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June 28, 2019

President Trump Signs Executive Order Creating Council on Eliminating Affordable Housing Development Barriers

 This week, President Trump signed an executive order to establish a White House Council on Eliminating Barriers to Affordable Housing Development. The council will consist of members from eight federal agencies and will be chaired by HUD Secretary Ben Carson.  According to HUD’s press release, the Council will be tasked with accomplishing the following items by January 2021:

  1. Work across agencies, States, local governments, tribal governments, and private-sector stakeholders to identify policies that artificially increase the cost of developing affordable housing.
  2. Report on the quantifiable effect that Federal, State, local, and tribal regulatory barriers have on affordable housing development, the economy, and society.
  3. Take action to reduce Federal regulatory and administrative burdens that discourage private investment and housing development;
  4. Take action within existing Federal programs to align and support local, and tribal state efforts to reduce regulatory and administrative burdens that discourage housing development.
  5. Recommend Federal, State, local, and tribal policies that would:
    1. Reduce and streamline statutory, regulatory, and administrative burdens that inhibit the development of affordable housing supply at all levels of government;
    2. Incentivize State, local, and tribal governments to reduce barriers to affordable housing development.

Save Affordable Housing Act of 2019 Introduced to Preserve LIHTC Properties

 This week, a group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation (S.1956/H.R.3479) that would repeal the qualified contract option for LIHTC properties. The Save Affordable Housing Act of 2019 was introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), and Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN. Sen. Young’s press release on the bill states, “Currently, Housing Credit properties are subject to a minimum 30-year affordability period. As the law currently stands, owners are permitted to pursue a Qualified Contract, which most often results in the ability for properties to convert to market rate after just 15 years. The Save Affordable Housing Act would prevent the premature loss of affordable housing and ensure that Housing Credit properties remains affordable for at least 30 years, as Congress intended, thereby fulfilling the program’s commitment to serve low-income Americans.”

NAHMA looks forward to working with members to advocate for this legislation.

Fair Housing Source of Income Legislation Reintroduced

This week, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) reintroduced the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2019. Similar to the bill introduced during the past Congress, this legislation would expand Fair Housing protections to prohibit discrimination based on source of income or veteran status. In his press release, Sen. Kaine’s states, “Our nation’s veterans and vulnerable families should have the same right to a home as any other American, regardless of how they pay rent,” said Kaine. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact that discrimination has on a person searching for a home. We can no longer allow these barriers to keep families and veterans from finding a stable place to live. I hope my colleagues will join me in putting an end to this discrimination.”

NAHMA will work with our Federal Affairs and Fair Housing Committee to adopt a position on this bill.

House Passes FY20 Funding Bill for HUD and USDA Housing Programs

This week, the House passed a five-bill FY 2020 spending package (“minibus”) that included funding for affordable housing programs at HUD and USDA. NAHMA previously noted that the bill included increase funding levels for affordable housing programs, across the board.  However, the House will have to work with the Senate and the White House to reach a bipartisan agreement to lift the spending caps and pass bipartisan bills.

NAHMA will keep members updated on spending negotiations and the status of Senate bills later this summer.

House Committee Passes Legislation to Protect Residents of HUD-Subsidized Housing from Carbon Monoxide

This week, the House Financial Services Committee, unanimously passed the Safe Housing for Families Act of 2019 (H.R. 1690).According to the Committee’s press release, “the legislation protects residents of public housing from carbon monoxide poisoning. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), authorizes $300 million over three years to fund the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide detectors in Department of Housing and Urban Development-subsidized housing units that have combustion-fueled appliances or a ventilation system that connects them to such units.” 

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