Northwest HUD Lines - March 2019 (2024)

Northwest HUD Lines
March 2019

HUD e-Briefs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington
Jeff McMorris, Region X Regional Administrator

Leland Jones, Editor, (206) 220-5356 or Leland.jones@hud.gov

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Shake, rattle & recovery
At the request of Alaska Governor Dunleavy, President Trump has issued a declaration of major disaster providing recovery assistance to affected governments, Tribes & individuals affected by November 30th Cook Inlet earthquake. Under the declaration, FEMA has been directed to provide both public assistance & individual assistance.The affected area includes the Municipality of Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and Kenai Peninsula Borough.

AN INVITE
React to REAC
The mission of REAC - HUD's Real Estate Assessment Center – is to provide & promote the effective use of accurate, timely & reliable information assessing the condition of HUD's multifamily housing portfolio; to provide information to help ensure safe, decent and affordable housing; & to restore the public trust by identifying fraud, abuse and waste of HUD resources." It's looking for ways to do its job even better. Since 2017, it has been conducting a "wholesale reexamination" of its inspection processes which has led to development of a new inspection model designed to capture a more accurate identification of a substandard property and instances in which an owner has failed to provide acceptable, basic housing conditions is essential. On Thursday, March 28th in Seattle HUD is holding two in-person Stakeholder-only Listening Sessions – one in the morning, one in the afternoon – to get the views of owners & agents of HUD-assisted private housing on whether our new REAC inspection model should have more objective standards that are defensible and less complex and focus on areas that impact residents. We hope you'll join us at one or the other of these Stakeholder Listening Sessions. (Since capacity is an issue, we need to limit attendance to one stakeholder per organization. We also would ask that you register on-line for only the morning or the afternoon session, not both. The more people from whom we hear, the better the final product will be.

GAME CHANGER
Tightening-up the rules
Saying that "it's become painfully clear to us that too many public housing authorities and private landlords whom we contract with were using the weeks before their inspection to make quick fixes essentially gaming the system," HUD Secretary Carson has announced that on or about March 20th notice of REAC inspections of privately-owned HUD-assisted properties or Housing Quality Standard inspections of public housing and Housing Choice Voucher units administered by public housing authorities will be issued no more than 14 calendar days before the date of the inspection.

REO-COVERY.
USDA & HHS partnership launched
"Housing plays a vital part," says Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, HHS' assistant secretary for mental health & substance use, "in the recovery process for those living with opioid use disorders." Which is why USDA Rural Development & HHS' Substance Abuse & Mental Health Administration, reflecting President Trump's Administration-wide mobilization to combat opioids under a declaration of a national public health emergency, have entered a formal partnership for USDA Rural Development &SAMSHA to "coordinate efforts to sell USDA's REO single-family housing properties at a discount to non-profit organizations that provide housing, treatment, job training &other key services for people in substance misuse treatment and recovery." The partnership, says USDA Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett, represents an "effective & efficient use of our resources to address the opioid misuse crisis at the local level."

