Around the State
Eviction Moratorium Ending Soon – Rental Assistance Still Available
As we enter the second half of the month it remains to be seen whether or not national and state eviction protections will remain in place past June 30th. Both the CDC Eviction Moratorium which has been in place since September 4, 2020 and the Governor’s executive orders affirming the applicability of the CDC moratorium are set to expire at the end of the month without further action. Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians remain at-risk for eviction. Over $546 million in emergency rental assistance is available through the HOPE Program for use to help households in 88 counties with rent and utility debt. Anyone who is currently behind in rent should contact the HOPE Program to determine their eligibility. Without further an extension in eviction protections, it is vital for people to access the assistance that is available now.
Go here for more details: HOPE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Go here to apply: HOPE Program | ReBuild NC
Apply by phone: (888) 927-5467
National
Infrastructure Proposals Continue to Be Negotiated
Last week, the House Problem Solvers Caucu, a bipartisan group of Representatives, released their own proposal for an infrastructure package that presumably would be able to draw bipartisan support, and thus have a more sure path to Congressional approval. Unfortunately for housing, the proposal contains only $10 billion for veterans housing programs. While that is surely an issue and population that needs housing funding, there remains millions of others across the country in need of assistance with housing affordability, accessibility, and stability. The White House’s proposal includes $319 billion for housing programs. Housing is a vital part of a modern society’s infrastructure and any federal infrastructure efforts should contain resources for housing. If you are in conversation with NC’s Congressional delegation, please impress upon them the importance of housing as infrastructure.
FHFA Extends Forbearance Eligibility for Multifamily Property Owners to Sept. 30
Earlier this month, The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to offer COVID-19 forbearance to qualifying multifamily property owners through September 30, 2021. This move will help provide some stability for residents of such subsidized or federal-backed rental properties. Residents of such properties may also be eligible for emergency rental assistance & other recovery funds. Please see above for links to the HOPE Program.
Detrimental AFFH Changes Being Formally Reversed
HUD’s Interim Final Rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) was published in the Federal Register on June 10. The rule will restore the statutory definition of AFFH and some certifications that were removed from the 2015 AFFH rule by the previous administration. The new rule will go into effect on July 31. Important to note, that the rule does not reinstate the 2015 rule’s procedural provisions that governed how HUD grantees conducted fair housing planning and how HUD reviews their planning work. HUD intends to continue to make adjustments to restore and further strengthen fair housing regulations and activities.
REPORTS/RESOURCES
University of Chicago – Learning about Homelessness Using Linked Survey and Administrative Data
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta – Special Briefing: Despite CDC Moratorium, Atlanta-Area Eviction Filings Hit Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods
Housing Studies – Inclusionary housing in the United States: Dynamics of local policy and outcomes in diverse markets
