HAC News... information on rural low-income housing issues
August 18, 2010
Vol. 39, No. 17
ADDITIONAL SECTION 502 GUARANTEED FUNDS PROVIDED FOR FY 2010. A supplemental appropriations law signed by President Obama on July 29 enables the program to resume, paying for itself through a 3.5% origination fee and a 0.5% annual fee. RD can waive up to $697 million in fees for low-income borrowers. H.R. 4899 (P.L. 111-212) is available at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html.
OMB ISSUES 2010 CIRCULAR A-133 COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT. This publication applies to audits of nonprofits and state and local governments for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2009. Comments are due October 31. The supplement is free at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_circulars or $95 from the Government Printing Office (number 041-001-00677-0), http://www.gpo.gov/ or 866-512-1800. Contact federal funding agencies.
DAVIS-BACON GUIDANCE FOR SECTION 502 REISSUED. Administrative Notice 4526 (July 28, 2010) is a reissue of AN 4449 (June 15, 2009), explaining how Davis-Bacon wage requirements apply to properties receiving Section 502 direct or guaranteed loans under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Copies are available at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/SupportDocuments/an4526.pdf or from RD offices. Contact Bill Downs, 202-720-1499, william.downs@wdc.usda.gov.
GUIDANCE PROVIDED ON PROCESSING SECTION 514/516 AND 533 APPLICATIONS. An Unnumbered Letter dated July 9, 2010 applies to Section 514/516 and is at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RD_UnnumberedList%20.html. Contact Henry Searcy Jr., RD, 202-720-1753. For Section 533, AN 4521 is at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd-an_list.html. Contact Bonnie Edwards-Jackson, RD, 202-690-0759 or an RD office.
RD CHANGES GUIDANCE FOR SECTION 515 OR 514 DESIGN/BUILD OR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. RD approval is required for these methods. Administrative Notice 4524 (July 22, 2010) replaces AN 4492, issued in January 2010 (see HAC News, 2/17/10). Copies are available from RD offices or at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/SupportDocuments/an4524.pdf. Contact Sherry Engel, RD, 715-345-7677.
INFORMATION RELEASED ON SECTION 502 GUARANTEED REO. AN 4522 (July 12, 2010) is intended to guide RD staff dealing with real estate owned by Section 502 guaranteed lenders/servicers. Copies are available at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/SupportDocuments/an4522.pdf or from RD offices. Contact Michelle Corridon, RD, 202-720-1452, michelle.corridon@wdc.usda.gov.
RD’S INCOME LIMITS MAY DIFFER FROM HUD’S. An Unnumbered Letter dated July 16, 2010 confirms that RD’s income limits, published in a June 2, 2010 Special Procedure Notice, continue to use a hold-harmless policy now discontinued for HUD’s Section 8 program (see HAC News, 12/05/1910). Obtain the UL and SPN from RD offices or at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RegulationsAndGuidance.html. Contact Stephanie White, 202-720-1615.
FHFA CONSIDERS CREATING OMBUDSMAN. Comment by September 7 on a Federal Housing Finance Agency proposed rule that would establish an office to consider complaints about FHFA’s oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. See Federal Register, 8/6/10 or http://www.fhfa.gov/. Contact Sandy Comenetz, FHFA, 202-414-3771.
PUTTING SMART GROWTH TO WORK IN RURAL COMMUNITIESreport issued. A new publication from the International City/County Management Association, showing how smart growth principles can be applied in rural places, is free at http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/301483/%20Putting_Smart_Growth_to_Work_in_Rural_Communities.
GAO REPORTS ON RURAL HOMELESSNESS. As mandated by the 2009 HEARTH Act, GAO studied the characteristics of rural homelessness, available assistance, and barriers. Rural Homelessness: Better Collaboration by HHS and HUD Could Improve Delivery of Services in Rural Areas (GAO-10-724) is available free at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-724 or at cost from GAO, 866-801-7077.
ANNUAL DATA SHOW PROGRESS ON CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING STALLED. Some indicators have improved and others, including child poverty rates, have worsened, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2010 Kids Count Data Book. Figures for states, counties, cities, and school districts are available at www.kidscount.org.
HAC SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR RURAL HOUSING AWARDS. Nominations are due September 15 for the Cochran/Collings Award for national rural housing service, the Skip Jason Community Service Award, and the Henry B. Gonzalez Award for local or tribal elected officials. The honors will be presented at the National Rural Housing Conference in December. For details, visit http://www.ruralhome.org/ or contact Lilla Sutton, HAC, 202-842-8600, lilla@ruralhome.org.
Housing Assistance Council
1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 606, Washington DC 20005
(202) 842-8600
hac@ruralhome.org
www.ruralhome.org
