Appropriations
No date has been set for the full Senate to consider the VA-HUD appropriations bill at this time. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the bill last week.
Preliminary reaction from industry and tenant advocacy groups at a meeting held this morning indicates there is still concern about the adequacy of the level of direct appropriations for the Section 8 Housing Certificate Fund in both the House and Senate bills. However, the Senate bill appears to have a stronger certainty of providing additional funding if a shortfall occurs by directing HUD to use unexpended funds in other accounts to cover Section 8. Also, the Senate bill includes funding for an independent audit of the HCF fund.
NAHMA Policy Positions
Thank you to all who voted on HR 1985 and HR 1030. The vote tally was as follows:
HR 1985, the FHA Multifamily Loan Limit Adjustment Act (The bill raises maximum mortgage limits for multifamily housing in high cost areas to 170 percent above the base loan limits.)
Total Votes: 22
- Strongly support: 14
- Support: 5
- Neutral: 3
- Oppose: 0
- Strongly Oppose: 0
HR 1030, HUD Programs Information Verification Act (The bill requires matching of employment and income information of certain HUD assisted housing program participants with the National Directory of New Hires. The bill provides a starting point for private landlords to access this directory by requiring HUD to determine whether to permit disclosure of information from the Directory to private owners, management agents, and contract administrators based on a cost benefit analysis of the permitted disclosures (to PHAs, the HUD IG, and the Attorney Gerneral) and the adequacy of security and confidentially safeguards. The analysis would be done in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, and would have to be approved by that Agency.
Total Votes: 23
- Strongly Support: 6
- Support: 13
- Neutral: 4
- Oppose: 0
- Strongly Oppose: 0
Therefore, the Executive Members’ recommendations of “Strongly Support” for HR 1985 and “Support” for HR 1030 will be forwarded to the Board for final approval.
