We know that flu-like viruses are disproportionately risky for older adults, and the coronavirus is no exception. Because older adults with housing instability are especially vulnerable, preparedness is critical at this stage. Here are some tips for LeadingAge affordable housing members to help prepare communities, residents, and staff.
Overall: HUD Seeks 15% Cut
The headlines are clear: The Administration’s overall request for HUD in FY21 is terrible. HUD is seeking a 15% cut to its own agency. The request seeks to eliminate the HOME and CDBG program, the national Housing Trust Fund, basically eliminate public housing as we know it today, cut homeless assistance grants, and appears to not provide enough funding for voucher renewals in FY21. These are all programs that serve older adults and are all proposals LeadingAge strongly opposes.
On February 7, HUD announced $51.5 million in awards to 18 organizations to build and operate affordable housing for very low income older adults. LeadingAge is thrilled to share that HUD has awarded 11 LeadingAge members a total of $32.8 million of funding for Section 202 Housing for the Elderly. LeadingAge has been tirelessly advocating for new Section 202 funding, and our efforts are paying off.
On February 6, LeadingAge and the National Housing Trust sent a letter to the lead sponsors of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act in support of the bill’s language to modify and clarify nonprofit rights to purchase properties financed with the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.
On January 28, HUD issued new guidance, FHEO-2020-1, to clarify “how housing providers can comply with the Fair Housing Act when assessing a person’s request to have an animal in housing to provide assistance because of a disability.”
The Trump Administration is working to change “affirmatively furthering fair housing” (AFFH) requirements that help enforce the Fair Housing Act, change the way 85% of the banks covered by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) meet CRA standards to invest in low and moderate-income communities, and make the path to citizenship for immigrants using certain public benefits more difficult.
LeadingAge is concerned that the changes will weaken communities’ obligations to fair housing, lessen resources for affordable housing, and discourage older adults from receiving needed assistance.
On January 14, HUD published a proposed rule that would replace a key Fair Housing Act enforcement tool to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH) with a weaker version of the one developed in 2015 by the Obama Administration.
After its holiday break, Congress returned to work for votes in Washington, DC on January 7.
Because 2020 is an election year, there are numerous Congressional district work periods (aka “recesses”). Every month but June and September include one, two or three weeks of district work periods. Congress expects to be in session in DC for four full weeks in both June and September.
The district work periods represent prime opportunities for aging service stakeholders to meet with their members of Congress in their districts.
LeadingAge has learned that given the number of Section 202 communities with Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) that requested larger rent increases to prepare for recapitalization in fiscal year 2019 (FY19), HUD plans to develop new guidance for HUD staff to evaluate these requests and prioritize those properties with the greatest need. According to HUD, many Section 202 PRAC owners have been requesting increases even for younger PRACs, and even with a final fiscal year 2020 HUD appropriations bill in place HUD cannot fully fund every request.
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