HUD News in Review: December 29, 2021

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Every week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes news about important events within the agency. The following are summaries of news for the week of December 29, 2021:

• Cleveland will receive $9M HUD loan for 200 housing units and grocery store
• HUD announces assistance for disaster survivors in AL and WA
• HUD’s 2021 Year in Review Fact Sheet
• Waivers issued by HUD to aid KY communities
• New residential home sales report issued by HUD and Census Bureau

Cleveland will receive $9M HUD loan for 200 housing units and grocery store

Date Posted: December 21, 2021

HUD announced it will be giving a $9 million loan guarantee to the City of Cleveland, Ohio through the Section 108 Loan Guarantee program. The money will be used to develop a mixed-use site that includes 200 housing units and a 40,000 square foot Meijer grocery store.

What this means for renters

The housing units will include 90 market rate one-bedroom units, six standard micro-units and 10 two-bedroom units. Parking spaces will be available for 200 garage spaces. Cleveland also hopes to create 40 new full-time jobs from the creation of the development.

HUD states that investments, such as Section 108 loans, can “spur private economic activity, providing the resources or the confidence that private firms and individuals may need to invest in distressed areas.”

More information about the 108 Loan Guarantee Program can be found here.

HUD announces assistance for disaster survivors in AL and WA

Date Posted: December 22, 2021 

On December 21, 2021, President Biden declared the Alabama Counties of Jefferson and Shelby as disaster areas because the counties were severely affected by storms and flooding from October 6 to October 7, 2021.

The next day, President Biden also issued a disaster declaration for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state, for those affected by the wildfires that burned from July 12 to August 8, 2021.

What this means for renters

Federal funding is now available for the two Alabama counties and residents of the Colville Reservation, provided by FEMA for hazard mitigation measures.

HUD also:

• Issued a 90 day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA insured mortgages and foreclosures on Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program, with the 90 days starting from December 21, 2021. For assistance, call your loan servicer or FHA's Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320.
• Provided the Section 203(h) program to disaster victims whose “homes were destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or replacement is necessary, and they are facing the task of rebuilding or buying another home.” Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs.
• Provided the Section 203(k) program to enable those who have lost their homes, to finance the purchase or refinance of a house along with its repair through a single mortgage. It also allows homeowners who have damaged houses to finance the rehabilitation of their existing single-family homes.
• Made HUD housing counseling agencies available to determine needs and resources for persons impacted by the storms and floods of October 6^th and 7^th, 2021. Find a participating housing counseling agency here.

Assisted with housing discrimination problems for persons attempting to find housing following a disaster. If you think your rights have been violated, you can file a complaint by calling HUD at 1-800-669-977 or visit HUD's page on How to File a Complaint.

HUD provides materials and assistance for persons with limited English proficiency. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact HUD using the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. If you feel you have been a victim of housing discrimination, file a complaint with HUD as soon as possible. HUD may not be able to help you if your complaint is filed more than one year after the last discriminatory act.

More information about HUD programs to assist disaster victims can be found here.

HUD’s 2021 Year in Review Fact Sheet

Date Posted: December 22, 2021

HUD issued a fact sheet listing their most significant actions and initiatives for the year 2021.

What this means for renters

Highlights for this year include:

• Launched a whole-of-government effort to ensure all Americans are treated fairly in the home appraisals process
• Launched all-hands-on-deck effort to address homelessness crisis
• Eviction and foreclosure prevention
• Stood up a new $5 billion HOME-ARP Program to assist some of the country’s most vulnerable populations
• Removed barriers to homeownership for those with student loan debt
• Set the stage for increased fair housing and lending enforcement and access
• Took action to increase housing supply and access to affordable housing
• Restored the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) requirement
• Historically strong Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) fund
• Protected the LGBTQ+ community from housing discrimination
• Developed and released HUD’s Climate Action Plan
• Helped communities rebuild from disasters

Read details about these accomplishments in HUD's Year In Review Fact Sheet here.

Waivers issued by HUD to aid KY communities

Date Posted: December 22, 2021

HUD issued waivers for Kentucky state and local governments and housing agencies, to give them flexibility to provide faster response and recovery for low and moderate income families hit by tornadoes on December 12, 2021.

What this means for renters

The waivers cover the following HUD programs: The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program.

The waivers are meant to expedite the use of HUD program funds by HUD’s state and local partners.

Read more about HUD's regulatory and administrative relief here.

New residential home sales report issued by HUD and Census Bureau

Date Posted: December 23, 2021

HUD and the Census Bureau released a joint statement estimating sales of newly constructed single family homes in November 2021 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 744,000.

This number is 12% higher than October sales, but 14% lower than the sales for November, 2020. The average sales price was $481,700.

For more information read the New Residential Sales Report here.