting burdens HUD will use information in its systems of record to determine operating subsidy eligibility. HUD is committed to providing eligibility information to PHAs prior to the start of CY2012.

Summary:  On September 30, 2011, HUD published a notice of its final FY 2012 Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for all areas that reflect the estimated 40th and 50th percentile rent levels which take effect on October 1, 2011.  The FMR values are trended to April 1, 2012. 

On September 20, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee held its markup of the Transportation-HUD bill. The subcommittee released a summary of its bill to the public the same day. The subcommittee unanimously passed its bill and sent it to the Full Senate Appropriation Committee the next day for markup.