Legislative Updates

AHMA-PSW’s Affordable Housing News 08/19/2020


California:

  • California Judicial Council has voted to end its statewide freeze on court eviction cases early, giving Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers three weeks to come up with their own plan to protect as many as 4 million renters believed to be at risk of losing their homes due to COVID-related job losses. Under the 19-1 vote announced Thursday, Aug. 13, two emergency rules — one freezing court eviction cases and the other freezing court foreclosures — will run through Sept. 1, after this year’s truncated legislative session ends.
  • As COVID-19 remains an immediate threat to the health of Californians, the public health response to the virus has also brought on a major economic downturn. Prior to the pandemic, Californians identified housing costs as among the state’s highest hurdles. Concern is underscored by California having the third highest rate of cost-burdened renter households in the nation. Click here to read more.
  • The rise in unemployment due to COVID-19 may deepen financial strain for already vulnerable residents; according to the May PPIC Statewide Survey.

Arizona:

  • A lawsuit sponsored by several trade organizations on behalf of AZ Landlords was filed with the AZ Supreme Court. The suit alleges basically an unconstitutional taking of property by Gov. Ducey. This moratorium does not prevent termination of tenancy, nor even filing for, nor receiving judgement. It does prevent execution of writs of restitution under certain Covid related circumstances. Unfortunately, some Judges have misconstrued the Executive Order as a blanket moratorium on evictions, which is a disservice to our industry and our Residents who choose to follow the rules.  While AHMA-PSW is not a party to this suit, we can agree that there are times when evictions are necessary. We are in the business of providing housing, not taking it away, however there are times when this must be done for the good of all Residents. This discretion needs to be left to Property Owners, Management agents and the Civil Courts. If you have the opportunity, we encourage you to make your views known to our Legislators in the hopes of a legislative fix to this issue.

National:

  • Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 cohort for ConnectHomeUSA. Details regarding the application process and attending an informational webinar can be accessed here.
  • To provide ongoing education and assistance for Multifamily property owners during COVID-19, HUD has partnered with EPA to offer a webinar entitled “Healthy Homes, Green Cleaning, Indoor Air Quality and Your Health” on Thursday, August 20th. Details and instructions for attending can be found here.
  • Even if a resident does not file a Tax Return, they can still receive their Economic Impact Payments. You can download a flyer about the Non-Filers tool from the Multifamily website, to share with residents. Information in Spanish about the Economic Impact Payment and the Non-Filers tool is available on the IRS website.
  • HUD had announced that REAC Physical Inspections will resume on or about Monday, October 5, 2020. REAC will prioritize properties with a historically low REAC inspection score in Low-Risk localities. The 14-day notices to properties will begin on or about Monday, September 21, 2020. More information regarding REAC can be found here.
  • HUD has developed a library of resources relevant to Distressed Cities Technical Assistance (DCTA) recipients and smaller distressed communities impacted by a natural disaster. Explore this collection of resources, which features COVID-19 pandemic response resources as well as general resources. The following resources are the newest webinars, reports, and other information available on the DCTA Program Resources page.
  • HOME Multifamily Underwriting Template Webinar, September 2, 2020 at 1:00pm EDT. You must have a HUD Exchange account to register. Follow these instructions for registering.
  • HOME Reports are posted! The HOME Grant Specific Commitment and Disbursement Summary Report can be accessed here. The HOME National Production Report can be found here.
  • CDBG Cares Act: Overview of Federal Register Notice (FR-5218-N-01) Webinar, August 20, 2020 3:30pm EDT. Follow these instructions for registering.
  • Distressed Cities Technical Assistance Webinar for Local Governments serving small communities responding to COVID-19, Summer 2020. Follow these instructions for registering.
  • Multifamily RHIIP: We are pleased to provide you with information to ensure that those residents of Multifamily properties who are not required to file taxes can receive their Economic Impact Payment. You can download a flyer about the Non-Filers tool from the Multifamily website, to share with residents. Information in Spanish about the Economic Impact Payment and the Non-Filers tool is available on the IRS website.