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On July 27, the White House's Domestic Policy Council (DPC) announced the launch of two federal “alignment pilot” programs in a total of 10 states to better serve low-income families who rent, while reducing the regulatory burden on affordable housing owners.

Background

For owners and developers, federal funds often make up a significant share of a site's financing structure. But owners and developers can be burdened by overlapping administrative requirements associated with those federal affordable housing programs.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), Lewis Jordan, recently resigned in the wake of scrutinized credit card expenditures. However, HUD, which oversees the CHA, didn't see any red flags in the spending.

According to reports, thousands of dollars have been spent on dinners and employee appreciation gifts. In a recent statement, CHA Board Chairman Jim Reynolds said he accepted Jordan's resignation in the wake of the media scrutiny.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), who is on a mission to eliminate sexual harassment at organizations receiving federal funds, including public housing authorities, has introduced the Public Agency Accountability for Sexual Harassment Act. The proposed legislation would prohibit anyone who works for an organization receiving federal funds from engaging in sexual harassment, and require that organizations receiving federal dollars terminate anyone found to have engaged in sexual misconduct and disclose any settlement payments, fees, or fines arising from incidents of sexual harassment.

Some say the economy is on a healthy rebound. Others say they see a gradual recovery, but we have a long way to go. Still others say, “What recovery?”

The budget by which the federal government operates is being carefully dissected and scrutinized as Congressional members of both parties look for ways to cut spending and reduce the deficit.

Mindful of this environment, HUD, in its fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget, proposed a plan of some modest cuts while still maintaining funding for the most vital programs for “the vulnerable people and often-distressed places that HUD helps,” department officials said.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2009. The Recovery Act included $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD. Nearly 75 percent of those funds were allocated to state and local recipients within days of the act's being signed into law, and according to HUD, almost all of the remaining 25 percent of funds have been awarded via competition.

Two public housing authorities (PHAs)—Boulder Housing Partners in Colorado and Lexington-Fayette Urban County in Kentucky—have been selected to participate in HUD's Moving To Work program (MTW). The program allows PHAs to design and test innovative strategies to strengthen the delivery of services to families living in public housing or who are assisted through HUD's Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

HUD is implementing changes to the scoring methodology for the physical inspection of public housing sites. The changes are part of proposed revisions to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS).

The PHAS physical condition inspection is intended to ensure that public housing units are decent, safe, sanitary, and in good repair, scored against HUD's Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS). These uniform standards are an important indicator of performance for a public housing site and the housing authority.

HUD has awarded nearly $8 million to fund a variety of activities aimed at helping to protect children with asthma from health hazards in their homes.

The projects range from research into the cost-effectiveness of home-based interventions to new strategies to reduce risks from lead-contaminated soil and house dust. For the first time, HUD is awarding $2 million of those grants to improve indoor environmental conditions and links to education and medical services for asthmatic children and other residents living in public and assisted multifamily housing.

HUD has proposed new regulations intended to ensure that its core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The agency is seeking public comment on proposed areas that include:

Prohibiting lenders from using actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower's eligibility for FHA-insured mortgage financing.