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

Check with State Monitoring Agency Before Charging Rent on Employee Unit

September 25, 2019    

If you have a manager’s unit as part of your original allocation of credits, the manager’s unit is not a considered an LIHTC unit. But it was included in eligible basis, so it’s more akin to common space.

Don't Consider Household Income with Live-In Aide Requests

September 25, 2019    

Approving a live-in aide, if needed by a disabled household, is an example of a reasonable accommodation. When considering a household’ request for a live-in aide to accommodate a household member’ disability, don’t be concerned that the aide’s occupancy in a low-income...

Don't Require Applicant to Be Physically Able to Keep Unit Clean

September 25, 2019    

Though you can require that an applicant’s unit be kept clean and free of health hazards, you can’t require that the applicant be physically able to keep the unit in such condition himself. It doesn’t matter whether the applicant himself is physically able to clean or maintain...

Congressman Recommends Strategies to Address Affordable Housing Crisis

September 25, 2019    

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) recently released a housing report entitled, “Locked Out: Reversing Federal Housing Failures and Unlocking Opportunity.” It calls on the federal government to “reassert its partnership to become a constructive force for equity, accessibility...

More Legislators Indicate Support for Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act

September 25, 2019    

During the August recess, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act garnered more support and co-sponsorships from Congressional members. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019 was reintroduced in June by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron...

FHFA Expands Multifamily Lending Caps for Fannie and Freddie

September 25, 2019    

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced that it will increase caps on the amount of multifamily loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase next year while also closing some loopholes. The regulatory agency will now limit the two firms to purchasing $100 billion in...

Count Unborn Children as Household Members

September 24, 2019    

The HUD Handbook requires you to count household members’ unborn children as part of a low-income household for occupancy and income purposes [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-6(E)(4)(d)]. You count a pregnant household member as two people, and use the income limits for a larger household size....

Survey Highlights Barriers to Building Affordable Homes

August 29, 2019    

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies recently published a report called “A Home Builder Perspective on Housing Affordability and Construction Innovation.” It found that both single-family and multifamily home builders identify labor and building-material costs and...

California Releases Proposed LIHTC Program Changes

August 29, 2019    

The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee recently released a memorandum that lists proposed changes for the state’s low-income housing tax credit program. For 2020, the $500 million in state credits will be available through the noncompetitive application process. The committee also...

National League of Cities Urges Action on Housing Affordability

July 24, 2019    

The National League of Cities (NLC) Housing Task Force recently published “Homeward Bound: The Road to Affordable Housing.” The report focuses on the challenges and solutions communities are using to address the nation's growing affordable housing crisis. The report offers...

HUD Secretary Carson Highlights SEC’s Efforts to Encourage OZ Investing

July 24, 2019    

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created Opportunity Zones (OZs) to stimulate long-term investments in low-income communities. As the initiative offers capital gains tax relief to those who invest in these distressed areas, the tax incentives are anticipated to spur $100 billion in private capital...

NCSHA Directory Shows OZ Target Investment Increase

July 24, 2019    

According to an analysis by the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), the amount of capital targeted for investment in designated Opportunity Zones (OZs) has increased dramatically. NCSHA compiles a directory of OZ funding opportunities. This resource provides descriptions and...