BRIEF BRIEFS
Saying "every Oregonian should have access to housing choices that allow them & their families to thrive". Oregon Governor Kate Brown signs "country's first statewide rent control bill, providing immediate relief to Oregonians struggling to keep up with rising rents" limiting annual rent increases to 7 percent plus inflation-& requiring "for-cause" evictions reports KOIN-TV. . .Touring former Marine Corps Armory in Yakima Washington Congressman Dan Newhouse says Yakima Housing Authority plans to convert it to 14 units of housing for homeless vets is "natural fit" to "help them through a very difficult period in their life" says KIMA-TV. . .Apartment Guide's 2019 Rent Analysis says Boise, Idaho had 5th highest & Anchorage, Alaska the 4th-highest rent increase while Portland, Oregon had the d5th highest rent decrease for a one-bedroom apartment in 2018. . .Saying , supportive housing has "positive impact on communities & for our beneficiaries" Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority awards $650,000, says Alaska Business, to RurALCAP's Sitka Place housing & United Way's "pay for success" initiative. . .Yakima, Washington City Council votes unanimously to okay $1 million in HUD HOME Investment Partnership funds to fund to development of Next Step Housing 80u Bicycle Apartments, says KIMA-TV, to "decrease homelessness & overall create more stability" With at least nine faith-based organizations expected to receive funding for providing housing & homeless services this year, Kitsap County, Washington issues is adding langue to its contracts, says The Sun, "explicitly prohibiting recipients from using public funds to "support or engage in explicitly religious activities". . .Acknowledging that "we know that there is no single solution—not one entity, or one person—that can solve Oregon's housing crises" but "will take all of us working together: philanthropy, business leaders, developers, builders, and all levels of government," Governor Kate Brown finalizes 5-year Statewide Housing Plan to "prevent people from slipping into homelessness, to get people quickly off the street, and to help all Oregonians access stable homes". . .Business Oregon awards total of $4.1 million in HUD Community Development Block Grants to cities of Willamina, Elgin & John Day for public works projects, the City of Danville for a community center & Grant County for a domestic violence shelter.

RECORD-BREAKING
HUD hikes homeless funding
HUD has awarded a record $114,134,194 in Federal fiscal year 2018 to support more than 350 new & existing local projects preventing & ending homelessness recommended by HUD Continuum of Cares in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington. That's up $10.8 million from $103,282,985 in fiscal year 2017 funds with increases in each of the four states in Region X:

"Today we make another critical investment to those persons and families living in our shelters and on our streets," said HUD Secretary Carson of the awards which were part of a national announcement awarding almost $2.2 billion to some 6,800 existing & new projects serving the homeless nationwide. "We know how to end homelessness and it starts with embracing a housing-first approach that relies upon proven strategies that offer permanent housing solutions to those who may otherwise be living in our shelters and on our streets."

GETTING AHEAD
Promoting economic independence
"When one family gets ahead in a sense all families do," HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Jeff McMorris recently-observed. "Thanks to the good work of housing authorities and their residents, the Family Self Sufficiency program serves as a launching pad for assisted families to move up and out of assisted housing into a place – and a future - they truly can call their own. Their success, in turn, affords the same opportunity to other families in need of, but have been waiting for rental assistance for months or years to do the very same.". The occasion was HUD's announcement of the award of $74 million in Family Self Sufficiency grants to nearly 700 housing authorities across the country. of including just over $5 million to 36 authorities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington:

HUD's FSS Program helps local Public Housing Authorities to hire Service Coordinators who work directly with residents to connect them with programs and services that already exist in the local community. The program encourages innovative strategies that link housing assistance with a broad spectrum of services that will enable participating families to find jobs, increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for rental and/or welfare assistance, and make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency. Participants sign a five-year contract that requires the head of the household to obtain employment and that no member of the household will receive certain types of public assistance at the end of the five-year term. These families have an interest-bearing escrow account established for them. The amount credited to the family's escrow account is based on increases in the family's earned income during the term of the FSS contract. If the family successfully completes its FSS contract, the family receives the escrow funds that it can use for any purpose, including debt reduction in order to improve credit scores, educational expenses, or a down payment on a home. The average household income of FSS participants more than doubled during their time in the program, from $10,000 at the time of entry to more than $27,000 upon program completion. "One of the most important things we can do as public servants is to help HUD-assisted families achieve their dreams," said Secretary Carson. "Working with our local partners, HUD is connecting families to educational opportunities, job training, childcare and other resources that allow them to get higher paying jobs and, ultimately, become self-sufficient."

