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

HUD Withdraws Five Proposed Rules

January 19, 2018    

As part of the efforts of HUD’s Regulatory Reform Task Force, HUD recently announced that it would not pursue five proposed rules published in the Federal Register and, as a result, is withdrawing the rules from HUD’s Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.

HUD Implements FAST Act, Authorizes Triennial Reexams

January 19, 2018    

On Dec. 4, 2015, President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) into law. The main housing feature of the law includes language giving housing authorities (HAs) and owners/managers the discretionary authority to conduct full income recertifications every...

Secretary Carson Swears in Four New HUD Leaders

January 19, 2018    

HUD Secretary Ben Carson recently administered the oath of office to the following individuals recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate: J. Paul Compton, Jr. to become HUD’s General Counsel; Suzanne Israel Tufts to be Assistant Secretary for the Office of Administration; Leonard Wolfson as...

Site Owner Entitled to Property Tax Exemption

January 19, 2018    

Facts: A nonprofit corporation owns a site for the elderly that was financed by HUD. With the financing, the corporation entered into a Project Rental Assistance Contract with HUD in which the corporation agreed to provide housing for low-income elderly persons at the property,...

Five Dos & Don'ts When Certifying Households with Foster Children

December 14, 2017    

If households at your site have foster children, you need to know how to certify these households for eligibility, rent, and unit size. To do this right, you’ll need to know when to count foster children as household members and when not to, and how to deal with income and allowances....

HUD Multifamily Launches New Section 8(bb) Preservation Tool Webpage

December 14, 2017    

HUD announced a new webpage for the Section 8(bb) Preservation Tool, which allows for the transfer of Section 8 project-based rental assistance (PBRA) budget authority from one multifamily project (Project A) to another multifamily project (Project B).

Senator Sanders Releases Recovery Legislation for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

December 14, 2017    

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with six cosponsors in the Senate, recently introduced the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act. It is co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA),...

HUD Launches EnVision Center Initiative

December 14, 2017    

HUD recently announced the launch of EnVision Centers, a new initiative designed to help HUD-assisted households achieve self-sufficiency. The centers will address the issue of long-term skills and training. And the mobile app will have job listings, and the centers will provide resources and...

PHA Didn't Violate Resident's Due Process Rights

December 14, 2017    

Facts: A public housing resident sued the local PHA for initiating eviction proceedings against him without first providing him with a grievance hearing or due process. Under his lease, based on the resident’s reported income (which was zero), his initial monthly rent was...

HUD Prevented from Abating Section 8 HAP Contract

December 14, 2017    

Facts: A resident association of a Section 8 site asked a court to set aside HUD’s decision to abate the site’s Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract. When HUD abates and terminates a project-based Section 8 contract, residents living at the property are given...

HUD Issues Operating Cost Adjustment Factors for 2018

November 21, 2017    

HUD recently published operating cost adjustment factors (OCAFs) for project-based rental assistance Section 8 contracts with an anniversary date on or after Feb. 11, 2018. These factors are used for adjusting or establishing Section 8 rents under the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and...

Florida Lawmaker Introduces Disaster Housing Bill

November 21, 2017    

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) recently introduced a bill to provide more affordable housing to victims of major disasters. The legislation comes after a series of hurricanes devastated different states and U.S. territories this year. In a statement, Senator Nelson noted that tens of thousands of...