Housing Report: June 29, 2005
Affordable Housing Fund Bill Faces Opposition
HUD Appropriations Passed By House
New HUD Management Update
User Friendly Background Screening from USIS
IFAS Convenes First Housing with Supportive Services Workgroup
AAHSA, Housing Website under Reconstruction
Visit the A.M. McGregor Group
Brian Montgomery Confirmed As FHA Commissioner
Housing Report
Policy
The current Government Sponsored Entity (GSE) reform legislation, H.R. 1461,
includes an Affordable Housing Fund, which would require Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac to set aside 5% of their after-tax profits to fund the development,
rehabilitation and preservation of affordable rental housing, homeownership
and community development projects for extremely low or very low income
households. H.R. 1461 will be the first Congressional bill funding affordable
housing development since the Cranston-Gonzalez Act of 1990 established
the HOME program; and the funding does not require Federal appropriations.
Titled the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005, the bill is being
opposed by a group of members because of the Affordable Housing Fund.
This small group will try to keep the bill from coming to the House floor unless
the Fund is removed. The bill contains a comprehensive system of directives
and safeguards to address the opposition's concerns, but that has had little
affect.
The bill requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to
appoint a board to meet quarterly to determine extremely low and very low
income housing needs and that board will advise the Director on the
establishment of selection criteria, the operation of the funds to meet housing
needs and review reports submitted by the GSEs on the consistency between
their use of funds and actual needs.
We need you to contact your member of Congress to support the Affordable
Housing Fund in H.R. 1461 now. Go to
www.aahsa.org
and to Contact Congress. For more information about the legislation and the
Affordable Housing Fund, go to
http://www.nhtf.org/toolkit.asp.
The House took up the HUD appropriations bill last week with minor changes
and FY05 level funding for the Section 202 program and funding for Section
811 capital advances. Several members offered amendments, including a
successful amendment that increased funds for the CDBG program and funded
Youthbuild within the HUD budget. The President's budget proposed moving
the program to the Department of Labor. Despite the increase in CDBG, it is
still fall far below the FY05 levels. An amendment to increase funding for
Section 8 vouchers by $100 million offered by Representatives Nadler and
Velázquez passed, as did Representative Artur Davis' amendment to restore
$60 million to HOPE VI also passed.
The Senate appropriations subcommittee and full committee will mark up their
HUD bills the week of July 11th, after Congress returns from recess. We do not
expect the Senate to make any drastic changes to the Section 202 program
although it is unclear how the $65.3 billion allocation to the new Transportation,
Treasury and HUD will be divided. Contact: Alayna Waldrum at
awaldrum@aahsa.org.
Operational Tips
This update covers latest on rental assistance payment funding and payment issues; the new 40-page FAQ on the HUD Occupancy Handbook 4350.3; contract administration; new FTC document disposal requirements; FHEO notice regarding 1st amendment rights and more.
Click here to get the report
AAHSA's group purchasing has been working to identify background check resources
suitable for housing provider member needs. And a new provider has recently been
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Annowa users will find quick and accurate results for SSN Checks, State
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Contact:
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USIS powered by Annowa Screening Process at
http://www.aahsa.org/money_saving/gp_articles_info/
documents/USIS_Annowa_Screening.ppt.
AAHSA News
In mid-June, the Institute for the Future of Aging Service convened the first of a planned
series of regional workgroups as part of its National Affordable Housing with Supportive
Services Initiative. The first workgroup, funded by the A. M. McGregor Home in East
Cleveland, Ohio, brought together stakeholders and policy makers from a broad range
of personal and professional backgrounds to develop a plan targeted at expanding the
array of housing with services arrangements available to moderate and lower income
older adults with disabilities in the East Cleveland, Cuyahoga Country area, one of the
most depressed areas in the country. The focus of these workgroups is not development
of new housing, not funding for services, but intentionally linking poor and near poor older
adults who live in and near publicly assisted rental housing to the health-related and
supportive services they need to continue independent living. For more on the IFAS
initiative, see
http://www.futureofaging.org/
page.cfm?name=SA_Residential.
AAHSA's old website melted down, so the new one got a premature launch with little
substance in the advocacy/housing sections. We've tried to put up some of the most
recent and frequently sought info, but should you need something you can't find and/or
know of something we should add, we ask you to let us know -
contact
cbloom@aahsa.org.
Member Profile
The A.M. McGregor Home in East Cleveland, Ohio defines itself first as home, then as a
place for nursing services. What makes McGregor even more unique is their commitment
to helping expand intentional linkages between affordable housing and services
(see article above). Having completed a major expansion/construction effort and
relocating all residents from the original two nursing facilities, McGregor is in the
process of completely redeveloping its original nursing home site into an affordable
supportive housing community. All McGregor residents will be able to access a wide
range of services. To find out more about A.M. McGregor, check out
http://www.ammcgregor.org/.
New and Notable
Brian D. Montgomery was sworn in as HUD's new Assistant Secretary for Housing - Federal
Housing Commissioner. Mr. Montgomery was confirmed by the Senate June 13 and prior
to his nomination, served as Cabinet Secretary and a member of the President's senior
staff. He has also worked as Communications Director at the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs. In his new role, Montgomery will oversee the Federal
Housing Administration (FHA), the housing mission of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and
the manufactured housing industry.
Last Updated : 1/19/2006 11:38:26 AM
