HUD has announced the third round of COVID-19 Supplemental Payments, or CSPs. Properties can apply for reimbursements for certain COVID-19 expenses that occurred between December 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021. The deadline to submit CSP requests to HUD is April 26.
With vaccine distribution well underway across the country, affordable senior housing providers are navigating decisions around "reopening" or loosening restrictions at communities while weighing health risks for at-risk residents. Key considerations for changing community policies include:
On April 29, HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research will host a panel discussion on "Services in HUD-Assisted Housing." Among other topics, the discussion will cover HUD's Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) and Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) programs.
As HUD moves forward with its overhaul of physical inspections, the agency posted an updated set of draft building standards that will be evaluated during inspections under the new NSPIRE model. HUD's NSPIRE website now hosts a fully revised version of the new standards (Version 2.1, dated April 2, 2021), which will eventually be incorporated into the final NSPIRE inspection protocol.
On Mach 30, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) posted a new consumer FAQ on the Emergency Broadband Benefit. The new benefit program provides up to $50 per month off of internet service for income-qualifying households, as well as a one-time discount on a connected device.
An interactive and informative listening session, hosted by CDC’s Dr. Carolyn Bridges, explored current issues in the COVID vaccination roll-out for older adults in the community and in residential settings. Dr. Bridges began the call with what she called ‘ground level’ facts and known issues related to the organization and distribution of vaccines to those in the 1A category across states.
In summary, these facts and known issues included:
On June 5th, LeadingAge, LeadingAge Maine/New Hampshire, and the Maine Council on Aging co-hosted a conversation with preventative medicine fellows on how property staff can reduce the spread of COVID-19 in HUD-assisted senior housing communities. During the conversation with senior housing property staff, medical personnel from the Maine Medical Center (MMC) shared distancing and disinfection strategies for affordable housing communities.
The 2020 hurricane season began on June 1st, and experts project more frequent and more intense storms for this year’s five-month disaster season. With many parts of the country still grappling with the effects of COVID-19, hurricane preparedness is both different and more critical this year; HUD, the CDC, and FEMA have weighed in with preparation resources and responsibilities for housing providers.
HUD-Assisted Properties: Disaster Responsibilities
On March 27th, lawmakers enacted the CARES Act, which provided relief for communities navigating COVID-19. To help housing providers prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus, the law approved millions in additional subsidy through HUD for Section 202 Support Housing for the Elderly, a portion of which can be used toward service coordination. Other HUD programs, including Project-based Rental Assistance (PBRA), also received significant relief funding; nearly half of PBRA program households are senior-led.
While many people across the country have received their economic impact payments approved by the CARES Act, some low-income households are still waiting for relief. Under pressure from lawmakers, the IRS has added information and telephone representatives to help answer questions.
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