Legislative Updates

AHMA-PSW’s Affordable Housing News 04/11/19

April 11, 2019

The FY 2018 Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program Capital Advance Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is now posted on grants.gov. HUD is providing up to $50 million in Capital Advance funding for: the development and operation of supportive rental housing for very-low income persons aged 62 years or older and project rental subsidies in the form of a Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) to maintain on going affordability. This funding, leveraged with other financing sources, will expand affordable housing opportunities and include supportive services such as transportation, continuing education and/or health that will allow seniors to live independently and to age in place. These are the first funds for construction of new elderly housing under the Section 202 program since 2010. HUD (and AHMA-PSW) are looking forward to supporting the construction of new units, with deep rental assistance, for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Please note that HUD will host a single, national webinar on Thursday, April 25, from 2-3 p.m. EST to provide an overview of the NOFA. Register here for the webinar. Due to the regulations associated with NOFA, there is limited information that can be shared about the NOFA. Any questions may be sent by email to 202CapitalAdvanceNOFA@hud.gov. HUD will maintain a repository of questions answered on the Funding Opportunities webpage.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has approved a Conciliation/Voluntary Compliance Agreement between the owners of a Sunnyvale, California, apartment complex and a single mother of two who is a domestic violence survivor. The agreement settles claims alleging that the property discriminated against the woman based on her sex when they refused to remove her then-husband from her lease after she obtained a restraining order against him. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on sex. “Survivors of abuse shouldn’t be victimized by having their housing rights violated,” said Anna María Farías HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD is committed to ensuring that housing providers are aware of their responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act and that they take steps to comply with those obligations.” VP of Legs & Regs note: Although this case seems to not acknowledge that we have procedures to follow under the VAWA, it does show the importance of having strong VAWA policies and following them.