BRIEF BRIEFS TOO
Fairbanks, Alaska City Council votes 4-2, says News Miner, to approve ordinance prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment & public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identify. . .Seattle, Washington Housing Authority board approves acquisition &preservation plan that will allow it to purchase up to 500 additional housing units, half of which will be for households considered extremely low-income at 30 percent or less of area median income & half for moderately low-income residents making 60 to 80 percent of AMI. . .Housing Authority, Providence Health & Services, the Archdiocese of Portland & Catholic Charities of Oregon partnering to build "about 300u" of permanent, supportive housing for the homeless in Portland says Portland Business Journal. . .The developer Swell unveils plans for 24-unit housing complex called East End Cottages in Kachemak City, Alaska, 80 percent of which will be restricted to households with 60 percent or less area median income says KBBI-FM. . .Kitsap County, Washington Commission in "early stages," says The Sun, of preparing to open a navigation center with 75 beds & supportive services for the most vulnerable homeless. . .With funding from Oregon Health Authority ADAPT opens transitional housing for those in recovery from "opioid & other substance use disorders" in Grants Pass says KQEN. . .Portland Community Reinvestment Initiative e city leaders break ground for 70-unit affordable housing project honoring Dr. King & Rosa Parks to "mitigate forced displacement from rapidly-changing neighborhoods, current & former residents of" north & northeast Portland, Oregon says KPTV. . .Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signs executive order authorizing a number of actions to "protect against gentrification and displacement and make it possible for families to stay in Seattle". . .Thanks to the return of Gen-Xers, says Bloomberg, the nation's homeownership rate has risen to 64.8 percent, the highest since 2014.

GOT A NAME?
Calling all housing wonks
Got ideas or insights on how to address Washington state's affordable housing crisis? Well, then you might be a perfect fit to serve on the Washington Department of Commerce's Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Right now, it's looking for some new members. To apply or to nominate someone else, visit or contact Emily Grossman at emily.grossman@commerce.wa.gov

GOT A FAVORITE?
Highlighting healthy homes
HUD & the National Environmental Healthy Association have set a March 29th deadline to submit nominations for the 2019 HUD Secretary's Healthy Homes Awards. The reason is simple. Healthy homes make for healthy families make for healthy & strong communities. The standard's high, but simple, too – achieving excellence in "working across the health, environment, & housing sectors" to make "indoor environments healthier through healthy homes research, education, & program delivery, especially in low-to-moderate income communities"

And if you're readingNorthwest HUDLines, you know exactly the kind of work & the kind of organizations & the kind of outcomes we're looking to honor with a HUD Secretary's Healthy Homes Award. So, why not put it to paper &, by March 29th, nominate an organization with which you're familiar for a 2019 Award? You're doing them an honor & the rest of us a favor by sharing what's probably a new way of thinking, a new way of doing & new way of making healthy homes for healthy families & healthy, stronger communities. Please, please, please – don't be shy!

GOT VIEWS?
Speak-up & streamline
The Economic Growth Act enacted in 2018 offered the promise of regulatory relief to smaller public housing authorities with 550 or fewer public housing units & vouchers that predominantly serve rural areas by streamlining regulatory requirements on inspections and evaluations, corrective action requirements, environmental reviews, and energy conservation. In advance of rulemaking proceedings, HUD is seeking comment by April 15thfrom the public &, obviously, these authorities on how best to implement these regulatory changes. "HUD is committed to working closely with its program participants to see that the changes," The Federal Register notice seeking comment explains, "are successfully implemented and that these programs are significantly improved to provide assistance to the families HUD serves.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. . .
Streamlining at work
. . .HUD's efforts to streamline rules, regulations & requirements already are yielding results. Case in point, in February, HUD Secretary Carson announced that FHA is expanding a pilot launched in 2012 to that "streamlines FHA mortgage insurance applications for affordable housing developments that have equity from the sale of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, the nation's primary source of affordable housing production" to include new construction & rehabilitation projects under HUD's Section 221(d)4 & Section 220 to "to stimulate capital investment in affordable housing at a time when we need affordable housing more than ever,". Doing so, the Secretary said, is expected to reduce FHA's average processing time for LIHTC deals from the current 90 to 30 days.

