HUD and Census Bureau: New Residential Sales Report for March 2021 Released
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential sales statistics for March 2021: New Home Sales Sales of new single-family houses in March 2021 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,021,000. This is 20.7 percent (±23.7 percent)* below the revised February…
HUD: Multifamily Housing Inspections to Resume in June
On Friday, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced that HUD will substantially increase housing inspections, beginning on June 1, 2021. HUD’s inspections are instrumental in identifying unsafe conditions and supporting HUD’s work with housing providers to mitigate them. Thirteen months ago, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and…
HUD: Proposed Rule Withdrawn and Commitment Reaffirmed to Equal Access to Housing, Shelters, and Other Services Regardless of Gender Identity
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on Thursday announced that HUD is withdrawing the previous administration’s proposed rule that would have weakened the Equal Access Rule. The Equal Access Rule ensures that all individuals – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity-have equal access to the Department’s Office of…
FHFA: Extension of COVID-19 Related Loan Flexibilities Announced
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will extend some temporary loan origination flexibilities until May 31, 2021. All temporary flexibilities were originally set to expire on April 30, 2021. Alternative appraisals on purchase and rate-term refinance loans are among the flexibilities that will now be…
HUD: Access to Puerto Rico Disaster Relief Funds Accelerated
Department removes onerous restrictions that limited island’s access to funds, obligates $8.2 billion in federal mitigation funding The Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced the obligation of $8.2 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds for Puerto Rico, along with the removal of onerous restrictions unique to Puerto Rico that limited…
HUD: Winners of 2021 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition Announced
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a graduate student team with members from Pratt Institute and New York University as the winners of HUD’s eighth annual Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition. For the 2021 competition, HUD partnered with Fresno Housing in Fresno County, California. The combined Pratt Institute…
CFPB: Interim Final Rule Clarifies Tenants Can Hold Debt Collectors Accountable for Illegal Evictions
Bureau Issues Interim Final Rule on Fair Debt Collection Practices Act The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today issued an interim final rule in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s eviction moratorium. The CFPB’s rule requires debt collectors to provide written notice to tenants of their rights under the eviction moratorium…
HUD: $41 Million Funding Opportunity Announced to Provide Stable Housing to Low-Income Persons Living with HIV and Their Families
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is making $41 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) competitive funding available to states, local governments, and non-profits through the HOPWA: Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS funding opportunity. Housing instability has been a major issue facing many persons living with HIV…
HUD: Secretaries of HUD & VA Issue Joint Statement on Ending Veteran Homelessness
From HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge and VA Secretary Denis McDonough The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress found that on a single night in January 2020, there were 37,252 Veterans experiencing homelessness in America, an increase of 0.4% over 2019. This number does not account for the…
HUD: More Than $90 Million for Affordable Housing Awarded in Tribal Communities
24 Tribes receive funds that will support the construction of approximately 350 new housing units The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced over $90 million in grant awards to 24 Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) across the country to support new housing construction, housing rehabilitation, and critical infrastructure projects. “This…