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On Feb. 4, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that, starting Oct. 1, 2014, it will no longer offer benefit verification letters at field offices. This announcement comes at a time when the SSA's budget has been significantly cut over the past three years.
HUD recently announced that the city of Hammond, Ind., and the Hammond Housing Authority (HHA) agreed to pay Maria Becerra, the former executive director of HHA, $200,000 to settle allegations that the city and HHA terminated her employment because she administered a HUD-funded rental assistance program that helped minority families move into predominantly white neighborhoods. In addition, HHA agreed to reopen its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program waiting list and inform the public about the reopening of the list.
On Jan. 17, President Obama signed a $1.1 trillion bill to finance the U.S. government through Sept. 30. The FY 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3547) is an omnibus spending bill that packages several appropriation bills together in one larger bill. It sets the final appropriations levels and funds all federally funded agencies, including HUD, through the end of FY 2014.
EIV system update 9.6 was released on Dec. 8, 2013. Some of the changes are applicable only to HUD internal users. The ones applicable to owners and managers are the following:
Property ID (Search Option): EIV has added the ability to obtain data by utilizing a Property ID search option along with Contract or Project numbers for HQ User Administrator, Helpdesk Personnel, HUD Field Office, Contract Administrator Coordinator, and Contract Administrator User in select reports.
The Office of Housing has authorized a global 30-day extension to all owners with fiscal years that ended Dec. 31, 2013. This extension is being offered to allow owners and auditors additional time to adapt to the requirements of Housing Notice H 2013-23, and the Financial Assessment Subsystem (FASSUB) release on Dec. 6, 2013, which implemented revisions to the HUD Consolidated Audit Guide, Handbook 2000.04. The new filing deadline is now April 30, 2014.
In Section 236 multifamily housing, HUD subsidizes the interest on an owner’s mortgage. In exchange, HUD sets a basic rent, and the tenant must pay either the basic rent or 30 percent of his income, whichever is higher. A Section 236 site may also receive other forms of rent subsidy under the rent supplement, Section 236 RAP, or Section 8 project-based assistance programs.
HUD recently awarded nearly $16.3 million in grants to help public housing residents gain access to education, job training, and employment.
“This is a modest investment that can make a world of difference for families looking to find their path to self-sufficiency,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “As America’s economy continues to recover, it’s critical that we work to make sure every American has the skills and resources they need to successfully compete for jobs in the 21st century.”
On Dec. 18, HUD released its fiscal year (FY) 2014 Median Family Income estimates and FY 2014 Income Limits. These income limits are used to determine income eligibility for HUD’s assisted housing programs, including public housing, Section 8, Section 202, and Section 811. The income limits took effect immediately and are set as a percentage of area median income adjusted for household size.
On Dec. 18, the Senate passed by a vote of 64 to 36 the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, H.J. Res. 59. The House passed the legislation on Dec. 12 by a vote of 332 to 94. The bill is the result of the agreement reached between the two Budget Conference Committee chairs, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA).
According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), because of the sequestration cuts instituted on March 1 of this year, state and local housing agencies are facing substantial shortfalls in funding to renew the Housing Choice Vouchers that more than 2.1 million low-income households utilize.
If Congress doesn’t cancel sequestration as part of an agreement to fund the government beyond January 2014, agencies will continue to face shortfalls, and the resulting hardships for low-income families will worsen considerably in the year ahead.
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