HUD News in Review: January 12, 2022

CORRECTION: Read about "What voting rights mean for housing" here.

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• HUD’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2026
• HUD awards $105M to protect households from health and safety hazards
• HUD provides disaster assistance for WA
• HUD provides disaster assistance for areas in MO
• New York City plans to build new affordable apartments in the Bronx

HUD’s Strategic Plan for FY2022-2026

Between now and January 28th, 2022, HUD is accepting feedback, comments and suggestions about their draft for HUD’s Fiscal Year 2022-2026 strategic plan.

HUD is asking for comments about their four focus areas. You can read about the strategic plan’s focus areas and how to send feedback here.

What this means for renters

Feedback can help HUD focus on the most important needs of low-income renters.

HUD awards $105M to protect households from health and safety hazards

Date Posted: January 12, 2022 

HUD gave $105 million to 60 non-profit organizations and state and local governments in 29 states to help remedy lead and other health hazards in the homes of low income households.

What this means for renters

The money has been given to make homes safer for children and families with incomes at or below eighty percent of the area median income level.

HUD hopes to target over 7,400 low-income homes for assistance in ridding the homes of lead-based paint, safety hazards such as mold, carbon monoxide and poor indoor air quality.

In the next few weeks, organizations awarded with the funding will take applications from families who are interested and eligible for their local Healthy Homes Program.

A list of the organizations that received the funding can be accessed here.

HUD provides disaster assistance for WA

Date Posted: January 7, 2022

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced federal assistance for areas in Washington State that were affected by flooding and mudslides from November 13 to November 15, 2021.

On January 5, President Biden declared the counties of Clallam, Skagit, and Whatcom and the Lummi Nation, Nooksack Indian Tribe, and Quileute Tribe as major disaster areas.

Federal funding, provided by FEMA, is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

What this means for renters

Effective immediately, HUD is:

• Providing immediate foreclosure relief for families who have Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgages and to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. For assistance, call your loan servicer or FHA's Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320. 
• Through HUD’s Section 203(h) program, providing FHA insurance to disaster victims whose homes have been destroyed or extensively damaged. Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs.
• Through HUD’s 203(k) loan program, making financing or refinancing of a home along with money needed for repairs available in a single mortgage.
• Working with FEMA and the state of Washington by sharing information on housing providers that may have available housing units in the impacted county.
• Providing flexibility for various housing groups including recipients of the Community Development Block Grant, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, the Continuum of Care, Emergency Solutions Grants, HOME Investment Partnership, and Housing Trust Fund programs.
• Providing flexibility to Public Housing Agencies to apply for needed administrative flexibility through disaster waivers.
• Ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are ready to assist those impacted by natural disasters to determine assistance needs and available resources.

HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is available to assist people who believe they have experienced housing discrimination while trying to find housing following a disaster.

More information about these disaster resources can be found here.

HUD provides disaster assistance for areas in MO

Date Posted: January 12, 2022

On January 11, President Biden declared the counties of Bollinger, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Pemiscot, Reynolds, and Wayne County, Missouri as major disaster areas. Federal funding, provided by FEMA, is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

What this means for renters

Effective immediately, HUD is:

• Providing immediate foreclosure relief for families who have Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgages and to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. For assistance, call your loan servicer or FHA's Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320. 
• Through HUD’s Section 203(h) program, providing FHA insurance to disaster victims whose homes have been destroyed or extensively damaged. Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs.
• Through HUD’s 203(k) loan program, making financing or refinancing of a home along with money needed for repairs available in a single mortgage.
• Working with FEMA and the state of Missouri by sharing information on housing providers that may have available housing units in the impacted county.
• Providing flexibility for various housing groups including recipients of the Community Development Block Grant, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, the Continuum of Care, Emergency Solutions Grants, HOME Investment Partnership, and Housing Trust Fund programs.
• Providing flexibility to Public Housing Agencies to apply for needed administrative flexibility through disaster waivers.
• Ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are ready to assist those impacted by natural disasters to determine assistance needs and available resources.

HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is available to assist people who believe they have experienced housing discrimination while trying to find housing following a disaster.

More information about these disaster resources can be found here.

New York City plans to build new affordable apartments in the Bronx

Date Posted: January 12, 2022 

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced plans to start building the first of two new low-income housing properties in the Bronx.

What this means for renters

The first new housing property will be a 278 unit apartment building located close to the southwest corner of the Bronx at the intersection of River Avenue and East 168^th street. The area where the apartment building will stand, is currently a parking lot owned by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

The building will consist of 112 studios, 89 one-bedrooms, 63 two-bedrooms, and 14 three-bedroom units. Community facilities will be located on the ground floor.

The second housing property will be at 1640-1642 Anthony Avenue in the Claremont neighborhood of the Bronx and will contain 40 units available for low-income homeownership, and 20 one-bedroom, 16 two-bedroom and 4 three-bedroom low-income apartments. 

There is no word on when construction will start.