Strong FHA audit indicates now is the time to fix FHA’s infrastructure, reverse mortgage...
The Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) 2018 audit report on the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF) is another step on the road to full recovery from the housing crisis. However, the report also noted continued losses in the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program, the leading driver of FHA losses.
Top housing, political, community leaders to discuss housing policies post-midterms on Nov. 27
The National Housing Conference (NHC) will host Solutions for Affordable Housing, a post-midterm election examination of federal housing policies and their impacts on local communities. Solutions will feature a roster of top housing, political and community leaders. NHC’s first-ever Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill will follow the next day on Nov. 28.
National Housing Conference says HUD fair housing assessment tool should be reinstated
NHC has called on HUD to reinstate its Assessment Tool and continue requiring communities to submit Assessments of Fair Housing (AFH) over its outdated and inefficient predecessor. HUD ended the new approach earlier this year. The request was made in comments submitted by NHC to HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH): Streamlining and Enhancements advanced notice of proposed rulemaking
National Housing Conference announces new policy director
The National Housing Conference (NHC) announced today that Tristan Bréaux officially joined NHC as its new policy director. Bréaux brings to NHC 10 years of policy and legislative experience. Most recently, he served as a deputy chief of staff and district director for Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).
NHC submits comments to Treasury on Opportunity Zones implementation
The National Housing Conference (NHC) submitted comments today on Opportunity Zones (OZ) to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. NHC believes that to be eligible for the tax incentive, any tax-deferred investments targeted specifically at distressed communities should avoid the elimination of affordable housing leading to displacement of current residents.
NHC statement on the Trump administration’s housing finance reform proposal
The National Housing Conference is encouraged that the Trump administration’s proposal, “Reform Federal Role in Mortgage Finance” is addressing a critical issue affecting the American Home.
NHC lauds Senate’s rejection of Trump budget cuts
The National Housing Conference strongly supports the U.S. Senate’s rejection of a procedural vote to consider President Donald Trump’s $15 billion budget rescission package by a vote of 48-50. “The Senate vote was an important stand against a deeply flawed budget policy that would harm affordable housing efforts at a time when they are needed most,” said David M. Dworkin, president and CEO of the National Housing Conference.
White House rescissions package puts critical housing, community development programs at risk
The Office of Management and Budget has requested $15.4 billion in cuts from resources already allocated to federal agencies in a rescissions package sent to Congress today. Included in the request is a cut of over $257 million in housing and community development funds, including HUD’s Public Housing Capital Fund, Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions and Capital Magnet Funds, and USDA’s Rental Assistance and Community Facilities programs
Omnibus spending bill the most important housing legislation in years
NHC’s president and CEO David M. Dworkin says that the omnibus FY 2018 funding bill released tonight “is the most important housing legislation in many years. Public-private partnerships like LIHTC and the CDFI Fund have a proven track record of success, and subsidy programs like HOME and CDBG are critical components of any public-private investment partnership. These increases will result in hundreds of thousands of desperately needed affordable housing units being built by American workers throughout the country. The American Home is the foundation of everything it means to be a great nation, and these federal investments are the keystone of that foundation.”
National Housing Conference sign-on letter to Senate leadership supports confirmation of Brian Montgomery for...
The National Housing Conference (NHC) sent a letter signed by 44 organizations Friday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressing enthusiastic support for confirmation of Brian D. Montgomery as Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) assistant secretary for housing and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) commissioner.
National Housing Conference Statement on State of the Union
President Trump has called for “our New American Moment,” declaring that “there has never been a better time to start living the American dream.” But there is no American dream without the American Home.
Duty to Serve can expand the reach of affordable housing
The National Housing Conference welcomes the final Underserved Markets Plans released by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac today as the next step in the Duty to Serve process. The enterprises make more specific commitments to loan purchases and investments in year one than were in the May drafts. We should see immediate impacts from these plans in 2018 to help private capital reach rural areas, preserve affordable housing and improve manufactured housing.
Tax bill provisions would harm affordable housing and economic revitalization efforts
Elements of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” released yesterday by the House Ways and Means Committee would greatly harm affordable housing, economic revitalization and community development efforts nationwide. The National Housing Conference’s diverse membership of housing stakeholders opposes the elimination of proven tools like private activity mortgage revenue bonds and the New Markets Tax Credit, and supports improvement and expansion of the long-successful Low Income Housing Tax Credit
NHC encourages states to use energy efficiency in affordable housing to meet federal goals
With the federal Clean Power Plan rule coming soon, states will have to begin planning for how to meet federal requirements to reduce carbon emissions. Housing should play a role in those plans because the built environment offers ways to not only reduce pollution but also reduce energy costs, improve health and make housing more affordable. The National Housing Conference (NHC) urges states and housing stakeholders to ensure that energy efficiency in affordable housing becomes a part of every state’s plan.
Changing veteran population requires resources tailored to meet their full range of housing needs
One size does not fit all when it comes to housing and supportive services for America’s veterans. A new report released today by the National Housing Conference’s Center for Housing Policy details how the changing veteran population requires changes in the housing options and supportive services made available to them after they return to civilian life
Final fair housing rule will help build stronger communities
The National Housing Conference welcomes The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s announcement today of a final rule implementing the Fair Housing Act’s requirement to affirmatively further fair housing. The guidance in the rule and the tools it provides to states and localities will help communities nationwide find ways to create affordable housing opportunities for all. When people of all backgrounds can live near where they work, study and build their lives, we all prosper
New case studies show promising ways affordable housing can improve health and decrease health...
Better living environments promote better health, and partnerships between housing and health care practitioners could mean improved outcomes for low-income individuals and families. Three new case studies released today by the National Housing Conference’s Center for Housing Policy highlight promising examples of how housing and health collaborations can improve the overall health and wellbeing of low-income individuals and families, while decreasing environmental hazards, emergency room visits, and overall health care costs
NHC urges Congress to solve homelessness with proven solutions, not unfunded mandates
Homelessness in America is a profound demonstration of our country’s failure to ensure safe, decent and affordable housing for all. Whether the people experiencing homelessness are adults or children, whether they are doubled up or living on the streets, public policy should address their needs. Only in recent years has public policy to end homelessness begun to show consistent results through a carefully targeted use of a housing first model.
NHC to Congress: Short-term housing cuts mean long-term consequences
On June 23, the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations subcommittee reported out an FY 2016 THUD funding bill that demonstrates how budget caps are forcing short-term cuts with long-term consequences. While NHC understands the budget constraints facing the subcommittee, the cuts to vital housing investments in this bill are deep and damaging. We call on Congress to forge a bipartisan compromise on spending that would allow essential long-term investments in housing and many other areas of need.
New report shows no safe level of child homelessness
The younger and longer a child experiences homelessness, the greater the cumulative toll of negative health outcomes, which can have lifelong effects on the child, the family and the community. This is the key finding from a research brief out today from Children’s HealthWatch and the Center for Housing Policy at the National Housing Conference, “Compounding Stress: The Timing and Duration Effects of Homelessness on Children’s Health.”