Affordable Housing -- General - HousingPolicy.org Forum

Homebuying trends in QM-driven market?

2014-02-11T13:57:19.178Z

We are polling our HFA partners (and other program administrators) to learn about innovative practices they are using to work with lenders to help more buyers. We're interested in discovering any early trends HFAs are seeing as a result of the QM rule.

Please let me know if you have any to share - we may use the examples in our blog and/or in a webinar series for lenders about the increasing relevance of HFAs in today's QM-driven market.
Thanks!
Tracey Shell

Down Payment Resource

Self-Sufficiency Tools in Resident Service Offerings

2014-01-24T13:57:20.235Z

On January 16, NHC and the AFI Resource Center hosted a webinar on Financial Education and Matched Savings for Affordable Housing Residents. The webinar included:

A summary from More Than A Roof [PDF] about how housing authorities can offer economic security programs for their residents
Details about the Assets for Independence (AFI) program and AFI's matched savings accounts (also known as Individual Development Accounts or IDAs)
An example from the California Coalition for Rural Housing about pairing their AFI grant with a Self-Help housing program to boost sustainable low-income homeownership
Information about an upcoming AFI grant opportunity

Additional webinar resources can be accessed below:

Speakers' slides
Full webinar recording (on YouTube)

If you would like to be notified when the 2014 AFI Funding Opportunity Announcement is released, or have additional questions for the AFI Resource Center, please email [email protected]" target="_self">[email protected].

You are welcome to share your thoughts and questions about self-sufficiency programs for affordable housing residents using the discussion area below.

Mapping Combined Housing and Transportation Costs

2014-01-02T19:38:40.798Z

Have you tried out HUD's new Location Affordability Index yet? The index estimates the typical share of household income spent on housing and transportation costs to offer a picture of housing affordability in neighborhoods and regions across the country. When housing affordability is discussed, transportation costs are typically not included. This can obscure the reality that affordable housing is often located far from job centers and requires long and expensive commuting. Once transportation costs are considered with housing costs, many affordable options are no longer affordable to households with limited budgets.

For those of you have used the Index, what do you think? How do you foresee using it in your work?

Grim picture for renters highlighted in recent report

2013-12-12T17:57:22.144Z

Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies recently released a report that explores the nation's rental housing market and rental housing needs, America's Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs. The findings from the report, summarized in a great infographic, describes the growing renter population, shows how rents have increased while renter incomes have fallen, and explains the impact this has on renter households that must cut back on spending in other areas like food, transportation, and healthcare.

One element of the report that stuck out to me was the discussion of the share of income that lower-income renters spend on energy, as much as 15 percent for renter households earning less than $15,000 are year. Have you read the report? Did anything surprise you?

Do "Good Neighbor" Agreements Build Community Support for Affordable Housing?

2013-10-04T04:47:02.004Z

My colleague Amy Clark and I are working on a new research project. We're profiling effective steps that jurisdictions can take to build neighborhood support for supportive housing for formerly homeless families and single adults.

Any success stories you're aware of?

Specifically, has anyone out there come across or used "good neighbor agreements?" This is where a city encourages its housing providers to enter into a contract with a neighborhood association to provide greater assurances that the property will be well managed, there will be specific channels for resolving issues that come up, etc.

Bonus question: Are they helpful? Harmful? Inquiring minds want to know.

Housing as a Health Solution?

2013-09-19T20:33:53.540Z

The state of New York is planning to build hundreds of new supportive housing units for low-income Medicaid recipients through out the state. Research shows that there are important connections between a person's housing situation and their health. Expanding supportive housing for low-income households is an important step to achieving better health outcomes.

Are you seeing progress in addressing health issues through supportive housing development, or other housing strategies, in your community? What have been the keys to the success of these initiatives?

Frequent Moves & Children's Education

2013-09-19T19:20:49.495Z

Extensive research shows that moving frequently or changing schools frequently harms children's education, but there's less widely known about solutions to the problem. This thread is a place to share examples, ideas, and even pipe dreams of programs to address residential and school mobility.

It might be a school-housing collaboration or a solution from just one side of the puzzle (for example, open enrollment or school choice policies to break the link between residential moves and school changes; stability-boosting efforts like eviction prevention programs and low-income homeownership; etc.).

How do you think we should help reduce the impact of hypermobility on children? And have you seen successful examples in practice?

New HUD Fair Housing Rule

2013-08-08T17:02:19.170Z

On Monday, I attended NHC’s Discussion on the new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule which provided an opportunity for housing stakeholders to come together and ask questions and air concerns about HUD’s proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule. The conversation at the event focused on the need for clear enforcement mechanisms for the new AFFH rule and the importance of providing stakeholders an opportunity to appeal to HUD in cases where they find that municipalities are not in compliance. A recording of the event can be found on the NHC website here (register for the event to view the webcast recording).

I found useful context on the AFFH rule in the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Fair Housing Alliance, and the Poverty & Race Research Action Council’s “First Term Report Card” on the Obama administration’s enforcement of the AFFH rule. The report highlights successes and missed opportunities.

New Blight Index and Research in Dallas

2013-07-18T15:01:49.562Z

The Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity recently released a study conducted by University of Texas researchers that assesses the impact of blight on Dallas neighborhoods and its cost to the City. The researchers also developed a blight index which considers physical and social characteristics that can be adapted and used in other cities to better inform policy decisions.

Do you know of other useful blight measuring tools or research?

Affordable Housing Initiative, Indianapolis,IN

2013-06-28T14:06:05.366Z

I wanted to announce our innovative affordable housing model just built in our community, Elder-Friendly Communities (EFC) the first and only NORC in Indianapolis.

The new construction is in an established tree lined neighborhood. The home will accommodate 4 independent adults 60 and older in this shared housing initiative. Maximum rent is $472 or 30% of annual income.

The residents of this home will receive aging in place programs and services furnished thorough our program, EFC.

The home is ADA compliant and universal design elements are incorporated.

Our partners have been a Community Development Corporation, our area agency on aging and AARP Indiana. Many items for the home are being donated by stakeholders in the community.

Ann Allen, MSW, LSW

Coordinator

Elder-Friendly Communitiets