The House Financial Services Committee passed two pieces of legislation in July to preserve and revitalize the nation’s affordable housing stock. H.R. 5814, the Public Housing Reinvestment and Tenant Protection Act, establishes the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, intended to build upon and improve the HOPE VI program. The bill requires one-for-one replacement of any demolished or disposed units, and addresses concerns that housing authorities have expressed over the provision by providing flexibility on the types of units that can be used to replace affordable housing and a limited waiver. Other provisions include the establishment of a resident job training program and loan guarantees for housing finance agencies to rebuild, rehabilitate or make energy-efficiency improvements to affordable housing developments. H.R. 4868, the Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act, proposes to prevent any further loss of affordable housing units by providing resources and incentives to housing sponsors to help ensure their property stays affordable. The legislation would also establish a voluntary preservation exchange program to encourage owners to sell properties to purchasers who plan to maintain their affordability, require that tenants are given sufficient notice prior to a property’s conversion to market rate housing, and direct HUD to establish a nationwide public database of HUD and Rural Housing Service properties to enable monitoring of the existing affordable housing portfolio. Copies of both bills can be found online at www.hudresourcecenter.com.

HUD announced $19.5 million in grants to help convert portions of five existing multifamily properties into assisted living facilities for elderly persons, allowing residents to age in place. The funding is provided through HUD’s Assisted Living Conversion Program (ALCP) and grants are awarded on a competitive basis. Kivel Manor in Phoenix, Ariz. received nearly $4 million to convert 15 third-floor units to assisted living units, provide 24-hour on-site staff, and add a garden. More than $5 million was awarded to N.M. Carroll Manor Apartments in Baltimore, Md., to convert 16 units, making them fully accessible. Also included will be new medical care and community rooms, and unit modifications will include widening doors. Ten units at Bernadine Apartments in Syracuse, N.Y. will be converted to fully accessible units and extensive kitchen and bathroom upgrades will be made through a more than $2.5 million ALCP grant. NCR of Ohio received nearly $4 million to convert 25 units to assisted living units at Hopeton Village in Chillicothe, Ohio, and another $4 million will provide 39 assisted living units at Portage Trail Village in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

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HUD announced more than $550 million in housing assistance for senior citizens and persons with disabilities through its Section 202 and Section 811 programs. The funding will provide not-for-profit developers with project rental assistance contracts (PRACs) or capital advances, interest free, so they can produce accessible housing, offer rental assistance and provide supportive services. Of the total, $454.5 million is going to the Section 202 Capital Advance program, which expands the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly, providing very low-income persons age 62 or older the opportunity to live independently. In addition to funding the construction, acquisition and rehabilitation of multifamily developments, Section 202 provides PRAC funds to subsidize rents so that residents pay only 30 percent of their adjusted incomes. Under Section 811, which provides housing for very low-income persons with disabilities and their families or attendants, HUD awarded $95.7 million in grants. Section 811 provides capital advance funds for the construction of small apartment buildings, group homes or condominium units. Residents will pay 30 percent of their adjusted income for rent. The grants will fund 169 projects in 46 states, HUD said. A detailed summary of each grant is available online at www.hud.gov.

Ohio received more than $22.3 million under HUD’s Section 202 and Section 811 programs to help develop, construct or rehabilitate affordable housing for seniors or persons with disabilities. Funding recipients and approximate allocation amounts include Clermont Senior Services, $5 million; Housing Service Alliance, $1.3 million; Franklin Foundation, $5.4 million; National Church Residences, $5.6 million; Lutheran Social Services of Ohio, $1.3 million; Creative Housing Inc., $978,000; Ohio Multi County Development Corporation, $1.2 million; and Trumbull Housing Development Corporation, $1.4 million.

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