NOFA-TUNITY
Tribal funding deadline extended
HUD has reissued its notice-of-funding-availability Federally-recognized Tribes to apply for up to 75 Indian Community Development Block Grants of between $500,000 & $4 million The new deadline for new applications or resubmissions, if desired, is March 20th

NOFA-TWO-NITY
Getting the lead out
HUD has reissued its notice-of-funding-availability for public & Tribal housing authorities to apply for up to 8 grants of up to $1 million each under its Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program with a new application due date of March 14th.

NOFA-THREE-NITY
Standing-up for stand-downs
The U.S. Department of Labor's VETS – Veterans Employment & Training Service - program is now accepting – until December 31st, 2019 - applications from state & local workforce development organizations, veterans service organizations, public agencies, Tribal governments & not-for-profits for grants of up to $10,000 each to support veterans' Stand Down events.

BRIEF BRIEFS THREE
In April Anchorage, Alaska voters will be "asked to approve a 5 percent retail tax" proposed by Mayor Ethan Berkowitz – "that consumers would pay anywhere they buy alcohol, including bars and liquor stores" says KTVA-TV. . .Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington & Catholic Charities of Oregon selected ;by Catholic Charities USA to be among first 5 Healthy Homes Initiative projects to work w/ hospitals, funders, developers &service providers to reduce homelessness by 20 percent over next five years. . .Using HUD's HOME Investment Partnership & other funds the City of Bremerton, Washington & Community Frameworks launch new Homeownership Down Payment Assistance program to "make home buying affordable for eligible home buyers purchasing" within City. . .Forbes says Oregon ranks 2nd, Idaho 3rd& Washington 6th as the states people most want to move to. . .With "more than 500 families" in its school district that have been identified as homeless, Lynnwood, Washington City Council considering purchase of Rodeo Inn, says MLT News, to house "homeless students & their families. . .Portland, Oregon Housing Bureau okays $7 million in funding to assist Northwest Housing Alliance in developing the 65-unit Powellhurst Place & Innovative Housing Inc. to expand Garden Park by 61 units, both of will "bring more affordable family & supportive housing to East Portland". . .DBG Properties now accepting applications for 192 units of "income-restricted" housing at K West Apartments in central Vancouver, Washington says The Columbian. . .Telling KBND-AM/FM there's "" very little education, within the military or after the military, veterans receive" on using VA loans to buy homes, Bend, Oregon chapter of R chapter of Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals to launch campaign to help vets to use VA loans. . .REALTOR.com says Grants Pass, Oregon & Bellingham, Washington among 10 "most unaffordable housing markets" in U.S.

FACT-ASTIC
Sweaty but sweet
Recently HUD Secretary Carson announced the award of $10 million in HUD Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity grants to four national or regional organizations including $1,338,071 to Community Frameworks that has offices in both Spokane & Bremerton, Washington serving Idaho, Oregon, Montana & Washington. The other winners this year of SHOP grant were Habitat for Humanity International, the Housing Assistance Council & the Terra del Sol Housing Consortium. All four are grantees help income-families who are willing to roll-up their sleeves & in collaboration with friends & neighbors build their own homes with up to $15,000 to help defray acquisition & infrastructure improvement costs & make the home affordable. "A good investment?" you wonder. Well, over the last 10 years Community Frameworks has helped 1,579 families build their own homes in 80 communities big & small in Idaho, Oregon & Washington. Simply put, that's lots of bang for the buck & as Secretary Carson notes, one of the "terrific programs" at HUD "advancing economic opportunity" for hundreds of "deserving families.".

NOT-SO-FACT-ASTIC
Housing First anyone?
David Kronan of Crosscut says that 2018 data from the Seattle Police Department show that it "booked just over 1,000 homeless people into jail a combined 3,211 times," mostly for non-violent offenses." That means, he adds, that " one out of every five bookings last year was of someone struggling with homelessness, despite the homeless making up about 1 percent of the city's population" & notwithstanding the Department's view, explains Sergeant Sean Whitcomb, that "we've said all along that being homeless is not a crime," The "vast majority of arrests," Kronan notes, were "for nonviolent crimes; in fact, housed people who were arrested were more likely to have committed assault than homeless people who were arrested.".

