Dos & Don'ts, In the News, Keeping It Straight, Private Letter Rulings, Q & A

Dos & Don'ts, In the News, Keeping It Straight, Private Letter Rulings, Q & A

Don't Use ChatGPT for Marketing Purposes

July 28, 2023    

Like other real estate businesses, you may be using ChatGPT, Bard, Bing, and other generative AI products, a.k.a. chatbots, for marketing purposes, such as developing advertising strategies, analyzing housing markets, and generating property listings, ads, social media posts, and other marketing...

Consider Subsidy When Screening Section 8 Applicants

July 28, 2023    

Make sure you take into account the Section 8 subsidy in determining a Section 8 voucher holder’s ability to pay rent. If your site requires applicants to have a minimum income level, don’t let this policy improperly reject voucher holders who don’t meet your site’s...

Report Grades State QAPs on Energy Efficiency, Racial Equity, Healthy Building Practices

July 28, 2023    

The BlueGreen Alliance Foundation recently released a report that ranked all states based on their criteria for allocating LIHTCs through Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs). The report scored each state based on how the states’ QAPs promoted healthy building practices, energy efficiency,...

Latest “State of the Nation’s Housing” Report Is Released

June 28, 2023    

The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University recently released its annual report, State of the Nation’s Housing 2023. The report combines analyses of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Realtors, RealPage, and other sources to...

Reintroduced AHCIA Bill Seeks to Expand and Improve LIHTC Program

May 25, 2023    

On May 11, bipartisan groups of senators and representatives introduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) of 2023 in the Senate and House. The AHCIA was first introduced in Congress in 2016, and has had increasing bipartisan support since then. Although it hasn’t passed...

Treasury Highlights Use of ARP Funds to Increase Affordable Housing Supply

April 27, 2023    

HUD and the Treasury Department recently highlighted the Biden administration’s efforts to increase access to safe, quality housing by encourage the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for affordable housing production and preservation. The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF...

Senator Wyden Reintroduces DASH Act to Expand LIHTC

March 31, 2023    

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden recently reintroduced the Decent Affordable, Safe Housing for All (DASH) Act, which implements sweeping reforms to affordable housing financing in an effort to combat homelessness and expand affordable housing access.

IRS Publishes Population Figures Used to Calculate 2023 LIHTCs

March 31, 2023    

The IRS recently published Notice 2023-22 with the population figures used to calculate the calendar year 2023 LIHTC and private activity bond limits for all 50 states; Washington D.C.; and U.S. territories. According to the data, the population figures increased 0.4 percent from 2022 to 2023....

IRS Grants Owner Extension to Group Buildings as Part of Single Multi-Building Project

February 23, 2023    

A private letter ruling (PLR) is a written response issued by the IRS to an owner or taxpayer when the owner asks a question about the tax effects of its acts or transactions. The questions posed by site owners usually entail uncertainty about how to handle a situation and the need for guidance...

Clarification on Applying the Vacant Unit Rule at Mixed-Income Sites

January 31, 2023    

Q I have a mixed-income site. The last issue of the Insider seemed to indicate that credit may be claimed on vacant units if reasonable attempts are being made to rent the unit and no units are rented to non-qualified households...

White House Announces Actions to Protect Renters and Promote Affordability

January 31, 2023    

The White House recently announced new actions to increase fairness in the rental market and further principles of fair housing. Notable actions announced include: 

Bill Would Expand LIHTC Housing Options for Formerly Homeless Students

January 2, 2023    

In November, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) from the House introduced “The Housing for Homeless Students Act of 2022” to help homeless students, veterans, and foster...