House Hearing Examines Fire Safety in Federally Assisted Housing
The House Financial Services Committee held a field hearing this week on the need to improve fire safety in federally assisted housing. Members of the Committee heard testimony about the January 9 Bronx fire that killed 17 residents and discussed efforts to improve fire safety in federally assisted housing. Two panels of guests and elected officials testified before the committee with a focus on why low-income renters depend on portable heaters, and what role agencies play in ensuring the protection of public housing residents. HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Real Estate Assessment Center, Ashley Sheriff, testified before the committee and emphasized resident health, safety and standardized inspection requirements. “HUD has made tremendous progress to substantially improve its physical inspections across all HUD assisted housing. We will be increasing the standards and including a requirement for self-closing fire doors, and that will apply to all HUD housing. So an applied to the public housing portfolio, the multifamily portfolio and voucher units were our standards are not aligned today and spire will align our standards for all types of HUD housing. So wherever you live, if you’re a resident of HUD housing, you will be subject your unit will be subject to the same you know more stringent requirements that we’re proposing under inspire and that includes for self-closing fire doors,” she testified. “We’ve had resident workshops and have worked with our Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. And they’ve commented on our standards, and we believe that that the lived experiences of those residents are absolutely critical to developing our inspire standards and making sure that those standards promote that housing that is fair and equal with other residential housing that’s available to market rate, renters and owners.” The committee also discussed two bills introduced by Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) that seek to improve fire safety in public housing — the H.R.6529, which requires public housing owners to install self-closing doors, and the Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2022, which requires the installation of temperature sensors.
To view the full hearing, click here.
President Announces New Clean Energy Partnerships
This week, President Biden announced new partnerships and initiatives designed to increase access to these cost-saving local clean energy resources. These partnerships will leverage existing programs, funding, and guidance, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to unlock resources and pave the way for good-paying jobs in the growing clean energy economy in communities across the country. Additionally, they build on those investments proposed in the President’s FY 2023 Budget as well as furthering the President’s Justice40 Initiative which commits to delivering at least 40 percent of the benefits from federal climate and clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, or overburdened by pollution. Created to ensure residents of HUD assisted benefit from solar energy, the Solar for All initiative aims to bring the benefits of solar energy to 100,000 families with low to moderate incomes in the District of Columbia. Specifically, HUD has determined that the District of Columbia Solar for All community-net-metering (CNM) credits will be excluded from household income and utility allowance calculations and therefore will not increase housing costs for residents in properties participating in HUD Multifamily rental assistance programs. HUD is also updating guidance to allow residents of affordable housing to better access cost-saving community solar subscriptions and reviewing guidance to allow Public Housing Authorities to more easily enter into power purchase agreements for low-cost clean energy.
To view the White House factsheet on expanding clean energy opportunities, click here.
Rural Partners Network Formed to Increase Economic Opportunities
In an ongoing effort to ensure resources and opportunities that can benefit rural America actually reach rural America, President Biden launched the Rural Partners Network (RPN )this week. RPN is a new whole-of-government effort led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to transform the way federal agencies partner with rural places to create economic opportunity. To transform how the federal government partners with and delivers economic opportunity for rural communities across the United States, RPN will bring the federal government to rural America. New federal field staff will be placed in more than 25 rural communities in multiple states to help local leaders navigate and access the federal resources they need to build a strong and vibrant economy. Through this unique partnership, RPN staff will also identify challenges preventing rural communities from accessing federal support to inform the work of the Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, a whole-of-government task force that will ensure rural places are prioritized in Washington. RPN communities will also have a new direct line to D.C. to foster a federal government that delivers for all rural communities. To support this effort, 13 key agencies are dedicating a D.C.-based point person or team to serve as a front door for RPN staff and communities as they navigate the resources available across the federal government. These agencies participate in regular convenings of the Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, co-led by the White House Domestic Policy Council and USDA.
To view the White House factsheet on the Rural Partners Network, click here.