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

Freeport Housing Authority Didn’t Properly Administer Low-Rent Housing Program

December 15, 2014    

HUD audited the Freeport Housing Authority’s administration of its low-rent housing and homeownership programs. The authority owns and operates 352 low-rent housing units, which are located in two scattered-site properties and three developments in Freeport, N.Y. The authority received...

HUD Didn't Use Best Practices in the Procurement, Administration of Multifamily Servicing Contract

December 15, 2014    

HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) audited HUD’s procurement and administration of its multifamily mortgage loan and property management servicing and accounting contract. The Federal Housing Commissioner and HUD housing officials had communicated concerns to OIG.

Federal Judge Strikes Down HUD’s Disparate Impact Rule

November 19, 2014    

Facts: Two nonprofit insurance trade associations filed a lawsuit against HUD, challenging its final rule providing for liability based on disparate impact under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). HUD had recently finalized regulations that were intended to codify how a disparate...

Resident's Past Eviction Requires Termination from Section 8 Program

November 19, 2014    

Facts: In 2010, a Section 8 resident fell behind in paying her portion of her unit’s subsidized rent. The owner started an eviction lawsuit. The court issued an “Order for Possession,” finding that the owner was entitled to possession of the resident’s...

Report Recommends Ways to Increase Voucher Mobility

November 19, 2014    

A report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) examines the extent to which the Housing Choice Voucher program helps families with children move to low-poverty neighborhoods. According to the report, nearly 4 million children live in families that receive federal rental...

HUD Releases Initial Findings of 2013 American Housing Survey

November 19, 2014    

On Oct. 16, HUD and the Census Bureau released the first findings from the 2013 American Housing Survey (AHS). The AHS is the only comprehensive national survey focused on housing. Released every two years, the survey tracks the same units over time, in order to show changes to the housing stock...

New Passbook Rate to Be Effective Feb. 1, 2015

November 19, 2014    

On Oct. 31, 2014, HUD issued Housing Notice 2014-15, “Passbook Savings Rate Effective February 1, 2015 and Establishing Future Passbook Savings Rates.” Currently, the HUD passbook rate is 2 percent. Effective Feb. 1, 2015, the HUD passbook rate will be reduced to 0.06 percent.

SSA Announces 2015 COLA Increase of 1.7%

November 19, 2014    

On Oct. 22, 2014, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the cost of living adjustment for 2015 benefits will be 1.7 percent. This means that recipients of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will see a 1.7 percent increase in their monthly benefit...

HUD Releases Final FY 2015 Fair Market Rents

October 17, 2014    

On Oct. 3, HUD issued the final 2015 Fair Market Rents (FMRs). FMRs are used by HUD to set rents for the Housing Choice Voucher program and the Project-Based Voucher program. Project-based housing assistance payment (HAP) contracts also refer to FMRs for eligibility purposes in the Option 1...

HUD Issues New 2014 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors

October 17, 2014    

On Oct. 2, HUD published new Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs), which will be effective for project-based assistance contracts for eligible multifamily housing projects having an anniversary date on or after Feb. 11, 2015. OCAFs are annual factors used to adjust Section 8 rents renewed...

Submit Comments on Draft Fair Housing Assessment Tool

October 17, 2014    

On Sep. 26, HUD published a proposed version of an Assessment Tool designed to assist HUD recipients in their “affirmatively furthering fair housing” (AFFH) obligations by facilitating the analysis of barriers to fair housing choice and setting goals to address them. The new tool...

HUD Clarifies Review Process for Sites’ Fair Housing Marketing Plans

October 17, 2014    

On Sept. 22, HUD's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing, Ben Metcalf, issued a memo that clarifies the review and approval of a multifamily property owner’s Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP). This memo supersedes a May 2014 memo from the Office of Asset...