NOTEWORTHY
Is geography destiny?
"And local residents say that access to education, transit, job opportunities and other amenities varies widely depending on the price point of the neighborhood in which they live. Those living in areas with higher median home values said they are more satisfied with their access to local amenities, according to the latest Zillow Housing Aspirations Report (ZHAR), a semi-annual survey of 10,000 Americans in 20 large metro areas. People living in areas with lower home values said they were largely not as satisfied – except when it comes to public transportation."–"In Areas Where Home Values are Lower, Residents Perceive Worse Access to Education & Jobs", Zillow Research, February 21, 2019

QUOTE-WORTHY
Who's to blame?
"I think the tech community has been unfairly blamed for the situation that we face today, which is this imbalance of jobs and housing that they've created in the last decade. The tech community did their job by creating lots of new opportunities and jobs for folks with great benefits and pay and 401Ks, and that's what we want them to be doing. And we want them to be doing it in the middle of our city, not way out on the edge, which creates a bunch of impact. So, in my mind, they've done their jobs and they've also been blamed for the pressure that the job creation has put on housing. But guess what? They don't control zoning in the city. They don't control those limits and regulations. That's controlled by city officials." – Jon Scholes, chief executive officer of the Downtown Seattle Association, GeekWire, February 11th, 2019

QUOTABLE & NOTABLE
New governor's new idea
The proposed First Time Homebuyer Savings Account program in Idaho would do "two thing. . .It gets people in houses earlier and b, it plants the seed in people's mind that it's important to save money" that is not subject to state income tax and means "there'll be a little (budget) impact because it'll be a little less income tax coming into the pool. But it's still the right incentive to the right people." -- Idaho Governor Brad Little, BoiseDev, February 15, 2019

JUST PUBLISHED
The Housing Assistance Council takes a look at HUD's appropriations numbers for the fiscal year 2919 signed into law by President Trump on February 15th. . .HUD issues Year-in-Review report highlighting its accomplishments in calendar year 2018. . .University of New Hampshire's Casey School of Public Policy reports that 35 percent of the nation's rural counties are "depopulating" compared to just 9 percent of urban counties that are. . .Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies Healthy Homes Remodeling: Consumer Trends & Contractor Preparedness reports that "while consumer interest in "healthy home remodeling" is on the rise, & the remodeling trades' awareness of this shift is growing rapidly, this market niche is overall still in the early stages of its growth."

NOTES TO NOTE
Home Depot Foundation & Housing Assistance Council sets March 11thdeadline for non-profits to apply for grants of up to $30,000 for "bricks & mortar" projects to help low-income, elderly and/or disabled veterans with home repair & rehab projects, become homeowners or secure affordable rental housing. . .HUD reissues notice-of-funding-availability for public & Tribal housing authorities to apply for up to 8 grants of up to $1 million each under its Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program with a new application due date of March 14th. . .EPA sets et March 15thdeadline for applications to fill 10 to 15 vacancies on its 30-member Local Government Advisory Committee. . .HUD has reissued its notice-of-funding-availability Federally-recognized Tribes to apply for up to 75 Indian Community Development Block Grants of between $500,000k & $4 million with the deadline for new applications or resubmissions, if desired, now March 20th. .USDA sets March 20thdeadline sets for faculty & staff of Hispanic-serving institutions to apply for E. Kika De La Garza Fellowships to work with & better understand how USDA & the Federal government relate to their schools & students. . .HUD sets April 15thdeadline to submit comments on how to implement the streamlining of the regulatory framework faced by predominantly-rural public housing authorities with 550 or fewer voucher-supported & public housing units. . .USDA sets April 29thdeadline to apply for $200 million in grants & May 29th deadline for $200 million in loans to "build broadband infrastructure in rural America". . .Oregon Housing & Community Services sets September 3rddeadline for eligible manufactured housing parks, residents of mobile home parts & non-profits to apply for a total of $24 million to gain "control over rising rents or taking control when park owners are considering closing the Park". . .USDA's Rural Utilities Service sets September 30th, 2019 deadline for nonprofits, Tribes & state & local governments to apply for Rural Broadband Access Loans of between $100,000 & $25 million that will be awarded on a rolling, first-come-first-serve basis. . .U.S. Department of Labor VETS program sets December 31stdeadline for state & local workforce development groups, veterans service organizations, public agencies, Tribal governments & non-profits to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to conduct veterans Stand Down events.

