Coronavirus Information and Guidance
This week, NAHMA added the following guidance to NAHMA’s Coronavirus Information and Resources website:
- HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing published Coronavirus-related Questions & Answers for stakeholders, including Owners and Management agents
- HUD Webinar on Infectious Disease Preparedness for Homeless Assistance Providers and Their Partners
- U.S. Department of Labor on Preparing Workplaces for Coronavirus
- CDC Guide for Community Mitigation Strategies.
As discussed during the NAHMA conference, NAHMA can collect and share member questions to agencies or questions for other members to consider on dealing with the coronavirus. Please feel free to send your questions to me at lkeys@nahma.org and please use the Subject: COVID19 Member Questions. We will utilize the Executive Members for trail period over next week. As we get questions, we establish a central repository for members to view questions on the NAHMA Coronavirus Information and Resources website.
Finally, I wanted to pass along an update on Internet Access Resources that I received from our colleague association, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future(SAHF). Due to the impact of the coronavirus, Federal Communications Commission(FCC) Chairman Pai recently launched the Keep Americans Connected Pledge. Under this pledge, Chairman Pai Called on Broadband and Telephone Service Providers to Promote Connectivity for Americans Impacted by the Disruptions Caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic. Below are a few notable providers:
- Comcast Essentials has increased its level of service and is offering 2 free months of service. NOTE – critics have commented that there are still barriers if people have back bills or if they have had service already sometime in the last three months.
- T-Mobile is offering reduced rate hotspots.
- AT&T is halting data caps.
- Charter Communications will offer free Spectrum broadband and WiFi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbs. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived.
HUD Secretary Carson Testifies before Senate Subcommittee on FY21 Budget Request
This week, HUD Secretary Ben Carson testified at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) hearing on HUD’s FY 2021 budget request.
Subcommittee Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME) voiced strong opposition to proposed eliminations to HUD programs, including the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG); the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME); the joint HUD-VA voucher program, VASH; and the Public Housing Capital Fund. In her opening remarks, Sen. Collins stated, “This request reflects a significant reduction in the federal role in housing and community development. Just a few of the programs eliminated in the administration’s budget request include the Community Development Block Grant Program, HOME, VASH and Family Unification Vouchers, Youth Homelessness Grants and the Public Housing Capital Fund…The budget request once, again, includes proposals that have been rejected year after year by the subcommittee, and I predict that many of the same program eliminations and other costs shifting approaches will once, again, be rejected.”
Similar to the Chairwoman Collins, Subcommittee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) voiced opposition to the proposed cuts. In his opening remarks, Senator Reed stated, “The administration’s budget would cut HUD by an astounding $8.5 billion from fiscal year 2020. As with prior — the prior three budget request, the administration walks away from the federal partnership in affordable housing production and preservation with elimination the HOME Program, the CDBG Program and steep cuts to public housing.”
Most of the hearing covered questions about HUD’s response to COVID-19. The few Senators, in attendance, asked Carson about HUD’s actions to contain the virus’ spread. Carson mentioned that HUD had communicated with housing authorities/providers on “how to get in contact with the local health providers in order to make sure that they have a plan if somebody does in fact contract the virus.” He also stated that HUD would distribute guidance to CDBG recipients on repurposing emergency grant funding for responses to the virus and information on personal hygiene best practices. The hearing can be viewed here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/review-of-the-fy2021-budget-request-for-the-dept-of-housing-and-urban-development