Institute for Responsible Housing Preservation

Legislative Update

Congress has returned from its August recess and has a full legislative agenda which will probably keep it in session until early December. Although the media focus is on health care, the House and Senate are working to pass the Appropriations bills before the new fiscal year begins on October 1st. The Senate is now considering the 2010 HUD Appropriations bill. The House completed its work on their bill prior to the August recess. The House bill for HUD programs totals $47 billion and the Senate bill is $45.8 billion. Project-based Section 8 contracts are fully funded for 12 months – an issue which was resolved in the stimulus bill last February with an additional $2 billion appropriation. Funding for key programs include:

Key Programs	Senate	House
Tenant-based Voucher Renewals	$16.3 B	$16.2 B
Project-based Rental Assistance Renewals	$8.1 B	$8.4 B
Section 202 Elderly Housing – new units	$542	$872 M
HOME	$1.825 B	$2.0 B
CDBG Formula Grants	$3.99 B	$4.166
Public Housing Operating Fund	$4.750 B	$4.800 B
Public Housing Capital Fund	$2.5 B	$2.5 B
HOPE VI	$0.00	$250 M
Choice Neighborhoods*	$250 M	$0.00
Homeless Veterans Vouchers	$75 M	$75 M
FHA Energy Efficient Multifamily Loans	$20 M	$25 M

*Choice Neighborhoods is the Obama new HOPE VI program

Preservation Legislation Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) of the House Financial Services Committee is still intent on passing his affordable housing preservation bill this year although it has to yet to be introduced. Hearings were held in June and July at which HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan testified as well as industry groups including Sarah Metherell for IRHP, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, National Leased Housing Association and National Housing Trust. IRHP, NLHA and other groups are scheduled to meet with Chairman Frank this week to discuss his proposed bill and the timing of its introduction. Although the draft bill contains many important legislative changes including the conversion of RAP and Rent Supp to project based vouchers, expansion of enhanced vouchers, project-basing enhanced vouchers at an owner’s option and opening the window to assignment of M2M HUD-held debt, there still remains grave concerns about certain provisions including a “Right of Purchase” to certain groups and a watering down of certain federal pre-exemption provisions .

CLICK HERE for the extensive comments to the revised draft legislation submitted to Capitol Hill and HUD staff.

We will continue to keep you updated of these important issues.

Institute for Responsible Housing Preservation
401 9th Street, N.W., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004
Tel: (202) 585 - 8739 • Fax: (202) 585 - 8080 • Email: info@HousingPreservation.org