COMING UP
Washington Housing Finance Commission hosts Tax Credit Fundamentals Workshop, March 12th, Seattle, Washington. Visit

Idaho Smart Growth hosts Citizen Planning Academy, March 6th, Boise, Idaho. Visit

Portland State University hosts its 2ndannual Mobility Matters conference, March 11th, Portland, Oregon. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Conquering Low Income Housing Tax Credit Compliance Course, March 12thto 14th, Salem, Oregon. Visit

Washington State Housing Finance Commission hosts Advanced Tax Credit Compliance Workshop, March 13th, Seattle, Washington. Visit

Washington Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Documenting Resident Violations webinar, March 13th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Occupancy Focus Class for Mixed-Funded/HUD Properties, March 19th, Salem, Oregon. Visit

Washington Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Basic Occupancy Management workshop, March 19th, Seattle, Washington. Visit

Washington Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Role of the Service Coordinator in Preventing Bedbug Infestations in Public Housing webinar, March 20th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Annual RD Workshop, Part 1, March 22n, Salem, Oregon. Visit

Main Street USA hosts Main Street Now national conference, March 25thto 27th, Seattle, Washington. Visit

HUD Seattle hosts a Stakeholder-Only Listening Session on REAC's New Inspection Model, March 28th, Seattle, Washington. To register for the morning session, visit & for the afternoon session, visit.

RCAC hosts Homeowner Well & Septic Systems workshop, April 6th, Twin Falls, Idaho. Visit

Association of Alaska Housing Authorities hosts Indian Housing Law workshop, April 9th& 10th, Anchorage, Alaska. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Occupancy Focus for RD Managers, April 10th, Salem, Oregon. Visit

Washington State Housing Finance Commission hosts Low Income Housing Tax Credits Fundamentals workshop, April 10th, Yakima, Washington. Visit

Northwest Fair Housing Alliance hosts 2019 Inland Northwest Fair Housing Conference, April 11th, Spokane, Washington. Visit

Association of Alaskan Housing Authorities hosts Non-Discrimination Laws in Housing workshop, April 11th, Anchorage, Alaska. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts a Comprehensive Discussion of the Consequences of 8823 Non-Compliance, April 17th, Salem, Oregon. Visit

HUD Alaska Office of Native American Programs & Association of Alaska Housing Authorities host Residential Endorsem*nt workshop, April 16thto 18th, Anchorage, Alaska. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Occupancy Focus for RD Managers, April 18th, Boardman, Oregon. Visit

Washington Affordable Housing Management Association hosts 2019 conference, April 23rd& 24th, Vancouver, Washington. Visit

HUD Alaska Office of Native American Programs & Association of Alaskan Housing Authorities host NAHASDA Essentials workshop, April 23rdto 26th, Anchorage, Alaska. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Occupancy Focus for RD Managers, April 24th, Grants Pass, Oregon. Visit

Washington State Municipal Stormwater Conference, April 24th& 25th, Sea-Tac, Washington. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Associations hosts Annual REAC Pep Refresher workshop, April 25th, Salem, Oregon. Visit

Idaho Affordable Housing Management Association hosts 2019 Biennial Training & Certification Conference, April 28thto May 1st, Boise, Idaho. Visit

Pacific Northwest National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials hosts 2019 annual conference, April 29thto 30th, Portland, Oregon. Visit

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