Dos & Don'ts, Q & A, Recent Court Rulings, HUD Audits, In the News

Resident Breached Lease by Failing to Pay Rent

July 17, 2019    

Facts: A resident of a HUD-assisted site received a rent subsidy that reduced her monthly portion of the rent to $139 of the total rent of $532. The owner sent the resident a “Notice of Termination of Lease” informing her that her lease would be terminated effective...

Senate Confirms Two HUD Assistant Secretaries

July 17, 2019    

The Senate recently confirmed Hunter Kurtz to be HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and Seth Appleton to be HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research (PD&R). Prior to the Senate confirmations, neither PIH nor PD&R had assistant secretaries...

HUD Secretary to Chair White House Council on Affordable Housing

July 17, 2019    

President Trump recently signed an Executive Order to establish the White House Council on Eliminating Barriers to Affordable Housing Development. The council is headed by HUD Secretary Ben Carson and consists of members across eight federal agencies. They will engage with state, local, and...

JCHS Report Sheds Light on Lack of Affordable Housing Production

July 17, 2019    

Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) recently released its annual report, “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2019.” The report examines the state of the housing market in 2018, finding that, while the housing market improved in many respects over...

HUD Offers $150M to Provide Affordable Housing to People with Disabilities

July 17, 2019    

HUD is offering $150 million in grants to provide affordable housing to approximately 18,000 non-elderly persons living with disabilities. HUD anticipates awarding 300 grants ranging from $20,000 up to $3 million to eligible public housing agencies. HUD’s Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher...

HUD Offers Largest Funding Amount to Clean Up Lead in Housing

July 17, 2019    

HUD recently announced a record $330 million in grants to clean up lead-based paint hazards and other housing-related health and safety hazards in low-income housing. These grants are provided through HUD’s Lead Hazard Reduction and Healthy Homes Production for Tribal Housing grant...

Senator Kaine Reintroduces Fair Housing Improvement Act

July 17, 2019    

Senator Tim Kaine recently reintroduced the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2019 to protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination. This bill would expand the Fair Housing Act’s protections to prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income or veteran status...

HUD Approves Discrimination Settlement Between Puerto Rico PHA and Residents

June 13, 2019    

HUD recently announced that it has negotiated an agreement between the Puerto Rico Public Housing Authority (PRPHA) and its residents who have disabilities. The agreement resolves allegations that a site under PRPHA’s jurisdiction was inaccessible to persons with disabilities for more than...

HUD Will Offer $5M for CO Detectors in Public Housing

June 13, 2019    

HUD Secretary Carson recently announced that $5 million will be made available for the purchase and installation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in public housing units where they’re necessary. The funds will be provided through HUD’s Emergency Safety and Security Program and...

HUD Proposes to Roll Back Transgender Protections at Federally Funded Homeless Shelters

June 13, 2019    

HUD recently announced a forthcoming proposed rule that would roll back protections for transgender people experiencing homelessness by allowing federally funded homeless shelters whose facilities are segregated by sex (such as bathrooms and sleeping quarters) to establish an admission policy...

Test of New Physical Inspection Protocol Continues

June 13, 2019    

In a recently issued Federal Register notice, HUD requested comments on a planned two-year continuation of the Uniform Physical Condition Standards for Vouchers (UPCS-V) demonstration. Comments are due by July 29, and more information on submitting comments can be found at...

House Committee Advances Housing Spending Bill

June 13, 2019    

The House Appropriations Committee recently advanced a $137.1 billion spending bill covering transportation and housing, about $6 billion above current levels and $17.3 billion more than President Trump’s request. The measure was approved in a 29-21 vote, divided mostly along party lines....