In the News

Report Highlights Challenges in Expanding Broadband Access in Affordable Housing

April 14, 2023    

The Pew Charitable Trusts recently published a brief that outlines the challenges and opportunities of providing broadband internet access in federally subsidized housing. The brief highlighted HUD programs such as ConnectHOMEUSA and the use of pandemic funding to accelerate broadband deployment...

HUD Issues Proposed Rule on Floodplain Management

April 14, 2023    

Climate-related disasters impact millions of Americans annually when roads wash out, power goes down, crops fail, and schools flood. The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) was established to encourage federal agencies to consider and manage current and future flood risks. FFRMS...

HUD Announces Environmental Justice Initiative

March 15, 2023    

The HUD Inspector General recently launched an initiative to advance environmental justice in HUD-assisted housing. In a statement, Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis said, “My office is prioritizing oversight work that promotes safe, affordable housing by reducing environmental and public...

Ex-Housing Authority Official Must Pay Restitution for Federal Fraud Crime

March 15, 2023    

A former housing manager was recently sentenced and ordered to pay $17,543.92 in restitution and sentenced to five years of federal probation, including six months of home detention, for altering a postal money order and embezzling more than $28,000 from the Charleston-Kanawha Housing Authority...

White House Announces Actions to Protect Renters and Promote Affordability

February 13, 2023    

The White House recently announced new actions to increase fairness in the rental market and further principles of fair housing. The announcement coincides with the publications of a white paper entitled, “Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights,” published by the White House Domestic...

HUD Proposes New Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule

February 13, 2023    

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) not only makes it unlawful for jurisdictions to discriminate, but also requires jurisdictions receiving federal funds for housing and urban development to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH). In other words, the FHA requires them to take actions to undo historic...

President Biden Signs HUD Funding Bill into Law

January 17, 2023    

On Dec. 29, President Biden signed into law a $1.7 trillion federal spending bill to fund the federal government through the end of fiscal year 2023. Congress had passed the FY 2023 Omnibus appropriations legislation with a House vote of 225 to 201 with one member voting present. The Senate...

HUD Issues 2023 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors

December 14, 2022    

HUD recently published a notice in the Federal Register establishing operating cost adjustment factors (OCAFs) for eligible multifamily housing properties. OCAFs are used to adjust the rent to current market conditions on eligible multifamily housing projects with project-based contracts issued...

HUD and Census Bureau Release New American Housing Survey

October 18, 2022    

The median renter now pays nearly the same as the median owner in total housing costs.

 

Every two years, HUD and the Census Bureau produce the American Housing Survey (AHS), the most comprehensive analysis of the nation's housing inventory. The AHS is the largest...

HUD Releases FY 2023 Fair Market Rents

September 23, 2022    

On Sept. 1, HUD released the FY 2023 Fair Market Rents (FMRs). HUD is required by law to set FMRs every year. FMRs are an estimate of the amount of money that would cover gross rents (rent and utility expenses) on 40 percent of the rental housing units in an area. They go into effect on Oct.

HUD Releases Updated PHA Disaster Readiness Guidebook

September 23, 2022    

HUD recently released an updated version of its Public Housing Agency (PHA) Disaster Readiness, Response, and Recovery Guidebook to assist PHAs in effectively navigating the disaster process. Data shows disasters disproportionally affect low-income and historically marginalized communities,...

Bill Introduced to Expand HUD Service Coordinators

September 23, 2022    

On Sept. 15, Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act. The two primary programs that fund service coordinators for residents of federally assisted housing are the Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator program and the Resident Opportunity and Self-...