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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 nee...

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 sho...

On Oct. 28, the House passed by voice vote the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2013, H.R. 1742. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., prevents Veterans Affairs Department aid and attendance payments from being counted as income when considering eligibility for housing grants from HUD.

“The men and women who have worn the uniform shouldn’t be sleeping on the streets,” said Heck of HR 1742. Currently, HUD includes these benefits a...

On Nov. 4, HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs published a Notice in the Federal Register to solicit comments about a proposal for the Small Multifamily Building Risk Share Initiative that will help facilitate financing of small multifamily buildings.

According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), rental assistance helped 339,000 veterans afford housing in March 2013, the most recent period for which data are available.

On Sept. 27, 2013, HUD released a “Contingency Plan for Possible Lapse in Appropriations” if Congress failed to approve funding for the federal government past Sept. 30. Nearly two weeks later, as this issue is being published, Congress still hasn’t been able to pass a bill to fund the government beyond Sept. 30, and this has resulted in a government shutdown. It’s unclear how long the shutdown will last or the full effects it will have on housin...

For sites that receive less than $500,000 in combined federal financial assistance, HUD recently issued Notice 2013-23 that revises the financial reporting requirements for small multifamily housing developments. Specifically, the notice eliminates the audit requirements for small entities (defined as receiving less than $500,000 in combined federal awards) regardless of existing regulatory agreement requirements. Owners of these projects will be permitted to submit own...

On Aug. 22, 2013, HUD announced it had posted Change 4 to HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1, “Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs.” This represents the first formal change to the Handbook since July 2009. Aspects of Change 4 have appeared since 2009 in the form of HUD notices. In fact, every chapter of the HUD Handbook 4350.3, REV-1 other than Chapter 2 has been affected by Change 4.