This interim rule conforms HUD’s regulations to the self-implementing Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) provisions for families applying for or receiving rental assistance under HUD’s public housing and tenant- and project-based Section 8 programs. [Download.] The effective date is December 29, 2008, but comments may be submitted through January 27, 2009. Meliah Schultzman (mschultzman@nhlp.org) of the National Housing Law Project is coordinating comment submission for members of the Housing Justice Network and other interested tenant/housing advocates.

The FY 09 FMRs went into effect on October 1, 2009. Rather than send you to the Federal Register, the link that follows takes you to the friendlier HUD User page which includes a link to the FMR table listing FMRs for individual areas. [Download.]

This super long title refers to the regulations governing the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) component of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), through which HUD will disburse a total of $3.9 billion in emergency assistance funds to state and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties that are or at risk of becoming blighted areas. NSP is considered a CDBG program and thus governed by CDGB regs, unless otherwise indicated in HERA. The link at the end of this post takes you to the HUD webpage that provides links to the regs at 73 FR 58330 and handy links listing state and local allocations. Note that states and localities must submit NSP plans to HUD by December 1, 2008. [Download.]

This is HUD’s final rule on student eligibility for housing assisted under the Section 8 program. This rule amends 24 CFR 5.612 to make it consistent with the existing statutory authority that allows persons with disabilities who are students who were already utilizing the program as of November 30, 2005 to receive assistance. This final rule takes effect on September 22, 2005. [Download]

HUD states that “[t]he purpose of this notice is to facilitate the process for review and approval of special payments standards under the Housing Choice Voucher program as a reasonable accommodation for a family with a person with disabilities.” The notice clarifies how to calculate the special payment standard and the type of supporting documents that must be submitted with a request to waive the regular payment standard. The notice permits the 40 percent cap, normally applied only at initial occupancy, to be applied to families that need an exception or special payment standard to remain in their assisted units. [Download]

This HUD Notice, PIH 2008-12, establishes new improved policies for “over-housed” families receiving enhanced vouchers following the loss of federally subsidized housing, e.g. project-based Section 8 opt outs, prepayment of HUD-subsidized mortgages.  Prior to the issuance of this notice, if the bedroom size of a family’s unit exceeded the size that the family qualified for under the voucher subsidy standards based on family size, the family was deemed “over-housed” and if there was no “appropriately” sized unit for them to move into in the development in which the subsidy loss took place, the household would be forced to move elsewhere with less housing assistance.  This placed a burden on a great many empty-nesters and seniors.  Among other things, the Notice obligates the owner to identify all appropriately sized units for the over-housed family to move into and, if there are none, permits the family to remain in their original unit and receive a subsidy for the oversized unit until an appropriately sized unit becomes available.